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Stronglifts while on a calorie deficit

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__freckles__
__freckles__ Posts: 1,238 Member
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Sorry if this question has been posted before. I'm pretty sure I already know the answer. Can you make good progress on upping the amount of weight you can lift while eating on a calorie deficit? I would assume since I'm not building any muscle that I'm just going to reach a point where I cannot progress anymore, but would like to know everyone else's experience.

If you're building muscle and eating at a surplus - YOU ROCK, and I may join you one day! But I would like ladies eating at a deficit and doing Stronglifts to give me their feedback.

THANKS!

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  • 6550mom
    6550mom Posts: 206 Member
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    I feel like I've hit a bit of a wall with increasing weights while eating what should be a deficit. Of course, I got all the way, over a couple months, to Squat 140, OHP 60, Bench 73, Deadlift 175, row (bent-over, not Pendlay) 80 before I stalled for more than 2 sessions.

    So, I had pretty good strength gains while eating a deficit. My weight change was minimal at that time, but my measurements had improved. This was prior to my 'break' for 2 months this summer.

    I'm 5'3" and 150 pounds (was down to 142 before I sabotaged myself, sigh, but that's another story)
  • lwoodroff
    lwoodroff Posts: 1,431 Member
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    if you have a lot of weight to lose you may keep improving for longer.. the other thing is to eat close or at your daily requirement - you won't be in excess, but you'll change shape!
  • roxylola
    roxylola Posts: 540 Member
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    It's possible but accept that there may be some days when you _need_ more to eat. I had one yesterday. Had (not deliberately) had a huge deficit for the previous 2 days and yesterday I just ate everything in site and gave up logging. Overall the trend is down on the weight front and up on the lifting, it's hard but not impossible
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
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    Judging by your ticker, OP, you do not have much weight to lose, and you were not obese to begin with--is that right? If it is, I would eat at what you think is maintenance for you, and see how that goes. While obese and very overweight people can build muscle on a deficit, lean people cannot, and your tolerance for caloric deficit is considerably lower than that of someone who has some padding to lose. If strength gain is your main goal, you need food to get there.
  • __freckles__
    __freckles__ Posts: 1,238 Member
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    Judging by your ticker, OP, you do not have much weight to lose, and you were not obese to begin with--is that right? If it is, I would eat at what you think is maintenance for you, and see how that goes. While obese and very overweight people can build muscle on a deficit, lean people cannot, and your tolerance for caloric deficit is considerably lower than that of someone who has some padding to lose. If strength gain is your main goal, you need food to get there.

    You are correct, I really don't want to lose any more weight - I don't care about that number. I'm 5'8 so my weight is where I used to be (had a baby 4 months ago which is why I lost the weight on my ticker). Now it's body fat I'm working on. I've only been lifting for 6 weeks now, and I feel like I'm already stalling. I was just wondering if it happened that soon.

    So maybe this should have been my original question: Can you be stuck lifting the same amount of weight and still burn fat or do you need to keep progressing in the amount you can lift in order to do that? If the latter is the case then I gotta jump on the muscle making/calorie surplus band wagon!
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
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    Judging by your ticker, OP, you do not have much weight to lose, and you were not obese to begin with--is that right? If it is, I would eat at what you think is maintenance for you, and see how that goes. While obese and very overweight people can build muscle on a deficit, lean people cannot, and your tolerance for caloric deficit is considerably lower than that of someone who has some padding to lose. If strength gain is your main goal, you need food to get there.

    You are correct, I really don't want to lose any more weight - I don't care about that number. I'm 5'8 so my weight is where I used to be (had a baby 4 months ago which is why I lost the weight on my ticker). Now it's body fat I'm working on. I've only been lifting for 6 weeks now, and I feel like I'm already stalling. I was just wondering if it happened that soon.

    So maybe this should have been my original question: Can you be stuck lifting the same amount of weight and still burn fat or do you need to keep progressing in the amount you can lift in order to do that? If the latter is the case then I gotta jump on the muscle making/calorie surplus band wagon!

    Can you describe your current program a bit more? How much are you lifting for the main lifts, how often you are making increases, and so on. Have you had your form checked by a coach or posted videos for form critiques? There are several reasons for getting stuck, and several ways to get unstuck, so we can help out with that.

    But, there comes a point where the only way to add weight to the bar is to eat more. You might not necessarily lose weight (and that shouldn't be your goal at the moment, anyway), but you will find recovery easier and you will feel stronger.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
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    Also, would you mind unlocking your diary? Some more information about how much you are eating and what your macros are would be useful. (You are welcome to have a look at mine--I am 5'9", weigh about 150, and my current work weights for all the lifts are logged in the exercise diary. I am not on a linear program anymore so if you want to see maxes, look at Saturdays.)

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