Few questions from a beginner

pia29 · January 2014

Hi, I've a few questions if you don't mind answering them.

I'm 5 foot 6, 10 stone, and have been on and off with slimming world, I've lost 10lbs in total. I'm really out of shape though, a big belly, wobbly thighs etc. I absolutely hate going to the gym, but want to try the stronglifts 5x5.

My first question is, to lose weight, would you recommend me doing cardio along with the 5x5? If so, before or after lifting?

My second question is, when it says you alternate the two workouts, that's not in one session is it? So it'll be workout one on Monday, workout two on Wednesday, workout one on Friday etc?

I really like the simplicity of Slimming World, not counting calories etc, but I'm thinking of swapping over to just counting calories and logging it on MFP. How do I find out how many calories I should be eating if I'll be lifting 3 x PW, with half an hour cardio after (or before) each lifting workout?

And my last question is, should I try and start each of the exercises just using the weight of the barbell? I have near enough never lifted, so I don't know what to start at. If I start with just the barbell for each exercise and increase the weights each workout from then?

Sorry for all the questions, really appreciate anyone's help

girlie100 · January 2014

First off welcome

10 stone at 5'6" is not massive so I would just be looking to re-comp, firm up the jiggly bits :laugh:

When you lost the 10lbs with SW was that just diet or diet and exercise? If you are still losing weight with SW the way i see it if its not broke don't fix so try just your SW diet with the lifting and see what happens over the next month (don't be put off by a little scale weight gain at the start, it happens to everyone)

Try just weights and diet for a month and if its not working then add cardio, if you go all in at the start then you run out of options later on down the road.

Assuming you mean a 7ft 20kg Olympic bar then just try it out, at 10stone the bar is about 1/3 your body weight so may be too much for upper body, bench and press. If so try lighter barbell or dumbbells for these until you work yourself up to the bar. If you have never weight trained before the first couple of workouts are going to be trial and error until you find your starting weights, but once set providing you make all 5x5 then you will add weight next workout. The sticky explains it in more detail :bigsmile:

All thats left is good luck and smash it :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :drinker:

pia29 · January 2014

Thanks for the reply.

The 10lb loss with Slimming World was just diet, no exercise at all.

I've just joined a new gym, I have my induction on Friday. I'll ask them to show me the weights and I'll see if I can start off on the Olympic bar and see how I go.

Just lifting 3 times a week doesn't seem like a lot, not that I'm complaining, I hate going to the gym! When I used to go to the gym it'd just be cardio, and a few weights on the machines, I didn't have any plan or directection, I found it so boring, so hopefully with the 5x5 routine and no cardio I'll find that easier to focus on.

So I alternate the routines, workout one on Mondays, workout two on Wednesdays, one on Fridays?

Also, what do you suggest I should do to warm up?

Thanks

krokador · January 2014

You should always be alternating A B A B, but only 3 days a week (So week 1 will be A, B, A, then week 2 B, A,

. Just making sure that,s clear cuz otherwise you'll end up doing too much of A! lol

What you *could* do if you find just the weights isn't enough is do 5-10 mins of light/moderate cardio as a warm-up. Then make sure you also do some bodyweight stuff to get your muscles less stiff (dynamic warm-up. bodyweight squats, spiderman climbs, twisting planks, push-ups). Don't overdo it, you're just trying to get mobile!

Then once you're done with the weights (use warm-up sets there too, esp as the weights get heavier that's important!) if you still have some time and energy left, do some intervals of cardio (HIIT) or finishers (where you cram really high intensity into a really short amount of time).

Go for walks or play some sports or keep yourself moving on off days.

Trust me, doing much more than that, especially starting out, WILL catch up to you. Better to ease into it than to go too hard and quit because you hate it.

catfive1 · January 2014

I've just joined a new gym, I have my induction on Friday. I'll ask them to show me the weights and I'll see if I can start off on the Olympic bar and see how I go.

Be firm that you want to learn the lifts for Stronglifts. They will most likely try to steer you to the machines.

hearthemelody · January 2014

I just wanted to say welcome, I am glad you are here, and it seems like you had a lot of the same questions I had!

Good luck!

pia29 · January 2014

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'll be uploading before and after pics

and no doubt asking more questions along the way x

Briargrey · January 2014

I just started it on Saturday. Of course, I mixed up components of the workout so this Saturday I'm going to try to straighten it all back to rights. Tameko's summary made this SO much easier to get started on, since Mehdi's stuff really has a lot of bs to get through to get to the basics.

Lots of great info on this group - thanks, everyone!

victoriannsays · January 2014

If you're looking to shed some body fat, the best way to accomplish this is to eat at TDEE - 20% Plus Stronglifts. You can either eat at a caloric deficit or burn the caloric deficit with cardio. Choice is yours. I personally focus on the lifting aspect of things more and add a bit of cardio for heart health reasons. You can find a tdee calculator on google and make your plan from there.

lwoodroff · January 2014

check the 'useful links' sticky for TDEE calculator too

Stronglifts 5x5 for Women

Few questions from a beginner

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