5x5 stronglifts, training for half, and weight loss?

dcresider
dcresider Posts: 1,272 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
While I'm fairly active, I know I have about 10+ lbs. to lose. I want to lose/maintain weight while starting the 5x5 stonglifts routine, plus train for a 1/2 marathon at the same time. The 5x5 workout has me lifting 3 days a week and while my running is 4 days. I'll l have one rest day not doing anything (Friday). I have 19 weeks before my half.

I know it's counteractive to lose weight while training but is this too much exercise? Suggestions?

Replies

  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,010 Member
    Bump. No advice but in a similar situation.
  • RunDoozer
    RunDoozer Posts: 1,699 Member
    I tried this and to be honest it just got to be too much. Both were suffering. No matter how much I ate or rested my body just wouldnt recover on one days rest.

    Your body needs to heal. You need light days. Not saying you should take days off necessarily but there needs to be some recovery time.
  • IllustratedxGirl
    IllustratedxGirl Posts: 240 Member
    I'm not training for a marathon but I do heavy cardio in addition to stronglifts 5x5. I work out anywhere from 2-5 hours a day 6 days a week. It works for me, and I love it. I've been going extra hard lately because I'm going on vacation... Right now (sitting at the terminal) lol. So I figured a break was coming :)
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    Might be too much especially of you're anywhere close to stalling on your weights. But maybe if you're doing something like tdee -10% then it might be ok
  • mayfrayy
    mayfrayy Posts: 198 Member
    you will be able to do both, but they will both be sub-optimal. Add a deficit onto that and results will surely lag.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    Not a good idea to try and do this while losing weight IMO.

    That sort of volume of training is similar to what I currently do prepping for a bodybuilding comp. So I am in calorie deficit (small at 1lb per week maximum loss).

    My strengths sessions are probably more volume than SL I'd say but I would do less cardio than someone training for a half marathon. (2 hours per week or so at this stage) My strength levels after 8 weeks of dieting have been able to stay basically the same with only a few lifts dropping. If I was pushing the cardio aspect and attempting to improve on times, I can only see the strength levels dropping also.

    In summary, if you want to do this add more cals so you at least maintain weight.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    I do something like this instead, a 2 day program, NOT squats every day. I love Stronglifts but it's hard and I'd think all the squats would hurt your running.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/373801-two-day-full-body-strength-training-routine
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    While I'm fairly active, I know I have about 10+ lbs. to lose. I want to lose/maintain weight while starting the 5x5 stonglifts routine, plus train for a 1/2 marathon at the same time. The 5x5 workout has me lifting 3 days a week and while my running is 4 days. I'll l have one rest day not doing anything (Friday). I have 19 weeks before my half.

    I know it's counteractive to lose weight while training but is this too much exercise? Suggestions?

    Do you feel it's too much? If you feel good, and your body is doing well, then it's not too much.

    I'm training for a tri, rehabbing a bad knee, working with a strength coach, and trying to lose weight. If I don't do double workouts, and swim on my off days, I'll fall behind on my training. I know it's time to give it a day or two of rest when I'm mean (meaner than usual), feel like hell, and not hungry/ insanely hungry.
  • PixieAdele
    PixieAdele Posts: 102 Member
    I tried to do the exact same thing last yr. I had to quit strong lifts my body just couldnt handle it and i actually gained about 12lb while trying to do both (my measurements for food were well out though), but my priorities were laying with the half marathon at the time. This yr is more on lifts and im only running to/from the gym adding up to about 6-9miles per week.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    ...starting the 5x5 stonglifts routine
    , plus train for a 1/2 marathon at the same time.

    Stronglifts starts quite minimal but accelerates quite rapidly, so while it may be fine at the moment you may find that it starts to get a bit much.

    What's your current weekly mileage? Given 19 weeks until your HM is your mileage going to stay roughly the same or do you anticipate a significant increase? What sort of sessions does your programme include; lots of long steady, or a combination of long steady, tempo and interval?

    What other phys do you do? Cycling, swimming or anything like that?

    What's your HM objective? Completion, time?
  • AnnaVee84
    AnnaVee84 Posts: 345 Member
    I trained for a half marathon earlier this spring and also was doing heavy lifting with New Rules of Lifting for Women routine at the same time. I definitely upped my cals to maintenance, so that I could have the energy. Lifted 2x a week and ran 3x a week and had either 2 days of rest or 1 extra day of yoga/group exercise. I wasn't aiming for a time goal for the half though, haha just wanted to finish - so if your goal is to push harder on the running then maybe you'd have to adjust accordingly.

    ETA: it was my first half marathon (i'm not a runner by any means and usually was doing charity 5Ks in like 45 minutes) but i think the lifting really helped me move faster and allowed me to get through the running schedule. looking back, i wouldn't have done it any other way.
  • dcresider
    dcresider Posts: 1,272 Member
    Thanks all for your great input.

    This would be my second HM so I'm looking to finish with a PR or just to finish. For me, HM or any race is just a goal I set for myself to keep up with exercise.

    I'll try out this routine for a while and see if I can keep up with it. If I can't, I'll settle for 2 day of strength training with 4 day's of hm training and make sure to have 2 days break.
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    I cycle daily and found that 5 x 5 was too high volume, especially while eating at a deficit. If you still wish to strength train 3 x per week then you could try reducing to 3 x 5.

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