Another Newbie... Hello
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wnt2bhlthy4me
Posts: 121 Member
Hi, I've been a member of this group for while and have been wanting to start lifting. I started 5x5 this week really seriously. I'm still working on my form and my nerves. Here are my stats. I'm 32, 5'5, and currently 190lbs. I've lost about 45lbs so far with running and cardio. I want to lose another 45-50ish lbs. I lost most of my weight eating about 1300 cals. I recently increased to 1600 because of lifting. I just wanted to say hi and see if anyone has any advise or suggestions. I welcome new friend requests from my fellow lifters. Y'all are awesome! 
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What I started on...
Last night Lifts:
Squats - 5x45lbs
Bench - 5x45lbs
Barbell Rows - 5x65lbs0 -
Welcome! How did you feel after your first workout?0
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Thank you. I felt great! Muscle are sore that I didn't know I had, especially the booty ones. It's a good hurt though.0
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Hi wnt2bhlthy4me! I just started lifting too. I am also trying to lose weight while lifting, about 20lbs. How are you doing with your cardio after starting 5x5? I find that I am not able to do as much since now a lot of the gym time goes to 5x5 and I am also eating more calories so I little afraid that the weight loss will stall.0
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Hi Nancy274, I'm also scared of a weight loss stall too. I'm still doing my cardio. I usually do my cardio first (about 15 mins) and then switch to weights. I find when I get my heart beat up alittle from cardio, I burn more cals lifting.0
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Actually, heart rate monitors are really only good for steady-state cardio, so you're probably not burning as much as you think during lifting.
Weight lifting can mask a loss with water retention, so keep that in mind when you weigh yourself. Just because the scale says you gained doesn't mean you actually gained fat. As long as you're in a deficit, you'll be fine. Obviously, the smaller the deficit, the slower the weight will come off (but your strength gains will come a lot easier
).
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I don't count lifting as calories burned just because I don't know how and I have read it does not burn a lot of cals (do it to retain muscle instead). I used to do 45 or 50 minutes of cardio every morning 5 to 6 times a week and now I am doing only 45-50 minutes about 2 or 3 times a week and 25 mins only on lifting days. The eating more and doing less cardio for me is making my calorie deficient shrink. I keep telling myself it is healthier and I'll look better in the end with lifting even if the weight comes off slower but I get a little bummed about it sometimes haha.0
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Progress pictures and a measuring tape are a good way to keep track of how you're doing. The scale is too fickle to rely on.
If you haven't done measurements or taken pictures, do it! You'll seriously be glad to have them. It's hard to not get bummed out by the scale, so it's nice to have another progress tracker. 0 -
chubby_checkers wrote: »Progress pictures and a measuring tape are a good way to keep track of how you're doing. The scale is too fickle to rely on. If you haven't done measurements or taken pictures, do it! You'll seriously be glad to have them. It's hard to not get bummed out by the scale, so it's nice to have another progress tracker.
Totally agree with Chubby_Checker, I posted about this same thing a few weeks ago. I took a progress photo from Feb/Aug 1st and Oct 1 and couldn't believe the difference!
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Thanks for the advise. I really don't want to weigh 190 though. Should I make it to my goal and then start lifting?0
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wnt2bhlthy4me wrote: »Thanks for the advise. I really don't want to weigh 190 though. Should I make it to my goal and then start lifting?
You should start lifting now, while staying a deficit. That way you can maintain your lean body mass. Often times without resistance training, you'll end up losing muscle along with fat. That is what you do not want.
Good luck with everything
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wnt2bhlthy4me wrote: »Thanks for the advise. I really don't want to weigh 190 though. Should I make it to my goal and then start lifting?
I always read you should start lifting right way to preserve your muscle while you lose weight since it is hard to build muscle. Lifting during weight loss should preserve more muscle so you end up with a better body fat percentage once you reach your goal weight (since your weight loss will be more from fat and less from muscle loss). I'm not sure but I think it might be easier to preserve muscle than to build muscle. If you reach your goal and then start lifting you might have to gain some weight to build muscle.
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That makes sense. Thanks!! Do you think my calorie intake is ok? I want to still eat at a deficit but eat enough to lift.0
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Depends how active you are through the rest of the day as well. I am 5'6" 36 yr old, no cardio only lift 3 x a week but am chasing a 18 mth old around all day. I can eat 2800 a day and maintain my weight. I would say you could eat more than you are. check out http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ If you are active at your job or at home then i would think you can bump up the activity level a notch on the calculator.0
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Oh wow, is that Scobby site accurate? I don't eat near enough. I changed my calories now.0
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No calculator is going to be 100% accurate, but it's a good starting point. Give yourself a month to 6 weeks eating at that level, and then make adjustments if you're not seeing the results you want.mrmrsvoelkel wrote: »Oh wow, is that Scobby site accurate? I don't eat near enough. I changed my calories now.
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chubby_checkers wrote: »
No calculator is going to be 100% accurate, but it's a good starting point. Give yourself a month to 6 weeks eating at that level, and then make adjustments if you're not seeing the results you want.mrmrsvoelkel wrote: »Oh wow, is that Scobby site accurate? I don't eat near enough. I changed my calories now.
^^ exactly, give it time and see how your body likes it. If the scale goes up then back off a bit but i think alot of people especially starting a weight loss plan drop them to much. Food is fuel. If you want to lift heavy you need to feed it.0
