Diet stalling 5x5?

jenglish712
jenglish712 Posts: 497 Member
edited November 8 in Fitness and Exercise
So I have tracked on MFP for awhile (with a few breaks) but this is my first post in the boards.

So I have been doing SL 5x5, though only the last month or so have I been doing it on true free weights, I had to switch gyms to do so. Obviously its harder with a barbell than a smith machine. I have struggled to make any progress with shoulderlifts whatsoever, but now I feel I am seeing failure on BP well below body weight (unable to complete 4th set at 120, I weigh 152 at 5'8"). I still have a beer belly to lose but I am wondering if 1800 calorie diet has limited my ability to continue to increase in strength. Should I just maintain progress until I lose another 2 inches of belly circumference?

I want to get stronger, but I want to get rid of this beer belly as well.

Replies

  • julesan902
    julesan902 Posts: 79 Member
    Yes - your low-calorie diet is affecting your true strength potential. I understand the frustration of having a belly, but at this point in time, you will have to pick one or the other. To get big, you have to eat big (to get strength, you need energy). I recommend you decide if you want to bulk all winter and get strong, maintain and plateau, or cut and make the strength sacrifices.
  • noexcusesjustresults2014
    noexcusesjustresults2014 Posts: 212 Member
    Strength progress will always be much harder on a deficit. I think strength training while cutting weight is great for preserving muscle however. You can:
    1. Reduce your deficit
    2. Follow the 5x5 program and reduce weights when you stall. Focus on learning proper form.
  • jenglish712
    jenglish712 Posts: 497 Member
    Thank you both for your replies. Does it matter at all that I am not looking to bulk per se ( I don't lift for hypertrophy) or that I am generally eating 100 grams or more of protein per day?

    Would I make progress both directions at or very near maintenance of around 2200?

    Do I waste "beginner gains" by only slowly increasing strength because I am essentially trying to recomp?
  • paj315
    paj315 Posts: 335 Member
    edited November 2014
    You probably need more protein. I'm a girl and my PT has me at 175-200g per day and my main focus is to get stronger.
    If I were you I'd eat at maintenance at least on your workout days. Also make sure you're getting in a good post workout meal with some protein, 50 ish grams carbs and no fat. You also want your post workout carbs to be fast digesting carbs.

    Check out Eat to Perform, lots of good infor there on exactly this.



  • rick_po
    rick_po Posts: 449 Member
    When you stall, do the de-load they suggest in the program. For Stronglifts, I believe after you fail to advance 3 workouts in a row, you reduce the weight 10% for that lift only. You can also try fractional plates and do smaller increases.

    If you feel like you're over-doing it, you can also try the program as a 3x5, which, in my opinion, works better on a calorie deficit. But I would give de-loading a try before I reduced volume.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    The first thing I'd say is why are you losing weight at 152lbs? That is pretty damn light for 5'8". (I'm same height and was 170lbs for a bb comp) I'd be upping the cals a bit (which will help with lifting obviously and just slowly adding some weight)

    But yes, you should deload 10% or so and ramp up again when you stall (or move to madcows after that)
  • jenglish712
    jenglish712 Posts: 497 Member
    rick_po wrote: »
    When you stall, do the de-load they suggest in the program. For Stronglifts, I believe after you fail to advance 3 workouts in a row, you reduce the weight 10% for that lift only. You can also try fractional plates and do smaller increases.

    If you feel like you're over-doing it, you can also try the program as a 3x5, which, in my opinion, works better on a calorie deficit. But I would give de-loading a try before I reduced volume.

    I'm still following the program and doing repeats and deloading, but I just started hitting that earlier than I expected and wondered if even with enough protein the calorie defecit would be hindering me already strength wise.
    chrisdavey wrote: »
    The first thing I'd say is why are you losing weight at 152lbs? That is pretty damn light for 5'8". (I'm same height and was 170lbs for a bb comp) I'd be upping the cals a bit (which will help with lifting obviously and just slowly adding some weight)

    But yes, you should deload 10% or so and ramp up again when you stall (or move to madcows after that)

    The number on the scale is less important than the tape measure. I've lost a couple inches around the middle but I would like to lose a couple more. I would like to get back into my 28 inch waist jeans from HS. Hey, if I could shrink my waistline and stay at this exact weight that would be even better.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    is 1800 calories maintenance, a deficit, or a surplus?

    how old are you? Male/female?

    If you are failing on weights then you need you need to check your ego at the door and drop down another five pounds…

    It sucks I know, I just realized last night that my squat form is off at 250 and I am going to drop down to 240 to work on some form issues..it happens to all of us….
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    edited November 2014
    In addition to what's already been said... I'd check things like form and technique. I think most people struggle with overhead presses, and the bench press is a more technical lift than most people realize. Also make sure you are recovered from previous workouts.

    Failing after a month seems strange to me.
  • PwrLftr82
    PwrLftr82 Posts: 945 Member
    paj315 wrote: »
    You probably need more protein. I'm a girl and my PT has me at 175-200g per day and my main focus is to get stronger.
    If I were you I'd eat at maintenance at least on your workout days. Also make sure you're getting in a good post workout meal with some protein, 50 ish grams carbs and no fat. You also want your post workout carbs to be fast digesting carbs.

    Check out Eat to Perform, lots of good infor there on exactly this.



    Unless you weigh 200+ lbs, that amount of protein is overkill.
  • LazyFoodie
    LazyFoodie Posts: 217 Member
    I was fine for 6ish weeks even with losing almost 2 lbs a week (I did not mean to lose so quickly). I progresses by 5 lbs on squats and deadlifts and 2.5lbs mostly on upper body. Now everything is majorly stalling. I've upped calories for a week now and still stalling so not sure if it's that. I think I ate around maintenance last week. I'm typing this at the gym, every lift still sucks, even with a deload on squats.
  • jenglish712
    jenglish712 Posts: 497 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    is 1800 calories maintenance, a deficit, or a surplus?

    how old are you? Male/female?

    34 yo male, 152 at 5'8" I've ran a few different calorie calculators and almost all of them run right around 2200-2250 for maintenance.
    jacksonpt wrote: »
    In addition to what's already been said... I'd check things like form and technique. I think most people struggle with overhead presses, and the bench press is a more technical lift than most people realize. Also make sure you are recovered from previous workouts.

    Failing after a month seems strange to me.

    And I have struggled with form. Initially I was using the Smith when I was at another gym and got used to not only using the smith, but doing it from bench with back support. I can do more on the shoulder press with a little bit of leg drive right when it touches my chest. But still I was taking a 100 second break between sets this morning and struggling with 25# plus the bar. Wednesday I was struggling with 80# plus the bar on bench. I'm at 40# plus bar on row, 100# plus par on squat and 120# plus bar on DL. It is an olympic bar so that should be 40-40#

    I do a 10.5 min mile or so after each lifting session. I had been doing some light bodywork and light dumbell work on my off days. I had started this stuff before I started SL and had been trying to do some other shoulder and core exercises to build up those muscles. Honestly it feels like weakness in my lower back and the back of my arms more than my shoulders when I am struggling.



    Thanks again to all providing feedback.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    34yrs old, male, 5' 8" and 152lbs - I don't think losing weight would be my focus. I'm the same height as you, and even as a triathlete that races during the summer, I don't want to be below 160lbs.
  • jenglish712
    jenglish712 Posts: 497 Member
    Well, it's more my 35" measurement at the navel than my weight. I hit 34" earlier when I first lost about 20#s then the inch came back with the 5# I regained.

    So maybe since it's winter and nobody will see me shirtless but the Mrs. (and she's seen worse), I should go to a slight surplus, like in the clean bulk territory of around 2600 (at a 100 calories more every half week or so) and focus on strength gains until End of Feb or maybe march. When the weather was nicer I was doing 1.5 mile run then a 2 mile bike ride 2x a week... so I could realistically be cutting weight easier in the spring if I added a little muscle over winter. And maybe look at some videos etc to make sure I am not off on my Shoulder press form. I have had bursitis in my right shoulder, but it's not pain that is causing me to struggle, it's gravity. ;)
  • jenglish712
    jenglish712 Posts: 497 Member
    Also, i looked at some videos and I may be putting the bar lower on my chest for overheadpress than I should.
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