5'6" and 140 pounds. How long before you saw results?
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aliciamarieUF
Posts: 226 Member
Hey everyone. I've been eating at a deficit (Maintain 1200 calories a day and eat back my calories) and started the strong lifts 5x5 program a few weeks ago. The weight I'm lifting has been going up steadily. I seemed to have lost a pound after a week and a half of doing this but then within a few days I went up to 142 and was hoping it was just a crazy fluctuation and that it would go back down. It went down to 141.8 and I'm hoping my weight will continue to go down but I'm starting to get a little worried because I'm not seeing much of a change. Here is my schedule. Is there anything you all would recommend for me to drop the pounds while maintaining muscle?
Monday: Stronglifts, 30 min cardio, 10 minutes ab work
Tuesday: 1 hour cardio
Wednesday: Stronglifts, 30 min cardio, 10 minutes ab work
Thursday: 1 hour cardio
Friday: Stronglifts, 30 min cardio, 10 minutes ab work
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Leg extensions, glute machine, 10 minutes ab work, 1 hour cardio
I've been eating as cleanly as possible (lots of chicken, fish, veggies and fruit) and staying away from junk. I lost 27 pounds in the past but these last 15 are horrible. Thank you for any advice!
Monday: Stronglifts, 30 min cardio, 10 minutes ab work
Tuesday: 1 hour cardio
Wednesday: Stronglifts, 30 min cardio, 10 minutes ab work
Thursday: 1 hour cardio
Friday: Stronglifts, 30 min cardio, 10 minutes ab work
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Leg extensions, glute machine, 10 minutes ab work, 1 hour cardio
I've been eating as cleanly as possible (lots of chicken, fish, veggies and fruit) and staying away from junk. I lost 27 pounds in the past but these last 15 are horrible. Thank you for any advice!
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Replies
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I would cut the lifting on Sunday. No need to do it, then do Stronglifts on Monday. If you want to keep the leg extensions and glute machine in there, add them on at the end of one or two of your Stronglift sessions.
Are you weighing all solids and measuring all liquids? If not, you are probably overeating and underlogging. Another possibility is that you're logging too many calories burned, thus eating at maintenance. (I don't say this to be a butthead, but you can eat super clean and still gain weight. I've done it, others have done it. It really is all about calories in vs. calories out for weight loss.)
The initial scale jump was most likely water weight. When you start a new exercise routine, especially lifting, you will retain water for muscle repair.
Have you reevaluated your calorie goal lately? With only 15 pounds to lose, you should set your goal to lose 0.5 pounds per week. As you get closer, you are supposed to eat a few more calories and lose slower so that when you transition to maintenance, you have a better/easier time.0 -
I'm 5'6", 145 and I eat on average 2100 calories to lose 1/2 lb a week (I don't eat back exercise) and I probably average lesser amounts of cardio as you and I'm a LOT older than you. You are at a healthy weight so you won't lose weight fast. And you shouldn't. You also won't see very big gains in your strength if you are eating such a big deficit.
It took me several months to really see any changes and honestly, I got hurt so I'm almost back to square one again with lifting. People who expect to see major bodily changes very quickly are asking for failure. Focus on getting stronger. Andas xcalgrl said, take another rest day - you aren't giving your body time to recover from it all (particularly as you are trying to lift and do mad amounts of cardio) and so may not see the changes you are hoping for.0 -
140 is actually not an unhealthy weight for 5'6" It's actually less than my goal weight! (But I do plan on keeping as much muscle mass as I can, so I can understand the different ideals here).
I think 1200 cals might be too high of a deficit. You're probably due for a reset/diet break here.
Where you're at, you should focus more on visible results than whatever the scale tells you. Up your calories to barely under maintenance (150-200 cals deficit MAX, and stick to it for at least a month before you adjust), and trust the process. You'll see more radical changes in body composition if you properly fuel the machine.
With the squat volume of SL, you really don't need leg extensions and glute machine work. If you feel they are lagging that badly, add weighted lunges to day A. You probably don't need to do ab work 3 times a week, either, but that's really up to you. And that's a LOT of cardio. I think you're bloating up because you're not giving your body much of a chance to recover. I'd drop it down to 2 1-hour long sessions a week.
Basically
M: SL A + Lunges
T: Cardio 1h
W: SL B + abs
Th: REST (nothing more strenuous than stretching and walking)
F: SL A + whatever machines you wanna do
Sat: Cardio 1h + Abs
Sun: REST
It takes time to change your body composition, but the process is a lot more linear if you fuel it properly. More is not better, BETTER is better. If you give your body a chance to recover, you'll be able to give a better effort when it counts, and it will be easier to adapt and transform.
I also suggest perhaps you give this website a look: http://www.eattoperform.com/welcome
It's got tons of information about fueling your body properly and how focusing on performance will make everything else pretty much fall into place. (You don't have to buy any of their books and whatnot, but hey, there are reebok shoes to win! lol)
I hope this was helpful. If you have any questions don,t be afraid to ask!0 -
I agree that for your height and weight 1200 is probably too big a deficit. I am 46, 5'2" and I am losing slowly on 1350 net. MFP told me to eat 1200 when I started and my weight would go down a couple of lbs and then I'd put them right back on again. When you don't have much to lose you should aim for a smaller deficit. As already mentioned, you will retain water when you start weight lifting. I've been doing SL since Oct. 15 and really did not see any scale results until I changed my calories up to 1350. I tinkered a lot with my calorie goal, eating less, eating more and I arrived at 1350 by using the spreadsheet provided my MFP member Heybales on his profile page. It is more detailed and uses many measurements to arrive at more accurate numbers. I discovered that my BMR is 1266, so eating 1200 calories net is eating below my BMR. Don't do that. You need to feed your body enough to keep it running but less than TDEE. I have followed this method since January and I have lost 6.5 lbs, at least 2% body fat, lost a few inches. I can see that I am less fluffy and more muscular. Your lifts will stall out faster eating at a deficit,though. Another reason to eat a little more.0
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This thread has been very useful to me as I am 3 weeks into SL. I am also 46, do martial arts twice a week in addition, and learning that doing too much and eating too little won't help with the health body process. Great post.0
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I would cut the lifting on Sunday. No need to do it, then do Stronglifts on Monday. If you want to keep the leg extensions and glute machine in there, add them on at the end of one or two of your Stronglift sessions.
Are you weighing all solids and measuring all liquids? If not, you are probably overeating and underlogging. Another possibility is that you're logging too many calories burned, thus eating at maintenance. (I don't say this to be a butthead, but you can eat super clean and still gain weight. I've done it, others have done it. It really is all about calories in vs. calories out for weight loss.)
The initial scale jump was most likely water weight. When you start a new exercise routine, especially lifting, you will retain water for muscle repair.
Have you reevaluated your calorie goal lately? With only 15 pounds to lose, you should set your goal to lose 0.5 pounds per week. As you get closer, you are supposed to eat a few more calories and lose slower so that when you transition to maintenance, you have a better/easier time.
Hi. Thanks for your response. I am pretty sure I'm logging accurately. I measure and weigh everything, including oil and any spices I cook with. I have my goal set to lose a pound a week at the moment and that allows me to consume 1260 calories a day. I don't go by MFP's exercise calories but allow my fitbit to take care of my walking steps and use the cardio machines to track calories burned. I'm hoping I am in fact dealing with water retention and that I will see weight loss soon.0 -
mymodernbabylon wrote: »I'm 5'6", 145 and I eat on average 2100 calories to lose 1/2 lb a week (I don't eat back exercise) and I probably average lesser amounts of cardio as you and I'm a LOT older than you. You are at a healthy weight so you won't lose weight fast. And you shouldn't. You also won't see very big gains in your strength if you are eating such a big deficit.
It took me several months to really see any changes and honestly, I got hurt so I'm almost back to square one again with lifting. People who expect to see major bodily changes very quickly are asking for failure. Focus on getting stronger. Andas xcalgrl said, take another rest day - you aren't giving your body time to recover from it all (particularly as you are trying to lift and do mad amounts of cardio) and so may not see the changes you are hoping for.
Thank you. I will start taking off Sunday's and see if that makes a difference.
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140 is actually not an unhealthy weight for 5'6" It's actually less than my goal weight! (But I do plan on keeping as much muscle mass as I can, so I can understand the different ideals here).
I think 1200 cals might be too high of a deficit. You're probably due for a reset/diet break here.
Where you're at, you should focus more on visible results than whatever the scale tells you. Up your calories to barely under maintenance (150-200 cals deficit MAX, and stick to it for at least a month before you adjust), and trust the process. You'll see more radical changes in body composition if you properly fuel the machine.
With the squat volume of SL, you really don't need leg extensions and glute machine work. If you feel they are lagging that badly, add weighted lunges to day A. You probably don't need to do ab work 3 times a week, either, but that's really up to you. And that's a LOT of cardio. I think you're bloating up because you're not giving your body much of a chance to recover. I'd drop it down to 2 1-hour long sessions a week.
Basically
M: SL A + Lunges
T: Cardio 1h
W: SL B + abs
Th: REST (nothing more strenuous than stretching and walking)
F: SL A + whatever machines you wanna do
Sat: Cardio 1h + Abs
Sun: REST
It takes time to change your body composition, but the process is a lot more linear if you fuel it properly. More is not better, BETTER is better. If you give your body a chance to recover, you'll be able to give a better effort when it counts, and it will be easier to adapt and transform.
I also suggest perhaps you give this website a look: http://www.eattoperform.com/welcome
It's got tons of information about fueling your body properly and how focusing on performance will make everything else pretty much fall into place. (You don't have to buy any of their books and whatnot, but hey, there are reebok shoes to win! lol)
I hope this was helpful. If you have any questions don,t be afraid to ask!
Thank you! Lots of useful information. I will probably switch to lose .5 pounds a week so that I can eat more and start taking another rest day and see if that will change anything.0 -
I agree that for your height and weight 1200 is probably too big a deficit. I am 46, 5'2" and I am losing slowly on 1350 net. MFP told me to eat 1200 when I started and my weight would go down a couple of lbs and then I'd put them right back on again. When you don't have much to lose you should aim for a smaller deficit. As already mentioned, you will retain water when you start weight lifting. I've been doing SL since Oct. 15 and really did not see any scale results until I changed my calories up to 1350. I tinkered a lot with my calorie goal, eating less, eating more and I arrived at 1350 by using the spreadsheet provided my MFP member Heybales on his profile page. It is more detailed and uses many measurements to arrive at more accurate numbers. I discovered that my BMR is 1266, so eating 1200 calories net is eating below my BMR. Don't do that. You need to feed your body enough to keep it running but less than TDEE. I have followed this method since January and I have lost 6.5 lbs, at least 2% body fat, lost a few inches. I can see that I am less fluffy and more muscular. Your lifts will stall out faster eating at a deficit,though. Another reason to eat a little more.
Thanks! Seems to be the same advice everyone else has given me. I will start adding on more calories and see what happens!0 -
Graceious1 wrote: »This thread has been very useful to me as I am 3 weeks into SL. I am also 46, do martial arts twice a week in addition, and learning that doing too much and eating too little won't help with the health body process. Great post.
Glad it was as useful for you as it was for me!0 -
Also, if going by the machines and fitbit, might want to note that even those numbers can be a little generalized. I have the zip fitbit, which is just the pedometer but I don't have it synced to MFP or use the daily steps for calories. I think it mostly motivates my stepdad to get more steps because he's competitive and I have a job where I'm on my feet and can get anywhere from 8,000 to almost 20,000 steps depending on the shift and department.
Good luck with the last little bit. I've never gotten close to healthy range (I'm nearing the overweight category after being obese much of my life) so I don't have much personal experience on that end.0 -
So much great advice ^^^
I just wanted to add, that the scale is a lying SOB. Take measurements and take *kitten* load of photos along the way. For me, water masks most losses - I only really see a drop once a month, right before TOM, then I stay the same all month, drop, maintain, drop - its like the WHOOSH effect. Wait for the whoosh0 -
Thanks, everyone! I will update in the next few weeks to let everyone know how it's going. Should I be eating exercise calories back even when eating at 1500? For example, I already reached 1500 calories today (was pretty hungry) before my workout. I plan on half an hour of cardio and strong lifts today. That normally buys me like another 300 calories. Should I take advantage of those 300 cal and have a snack or a small dinner tonight, or should I not be eating back all of my exercise calories? Thanks.0
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Bump.0
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I would say yes. I used the Scooby calculator here http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/ and plugged in your stats and it says your BMR is 1500. Eat back your exercise calories and give it some time. Take measurements to track progress. When lifting heavy the scale isn't going to be your best tool.0
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I would say yes. I used the Scooby calculator here http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/ and plugged in your stats and it says your BMR is 1500. Eat back your exercise calories and give it some time. Take measurements to track progress. When lifting heavy the scale isn't going to be your best tool.
Thank you!0 -
aliciamarieUF wrote: »Bump.
um . . . you bumped this thread after not even two hours. turnaround here can be slower than it is on the general forum, just so you know.
wrt your question, lifting heavy means it makes good sense to eat something carb-rich within an hour or so of a workout. i've seen stuff online that says 30 min, but there's a lot of broscience on the innanet so idk if it's as critical as some make it seem. however, the point is that research does suggest people's bodies repair and recover faster if they're fed some kind of carby snack in that window of time afterwards.
so me, i'm interested in strength so i eat something after a workout even if it does put me over some theoretical limit in the numbers game. it just seems like a better investment to me, but your preferences and priorities might be different.0 -
canadianlbs wrote: »aliciamarieUF wrote: »Bump.
um . . . you bumped this thread after not even two hours. turnaround here can be slower than it is on the general forum, just so you know.
wrt your question, lifting heavy means it makes good sense to eat something carb-rich within an hour or so of a workout. i've seen stuff online that says 30 min, but there's a lot of broscience on the innanet so idk if it's as critical as some make it seem. however, the point is that research does suggest people's bodies repair and recover faster if they're fed some kind of carby snack in that window of time afterwards.
so me, i'm interested in strength so i eat something after a workout even if it does put me over some theoretical limit in the numbers game. it just seems like a better investment to me, but your preferences and priorities might be different.
Thank you.0 -
aliciamarieUF wrote: »Thanks, everyone! I will update in the next few weeks to let everyone know how it's going. Should I be eating exercise calories back even when eating at 1500? For example, I already reached 1500 calories today (was pretty hungry) before my workout. I plan on half an hour of cardio and strong lifts today. That normally buys me like another 300 calories. Should I take advantage of those 300 cal and have a snack or a small dinner tonight, or should I not be eating back all of my exercise calories? Thanks.
Yeah, I'd eat back some of those exercise calories as well. Maybe not all of them, as the numbers tend to be rather unreliable, but if you're hungry then by all means, eat! There's a good chance you'll be hungrier during a certain window after you lift. I go in first thing in the morning, so to me that's typically all day (everyday, all the time, but that's a different issue, lol). For someone who works out at night it's more likely to be the day after. So it's not unreasonable to allow yourself higher calories on the days you're more active to allow better recovery.
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140 is actually not an unhealthy weight for 5'6" It's actually less than my goal weight! (But I do plan on keeping as much muscle mass as I can, so I can understand the different ideals here).
I think 1200 cals might be too high of a deficit. You're probably due for a reset/diet break here.
Where you're at, you should focus more on visible results than whatever the scale tells you. Up your calories to barely under maintenance (150-200 cals deficit MAX, and stick to it for at least a month before you adjust), and trust the process. You'll see more radical changes in body composition if you properly fuel the machine.
With the squat volume of SL, you really don't need leg extensions and glute machine work. If you feel they are lagging that badly, add weighted lunges to day A. You probably don't need to do ab work 3 times a week, either, but that's really up to you. And that's a LOT of cardio. I think you're bloating up because you're not giving your body much of a chance to recover. I'd drop it down to 2 1-hour long sessions a week.
Basically
M: SL A + Lunges
T: Cardio 1h
W: SL B + abs
Th: REST (nothing more strenuous than stretching and walking)
F: SL A + whatever machines you wanna do
Sat: Cardio 1h + Abs
Sun: REST
It takes time to change your body composition, but the process is a lot more linear if you fuel it properly. More is not better, BETTER is better. If you give your body a chance to recover, you'll be able to give a better effort when it counts, and it will be easier to adapt and transform.
I also suggest perhaps you give this website a look: http://www.eattoperform.com/welcome
It's got tons of information about fueling your body properly and how focusing on performance will make everything else pretty much fall into place. (You don't have to buy any of their books and whatnot, but hey, there are reebok shoes to win! lol)
I hope this was helpful. If you have any questions don,t be afraid to ask!
Thanks for that website eattoperform.com , loads of good info!! Big Thumbs up!0
