Stronglifts 5x5 Newbie - Questions about Potential Results

ChickenLittle1121
ChickenLittle1121 Posts: 32 Member
edited November 15 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello all!

I have a cruise that I'm preparing for in exactly 24 weeks. Having never felt comfortable and confident wearing swimwear or shorts in public, I decided to use this as a motivator to finally get myself there both mentally and physically.

I've started the Stronglifts 5x5 program, and still have quite a bit of work to do in terms of food choices but I am curious what type of aesthetic results I can expect in such a short amount of time. I'm not even sure if anyone can tell me; I just have looked at so many "weight lifting before and after"s in this forum, I'm afraid to get my hopes up too high.

Replies

  • erikgoya
    erikgoya Posts: 77 Member
    Not too much prior experience with 5x5 results, but so far as your "after" be careful about your food intake.

    If you're looking to gain muscle mass, you've got a good program, just make sure to go on a "lean bulk". A " dirty" bulk usually leads to some fat gain as well as muscle gain, and I doubt you want to deal with losing 15 pounds right before your cruise.

    Also, make sure to pay attention to the time under tension (google for more). It'll help you train for bigger, more toned muscles (hypertrophy).

    You could also try adding some accessory work if you want (biceps, triceps, calves, abs etc). 5x5s has some great compound work that will hit all of these indirectly, but some extra work is fine if you want.

    Just remember that food is 80%, exercise is 20%.
  • SwankyTomato
    SwankyTomato Posts: 442 Member
    From what I have read, part of it is genetics. Meaning your body shape is unique to you and your "fit self" will have it's own unique appearance.

    As a woman, you will probably look toned if you follow the lifting to a T. I am going to do the same.

    Good for you for starting!
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
    ChickenLittle1121 wrote: »
    Hello all!

    I have a cruise that I'm preparing for in exactly 24 weeks. Having never felt comfortable and confident wearing swimwear or shorts in public, I decided to use this as a motivator to finally get myself there both mentally and physically.

    I've started the Stronglifts 5x5 program, and still have quite a bit of work to do in terms of food choices but I am curious what type of aesthetic results I can expect in such a short amount of time. I'm not even sure if anyone can tell me; I just have looked at so many "weight lifting before and after"s in this forum, I'm afraid to get my hopes up too high.
    It all depends on your diet. If your diet isn't very good, while you will gain some strength and some muscle since you are new to lifting, your results will not be nearly as good as if you have your diet dialed in. 24 weeks is enough time to cause a significant difference if you are able to be consistent with proper diet.

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    You'll definitely see results in 24 weeks. Go get it!
  • awkwardsoul
    awkwardsoul Posts: 222 Member
    I've been doing SL since last summer and have been enjoying it. I've been slimming down more noticably than the scale number going down.

    You'll want to watch your macros though. When I wasn't I was feeling completely busted up and hungry the day or and after I lift from not enough protein. Admittedly, I don't do MFP's numbers, I do IIFYM.

    And if you are hinting that you are worried lifting will make you get bulky and manly looking, it won't, unless you take questionable suppliments.
  • Th3Ph03n1x
    Th3Ph03n1x Posts: 275 Member
    I'm into my 7th week of SL and I can see some results. It's not earth shattering but my other half notices it too. My pants are looser my hips look slimmer. Now if I can just get rid of the fat on my arms (that makes me crazy). 24 weeks is a little over thrice that so you should definitely see some results by then.

    Just a caveat I'm seeing more results than I'm measuring everyone's different but the scale and the measuring tape don't seem to show as much results as my loose clothes say they should.
  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
    I've been doing SL 5x5 since October (5 months). I saw some muscle definition because previously I had built muscle from 20+ yrs of an active job & some machine weight lifting at the gym. I only lost about 3 lbs,mthough. In Feb. I got serious and ate at a deficit and did 5x5 3-4 times a week and I have lost 7 more lbs and several inches. Finding the correct (small) deficit for me was key. I did not have a lot to lose,though.
  • ChickenLittle1121
    ChickenLittle1121 Posts: 32 Member
    Oh yay! All of this is very encouraging!

    I know that diet is the big thing; I previously lost quite a few pounds, but it was following an "eat less, move more" mantra. I realize that's really what it boils down to (CICO and all that) but I feel like there may be food choices that will be more helpful to me than others, especially while weight lifting. It's something I'm working on, but it's hard to talk myself out of some of my more delicious food choices sometimes lol

    Right now, I'm eating at a deficit for 1/2 pound weight loss per week. I've toyed with eating less to lose more, but I found myself getting sick and generally feeling not-so-great when eating fewer calories. Right now, MFP has me set at 1579, which is pretty consistent in terms of other calculators I checked. I'm struggling to stay below that number, because boy do I love food, but I'm hoping once I get that dialed in, I'll really start to see positive changes! And I'm definitely not concerned with getting bulky; I've lurked enough to know that lifting makes ladies sexy, not bulky! That's what I'm hoping for!

    Thank you all so much for the encouragement! If anyone has any more advice for me, I'd love to hear it!
  • spulia1
    spulia1 Posts: 51 Member
    I like SL and did it for about a year, following the program exactly. I started modifying the program becauseI noticed a huge difference in my lower body's muscle definition but not much up top. I started Benching AND Squatting 3x per week and have seen much better results. So I'd suggest making sure you add in some upper body exercises if that interests you.
  • dalhectar
    dalhectar Posts: 52 Member
    SL places more emphasis on your chest, back, quads, and hamstrings. Your arms and calfs won't get hit as often, and to a degree your core as well. It's more of a strength program than a bodybuilding/hypertrophy program. You have 24 wees though. My suggestion is do SL for three months and then switch to Ice Cream Fitness for the next 3 months. ICF takes the main lifts from SL and adds a lot of accessory work.
  • MrCoolGrim
    MrCoolGrim Posts: 351 Member
    ChickenLittle1121 wrote: »
    Oh yay! All of this is very encouraging!

    I know that diet is the big thing; I previously lost quite a few pounds, but it was following an "eat less, move more" mantra. I realize that's really what it boils down to (CICO and all that) but I feel like there may be food choices that will be more helpful to me than others, especially while weight lifting. It's something I'm working on, but it's hard to talk myself out of some of my more delicious food choices sometimes lol

    Right now, I'm eating at a deficit for 1/2 pound weight loss per week. I've toyed with eating less to lose more, but I found myself getting sick and generally feeling not-so-great when eating fewer calories. Right now, MFP has me set at 1579, which is pretty consistent in terms of other calculators I checked. I'm struggling to stay below that number, because boy do I love food, but I'm hoping once I get that dialed in, I'll really start to see positive changes! And I'm definitely not concerned with getting bulky; I've lurked enough to know that lifting makes ladies sexy, not bulky! That's what I'm hoping for!

    Thank you all so much for the encouragement! If anyone has any more advice for me, I'd love to hear it!

    What are your stats?
    How tall are you?
    How much to you weigh?
    Are you weighing your food?
    Do you use a food scale?
  • ChickenLittle1121
    ChickenLittle1121 Posts: 32 Member
    MrCoolGrim wrote: »

    1: What are your stats?
    2: How tall are you?
    3: How much to you weigh?
    4: Are you weighing your food?
    5: Do you use a food scale?

    1: I'm not sure what stats you mean ; sorry!
    2: 4'11"
    3: I hover between 145 and 150 these days
    4: Yes
    5: Yes
  • MrCoolGrim
    MrCoolGrim Posts: 351 Member
    ChickenLittle1121 wrote: »
    MrCoolGrim wrote: »

    1: What are your stats?
    2: How tall are you?
    3: How much to you weigh?
    4: Are you weighing your food?
    5: Do you use a food scale?

    1: I'm not sure what stats you mean ; sorry!
    2: 4'11"
    3: I hover between 145 and 150 these days
    4: Yes
    5: Yes

    Do you want to lose weight or bulk up?
  • ChickenLittle1121
    ChickenLittle1121 Posts: 32 Member
    MrCoolGrim wrote: »

    Do you want to lose weight or bulk up?
    Lose weight. My goal is to be less jiggly in general, so that when I wear shorts and swimwear in public, I'm less self conscious. A lot of that is mentality, but having a firmer body is part of it too!
    I hate cardio, but I'm going to add it in on my non-weight lifting days, so that might help me too. It's my understanding that cardio isn't necessary, per se, but I know my food choices aren't totally dialed in yet, so I appreciate the wiggle room it will afford me.
  • benjaminhk
    benjaminhk Posts: 353 Member
    While we're on the topic of 5x5 routines, I started one a few years back and some randoms at the gym said I should try doing more reps. I thought that defeated the purpose of a 5x5. Are 5x5's ineffective or something? Were they just some classic do-gooders trying to change other people's gym experiences?
  • MrCoolGrim
    MrCoolGrim Posts: 351 Member
    ChickenLittle1121 wrote: »
    MrCoolGrim wrote: »

    Do you want to lose weight or bulk up?
    Lose weight. My goal is to be less jiggly in general, so that when I wear shorts and swimwear in public, I'm less self conscious. A lot of that is mentality, but having a firmer body is part of it too!
    I hate cardio, but I'm going to add it in on my non-weight lifting days, so that might help me too. It's my understanding that cardio isn't necessary, per se, but I know my food choices aren't totally dialed in yet, so I appreciate the wiggle room it will afford me.

    Continue eating at a caloric deficit and continue with the stonglift program. I would also eat back half or all of your exercise calories to make sure you are properley fuel your body to avoid burnout. Work out 3 days a week and rest a day in between work outs. With in 24 weeks if you don't see weight coming off you will definitly see the inches coming off plus increased strength. Good luck.
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