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[MMarston]

Newbie here again. Just had my first run at Stronglifts 5x5 today.


It went kind-sorta-ish well I guess. Squats and Bench Press almost went off without hitch albeit with a little problems trying to balance the empty barbell well.

But man, I totally botched my posture to hell trying to do the Barbell Rows so I'm expecting my back and parts of my arms to ache badly when I get up tomorrow. So I'm definitely gonna try and work on this, especially since now I'm dreading the Deadlifts the day after tomorrow.

Otherwise, I still feel pretty good about it and I know this will take time.

 

[Psychotext]

What's the best place to pick up a barbell? I wouldn't even mind used... there's a sale on threaded barbells, but those sound like a PITA if you're trying to remove weight quickly (which probably won't be the case if I will use them solely for deadlifts and squats and lunges)

You can remove / add weight quickly to a spinlock bar, you just need the quick clamps for it.

This sort of thing (I can't speak for this particular model): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XDSADTY/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Unrelated... really thought my knee / leg was healing. I've been good, no squats, no leg work other than deads. Walking around the supermarket. BAM, knee gives way, shooting pain.

Yay. FML.

 

[Psychotext]

I forget who said to do it... but I bought the crunchy peanut butter from MyProtein, and aside from having maybe slightly bigger chunks (no big deal really), it's very similar to Meridian, but a lot cheaper.

So thanks.

 

[Hands of Stone]

Ugh, I just cannot control my appetite at all. Got down to a new low at 178 last week, but I just can't keep away from snacking. I intended to fast all day today, ended up having a snack and a snack turned into 1500 calories. Christ. Back up to 188 this morning and now I don't even wanna look at the scale for the next week.

No way you gained 10 pounds in a week. Most likely water weight.

 

[justjim89]

No way you gained 10 pounds in a week. Most likely water weight.

Probably so, I have pretty drastic fluctuations day to day.

 

[Jacksinthe]

Probably so, I have pretty drastic fluctuations day to day.

Most of us do.

Best you can do is pick the same day per week and weigh yourself first thing in the morning after going to the bathroom, before eating and naked. That's how I always do it.

 

[Psychotext]

A lot of us weigh first thing in the morning and then do a rolling average. Pretty much the best way to eliminate the effects of water fluctuations.

 

[BumRush]

Been doing the following lately and seeing a ton of progress with it:

M: DL, Bench, OHP (plus accessories)
T: Squats, Abs
W: Rows, Incline Bench, Clean and Press (plus accesories)
Th: Squats, Abs
F: DL, Bench, OHP (accessories)

The extra volume has been awesome.

 

[Grenouille]

So are abductor and adductor really useless? At least that's what a quick google search tells me.

The internet also says that apparently brosplit isn't that great? I've been doing it. The full body in the OP seems to take less time though.

 

[Dead Prince]

A lot of us weigh first thing in the morning and then do a rolling average. Pretty much the best way to eliminate the effects of water fluctuations.

Weigh in after morning poo.

 

[Vault Dweller 111]

I posted this elsewhere. But it probably belongs here.

My situation isn't really drastic, but I don't like the way I'm trending. I'm too close to 200 for comfort. I don't eat anything that's too terrible, and I'm generally active. My problem is I just really like eating. I do it even if I don't feel hungry.

And it's like my body has been tricked, I feel 'hungry' way too often. I mean I love all the ideas. Cut out carbs, eat meat, fruits, veggies, great. But I will be fucking starving by midday, and unable to function. How do you get over that hump? Feeling THAT hungry isn't really a sustainable way to live. Even if it was just for a few weeks to break the habit.

Sometimes I don't eat that much. Feel okay about myself. Lay down in bed, and suddenly I'm fucking famished. Like I'm so hungry that I can't sleep. So it's midnight snack time, and now I've eaten a ton, and my 'good' day of not eating too much is down the drain.

I'm a cold turkey type guy. I can't really take intermediate steps. Tomorrow I'm gonna chuck all my food that has bad carbs in it. I'll go to the store and buy fruits and vegetables. I'll feel fine. By 6oclock I'll be starving, and by bed time it will be impossible to sleep because I'm so hungry. What can I do about it? If I could get over that hump, I wouldn't have much trouble at all.

And perhaps most important: what's the stance on alcohol? I'm not a beer drinker. But Im in college and enjoy getting drunk with my buddies once a week. This is mainly hard liquor, shots and stuff. Obviously that's not good. But just how bad is doing that once a week?

Thanks!!

 

[Jacksinthe]

I posted this elsewhere. But it probably belongs here.

My situation isn't really drastic, but I don't like the way I'm trending. I'm too close to 200 for comfort. I don't eat anything that's too terrible, and I'm generally active. My problem is I just really like eating. I do it even if I don't feel hungry.

And it's like my body has been tricked, I feel 'hungry' way too often. I mean I love all the ideas. Cut out carbs, eat meat, fruits, veggies, great. But I will be fucking starving by midday, and unable to function. How do you get over that hump? Feeling THAT hungry isn't really a sustainable way to live. Even if it was just for a few weeks to break the habit.

Sometimes I don't eat that much. Feel okay about myself. Lay down in bed, and suddenly I'm fucking famished. Like I'm so hungry that I can't sleep. So it's midnight snack time, and now I've eaten a ton, and my 'good' day of not eating too much is down the drain.

I'm a cold turkey type guy. I can't really take intermediate steps. Tomorrow I'm gonna chuck all my food that has bad carbs in it. I'll go to the store and buy fruits and vegetables. I'll feel fine. By 6oclock I'll be starving, and by bed time it will be impossible to sleep because I'm so hungry. What can I do about it? If I could get over that hump, I wouldn't have much trouble at all.

And perhaps most important: what's the stance on alcohol? I'm not a beer drinker. But Im in college and enjoy getting drunk with my buddies once a week. This is mainly hard liquor, shots and stuff. Obviously that's not good. But just how bad is doing that once a week?

Thanks!!

Unsure about alcohol since I don't drink, but a quick Google shows plenty of info on liquor.

As for everything else, you don't "cut out" carbs. It's not about carbs, but the right macro breakdown and calorie deficit.

I went from 4.5k calories to 3k on my cut. It's hard dropping so much food but fitness, be it losing or gaining comes down to one thing:

How bad do you want it?

That's all you need to ask yourself and you'll be able to proceed. We all love eating tasty shit. I'm quite sure if food didn't matter, we would all be eating for our taste buds and stomachs and not our bodies.

I don't think diet and exercise are all that difficult. It's the willpower that gets you. If you want to make a change the OP is boiling over with info on where to start and how to proceed. If you have any more questions beyond that - shoot.

 

[entremet]

Been doing the following lately and seeing a ton of progress with it:

M: DL, Bench, OHP (plus accessories)
T: Squats, Abs
W: Rows, Incline Bench, Clean and Press (plus accesories)
Th: Squats, Abs
F: DL, Bench, OHP (accessories)

The extra volume has been awesome.

Looks like a good routine for naturals due to hitting the big muscle groups twice a week at least.

What are your set and rep ranges?

I might steal this lol.

 

[Psychotext]

How bad do you want it?

That's all you need to ask yourself and you'll be able to proceed. We all love eating tasty shit. I'm quite sure if food didn't matter, we would all be eating for our taste buds and stomachs and not our bodies.

Yup. Exactly this. Hungry? Think of why you're doing it. Hunger will pass very quickly once you get used to ignoring it. Have a big glass of water and do something to take your mind on it.

I love cooking... and my missus bakes (she makes amazing cakes and pastries)... but I still have the stretch marks to show how bad shit got, and I'm never going back there.

If you still can't deal with the hunger, try intermittent fasting. The first week will be hell, and then you'll pretty much never feel that sort of fake hunger again. You might binge a bit when you get to your eating window, but depending on how short you make that eating window... you can definitely avoid overeating. As for the alcohol: http://getdrunknotfat.com/ (I suggest you don't drink on lifting days if you can avoid it)

Edit - Oh, and eat more protein. Its hunger blunting effects are well known. Decent bit of fat and protein in your last meal and you're very unlikely to go to bed hungry. Also, don't be afraid of eating a bit later if it stops you midnight snacking. The "don't eat after Xpm is" broscience bullshit.

Edit 2 - On the subject, be very wary of a lot of the advice in the other thread. A lot of it smacks of people who have read a handful of popular articles or seen a few youtube vids and then write as experts on the subject (having never actually done anything in their life with fitness or weight loss). The difference in this thread is that if you were to post much of what's been posted in there, people would correct you... and sometimes not particularly politely.

 

[BumRush]

Looks like a good routine for naturals due to hitting the big muscle groups twice a week at least.

What are your set and rep ranges?

I might steal this lol.

Each compound is done for 3 working sets with at least one warmup, except squats which is 4 plus warmup. Accessories 3, no warmup.

Monday: 5 reps
Wednesday: 8-12 reps
Friday: 3 reps

Dude, steal it, it's the most progress I've done in a while.

 

[theytookourjobz]

I thought I tweaked my knee somehow earlier in the week. Walking around is really uncomfortable but I did a couple bodyweight squats at the gym and I felt nothing. So I decided to be an idiot and hit this 3RM with a pause on the first rep. PR. (I did see a physical therapist later that day and she said there was nothing structural wrong with my knee)

https://youtu.be/u0r1H-JzQFE

 

[Dany]

Reduced the weight on my barbell curls yesterday, and it helped. Was able to do 3x7 without any discomfort on my left wrist. I feel like it's mostly form, I tend to overextended my wrist, which means the Weight is pressured on my wrist.

Today is squats and abs, a shorty buy maybe I run after 🤔 any day that's squats + work generally tires my legs out like a mofo

 

[Dead Prince]

didn't get to try out my inzer belt yesterday and didn't want to be that guy who wears belts for everything or have it on for light stuff. so i'll wait for the weekend and try it out on deadlift.

 

[Psychotext]

didn't get to try out my inzer belt yesterday and didn't want to be that guy who wears belts for everything or have it on for light stuff. so i'll wait for the weekend and try it out on deadlift.

To start with I'd be wearing it for pretty much everything, just to break it in. I'd have it on right now, no matter what you're doing.

 

[Dead Prince]

somehow i believe you are wearing your belt lol.

 

[Psychotext]

Ha, not right now, but I did have it on whilst working when I was breaking it in.

 

[Teggy]

You know there are more effective ways to break in the belt than wearing it...

 

[bchamba]

Yea whenever I get a new one I roll it and bend it along the whole belt

 

[Dead Prince]

Yea whenever I get a new one I roll it and bend it along the whole belt

that's what i did. rolled it the other way a few times. was trying to stretch the hole out for the prong on the lever can go in and not get stuck when i try to get it off and still haven't found anything big enough to stretch it out a bit lol.

 

[Pyrokai]

I have a question about the IF Calculator and MyFitnessPal:

I'm trying to follow the "Cutting" Guidelines in the OP, so I'm setting everything in MyFitnessPal to be "sedentary" so that I can enter my workouts as I do them.

My question is: After setting the IF Calculator to "Weight Loss", which calorie information should I be following on the daily: the Rest Day or the Workout Day pie chart? I ask because if the IF Calculator is already figuring a workout in for "Workout Day", I probably shouldn't add in the workout to MyFitnessPal if I'm doing that workout. Therefore, I feel like I should follow the "Rest Day" pie chart. BUT the macros differ! So I'm really confused as to which I should be following if I set everything to sedentary and then add my workouts as I do them.

 

[Psychotext]

You know there are more effective ways to break in the belt than wearing it...

Lies. How am I going to explain to my missus why I'm wearing it to bed now?

I have a question about the IF Calculator and MyFitnessPal:

I'm trying to follow the "Cutting" Guidelines in the OP, so I'm setting everything in MyFitnessPal to be "sedentary" so that I can enter my workouts as I do them.

My question is: After setting the IF Calculator to "Weight Loss", which calorie information should I be following on the daily: the Rest Day or the Workout Day pie chart? I ask because if the IF Calculator is already figuring a workout in for "Workout Day", I probably shouldn't add in the workout to MyFitnessPal if I'm doing that workout. Therefore, I feel like I should follow the "Rest Day" pie chart. BUT the macros differ! So I'm really confused as to which I should be following if I set everything to sedentary and then add my workouts as I do them.

Maybe I'm tired (I am tired)... but I found that really hard to follow. Maybe include some screenshots or something?

It shouldn't be that complicated. You're going to eat more on the workout days... and in all liklihood, that extra is going to come from carbs (assuming you're not low carbing).

The other option... don't carb cycle at all. Eat the same every day just to make it easier to follow. This is fine as long as you're not doing multi hour workout sessions. Just don't log the workout time in MFP (their calorie burn numbers are overstated anyway).

 

[bchamba]

that's what i did. rolled it the other way a few times. was trying to stretch the hole out for the prong on the lever can go in and not get stuck when i try to get it off and still haven't found anything big enough to stretch it out a bit lol.

I think I've stuck like a screwdriver or knife in the holes it uses and just twisted it. Truthfully it will just take use for that part and you will be stuck for what feels like forever when you embarrassingly cannot get it off at the gym.

 

[Subtle]

Just experienced a really big crash this cut. I started about 2 & 1/2 weeks ago and yesterday I just couldn't bring myself to go to the gym. My body was fighting me mentally and physically and I felt hungry every time I thought about the gym. Oddly, when I decided not to go, the hunger went away. I decided it was my body telling me it needed rest since I'm pushing myself pretty hard. I'm at regular deficit, eating 1800 cals at 148lbs with a moderately high activity level. Any tips or should I just keep on keeping on?

 

[Psychotext]

If you can't get your belt off then you're wearing it too tight (you should be able to fit your flat hand / wrist between your belt and your body). You should be able to do a stomach vacuum and get it off with ease.

 

[Pyrokai]

Lies. How am I going to explain to my missus why I'm wearing it to bed now?



Maybe I'm tired (I am tired)... but I found that really hard to follow. Maybe include some screenshots or something?

It shouldn't be that complicated. You're going to eat more on the workout days... and in all liklihood, that extra is going to come from carbs (assuming you're not low carbing).

The other option... don't carb cycle at all. Eat the same every day just to make it easier to follow. This is fine as long as you're not doing multi hour workout sessions. Just don't log the workout time in MFP (their calorie burn numbers are overstated anyway).

Sorry, let me explain better. Basically....here's how I understand things:

-I use this IF Calculator (either bulking or cutting) to figure out what I should eat. However, the OP says to keep the activity level at "sedentary", so I did.

-Two pie charts with calories and macro levels are displayed: one for Workout Days and one for Rest Days

-Then in the MyFitnessPal app, I am to mirror the calorie information and enter exercise calories burned as I do an exercise.

-This makes sense to me so far, but then......

-If I'm supposed to enter exercises as I do them, I don't know if I should follow the Rest Day pie chart or the Workout Day pie chart. I'm assuming the Workout Day chart is taking into consideration a workout routine of some sort (but how much or kind, I've no idea), so I'm wondering which chart to go by.

I hope that makes sense.....

 

[bchamba]

If you can't get your belt off then you're wearing it too tight (you should be able to fit your flat hand / wrist between your belt and your body). You should be able to do a stomach vacuum and get it off with ease.

No I think he's talking about a lever belt where you can't pull the lever off because the holes that the 4 pronged part goes into aren't big enough for them to come out. They get bigger over time but the first time you put it on you close the lever and then open it but then the prongs are stuck.

edit: If it's difficult to get off remember that the prongs are kinda hooked so you don't pull straight up to get it out of the holes, you have to pull out and up.

 

[Dead Prince]

If you can't get your belt off then you're wearing it too tight (you should be able to fit your flat hand / wrist between your belt and your body). You should be able to do a stomach vacuum and get it off with ease.

the one with the tongue. the hole for it is small so you have to stretch it out a bit so it doesn't get stuck when trying to get it off. lol

 

[Psychotext]

Ahh yeah, fuck those sort. Tried one and it seemed pointless unless you wanted to tighten it to the point where you couldn't breathe.

 

[frontieruk]

OK just going to throw this out there, but this weekend I'm going to attempt a 13mile indoor row at the gym, I figure it's going to take ~2hrs. Other than a couple of bottles of water, should I take anything else for a pick me up?

 

[TheFlow]

Studying for finals has kept me busy this week

but since I started working out in march I have seen huge lift improvements and massive development in chest/arms.
photo is 2 weeks old.

one more month then I am cutting. currently 196

 

[Psychotext]

I hope that makes sense.....

Not really to be honest. You're better off providing the actual numbers for someone to check, or, as I said, some screenshots of the figures. I don't see how it can possibly be providing workout day figures for you without you actually putting in what you're doing though.

Edit I just looked, for me it seems to be an arbitrary 400kcal surplus.

So rest days are 400kcal deficit, workout days 400kcal surplus.

...and to answer your question. You can't really use either. Because MFP will only give you percentage targets for your carbs / fats / protein anyway (unless you pay for premium, which is crazy money). The OP does talk about what you see on the right hand side though.

Go back to the calculator now, and you'll see on the right-hand side of the screen a big pie chart of the carb-fat-protein ratio that you can alter through a set of slides. Some people swear by a 40-30-30 diet. This means that 40% of your daily calorie intake comes from protein, 30% from carbs, and 30% from fat (this was popularized under the name ‘The Zone Diet&#8217, and for a beginner this is a great start unless you're interested in a more specialized diet for various reasons.

I think you'd need to ask the OP how he specifically intended the figures to interact with something like MFP though (I'm not entirely sure he did). I think the intent was using MFP's numbers if you choose to use MFP, though obviously you can set it to be 40% 30% 30% like the IF calculator.

...or you just use MFP for tracking, and you try to hit as close to the numbers in the IF calc as possible. There really isn't a perfect solution.

OK just going to throw this out there, but this weekend I'm going to attempt a 13mile indoor row at the gym, I figure it's going to take ~2hrs. Other than a couple of bottles of water, should I take anything else for a pick me up?

Yeah, you likely wont get through two hours of constant exertion without some calorie intake. You'll burn through all your glycogen stores, bonk, and then feel like shit until you finish.

Take some energy drinks or some gels. Sadly you wont really have time to work out which agree with you or not... but you'll find out fairly quickly.

 

[frontieruk]

Yeah, you likely wont get through two hours of constant exertion without some calorie intake. You'll burn through all your glycogen stores, bonk, and then feel like shit until you finish.

Take some energy drinks or some gels. Sadly you wont really have time to work out which agree with you or not... but you'll find out fairly quickly.

Cheers that's what I was thinking, I'm hitting 90mins of cardio split between the running machine and spinners so I think I've got steady state rowing covered...

⊙﹏⊙

 

[Psychotext]

Cheers that's what I was thinking, I'm hitting 90mins of cardio split between the running machine and spinners so I think I've got steady state rowing covered...

⊙﹏⊙

You're entering my world. Enjoy.

 

[frontieruk]

You're entering my world. Enjoy.

When I get my courage back to get on a bike I'll be back in your world

 

[Psychotext]

Crash?

 

[Deleted member 47027]

Brolic, my dude

Did you see the trailer for Space Hulk Deathwing? Holy shit it looks good.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Kub5vOaT0V8

 

[Fox318]

30 days and a goal of losing 20 or more lbs.

gonna be tough.

 

[bchamba]

Studying for finals has kept me busy this week

but since I started working out in march I have seen huge lift improvements and massive development in chest/arms.
photo is 2 weeks old.

one more month then I am cutting. currently 196

You're doing this wrong, supposed to look angry when taking the pic. I recommend more Vitamin T.

 

[Psychotext]

30 days and a goal of losing 20 or more lbs.

gonna be tough.

Rapid weight loss is almost always an extremely bad idea.

 

[frontieruk]

Crash?

Car sped through a gap in traffic, wiped me out, fractured vertebrae, both knees fucked, took 8 months to get my back into a comfortable situation, another 18 months to get my knees sorted followed by 4 months of intensive physio to sort out all the imbalances the injuries left and still find it hard to tuck in as my back doesn't move how it used too.

 

[Fox318]

Rapid weight loss is almost always an extremely bad idea.

$350 bucks is on the line man.

Mainly its just me eating better and cutting out the carbs.

Not like I'm gonna wear a garbage bag and do sprints in a sauna

Spoiler

yet

 

[Jacksinthe]

30 days and a goal of losing 20 or more lbs.

gonna be tough.

Yo. Slow down.

Edit. Wouldn't do that for 10x as much money.

 

[Pyrokai]

Thanks, Psycho, I appreciate the help. I'll reach out to the OP and just try my best here. The calories and macros are alwayas the hardest for me because I never know what I'm really burning

 

[Dinjooh]

Been doing the following lately and seeing a ton of progress with it:

M: DL, Bench, OHP (plus accessories)
T: Squats, Abs
W: Rows, Incline Bench, Clean and Press (plus accesories)
Th: Squats, Abs
F: DL, Bench, OHP (accessories)

The extra volume has been awesome.

Does the program have a name or is it just something you came up with yourself?

 

[Chocobro]

Thanks, Psycho, I appreciate the help. I'll reach out to the OP and just try my best here. The calories and macros are alwayas the hardest for me because I never know what I'm really burning

Everyone won't know how many calories they're burning without tracking and learning a bit more about their body over time. Go with whatever the calculator says; don't need to follow the pie chart, just keep the calories and macros the same for every day. Eat the calories every day for a few weeks while weighing yourself. If your weight isn't going towards your goal, then adjust the calories.

I'll use myself as an example. My goal is to bulk.
I was eating 2700 calories for a month, average weight per week was dropping. Increased it to 2800 for a month, average weight per week didn't change all that much, so that must be my maintenance calories. Increased it to 2900 for a month, average weight per week was increasing. Increase was pretty decent per week so I stick with it.

Takes time and patience.