Starting Strength for losing weight

Detour

Hi there,

From reading this forum is seems that Starting Strength is widely recommended. I'm going to be starting this next week - at the moment I'm just in the gym trying to learn the lifts properly. I've a couple of questions:

1. I've noticed in the fitness logs that people are using starting strength to put on weight; i'm the opposite, i want to lose weight. Will this program help me lose weight.

I will be doing cardio also - football once or twice a week, running on the treadmill, potentially a spin class. Also doing my best to sort out the diet. Read lots of the info on the nutrition forum.

Sorry i know this is a very basic question, but it seems like there is contradictory info out there on the web.

2. Is it okay to do squats and deadlifts in the smith machine? This is the way the guy in the gym showed me, but to be honest I dont have that much faith in him. He seemed more keen to sell me personal training lessons.

Thanks in advance for any answers. If anyone has any other tips that would help me please post!

marathonic

I'm in the same position as you. I want to lose bodyfat and get stronger/gain muscle.

I've been stuck when trying to decide between starting Starting Strength right away or cutting the weight first. From what I've read, it appears that it's possible to gain muscle and lose fat for the initial 2 months or so but, if you are on the calorie deficit needed to lose weight, you will stall a lot sooner than someone who is working a 500 calorie daily surplus.

I started the gym at 85kg and hit 80kg this week. This was doing cardio and isolation machines. I found out this week that my gym doesn't have a power rack, just a smith machine (I hadn't looked for a power rack when I joined because I wouldn't have known what a power rack was).

Personally, I think I'm going to spend the 7 remaining weeks of the year focused on losing weight and will start Starting Strength in the new year (New Years resolution ). This will allow me to do Starting Strength on a calorie surplus from a base where I don't need to lose any bodyfat. If I put on bodyfat whilst doing Starting Strength, so be it - I can lose this pretty easily (maybe do 3 months Starting Strength followed by a cut for 2-3 weeks before kicking off Starting Strength again). I'd like to be under 75kg by the end of the year which is quite a realistic goal if I stay off the beer :eek:

In the meantime, I'm going to try to figure out what to do about the fact that my gym ain't got a power rack. Switching gyms is an option but I'm only 2 months into my membership so I'll need to review the contract.

BadCharlie

Was in same boat as u guys.

Was 15stone and lost a stone by just eating better, then started just doing light training. Then after 2months of that i started the starting strength program and have gained 6 or 7pounds in weight. Dont want to put on to much more weight but i have got alot stronger in a short time.

I think u could do the starting strength and lose weight at the same time + gain strength but you will not gain to much. I plan on keep doing what im doing until the new year. Then start cutting my weight again and hope to keep what muscle i have gained.

sharky86

Detour wrote: »

Hi there,

From reading this forum is seems that Starting Strength is widely recommended. I'm going to be starting this next week - at the moment I'm just in the gym trying to learn the lifts properly. I've a couple of questions:

1. I've noticed in the fitness logs that people are using starting strength to put on weight; i'm the opposite, i want to lose weight. Will this program help me lose weight.

I will be doing cardio also - football once or twice a week, running on the treadmill, potentially a spin class. Also doing my best to sort out the diet. Read lots of the info on the nutrition forum.

Sorry i know this is a very basic question, but it seems like there is contradictory info out there on the web.

2. Is it okay to do squats and deadlifts in the smith machine? This is the way the guy in the gym showed me, but to be honest I dont have that much faith in him. He seemed more keen to sell me personal training lessons.

Thanks in advance for any answers. If anyone has any other tips that would help me please post!

Do you want to lose body fat or weight? remember these are two different things. Most people I know are happy with their weight and want to drop body fat to look better in their birthday suit.

If loosing body fat if your goal then yes it will help.

I would stay the hell away from a smith machine, you will not learn the technique correctly and will force your body into un-natural positions which can in turn lead to injuries. Start light and learn the right technique using barbells

BossArky

Detour wrote: »

1. I've noticed in the fitness logs that people are using starting strength to put on weight; i'm the opposite, i want to lose weight. Will this program help me lose weight.

Calorie surplus = gain weight
Calorie surplus & sit on sofa = gain fat
Calorie surplus & weight training = gain muscle and a bit of fat

Calorie deficit = loose weight
Calorie deficit & little to no protein & little to no strength training & cardio = loose weight (both muscle and fat)
Calorie deficit & strength training & protein & cardio = loose weight (predominantly fat)

Detour wrote: »

I will be doing cardio also - football once or twice a week, running on the treadmill, potentially a spin class. Also doing my best to sort out the diet. Read lots of the info on the nutrition forum.

What does your typical intake of food/drink look like?

Detour wrote: »

2. Is it okay to do squats and deadlifts in the smith machine?

No, it is not ok. The smith machine will force you to take an unnatural path on the squat. This could potentially lead to injury. Take the time to learn to squat and deadlift with a free barbell.

Mellor

sharky86 wrote: »

Do you want to lose body fat or weight? remember these are two different things. Most people I know are happy with their weight and want to drop body fat to look better in their birthday suit.

That makes no sense.
If you drop fat, you lose weight. Simple as. even if you lose weight through weight training.
It's pretty hard to drop fat and put on muscle at the same time, noob gains aside. either you eat less or you eat more.

d'Oracle

Mellor wrote: »

That makes no sense.
.

It does though.
I would like to be 105 and lean.

mrpink6789

I've been doing Stronglifts 5X5 with cardio and have lost weight and body fat. I've been eating at a calorie deficit as well.

It does work so just try it out.

Carl Sagan

Detour wrote: »

Hi there,

From reading this forum is seems that Starting Strength is widely recommended. I'm going to be starting this next week - at the moment I'm just in the gym trying to learn the lifts properly. I've a couple of questions:

1. I've noticed in the fitness logs that people are using starting strength to put on weight; i'm the opposite, i want to lose weight. Will this program help me lose weight.

I will be doing cardio also - football once or twice a week, running on the treadmill, potentially a spin class. Also doing my best to sort out the diet. Read lots of the info on the nutrition forum.

Sorry i know this is a very basic question, but it seems like there is contradictory info out there on the web.

2. Is it okay to do squats and deadlifts in the smith machine? This is the way the guy in the gym showed me, but to be honest I dont have that much faith in him. He seemed more keen to sell me personal training lessons.

Thanks in advance for any answers. If anyone has any other tips that would help me please post!

Starting Strength or any decent weights program will definitely help you. You'll lose a higher percentage of body fat if you do a weights program which is exactly what most people want. Keep in mind that if you're lifting weights, you might not actually weigh less when you step on the scales but you'll look much better.

Definitely try and use free weights as opposed to the Smith Machine. It's a lot better for you.

Another tip; diet is probably the most important thing about losing weight so just make sure you keep that in proper order.

Detour

Sorry, yeah i should have said - i want to lose body fat. I dont really care what the scales say, as long as it's in a healthy range.

Okay, i'm going to stay away from the smith machine from now on and try with just the bar bell. What i'm lifting at the moment is pretty light anyway.

Bossarky - thanks, this makes things alot clearer. My diet (as of this week) looks like:

Morning: Oatmeal with skim milk
Lunch: Eggs with whole wheat pita, maybe chicken and veg. Sometimes chicken wrap.
Dinner: Chicken/pork/Steak with veg. Sometimes mince with whole wheat pasta and tomato sauce

Something like that anyway. Suppose it's a little messier at the weekends when you factor a few pints into it.

So for my goals (losing fat, looking better) i'm best to combine weights and cardio, with a calorie deficit and plenty of protein. Simple!

Dotcomdolly

~In my first six weeks of SS I lost 8oz but I lost 0.5 inch off waist, and quarter inch off thighs & arms asfair.

So for my goals (losing fat, looking better) i'm best to combine weights and cardio, with a calorie deficit and plenty of protein. Simple!

Exactly, enjoy!