Starting Strength with Proper Nutrition

[Method]

Hi Jordan,

Thanks for providing advice in this forum, your nutrition expertise will complement Rip’s programming knowledge tremendously and help a lot of people.

Quick background before I get into my question. I began the Starting Strength Novice Program by the book back in August 2011. I had a pretty good run, I went from BW ~190lbs to about ~225lbs in four months or so and my work sets went from SQ: 135 -> 295, BP: 155 -> 225, PR: 95 -> 140, DL: 225 -> 365.

I made solid progress with only one big reset to correct some form issues. I didn’t track calories but I drank about a half gallon of milk, ground beef, mac & cheese every day until I felt recovered. My ending body comp wasn’t even all that bad, because the training was consistent.

However, I was still above 20-25% and never really satisfied with how I ate. I sort of fell off the wagon at the beginning of last year and my lifts have gone down back to novice levels, and my BF% has crept up in the fluffy range.

I’d like to apply the same effort & precision to my nutrition as I did with my programming and give Starting Strength another go. My goal is to get down to ~15%, increase my lifts into the intermediate levels, then move on to an intermediate program and maintain that level of composition while steadily increasing my lifts.

Current Stats

• Age / sex: 26 / M (6’ tall)

• Current program: Starting Strength Novice (SQ:210,BP:205,PR:135,DL:300)

• Current weight and BF% estimate: 230 / 26-28%

• Current calorie and macro total: currently unknown and untracked


Questions

1) Based on the above, can I continue on SS (perhaps advanced novice 2x squat if neccesary) programming coupled with a dialed in diet, tracked and weighed macros/cals with slight weekly titration?

2) What’s a good starting calorie/macro level given my stats/goals?

3) At this point do you feel any conditioning sessions are necessary?

4) Can you give me a good list of foods that I can build my diet around?


Thanks again for all your help!

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Questions

1) Based on the above, can I continue on SS (perhaps advanced novice 2x squat if neccesary) programming coupled with a dialed in diet, tracked and weighed macros/cals with slight weekly titration?

2) What’s a good starting calorie/macro level given my stats/goals?

3) At this point do you feel any conditioning sessions are necessary?

4) Can you give me a good list of foods that I can build my diet around?


Thanks again for all your help!

1) I think you could do an abbreviated SS (2-3 weeks), followed by a decent run on advanced novice.

2) I normally don't do calorie tracking, but here's what I'm thinking 275 pro/ 275 carb/ 75 g fat and on Monday and Friday go 230/400/65.

3) Do one on your last day of training of the week.

4) Stick to single ingredient foods for all your macros. More specific stuff on what exactly to eat gets into consult territory but this should be a good start.

[Method]

Thanks man! I'm going to start building this macro plan and diet out this evening and will implement it tomorrow.

Just out of pure curiosity - what's the rationale for the slightly different macro ratios on Monday & Friday?

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Thanks man! I'm going to start building this macro plan and diet out this evening and will implement it tomorrow.

Just out of pure curiosity - what's the rationale for the slightly different macro ratios on Monday & Friday?

Carbing up and carb cycling, in general, are good methods to use for keeping metabolism humming along, thyroid levels, leptin, etc. Plus if you're following the advanced novice program, those two days will be your heaviest days.