Making mistakes in the Novice Progression

[theselfreliant]

Hi Rip,

I started with Starting Strength ripoff StrongLifts 5x5 around end of August (4 months ago). As you may or may not know, the program calls to start with the bar on each exercise and there are no powercleans. Just under a month ago I have switched to SS using 3rd edition. I have gone up around 25 lbs in body weight and made the stupid teenage mistake of caring about bodyfat and acne and cut milk and calories for almost two months, causing me to stall early (220 lbs on the squat) and taking a week off. Now I'm back on the wagon up to 250 lbs squat and am starting to power clean, all my numbers going up.

Will this time wasted effectively end my novice period early and mess things up? Can I start doing GOMAD and around 6000 kcal a day to really make progress 4 months in or will I just get fat? I'm 5'7" 165 lbs right now, started at 142 lbs. Thanks.

[Scaldrew]

should be aight; do the programme

[Christopher Anderson]

I don't think that this will really mess up your novice progression, the great thing about the program is that if you have gains to make then they will be made under the program. You will gain body fat through the process, but I wouldn't worry about becoming obese if you hit the weights hard and don't go eating honey buns every meal.

[theselfreliant]

Have been eating in excess for close to a month now and steadily gaining weight, still have six pack abz. Trying to get rid of them ironically is my goal, but it seems that I can put on a good ratio of LBM. Thanks.

[Christopher Anderson]

Yeah man, just eat and lift. They abs will leave and when they do you will miss them for a time, but its worth it. Before I started strength training and found this site I was 155lbs then got up to 170lbs and now I'm at 195-200lbs.

[chrisd]

Your progress will be okay, unfortunately your novice gains will end 18.6 days earlier and your final work weight will be 17.6 pounds lighter than if you had done the program as written*

There is nothing you can do to change this, so you might as well carry on.

*according to my calculations that is

[theselfreliant]

Actually I'm starting to like my little belly as it shows some accomplishment! I'm like mini-fat.