Hi all,
I’m 19 and 5’ 9.5”. I’ve always been fat. Last summer, I hit 190 lbs and decided to lose weight. I started college in the fall and ended up dropping to 160 lbs by early April. I, still being fat, decided I was weak and started SS. I don’t remember my exact beginning numbers, but they were something like
Squat: 75
Press: 45
Bench: 55
Deadlift: 135
I’m now at 182 lbs, and my lifts are
Squat: 195
Press: 92.5
Bench: 122.5
Deadlift: 270
I got my squat up to 215, but I’ve been facing some setbacks recently due to form issues and illness.
I look and feel even fatter than I was when I started back in April. My waist has gained a couple of inches and I estimate that I’m around 25% body fat. Of course, getting strong is my priority right now, but I do not want to get any fatter. My plan was originally to lose the fat after my LP, but now I’ve feel like I’ve gained too much. I’ve always struggled with my body image, and I hate being fat. What should I do?
OP, I would ask you what your waist circumference actually is, but I realize that arguing about what constitutes "fat" with a 19 year old is pointless.
However, the fact that you're 19 is also a huge advantage. Get your squat up to 405 and then worry about your body composition. These things have a way of working themselves out. You're never going to be in a better place hormonally to get big and strong than you are right now. Take advantage of it.
You should eat 200/250g of protein a day for starters and a lot of calories on top of that, which is hard to do when you are obsessed with numbers and abs. (You could ask for advice on the nutrition section of the board to coach Santana)
Girls are gonna like you more when you are 220lbs and have a 405lbs squat and a 455lbs deadlift, because if you do that you can't really be 25% bodyfat and you will have a much bigger frame.
Stop looking in the mirror all day and focus on your numbers going up 3 times a week.
Get some form checks if necessary, correcting your form is one of the main drivers of progress when you are a novice and right now you can get a lot of progress in in a relatively short amount of time.
Get even fatter
Dude, you need a consult of some kind - there's too much going on in the background to address your concerns here. Are you near a Starting Strength Coach?
Starting Strength Indianapolis is up and running. Sign up for a free 30-minute coaching session.
I answer all my emails: ALewis@StartingStrengthGyms.com
Just measured my waist at 40".
I honestly don't care about having visible abs or looking "shredded," but thank you for the advice.
From what I can tell from the directory, I am not currently near one. I think I will be near one when I go back to college in the fall, but I can't afford to see a coach regularly. I'll try to save money for a few sessions.
I'm struggling to picture 5'10" at 182 lbs with a 40 inch waist. I'm struggling even harder to picture you at 160 lbs at 5'10" and "still being fat". There's no reason for a guy your height and weight to be switching to less than 5 lb jumps on this press before it even hits 135. Get a form check in the technique forum. I'd run your diet by Santana too. Whatever is going on with your bodyweight sounds unusual unless your diet consists of 90% fast food and cookies. Are you eating 200g protein/day and mainly whole foods? I'd focus on getting your squat up to 300 asap, too.