Decision time

[LukeLu]

Hello all,
I've taken a few runs at LP over the last several years. Had some SS coaching for a couple of months 7 years ago. I never did complete a proper LP and I have all the excuses you don't need to hear.
Current run started late September. I know I'm not eating enough for significant strength progress beyond this point. The bar is moving slowly on everything except for the deadlift.
I need to decide whether to lose significant weight now or try to continue gaining strength. By significant, I mean 40-50 lbs. Any relevant experience or advice would be appreciated.

Age: 54
Weight: 244
Height: 5'7"
Waist: 51"
Type 2 Diabetic - last A1C a few months ago was back down to the 6 range. Taking Metformin

Squat: 230x5x3
Deadlift: 260x5x1
Press: 105x5x3
Bench: 145x5x3

[Mark Rippetoe]

A Clarification | Mark Rippetoe

[Panda]

Heed Rips advice.
I’m butting in because you sound like I used to be. I’m 55, similar weight and height, Type 2 diabetic, my lifting numbers were worse than yours, now 400 SQ, 440 DL. My A1C was 13.1, now down to 7. Thru LP my weight didn’t change much but body composition did, 24% bf down to 19%.
The program is simple but it is hard and keeps getting harder, that’s really the beauty of it for me, you know the next session will be harder but you do it anyway because you must. Or you can not and wither and die.

[LukeLu]

Heed Rips advice.
I’m butting in because you sound like I used to be. I’m 55, similar weight and height, Type 2 diabetic, my lifting numbers were worse than yours, now 400 SQ, 440 DL. My A1C was 13.1, now down to 7. Thru LP my weight didn’t change much but body composition did, 24% bf down to 19%.
The program is simple but it is hard and keeps getting harder, that’s really the beauty of it for me, you know the next session will be harder but you do it anyway because you must. Or you can not and wither and die.

Thank you for the comments. I think I'm closer to 35% - 40% bodyfat, so my thinking was that maybe weight loss should be the higher priority at some threshold of bodyfat percentage, especially with the general health concerns related to girth.

Plus I've been big for a really long time and that's a limiting factor for activities I used to enjoy.

[Panda]

Thank you for the comments. I think I'm closer to 35% - 40% bodyfat, so my thinking was that maybe weight loss should be the higher priority at some threshold of bodyfat percentage, especially with the general health concerns related to girth.

Plus I've been big for a really long time and that's a limiting factor for activities I used to enjoy.

I still think just doing the program (pay a SSCoach to help) will give you the best result for both strength and weight (composition). You just need to eat appropriately for your situation, reach out to Robert Santana on the nutrition thread, he’ll sort you out.

[Oso Rojo]

I can say from experience, it's easier to loose weight when you are strong. For me, I ran out my LP and then used a SSC to help me wring out more and more of the LP. Only then was it a matter to tuning my diet a little bit.