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Thread: Light-headed during day - overtrained or something else?

  1. #1
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    Default Light-headed during day - overtrained or something else?

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    I'm finding myself getting light-headed during the day - in particular, after eating and at the gym, but it's also happened at other times. Multiple squat work sets in particular make my head spin. This has been happening for about two weeks - before that, I'd never had this problem before. Could this be to do with training or is it more likely to be a medical problem?

    In case my stats matter...
    20 years old, 5'6, 142 lbs. Started at 110lbs. Did a LP for about 10 months, up to 245 lbs squat 3*5. Recently started Texas Method but started with conservative weights and had only just gotten my 5*5 weight approaching those levels so I doubt the change to Texas Method could be the cause... (I know I still seem light and weak but I genuinely take the training and eating seriously - I'm hoping not to get a standard 'drink more milk until you're 250 lbs' answer)

  2. #2
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    Could be low blood pressure. Get it checked. But you're not doing the program, and you haven't been doing the program.

  3. #3
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    5'6, 142 lbs. Started at 110lbs.
    That's what I experienced all the time at those numbers. Blood pressure 59/90, plenty of variation. After EATING FOOD & gaining some weight those symptoms have disappeared and I'm at steady 80/120. If i remember correctly symptoms disappeared at around 170 lbs (BW). I know an anorectic female that is shorter than you and weights 110 lbs.

    http://startingstrength.com/articles...n_rippetoe.pdf

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    Could be low blood pressure. Get it checked. But you're not doing the program, and you haven't been doing the program.
    Thanks for the advice. I expected a response like that - just know that while I may not be shovelling down a gallon of milk per day and getting thrown out of all-you-can-eat buffets multiple times per week, it's not for lack of trying. I eat to the point of almost throwing up 5 times per day. I guess I'm just saying this to make the point that I'm certainly on a caloric surplus and while it's not the 6k calories you'd probably recommend, I doubt it's the cause of the problems mentioned...

  5. #5
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    You're avoiding the issue, which is the fact that I said you're not doing the program and have not been doing the program. There is more to the program than milk.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by TinyArnold View Post
    That's what I experienced all the time at those numbers. Blood pressure 59/90, plenty of variation. After EATING FOOD & gaining some weight those symptoms have disappeared and I'm at steady 80/120. If i remember correctly symptoms disappeared at around 170 lbs (BW). I know an anorectic female that is shorter than you and weights 110 lbs.

    http://startingstrength.com/articles...n_rippetoe.pdf
    Hmm but if that's the case, it doesn't make sense that I'm only just experiencing these symptoms at the point where I'm heavier than I've ever been in my life. I've increased my body-weight by almost 33%.

    And sounds like you're claiming my 110 lbs was BS so just to respond - yes, I was very thin. My brother is 17, 5'4 and about 100 lbs. Seemingly eating as much as everyone else but just naturally very low body-fat and muscle. And just for the sake of argument, your anorexic friend probably isn't even underweight by the BMI scale (I punched 5'4 in).

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    You're avoiding the issue, which is the fact that I said you're not doing the program and have not been doing the program. There is more to the program than milk.


    Can't hear you. Too busy DTMFP

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    You're avoiding the issue, which is the fact that I said you're not doing the program and have not been doing the program. There is more to the program than milk.
    I assumed you were talking about my body-weight as it seems to be the only very unusual thing in the OP. Genuinely interested in your advice here, just trying to figure out what, other than your calorie recommendations, I've missed.

    I guess you're going off just a 245lb squat after a 10-month LP? Most of that time was me making very little progress trying deloads, smaller increments, etc. Last 4 months of my LP in my log looks like:

    By the middle of May this year I was squatting 180 lbs, doing the Starting Strength plan with a light squat day.
    Early June - Stalled 3 times at 205lbs, deloaded
    July - Injury to wrist messed me up a bit
    Early August - Stalled 3 times at 225 lbs, deloaded
    Mid September - Stalled 3 times at 245 lbs, deloaded and started Texas Method

    I know the strength tables aren't measures of which stage of adaptation somebody is in but a calculated 1RM of 275 lbs is right between cat 3 and 4.

    If you're currently face-palming and I've missed the point entirely, feel free to not approve this post but I'm genuinely trying to work out what I've messed up!

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  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    Yes.

    I understand the program. I'm not scared of gaining fat. I want to gain more weight. I can't do that if I can't squat and I can't squat if I'm dizzy, hence the thread.

    That article is all well and good until somebody puts 5 more lbs on the bar and doesn't get all 3*5. Or they try to eat more food and they throw it up. Maybe I'm just an odd case, or maybe this forum just attracts the kind of people who've never had any trouble being naturally big and strong, and anybody else gets laughed off as not trying hard enough.

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