I'm 48, started my LP 2 1/2 months ago, and here are numbers that are currently working for me;
Protein - 1 g/lb bodyweight
Carbs - 2 g/lb bodyweight
Fat - .25 g/lb bodyweight
I've currently been very sedentary for a long time, which is obviously now changing.
Due to various (VERY GOOD) reasons, I do 2 days/week LP as recommended in Barbell Prescription and High Bar Squat.
Despite all that against me, my numbers have gone up very steadily and I've yet to microload or come close to stalling on anything.
My bodyweight so far went from 175 to 190, and my waist from 38.5 to 39.5. Limbs went up proportional to waist, so so far you can't really tell. I'm just bigger all over.
I attribute this to being able to sustain a low fat, higher carb diet for my activity level and hopefully in the future will only have to manipulate carbs (for simplicity).
My strength numbers are;
HB Squat: 95 - 185
Deadlift: 135 - 225
Bench Press: 75 - 140
Press: 65 - 105
I won't repeat the other good advice here (keeping a food log, energy expenditure is relative to your individual situation and WILL vary, etc). I just wanted to throw some numbers out there and anchor them to an individual's situation so you can gauge and adjust to your needs if you are so inclined. We are all individuals, and your mileage WILL vary.
Congrats on the recomp progress. I’ve never been able to drop weight and increase my lifts. I’m jealous. I’ve kept a food journal on and off since I was in college. If I still had to do it on paper, I probably wouldn’t be doing it today. Apps like MyFitnessPal make it so easy now.
As far as the approach I outlined, it’s been maybe the past 3 years that I’ve been doing that.
Correction! I don't know why I said 2 1/2 months ago. I just checked my log and I started on 12/19/19. So as of this post it's only been 7 weeks.
My new numbers are also now;
HB Squat: 95-195
Deadlift: 135-235
Bench Press:75-145
Press: 65-107.5 (just started micro-loading)
Maybe it's not that important but wow what a mistake. Felt I had to correct it.
So you've only added 10 lb to your 225 lb deadlift in the last week?
I couldn't have done it without coaching. I have MFP, used it in the past, but it's a bit tedious for me. I'm going to have to take a more rough and ready approach with consistency over variety, then the tape measure and scales for a weekly check if I end up having a meal out with friends.
How did you arrive at the conclusion that you need to perform a slightly-over-bodyweight-deadlift once per week?
Nothing in the books said anything about body weight relative to deadlift weight. If I missed something, please show me where I did.
What is said in Chapter 8 of SS, is that you do the deadlift every workout "for the first couple of weeks, until the freshness of the deadlift has worn off a little and after the quick initial gains establish the deadlift well ahead of the squat. At this point the power clean is introduced:" which then puts the deadlift alternating between once and twice per week, respectively.
Since I'm doing 2 days per week, there is no twice per week, only once per week, every week. I switched to once per week about 3 weeks in. I thought I had established my deadlift well enough ahead of my squat, as I remember Rip saying in a post on the forum 40-50 lbs was good. Since I'm also doing squats only twice per week and currently progressing 5 lbs per workout, there shouldn't be a threat of them catching up to my deadlifts anytime really soon, something I've seen happen to others on this forum, who were then told this was fine and that their deadlift would eventually progress beyond the squat anyway.
In Barbell Prescription it says, "The weights used for deadlifts start out light, so the risk of overtraining the pull is low, and the twice-weekly pulling schedule at the front end of the program will promote mastery of deadlift form. Soon, however, the deadlift will become heavy enough to require reduction to once-weekly training."
"Heavy enough to require reduction to only once-weekly training" tempered with the stressing of "whatever you do as a novice, don't get stuck!" and the fact it's hard making great judgement as to what is "too heavy" as a novice, is what caused me to come to my conclusion. I can give more detail, more factors that lead to my conclusion and elaborate much further if you need me to.
In Practical Programming it also says "It is a good idea for underweight trainees to keep deadlifts in the training program for as long possible before introducing the power clean. Along with squats, deadlifts have the potential to add more muscle mass than any other exercise. If he can recover from deadlifting 3 times per week, he should do so for as long as possible"
I'd like to extend this to any person who is weak and undermuscled regardless of total bodyweight. I'm pretty sure Rip and Andy would agree with this and Rip would likely tell you to gain weight unless you are 5'3".
I'm not sure if you are underweight because you haven't disclosed your height. I am pretty sure that you are undermuscled and can benefit from heeding to this advice. Although strength is relative, absolute loads do matter too. A 175 lb man can most likely pull 235 and 245 two days days apart. 335 and 345 may not work out as well. Start filming your deadlifts and use bar speed to determine whether it's "heavy" and not your perception.
Artificially Weak Deadlifts, Part 1: Perception vs Reality | Robert Santana