In need of some major advice.

Hey Mr. Riptoe and others, I was hoping you could help me with some advice. I started at 420lbs, im currently 300lbs and 33 years old and male 5'8".
I am wanting to do your starting strength program, but I don't know how I should eat. Im currently doing low carb paleo around 2400 calories a day. According to the calculators I have about 145lbs of lean mass.

Im willing to consider going to a higher carb diet, but im terrified of carbs because of the diabetics on both sides of my family.

I had read that you can not build muscle and strength on a calorie deficit. Is this true? I know that strength training is important to changing how I look and getting real strength and muscle. How do I do this on a deficit though? Will I just gain a few pounds of strength and then even out and stall till im down to my desired weight?

I know starting strength will be enough for my resistance work, but is cardio still allowed? I don't want to stop riding on my stationary bike.(its how I lost the first hundred pounds)

Im just so confused. If I go to the body building website, and even on SS forums I see guys saying you cant diet and make any gains, then others saying you can. What is the truth? Will I be wasting my potential newbie gains if I diet and do SS at the same time? IF so why do so many recommend that people on diets, do weight lifting if they will gain little from it?

I have done so many different things, from kettlebells to body weight to rubberbands, and I just want simple and effective and barbells are just that. I am nervous however as 6 months ago I decided to start lifting and was on the hip sled and somehow injured a tendon on my knee, and it took 6 months to heal..

Would it be more benefical to stay with Gorilla bands and cardio till im down to a low weight then do proper Weight lifting and cut/bulking?

My goals are to be 200lbs with 15% or less body fat. I want to be bigger in a good way, with functional strength if that makes sense.

Thank you for helping to guide me in this, I really appreciate it.

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Originally Posted by Kframe

Hey Mr. Riptoe and others, I was hoping you could help me with some advice. I started at 420lbs, im currently 300lbs and 33 years old and male 5'8".
I am wanting to do your starting strength program, but I don't know how I should eat. Im currently doing low carb paleo around 2400 calories a day. According to the calculators I have about 145lbs of lean mass.

Im willing to consider going to a higher carb diet, but im terrified of carbs because of the diabetics on both sides of my family.

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When did you become terrified of carbs, before or after you lost the 120 pounds? Seems like you're doing the right thing by losing the weight, since that's your priority. Just add your strength training to what you're doing now, 2 days a week at first and than 3 days as your recovery on your current diet and LSD program permits.

I started getting scared of carbs about half way through my initial weight loss, when everyone in my family started getting diabetes.

The question is though, what can I expect doing strength training while on a calorie deficit? How much ground can I possibly cover while dieting? I thought that to add strength you had to add mass and to add mass you need lots of food. Is strength unrelated to mass?

Snap out of it Rip . .

http://38.media.tumblr.com/9e57bfeaf...ugu7o1_400.gif

You're wearing a caloric surplus around your waist, so you'll get stronger if you train -- certainly stronger than if you don't.

I appreciate the feed back sir. So the body will use the fat to fuel the repair of the muscles. If that is the case why do people go into bulk cycles?
I guess I should go and start reading up on how the body actually builds strength and muscle. It sounds as if no matter what, strength training is beneficial at my stage.

I just wish I understood the difference between mass and strength better and why everyone is talking about how much more LBM they gain..

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Originally Posted by Kframe

I appreciate the feed back sir. So the body will use the fat to fuel the repair of the muscles. If that is the case why do people go into bulk cycles?

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Because they are not morbidly obese when they do a "bulk cycle." Yes, you have some reading to do.