Why is this not working for me?

[dmd]

Age 59, 5’4”, 140 lb.
Squat: 130 lb
Deadlift: 205 lb
Overhead Press: 90 lb
Bench Press: 145 lb
Pull-ups and chin-ups: 5 reps with 38 lb weight

8 years of random strength training using machines and dumbbells, mostly upper body. Lower body work was ham curls, leg extensions, and leg presses on an inclined sled. I have been doing SS for 3 months, and I read the book.

I started with 50 to 60 lb weights and followed the program. Before SS, I could handle the loads listed above. I have stalled on linear progression at my pre-SS strength. My weight has not increased at all. Squats are weak, pull-ups are strong, everything else seems average.

I eat well, quarter to half gallon skim milk per day, eggs, chicken, fish, vegetables, grain cereals, and whey protein shakes. I don’t eat fast food, french fries, or donuts.

I expected linear progression would have increased my strength by at least 10 percent by now, but it didn’t happen. What’s wrong here?

[Mark Rippetoe]

You are probably not eating enough. Calories-protein/day?

[dmd]

I don't count calories or grams of protein. There's too much uncertainty unless you measure and weight everything.

Before I started SS, I knew how much I had to eat to maintain my weight. When I began the program, I started eating much more than I had been used to. It seemed like I put on a few pounds, but that might have been water weight or a little extra fat I eventually lost.

This is a typical day for me:

Breakfast:
Grape Nuts or oat cereal with skim milk
Milk shake with protein powder and a bannana

Snack:
Shredded Wheat, raisins, and almonds
Skim milk

Lunch:
Chicken breasts or fish
Two servings brocolli, carrots or green been
One or two hardboiled eggs
Fruit

Snack:
Shredded Wheat, raisins, and almonds
Fruit

Dinner:
Chicken or fish, sometimes pizza
Vegetables
Rice, sometimes potatoes

Snack:
Cereal with skim milk
Protein shake

Not much red meat, no junk food, no fried food.

I am eating a whole lot more, but I am not progressing. I am not trying to put on 50 pounds, and I am not trying to become mesomorphic. If I put on 5 pounds muscle and lost a few pound of body fat, I would be satisfied. Plus, I would like to increase overall strength. As I said, I have have not gained any more strength than before starting linear progression.

Could you please give some recommendations? More than one sentence will probably be necessary.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I am eating a whole lot more, but I am not progressing. I am not trying to put on 50 pounds, and I am not trying to become mesomorphic. If I put on 5 pounds muscle and lost a few pound of body fat, I would be satisfied.

This is the problem. You are not eating enough, and you think that the above can happen. We have beaten this to absolute death here. SEARCH FUNCTION.

[Dastardly]

Holy cow, ive never seen somebody who eats cereal four times a day !

Over here in the UK, a lot of cereal companies (mainly marketed at women) suggest exactly this type of diet to get thin fast.

[JB1981]

Uhhhhh .... lay off the shredded wheat and get some actual animal fat into your diet (like all 3 major meals a day).

[jonesjitter]

You eat like a teenage girl who's trying to get lean for summer.

[hatmanii]

Step 1) Eat some sort of meat with every meal, even the snacks

Step 2) Replace the skim milk with whole milk, increasing consumption to 1 gallon per diem

Step 3) ????

Step 4) Profit.

-Hat

[Michael Liao]

At least your body-weight in grams of protein. About only half that in grams of carbs. Sugar and carbs being anti-nutrients.

So if you weigh about 140 lbs., then a carton of (12) eggs, 1/2 gallon of milk, & a whey protein shake and some cream will suit you... That is until your weight starts to climb. Man up son!

Reference Adelle Davis' 'Lets Eat Right To Keep Fit,' & Bill Starr's 'The Strongest Shall Survive'

[Monster]

a. Call Johnny Paiin for nutritional consult.

b. Follow instructions.

c. Obtain strength.