Weight increments doing SS novice program while cutting

[Trashboat]

I'm a 5,8" 20 year old male, currently 229 lbs and while I can't get an accurate reading on my bodyfat (got a figure from a scale but I know they're iffy and skin is too firm and thick for calipers to really work) I believe it's somewhere in the range of 30-35%.

I've been doing the SS lifts as a novice lifter quite messily for the last 3 months or so, with some couple week long breaks where I lost the motivation to keep going here and there, and most of it being while on a caloric deficit to lose weight but a couple times again where I fudged my diet and ate at a surplus, so strength gains have been very inconsistent and up and down, with me losing strength and having to de-load to go back up after I stop. Right now after just coming off of a couple of weeks of binge eating my lifts have gone up to:

Deadlift: 200 lbs 1x5
Squat: 185 lbs 3x5
Bench: 135 lbs 3x5
OHP: 95 lbs 3x5

However I've realised fat loss really should be my priority now and I have to take control of my diet, which I've been doing since a week ago as of now and lost 2 lbs, I now eat roughly 2000 calories a day and shoot for 120-150g of protein.

I've definitely noticed feeling a lot weaker now that I eat less, and am sad that I can't enjoy the great feeling I had for those couple weeks eating more of putting 5 lbs on the bar each session for deadlifts and squats. I just can't really make 5 lbs jumps at the moment. Does this mean I should start micro loading and buy some 1 lb plates and see if I can at least slowly progress that way? Or will I just have to accept that I may be stuck grinding out the same weight every session until I've lost enough fat to bulk?

Also on a side note should I be starting to power clean in this state while I'm cutting and struggling to develop my lifts? So far I've left them out and have only really been doing the main novice lifts. Pullups are sadly not possible as I'm too heavy and too weak to even do 1 rep as of now and have no access to an assistance machine.

[David Geiger]

Have you read this: To Be A Beast | Barbell Medicine

If not, please do so. Then you can read the comments following it, and the numerous threads on this forum discussing it.

No power cleans; look up inverted rows.

Good job getting started. This is a lifestyle change, not a quick fix. Just show up every day, in the gym and in the kitchen, and you will be just fine.

[Fulcrum]

2000 cal for a 5'8" 230# guy doing strength program might be too little.
That 120g-150g of protein figure might be too low.

My thinking on this, is just continue eating whatever you were eating at 229 when you started the program. (not your 2000 cal figure).
Whatever calories you were taking in at that point, while you were doing NO "training", was enough to maintain that body weight (or say slightly increase...if you were gaining).
So you kinda know your maintenance level, or real close to it, if you get what I'm saying.

Fast forward to NOW, at the same caloric intake I bet you'll be burning more calories now that you're training, and also due to building new muscle tissue.
I bet you'll lose weight (fat), while building some muscle. There's a case to be made for fluffy people to actually be able to recomp. to a degree . . .for a while anyway.

SO, just go with that for a little while, see what happens with your bodyweight and your lifts.
Even if your body-weight doesn't move up or down, AND your lifts are STILL going up, you are putting on muscle.
(outiside of the first couple of weeks of the LP)

If your start to lifts stall, add A LITTLE more calories and protein.

You can try counting your calories, but quiet frankly, I don't know how accurate that is in real life.
And its a pain in the ass.
You know ABOUT what your diet was before, number, size, frequancy of meals, etc.
Think of that as your baseline, and adjust from there.

[Trashboat]

Thank you guys I really appreciate the advice. I will read that article and look into the inverted rows, but how will I know when I should start the cleans? Also does that mean I should continue deadlifting 3 times a week if I'm not cleaning in alternation with deads? I appreciate the encouragement.

Also fulcrum, I would definitely enjoy getting stronger while shedding some of the bf %, to be honest my passion is more for strength than aesthetics though that's not to say I don't care about how I look at all, I'm very unhappy and insecure with my body right now and really want to lose fat.

I don't know exactly what my maintenance would be as before I had no pattern to what I ate at all, I just ate whatever I felt like whenever I felt like it, and it was almost always junk. I may have to start with calorie counting and weighing myself weekly to see what caloric intake has what effect on my weight and go from there.

If I adjust my diet to at least closer to maintenance calories, should I be continuing to try to add 5 lbs to the bar each time? How do I know when is the right time to move to 1 or 2 lb increments?

[Mike Barry]

If I adjust my diet to at least closer to maintenance calories, should I be continuing to try to add 5 lbs to the bar each time? How do I know when is the right time to move to 1 or 2 lb increments?

This article helps explain when is the right time to move to smaller increments, along with a great deal of additional priceless advice:
The First Three Questions

[Trashboat]

Thanks for the article Mike, I read it and it cleared a bit up. My circumstance is a little different to most though as I don't want to eat at a calorie surplus as Rip says for question 3, because then I'll end up even fatter than I am now. I'll gladly do it once I've lost the fat though, I just want to see if I'm able to get stronger in the meantime or if I have to wait it out with little to no progress.

Perhaps due to my own circumstances less than 5 lbs jumps on my deadlift and squat would be appropriate for now, even if I go back to 5 lb jumps when I can afford to be eating more. I will try eating closer to maintenance for now.

[Mugaaz]

Thanks for the article Mike, I read it and it cleared a bit up. My circumstance is a little different to most though as I don't want to eat at a calorie surplus as Rip says for question 3, because then I'll end up even fatter than I am now. I'll gladly do it once I've lost the fat though, I just want to see if I'm able to get stronger in the meantime or if I have to wait it out with little to no progress.

Perhaps due to my own circumstances less than 5 lbs jumps on my deadlift and squat would be appropriate for now, even if I go back to 5 lb jumps when I can afford to be eating more. I will try eating closer to maintenance for now.

Dude, you're a 20 year old male who is overweight, I really think you should have no issue maintaining 5lb jumps in the deadlift, even on a calorie deficit. I trained on an insane deficit when I was obese and it was fine. If you are an overweight novice male under 40, being on a calorie deficit does not prevent you from gaining strength.

[Trashboat]

Okay I will do my best to continue with 5 lbs jumps and hopefully you're right. I'll report back after a couple more sessions

[Mike Barry]

I'm not experienced enough to comment give specific nutrition or programming advice, but will gladly point to some of the information I've found useful as I've been going through the process myself. Regarding the caloric deficit, refer to the "To Be a Beast" article David Geiger mentioned a few posts ago. If you have more specific questions, ask on the Nutrition forum. SSC Robert Santana is very responsive and helpful.

Regarding continuous 5 lb jumps, I think early in your program form may be more limiting than strength and recovery. If you can, see a starting strength coach in your area. It is probably the best investment you can make when starting out. If that is not possible, record a video of your lifts and post them on the Technique forum to get feedback.

[Serack]

Okay I will do my best to continue with 5 lbs jumps and hopefully you're right. I'll report back after a couple more sessions

I'll second the recommendations to read To Be a Beast, and that you shouldn't be microloading the Dead Lift. Micro plates are for the Press, and for a bench under 200#

As for DL frequency, once the lift slows down a little, you should probably switch something in for one of your 2 workouts. If not Power Cleans as the program calls for, rows are popular. I was afraid of PC's when I was doing my NLP, but honestly, even if you don't do them "correct" at least you are getting some pulling volume the day you aren't doing DL.

Some more specific advice on nutrition. Unless your waist is over 40" it is highly recommended that you don't go into a caloric deficit (lose weight) during an NLP. It's still a good to pratice tracking your macros and your morning weight every day, though as this will give you the tools you need to manage your caloric intake in the long term, and you can gain more control over your waist size once you have finished taking advantage of all those NLP gainzZz.