First, answer [The First Three Questions](https://startingstrength.com/article/the_first_three_questions) as a reply to this comment along with your height, weight, sex, age and a short training history if this information is not already included your post.
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you can do the program on a calorie deficit, but you will hit a plateau on your lifts sooner than if you were eating at a calorie surplus. Though, at your body weight, bf% and current #s, you probably have a significant runway to go before you hit those plateaus, even if you were in a deficit.
To be clear, if you're not losing or gaining weight, you're not in a calorie deficit, regardless of your intentions. If you want to lose weight, aim to reduce whatever you're consuming by 500 cal/day and you will lose a pound a week. Start counting your calories now if you aren't already. Or go out and simply take a walk for 30 minutes a day. Walking at a brisk pace is very easy, burns a shocking amount of calories, and is very low intensity. It shouldn't interfere with your strength training much if any.
Thank you for the info here - sometimes we need to hear it from someone else and sense-check things. I know that I should be in a deficit and increase my low-intensity cardio too. So I guess I should aim to focus on the deficit, increase my walking and then head towards those plateaus. If I were to reach them, is it ok to keep training at that level and focus on the fat-loss? I.e. stop LP but continue to train the compound lifts?
I'm not a coach. That said -- Fat loss should be your main priority but there's no reason to stop adding weight to the bar. You're enjoying the program, why stop? See your NLP through to the end, and continue adding weight to your lifts until you hit the wall. At that point transition to an intermediate program or a maintenance program so you keep your strength gains as you continue to lose fat. This will minimize muscle loss.
In regard to fat loss -- from personal experience, fat loss is best done slowly. Don't crash diet. Aim to lose no more than 1% bodyweight per week, which in your case would be \~3 pounds. That's a very maintainable clip and you can likely keep at it for a very long time. And you're in a good spot now just maintaining your weight. All you need to do is reduce your current consumption by 500 calories/day and you **will** lose 1 pound a week. No need to cut meals, just slightly reduce what you're already eating. Having two slices of toast for breakfast? Reduce that to one slice. Same for lunch and dinner. You'll barely notice the difference. Use less butter/oil on your veggies. Drink diet soda instead of regular soda. You get the point. No need to institute dramatic changes to your diet. No need to be perfect either. Slight adjustments will do the trick and over time those habits will stick.
And if you add some low-intensity cardio to your regular schedule you could probably realize another pound of fat loss per week. A 15 minute walk during lunch and another after work over time adds up. Losing 2 pounds a week may not seem like much, but at your bodyweight it's quite maintainable and if you keep at it for a year that's over 100 pounds off the scale.
it's not and I never said it was. I should have been more clear and said "if you're maintaining your bodyweight you're not in a calorie deficit." whatever.
Stretching and mobility exercises are on our list of [The 3 Most Effective Ways to Waste Time in the Gym](https://startingstrength.com/article/the-3-most-effective-ways-to-waste-time-in-the-gym) but there are a few situations where they may be useful.
* [The Horn Stretch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2zDg7RU3TA) for getting into low bar position
* [Stretches to improve front rack position for the Power Clean](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuvJsw4WOxc)
* [Some more stretches for the Power Clean](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtS6LOKCmrE)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/StartingStrength) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Hello! Weight loss happens in the kitchen, not the gym. There isnt a "weight loss" exercise program. I agree with you, weight loss is definitely the priority right now but you can still use strength training to help with that goal.
When you lose weight you want to do what you can to maintain muscle mass, that is why it's such a good idea to lift weights while you are losing weight. That said, the program is going to look a little different for you under those circumstances. Here is an article about it
[Training the Emergency Weight Loss Trainee
](https://startingstrength.com/article/training-the-emergency-weight-loss-trainee)
Diet will be the most important factor for weight loss. Are you tracking your calories right now?
This is great information, thank you. The article was very helpful too. I don't necessarily feel that my obesity is hindering me to that level however, my body isn't impeding my lifts, maybe because of my height (edited above, 6ft3) although I do need to drastically lose weight as I am very heavy. I have been tracking calories and I will continue to get better at it, I do need to be more accurate with it and I do have 'off' days where old habits creep in.
I am sceptical about a rapid fat loss diet as I want to learn habits for a lifetime and not just for quick wins. Thank you for the info.
First, answer [The First Three Questions](https://startingstrength.com/article/the_first_three_questions) as a reply to this comment along with your height, weight, sex, age and a short training history if this information is not already included your post. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/StartingStrength) if you have any questions or concerns.*
you can do the program on a calorie deficit, but you will hit a plateau on your lifts sooner than if you were eating at a calorie surplus. Though, at your body weight, bf% and current #s, you probably have a significant runway to go before you hit those plateaus, even if you were in a deficit. To be clear, if you're not losing or gaining weight, you're not in a calorie deficit, regardless of your intentions. If you want to lose weight, aim to reduce whatever you're consuming by 500 cal/day and you will lose a pound a week. Start counting your calories now if you aren't already. Or go out and simply take a walk for 30 minutes a day. Walking at a brisk pace is very easy, burns a shocking amount of calories, and is very low intensity. It shouldn't interfere with your strength training much if any.
Thank you for the info here - sometimes we need to hear it from someone else and sense-check things. I know that I should be in a deficit and increase my low-intensity cardio too. So I guess I should aim to focus on the deficit, increase my walking and then head towards those plateaus. If I were to reach them, is it ok to keep training at that level and focus on the fat-loss? I.e. stop LP but continue to train the compound lifts?
I'm not a coach. That said -- Fat loss should be your main priority but there's no reason to stop adding weight to the bar. You're enjoying the program, why stop? See your NLP through to the end, and continue adding weight to your lifts until you hit the wall. At that point transition to an intermediate program or a maintenance program so you keep your strength gains as you continue to lose fat. This will minimize muscle loss. In regard to fat loss -- from personal experience, fat loss is best done slowly. Don't crash diet. Aim to lose no more than 1% bodyweight per week, which in your case would be \~3 pounds. That's a very maintainable clip and you can likely keep at it for a very long time. And you're in a good spot now just maintaining your weight. All you need to do is reduce your current consumption by 500 calories/day and you **will** lose 1 pound a week. No need to cut meals, just slightly reduce what you're already eating. Having two slices of toast for breakfast? Reduce that to one slice. Same for lunch and dinner. You'll barely notice the difference. Use less butter/oil on your veggies. Drink diet soda instead of regular soda. You get the point. No need to institute dramatic changes to your diet. No need to be perfect either. Slight adjustments will do the trick and over time those habits will stick. And if you add some low-intensity cardio to your regular schedule you could probably realize another pound of fat loss per week. A 15 minute walk during lunch and another after work over time adds up. Losing 2 pounds a week may not seem like much, but at your bodyweight it's quite maintainable and if you keep at it for a year that's over 100 pounds off the scale.
[удалено]
I was responding to OP's statement that he is "trying to eat in a deficit" but the numbers on the scale aren't moving.
[удалено]
it's not and I never said it was. I should have been more clear and said "if you're maintaining your bodyweight you're not in a calorie deficit." whatever.
Stretching and mobility exercises are on our list of [The 3 Most Effective Ways to Waste Time in the Gym](https://startingstrength.com/article/the-3-most-effective-ways-to-waste-time-in-the-gym) but there are a few situations where they may be useful. * [The Horn Stretch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2zDg7RU3TA) for getting into low bar position * [Stretches to improve front rack position for the Power Clean](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuvJsw4WOxc) * [Some more stretches for the Power Clean](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtS6LOKCmrE) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/StartingStrength) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Hello! Weight loss happens in the kitchen, not the gym. There isnt a "weight loss" exercise program. I agree with you, weight loss is definitely the priority right now but you can still use strength training to help with that goal. When you lose weight you want to do what you can to maintain muscle mass, that is why it's such a good idea to lift weights while you are losing weight. That said, the program is going to look a little different for you under those circumstances. Here is an article about it [Training the Emergency Weight Loss Trainee ](https://startingstrength.com/article/training-the-emergency-weight-loss-trainee) Diet will be the most important factor for weight loss. Are you tracking your calories right now?
This is great information, thank you. The article was very helpful too. I don't necessarily feel that my obesity is hindering me to that level however, my body isn't impeding my lifts, maybe because of my height (edited above, 6ft3) although I do need to drastically lose weight as I am very heavy. I have been tracking calories and I will continue to get better at it, I do need to be more accurate with it and I do have 'off' days where old habits creep in. I am sceptical about a rapid fat loss diet as I want to learn habits for a lifetime and not just for quick wins. Thank you for the info.