In 6 months I've gone from 210 lbs to 173 lbs. I couldn't run 1 mile when I started now I have completed 2 half marathons! I'm squatting 230lbs and benching 180 lbs 5x5! I have recruited 2 more people to start StrongLifts and one says "this is the fittest my wife has ever seen me!"
I started the whole process using StrongLifts, I would experiment with Cardio before and after my lifting.... But once the weights got heavy it was wearing me out! I feel lifting heavy helps cardio anyway! I do one long run every other weekend now (1-2 hours) and the following week usually miss a day lifting for recovery.
My biggest asset was changing my diet! I quit alcohol the first 5 months. The last month I started drinking beer again. This has been a detriment and I plan to quit again! Other than that whole foods, organic when I can afford. I raise my own chickens for eggs and meat. I don't love vegetables but force myself to eat them.
StrongLifts has helped me with racing, running, and fitness in general. Runners need powerful quads, flexible hips, and strong hamstrings in order to prevent injury. I feel this is especially true the older we get. I still feel "young" at 31, but I know I am not as flexible or injury resistant as when I was in my early 20's.
Your abs are coming along nicely after just six months. Looking forward to see where you are after a year.
The three take-aways;
1) Nutrition is key for fat loss. You need to create a caloric deficit.
2) Alcohol once in a while is fine. I often have a glass of red wine. But moderation is key. Don't drink the whole friggin' bottle.
3) Too much cardio will indeed be tough to combine with lifting. And it doesn't burn that many calories, unless you do a ton of it - for which most people simply don't have the time.
Anyway, your Squat could have been higher after six months, closer to 300lb. But you seem to like running, so I'll give you a break.
Hope you used my app :)
Keep it simple.
-Mehdi
P.S. If you've also had success with StrongLifts 5x5, please send me your results by hitting reply. Add your before/after stats, how long it took you to get results and what you did differently. Put "SUCCESS STORY" in your subject line.
Also, add pictures if you can. And keep it short and to the point please, 8 to 10 sentences max. Don't send a whole book :)
P.P.S. If you have a question you'd like me to cover in my daily email tips, send it by hitting the reply button. Include your age, weight, height, and best sq/bp/dl. Keep it short, 2-3 sentences max. Don't send me a whole book :)
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