Stronglifts5x5 vs cycling

[ndru]

Hi

I used to do SL routine for almost 7 months, but I've stopped going to the gym altogether because of complete lack of time. Fortunately I didn't give up on my diet.
Now because my main focus has been and still is fat loss I have started cycling to work instead of going to the gym (saves time). I do it 5 days a week, around one hour at average speed of 15mph.
The circumstances have changed somewhat now and I am thinking of going back to gym, however I don't want to give up on cycling, as it gets me to work much faster and is so much more fun than public transport.
After this lengthy prelude my questions are
1) will cycling interfere with SL routine. Should I modify it? (drop squats - wouldn't want to do it really)
2) Will cycling screw up with my rest? (will my legs get enough of it)
3) Lastly what would my caloric needs be with an office job + cycling + SL 3 times a week.

Thanks for replies

[stronglikewood]

Quote

Hi

I used to do SL routine for almost 7 months, but I've stopped going to the gym altogether because of complete lack of time. Fortunately I didn't give up on my diet.
Now because my main focus has been and still is fat loss I have started cycling to work instead of going to the gym (saves time). I do it 5 days a week, around one hour at average speed of 15mph.
The circumstances have changed somewhat now and I am thinking of going back to gym, however I don't want to give up on cycling, as it gets me to work much faster and is so much more fun than public transport.
After this lengthy prelude my questions are
1) will cycling interfere with SL routine. Should I modify it? (drop squats - wouldn't want to do it really)
2) Will cycling screw up with my rest? (will my legs get enough of it)
3) Lastly what would my caloric needs be with an office job + cycling + SL 3 times a week.

Thanks for replies

1. No it won't interfere as you are adding squats to your current routine, not adding cycling to your squats. You may find your progress is slightly slower, or not at all. You can still progress.
2. It might it might not! It's impossible to say.
3. Simply eat as you are now and add the weight training. Are you losing weight? If yes carry on, if no cut out some food. If you really want an exact number you will need to enter your weight/height into a formula and multiply it by another number representing your activity level to give you a more detailed guess. I don't know any off the top of my head, but there are lots out there on websites.

Given that you are cycling as much as you are, if you find your lower body isn't getting stronger or recovering well then there are other routines where you could just squat once per week. Make sure you get enough protein in. How is your diet? Could you post that up? Possilbe tweaks to it plus a new weights routine could give you the further fatloss you are looking for.

[ndru]

Thanks stronglikewood.

What I am eating ATM is - chicken breast with some humous and veggies for breakfast, around 100g of cheese for snacks, again chicken breast plus veggies for lunch and some cottage cheese with humous for dinner. I eat an occasional fruit and drink a glass of milk a day. I am planning to add protein shakes once I get back to the gym.

[stronglikewood]

No probs, how long have you kept that diet plan? It sounds pretty good. If you like eggs, nuts and fish then you could add them in for variety too.

[ndru]

Thanks
I change the meat every week - sometimes venison burgers, sometimes beef burgers, sometimes chicken breast, other times fish.
I sometimes substitute lunch with 150g of pecan nuts and occasionaly eat eggs for breakfast (it's just that I've had them for so long I can hardly look at them at all sometimes).

[Tauren]

As long as the cycling is pretty low intensity you should be fine. Its probably wouldn't be the ideal thing if you were trying to add mass, but if your goal is fat loss the cardio from cycling can only help. Just keep an eye on how your legs feel, and if you squats stall out at a much lower weight than before you know to chill it out.

SLW is spot on about the calories - if you are losing 1-1.5lb a week keep at it and don't worry about it too much, just make sure you are getting a decent amount of protein if you hit the weights again. Sounds like you got that under control with the shakes already.

[Diamond Head]

If you're doing an office job and sat on your ass all day , start doing Defrancoes Agile 8, and hamstring stretches everyday

Ive started doing the agile 8 for about 5 days and already notice my hips are looser and squats feel more comfortable

[Diamond Head]

If you're doing an office job and sat on your ass all day , start doing Defrancoes Agile 8, and hamstring stretches everyday

Ive started doing the agile 8 for about 5 days and already notice my hips are looser and squats feel more comfortable