Getting back to the lifting grind... need a refresher

[paki123]

I've been sacked with pneumonia for the last month, and my gains have suffered greatly for it. I've checked out the stickies and getting a grasp of what I use to do before pneumonia.

I just have some questions that I hope you guys don't mind answering.
1)Is Diet Soda bad? I keep hearing mixed reviews about it, and I even heard some people calling it dangerous. I drink it most of the time. Could someone clear the air?
2)How do you guys measure your food that doesn't have a calorie label? like chicken and beef. Would a scale be my best bet?
3)I have some fat on me, and my frame is pretty small compared to what it was because of so much lost muscle. I'm thinking of just clean bulking, because fat on my body now is kind of pointless to worry about. What do you think?
4)Any general pointers?




BTW, I am going to be on a clean bulk, using the LeanGains intermittent fasting protocol by Martin Berkhan. I will probably be following his exercise mentality as well. Reverse Pyramid training.

Thanks you guys! I'm hoping to overcome this battle in the war of life. Pneumonia is a terrible thing and it takes so much away. I lost so much muscle, but thankfully not as much strength.

My weight was 196, 10% bf.
now im like 179, maybe more bf.gained a little fat because i was a pathetic lazy slob. But ima try and turn that around.

[angryguywalking]

1) everyone seems to have their opinion, but studies show humans consume nowhere near the amount of artificial sweetener it would take to cause harm. I have ~2 cans a day, but it's up to the individual person.

2)nutritiondata.com is pretty good for fruit and veggies, I use an electronic scale

3) Yes, I'd do exactly the same, we all need something to cut down to

4) Don't get too caught up in diet and things like that. If you see the results you want, you know you are doing it right. Just follow the basic guidelines for nutrition and success is guaranteed.

Hope you're feeling better with your sickness, and with that, im off to bed

[paki123]

Appreciate the help brotha!