Bodybuilding poor value for money.

[cevans0823]

Shut the fuk up b*tch.

Just because loads of people on here think that by working out extremely hard, diet well and eat their 6 meals daily stored in mommys refridgerator in neat little tupperware containers all balanced out on daddys food scale, and do their HITT cardio.....they will eventually look like layne norton......

.....genetics baby, genetics. You either have it or you don't. Do NOT get me wrong, you can make VAST improvement in your physqiue but it will take A LOT of time, effort, and money and you still will not be near layne norton status (as an example).

unless you go ride a bicycle to even out the playing field.

wow youre a dumb*** negged.

[RGoose18]

Shut the fuk up b*tch.

Just because loads of people on here think that by working out extremely hard, diet well and eat their 6 meals daily stored in mommys refridgerator in neat little tupperware containers all balanced out on daddys food scale, and do their HITT cardio.....they will eventually look like layne norton......

.....genetics baby, genetics. You either have it or you don't. Do NOT get me wrong, you can make VAST improvement in your physqiue but it will take A LOT of time, effort, and money and you still will not be near layne norton status (as an example).

unless you go ride a bicycle to even out the playing field.

Haha, what a clown, YES it will take a alot of time and effort, money??? no, it's only morons like you that buy up GNC and store it in "daddys" porn closet to be gobbled up at a later date. Quit letting this puss off the hook, OP needs mental toughness, not a warm glass of milk

wow youre a dumb*** negged.

Agreed, double negged

[cles10]

Personal Trainers are the biggest waste of money on the planet, train hard, push yourself every workout, get 1g of protein per 1lb of body weight. If you do those things you WILL see impressive gains every month. I spend roughly 100 a month on bodybuilding, and have seen amazing gains ever since i started. Genetics are an excuse for being lazy.

[Kent80]

Your lieing. Its not possible to eat 125 grams of protein [what should be your lbm and per lb/day] and not gain any muscle while lifting weights let alone doing normal physical work. My girlfriend eats high protein and low carbs during the summer to get skinny and it works wonders for her and she doesn't lift or do anything manly. She's very feminine. I doubt its possible for you to have more estrogen/less test then her.

Of course it is. 125g of protein per day is easy to eat. I'd get that from three meals a day. Add in snacks and my protein intake would be nearer 150g. Easily. 200g with a could of protein shakes.

I'm after advice. If you can't help, or don't know the answer then keep quiet, but don't accuse people if lies.

Carbs, I have started to eat but I blame them for the gain in body fat. Ordinarily, I try to keep carbs under 150g per day.

[Animalwannabe]

Of course it is. 125g of protein per day is easy to eat. I'd get that from three meals a day. Add in snacks and my protein intake would be nearer 150g. Easily. 200g with a could of protein shakes.

I'm after advice. If you can't help, or don't know the answer then keep quiet, but don't accuse people if lies.

Carbs, I have started to eat but I blame them for the gain in body fat. Ordinarily, I try to keep carbs under 150g per day.

BRB eating 200 grams of prot and 125 grams of carbs a day and not gaining. Get an AVI so I have something to shop that new meme onto.

[peequi]

Personal Trainers are the biggest waste of money on the planet, train hard, push yourself every workout, get 1g of protein per 1lb of body weight. If you do those things you WILL see impressive gains every month. I spend roughly 100 a month on bodybuilding, and have seen amazing gains ever since i started. Genetics are an excuse for being lazy.

Trainers suck. They are used as a shortcut or a simple solution. Trainers are great in the hands of someone truly motivated.

[Kent80]

I was really motivated initially. After a year, I did start to question myself, but in the last six months, my motivation has gradually declined as results haven't been forthcoming.

[joeyyowee]

Of course it is. 125g of protein per day is easy to eat. I'd get that from three meals a day. Add in snacks and my protein intake would be nearer 150g. Easily. 200g with a could of protein shakes.

I'm after advice. If you can't help, or don't know the answer then keep quiet, but don't accuse people if lies.

Carbs, I have started to eat but I blame them for the gain in body fat. Ordinarily, I try to keep carbs under 150g per day.

This is what your problem is. You're trying to build muscle and restrict your calories at the same time. That's impossible. If you want to build muscle and see results you need a calorie surplus. It's as simple as that. Forget about how much fat you put on. Just deal with it and worry about cutting until you're at least a year into training.

[Redglare]

I was really motivated initially. After a year, I did start to question myself, but in the last six months, my motivation has gradually declined as results haven't been forthcoming.

How you've managed to spend that sort of cash is beyond me.
I spend maybe £30 or £40 a month on a tub of whey, occasionally buying a tub of creatine or a pre workout supplement which would set me back a further £15-£25.
Gym membership is £27 a month, so at most I'll be spending approximately £70 or £80.

[SoccerMuscle5]

I think this is totally jumping the gun man...You really gotta look deeper to make such a strong statement

[bigthug87]

I dont see why people are even posting in this thread.

OP is either a troll or is just so up his own arse he don't want to listen to anyone else. OP DESERVES to be a weak ass ******* from his attitude, NEGGED you *******!

If ever I saw someone who deserved to be small and pathetic it was you OP!
People tryed to help you, people gave you advice, and you just cried " It doesn't work, Im never going to a gym again!"

well fine , then why come and post this **** here ?

[AlanApe]

I dont see why people are even posting in this thread.

OP is either a troll or is just so up his own arse he don't want to listen to anyone else. OP DESERVES to be a weak ass ******* from his attitude, NEGGED you *******!

If ever I saw someone who deserved to be small and pathetic it was you OP!
People tryed to help you, people gave you advice, and you just cried " It doesn't work, Im never going to a gym again!"

well fine , then why come and post this **** here ?

Whereas your sentiments I agree with, I dont think the tonality will help him.

In general he's completely dissilusioned. You cant blame him - he paid good money to get advice which he thought to be good, as it was a personal trainer after all in a gym. He knew no better than to question the advice of a professional. Lets be honest - everyone who started off lifting weight were green. Others found out what works and what doesnt work through trial and error. The problem with the OP is that he thought he was doing the right thing by consulting a PT.

The PT was obviously a bag of turd as he appears not to have pushed the OP, not changed up his routine and not taught him the fundamentals of nutrition. The OP believed the advice was correct and that perseverence was the way to go.

Wheras in this thread he has shown a great deal of nievity and on a (many) number of occasions dismissed valuable advice from contributors and firmly believes that he hasnt got the body, genetics or whatever to build muscle - because his last 18 months has conditioned him to do so.

A few posts on here over a couple of weeks wont change his thoughts overnight but they will be a start.

My fear is though that he has given up, decided (very, very incorrectly) that he hasnt got the genetics for it (this is an influence only when looking at pro level).

But yes, I wish he would listen, read the stickies, eat correctly, train correctly, and grow. He'd see results in a matter of 3 or 4 weeks if he set his sights on it. But alas, I put my money on him not. If so, his loss.

[Motaba]

Until Xmas 2011 I'd been training eighteen months with about a net gain of 1lb of muscle.

Prior to beginning weight training is lost three stone by dieting and despite not training have managed to keep this weight off. I'm happy with this.

Weight training, though, a complete waste of time for me. Spent roughly £500 per month or supplements, gym memberships and personal trainers, and although my cardio improved tonnes, my muscle mass and physical appearance altered very little.

This is well over £5,000 of expenditure with **** all results in my book (other than the weight loss which was achieved by nutrition before I'd even picked up a barbell).

I'm now looking at spending this extra money I'm saving on a new car, and I n is that I will be getting value for money (not too mention happiness) from this, whereas weight-training yielded no results for me, and must go down as a waste of time & money.

I think weight-training is too relient on factors such as genetics and steroid use, whereas I know if I'm handing a car dealer £5,000 per year I'm going to be getting visual results for my money.

I think OP has that sandy vagina problem.

[Kent80]

Whereas your sentiments I agree with, I dont think the tonality will help him.

In general he's completely dissilusioned. You cant blame him - he paid good money to get advice which he thought to be good, as it was a personal trainer after all in a gym. He knew no better than to question the advice of a professional. Lets be honest - everyone who started off lifting weight were green. Others found out what works and what doesnt work through trial and error. The problem with the OP is that he thought he was doing the right thing by consulting a PT.

The PT was obviously a bag of turd as he appears not to have pushed the OP, not changed up his routine and not taught him the fundamentals of nutrition. The OP believed the advice was correct and that perseverence was the way to go.

Wheras in this thread he has shown a great deal of nievity and on a (many) number of occasions dismissed valuable advice from contributors and firmly believes that he hasnt got the body, genetics or whatever to build muscle - because his last 18 months has conditioned him to do so.

A few posts on here over a couple of weeks wont change his thoughts overnight but they will be a start.

My fear is though that he has given up, decided (very, very incorrectly) that he hasnt got the genetics for it (this is an influence only when looking at pro level).

But yes, I wish he would listen, read the stickies, eat correctly, train correctly, and grow. He'd see results in a matter of 3 or 4 weeks if he set his sights on it. But alas, I put my money on him not. If so, his loss.

Since you've made the effort to contribute, I thought I would make the effort to reply.

I thought that effort, patience and perseverance would be enough. Rather than practicing bad form & technique, and eating an incorrect diet I though - as you've rightly pointed out - that seeking the advice of a professional (somebody more knowledgeable than myself), would be a good start.

I definitely didn't expect results overnight. I'd be repeatedly told that I wouldn't see any result before three months, so at three months I wasn't concerned that I hadn't seen any, and thought I should just shut up, train and eat as instructed to do so. Even after six months, then a year, I still though "patience, perseverance, don't give up".

You're 100% correct. I am completely and utterly disillusioned.

There has been lots of advice offered on this forum (unfortunately a lot of it is hidden amongst completely cretinous posts from people who don't warrant a reply from me).

I'm still yet to meet anybody, or speak to anybody who is similar to myself, hasn't seen result for over a year, and then changed things up and seen results. I'm not doubting the hard work of those who have succeeded, but can't help thinking that if they too had spent 18 months achieving no results would they have persevered as they are advising me to do?

In short, I don't trust my own body at all. Don't trust it to succumb to resistance weight training, and don't really want to put myself through another wasted 18 months.

Everyubody I had spoken to in 'real life' has advised me that what I am doing is a waste of time, that I'd be better off spending the time and money on posessions like cars, but I'd told them all along that it would be worth it in the end, and that material possessions like cars and watches are nothing really, and after 18 months of putting this argument across, I feel pretty humiliated in so much as perhaps they were right, and I was wrong all along.

Obviously I've taken the time to reply to you, so there is a flicker of interest there, and whilst I haven't completely given up, I haven't set foot back in the gym now in 2 months!

[MichaelCJ]

I'm still yet to meet anybody, or speak to anybody who is similar to myself, hasn't seen result for over a year, and then changed things up and seen results. I'm not doubting the hard work of those who have succeeded, but can't help thinking that if they too had spent 18 months achieving no results would they have persevered as they are advising me to do?

I have. Met a guy (at the gym, actually) who had basically no results for over a year, because he was going about things in a totally wrong way (random bits of machine stuff, and so on). Skinny as a rake, to boot. Luckily, he asked someone in the end, and said person put him onto Starting Strength. Not trying to evangelise here - any proven novice program should do the trick. That said, the SS book (3rd edition, for about $30) is one of the best investments you could make, even if you're not doing SS.

Oh, and that guy? He's now lifting decent weights, and getting stronger all the time. It ain't rocket surgery - you just have to follow a routine (and diet) that WORKS.

In short, I don't trust my own body at all. Don't trust it to succumb to resistance weight training, and don't really want to put myself through another wasted 18 months.

It sounds like you've made you rmind up. Fair enough. But you're wrong, if you even care about that. Resistance training (in the form of a program that WORKS) just, well, WORKS. So long as you are mobile, and not too ****** up to even try in the first place, it doesn't matter whether you're male or female, young or old, etc. - you put in the time and effort, and it'll do the rest. Remember, progression is key.

Everyubody I had spoken to in 'real life' has advised me that what I am doing is a waste of time, that I'd be better off spending the time and money on posessions like cars, but I'd told them all along that it would be worth it in the end, and that material possessions like cars and watches are nothing really, and after 18 months of putting this argument across, I feel pretty humiliated in so much as perhaps they were right, and I was wrong all along.

Yeah, it's not exactly the kind of thing most people are going to understand, or approve of. After all, most of us are horribly unfit, and either underweight or (more likely) fat. Either way, also most likely malnutrited to some extent. Weak muscles, frail bones... but people would rather do anything than work hard to change all that. Any excuse, any BS theory (e.g., hardgainer/ectomorph/other) - whatever it takes to avoid that unappealing fate.

It's all good. Pop a pill. Forget about your body. Eat whatever, whenever. Walk only as much as you absolutely need to, and that will suffice for exercise - doctor said so. Pop another pill. Become feeble, and die that way.

No, not trying to scare anyone into anything, lol. Or out of anything. Just... seeing how that whole demotivation thing works. Not sure I'm doing it right, though.

[AlanApe]

^^^ Spot on.

[Kent80]

It's all good. Pop a pill. Forget about your body. Eat whatever, whenever. Walk only as much as you absolutely need to, and that will suffice for exercise - doctor said so. Pop another pill. Become feeble, and die that way.

No, not trying to scare anyone into anything, lol. Or out of anything. Just... seeing how that whole demotivation thing works. Not sure I'm doing it right, though.

Thanks for your reply.

I'll never neglect my body. Even now - two months without training - I still take immense caution in what I eat. I'm neither eating to gain or lose weight at the moment, because due to my body type (although I'm skinny, I also have a bit of a fat belly) so if I eat more I'll get fatter, if I eat less, I may lose the belly but I'll look like I've been liberated from a prisoner of war camp.

I initially lost nearly three stone through diet alone, before I'd set foot in a gym, so I know the importance of good nutrition - for life.

I know I'm healthy, I know I'm fit and healthy, but my only complaints are that aesthetically I look terrible - I haven't been on holiday to a warm country for over ten years for fear of taking my shirt of in public.

I honestly have come to the conclusion that I could train every day, but my strength will never increase, and as far as muscle mass goes, my body doesn't even know what that is.

[garabins]

I agree that you spent way to much money. You might have worked hard and really pushed yourself, but like you said diet plays a pretty big role. Obviously you weren't eating enough, did you track your calories to make sure you were getting enough food in or did you just rely on supplements to try and get muscle?

Don't give up now, post your average calories consumed per day and your training routine here and maybe some people will help and give you advice.

.x2

[Kent80]

For all the people who've said its simple, just eat well, train hard & get plenty of sleep and you'll achieve results, then what do you have to say about this article?

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_..._created_equal

This is the reason why I haven't been back to the gym.

I know I'd been doing things correctly, but like parrots I got given the same generic advice a lift heavy (I lifted as heavy as a could, always to failure, and was crippled by DOMS), eat lots (I've eaten lots, just seemed to get fat), and sleep (I have trouble sleeping, I can force myself to sleep but can lie in bed for 8-9 hours regardless).

The reason I haven't been back in the gym is because from about six months of training inwards had a feeling something underlying was wrong, knew there was something which just wasn't right.

I still think its early days with regards knowing about the human body, but I firmly believe that the concept that anybody can gain muscle is nonsense, and it's ultimately down by genetics.

[AlanApe]

You are still making excuses and searching for something that verifies what you want to believe. chances are that you do not fall into this category. If you think you do, go see a GP and ask for some tests to find out.

And EVERYBODY can put on muscle. Granted, not everyone can gain muscle in the same quantities and speed, but everyone can. If you have problems with insulin resistance, then your diet needs to be fixed to counteract it. The article you point to directs you towards some answers.

I cant believe that you spend all this time trying to find justification that fits your desire to have a reason to fail.

So if you are a true hardgainer, your insuling resistance is crap and your testosterone levels are ****, you can still do stuff about it. But again, you come out with "genetics" stops you gaining muscle. This is utter BS. Yes, it may mean you will never be a competative bodybuilder but it wont stop you gaining muscle.

[justinjude]

It's not exactly over-hyped nonsense, but it's not a total show-stopper either. It does not make a huge difference in the big picture, and certainly not in your stage of training.
What are your 1RMs like?

If you haven't convinced yourself to quit like a bitch yet (which it sounds like, unfortunately), do the following:
- ditch the PT
- ditch all supplements
- follow Starting
- in addition to your regular workouts: practice form for all lifts with the empty bar until you nail it. This is kinda important.
- eat, eat, eat. Figure out your maintenance, add 400-500 kcal, get enough protein (1g per lbs of lbm is plenty), and fill up the rest of your calories with whatever you like.
If you become a bit fatter, so what? Dieting is easy. Gaining muscle is not.

That is really all there is to it.
If you need any more detailed info let us know, we will gladly help you out.
But quit whining around like a baby.

I wish I had RP to rep you. I'll rep you anyway

[Animalwannabe]

I still think its early days with regards knowing about the human body, but I firmly believe that the concept that anybody can gain muscle is nonsense, and it's ultimately down by genetics.

5'8" 157 lbs.

5'7" 170 lbs.

I gain muscle. We are the same size. You looked at an article that was trying to sell 3 supplements. You did not look at actual science. Your a moron. Stop lifting I wouldn't want you curling in my squat rack. It also sounds like you only eat 700 calories a day. Let me know how that works out for your muscle building goals of 2012.

[justinjude]

OP, stop being the poster child for prophylactics, and do me a favor- do me a kindness.

Post what your daily diet looks like.
Post what a "normal" training week would look like


I know you have the time because this thread is 5 pages long of relatively useless banter with a few motivational posts peppered through it. Also, on a separate thought- a lot of this could have been avoided if, once you realized that things we're incorrect, you stopped blaming it on everything but the crap hand you were drawn (getting hoodwinked by a bagodicks pt.)

If you really only find happiness in material goods, you'll end up like kimdotcom. And really, you're just wasting all of our time, including yourself.

Admit that awful choices were made, and that you may need to reevaluate what happened, and try again.

Start a body space blog, or even a thread here. I'm more than willing to bet (and I will put money on it, seriously.) that if you eat clean, eat HOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO, and not be a sniveling little wanker in the gym, you'll see results. I'd even be willing to say within 12 weeks.

Also, if you do have the cash, why not go get your thyroid and test checked for good measures.

That's my offer and advice.

[Animalwannabe]

OP, stop being the poster child for prophylactics, and do me a favor- do me a kindness.

Post what your daily diet looks like.
Post what a "normal" training week would look like


I know you have the time because this thread is 5 pages long of relatively useless banter with a few motivational posts peppered through it. Also, on a separate thought- a lot of this could have been avoided if, once you realized that things we're incorrect, you stopped blaming it on everything but the crap hand you were drawn (getting hoodwinked by a bagodicks pt.)

If you really only find happiness in material goods, you'll end up like kimdotcom. And really, you're just wasting all of our time, including yourself.

Admit that awful choices were made, and that you may need to reevaluate what happened, and try again.

Start a body space blog, or even a thread here. I'm more than willing to bet (and I will put money on it, seriously.) that if you eat clean, eat HOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO, and not be a sniveling little wanker in the gym, you'll see results. I'd even be willing to say within 12 weeks.

Also, if you do have the cash, why not go get your thyroid and test checked for good measures.

That's my offer and advice.

He could have ran 4-5 cycles in a year for 5000 euros. Dudes full retard. Wont say anything about his diet or workout regime and eats 200g of protein and 150g of carbs a day and doesn't gain.

[justinjude]

He could have ran 4-5 cycles in a year for 5000 euros. Dudes full retard. Wont say anything about his diet or workout regime and eats 200g of protein and 150g of carbs a day and doesn't gain.

I was trying to be diplomatic

[AlanApe]

Sorry Kent, but Justin and Animal above are correct.

I'm sorry to say I am tired of trying to help you.

[Kent80]

If I'd have come into this forum and explained my situation and asked for advice about steroid cycles I'd have been told that I'm only a beginner, should get my training and nutrition right, leave it a couple of years and then think about juicing.

I know that I could go out and do a couple of cycles. Easy to get hold, cheap to obtain, and I've got no problem with anyone who does it whatsoever, but I did want to make some natural gains first.

To be honest I'm getting fed up with this. If I'm under eating (as people are guessing) then why the **** am I gaining fat so rapidly, but not muscle?

If I'm under training then why do I suffer from severe DOMS? If I trained my legs any harder I wouldn't be able to walk.

Why didn't my strength increase more?

There seems to be a lot of guess work in the replies I'm receiving, people who haven't read what I've said, or ate just rolling out the usual generic replies.

[MichaelCJ]

just rolling out the usual generic replies.

If it pleases you to think of it that way (and, evidently, it does), sure. There's a reason for that though, even should it be totally accurate: they're based on facts, not BS. Might be "second hand", in some cases. Much like the majority of our knowledge... best case scenario, that is.

No, the problem is, you refuse to actually apply said "generic" knowledge (i.e., common knowledge, conventional wisdom, etc.) and will come up with any excuse not to.

Um yeah, the reason your "training" wasn't working for you? It was sh!t. And yet, you don't want to even try something that has turned skinny, skinnyfat, fat, old, "hardgainer" and "ectomorph" people into strong people. It's hard work, you need to put your ego aside, and there's nothing mystical or complicated about it. It's very straightforward, it works, and you can see results within months. I'm not making this up - I've both experienced it (am experiencing it) and observed it, as well as hearing about and reading about countless other cases, from all walks of life and so on.

There's no "guess work" involved in stating the obvious, and trying to steer you right. Or nudge you that way. Or simply point out the fact that that way exists, even.

You made some bad choices, and have now made some worse decisions by far. That's up to you, totally, as always. Enjoy the benefits of whatever choices and decisions you make. Or suffer the consequences (including mediocrity, say), as you prefer. And be aware that you can change your mind, even if your pride (or other escuse) wants to get in the way. Wallowing, whining, stamping your foot or turning away in a huff is certainly ONE approach to dealing with things...

There are other ways, however. But you well and truly know that by now. So, enough stating the obvious (right? ) for now, and for good, wrt this thread.

Best of luck.

[AlanApe]

Kent - again, stop it man!

Listen to what's being asked. POST your diet - all of it. what you typically eat. Is it good, healthy foods or processed foods? at the moment you WILL put on weight because you dont train! If you want people to truly understand your problem, give the right information. I can post on here, today, EXACTLY what I have eaten, every day for 6 months, down to the last calorie, gram of saturated fat, sugar protein. I do this because I had stalled, gained fat and was not putting on muscle. So I knuckled down, started ASSESSING exactly what I was doing. I now have a diet plan, so i know how much of what I eat in a day. My diet is good and varied.

When I go to the gym, I currently am doing a split of

Day 1 - Chest, shoulders & Tris
Day 2 - legs & abs
Day 3 - rest
Day 4 - back & biceps
Day 5 - repeat Day 1 again etc

I write down every excercise, every weight, every rest period, every set and every rep count. I know when I am making gains or when I am stalling.

I also listen to my body. If I'm not mentally right, I may take an extra day off to recover. But more often than not I dont.

I dont overdo my training - I dont hit out countless excercises for countless sets and reps - I aim for a 4 set, 6 to 10 rep on main excercise (squat, bench, etc), a second excercise of 3 sets same reps, ans a third excercise of 2 or 3 sets, depending on how my energy levels are. I dont deliberately work until I cant walk. DOMS isnt an indication of a good workout or of guaranteed hypertrophy or strength gains. You can get that without DOMS. DOMS can be a sign of a lacking diet, or lacking in sleep or water.

As for "JUICE", you make it sound like the majority of people on here are on steroid cycles! Do you eally believe that most people would recommend that? complete crap. Most on here dont and wont touch the stuff.

So, lets put this all to bed once and for all. Post the following for when you were last working out:
1. Your typical diet - food types, rough quantities, caffiene intake etc
2. Your rest period - how many hours sleep a night
3. Your workout overview -how many days on, how many rest days
4. Your workout plan - what did you train on what days, excercises, sets and reps
5. Your typical time in the gym for each session

Once and only once this information has been posted and analysed can people really start getting a picture of the problem. If you havent done this previously, then you can not say that you are a hardgainer and have a negatively freaky genetic make up.

I hope this makes my point clear???

[Kent80]

1. Your typical diet - food types, rough quantities, caffiene intake etc

Wake up: 40g oats, 1 scoop ON whey 1/2 scoop ON casein. Sometimes a coffee, depending on what time I wake up.

Breakfast: (2 hrs later) Eggs. (either three poached, or six scrambled (1 Yolk), and two slices of rye bread or wholegrain bread.

Snack: Whey Protein shake

Lunch: source of protein (normally aim for about 30g - chicken, salmon, tuna etc), some carbs (about 30g) always low GI, vegetables or salad.

Snack: Why protein Shake

Dinner: Source of protein (as above), sometimes carbs (if I think I need them) vegetables

Bedtime: Cottage cheese, or if I've not got any in or am short of time a ON casein protein shake.

2. Your rest period - how many hours sleep a night

Average about 6.5 per night on a good night.

Sometimes as low as 4.

3. Your workout overview -how many days on, how many rest days

Not trained in the gym since week before Xmas.

Initially I was training 2 or 3 days per week, then upped it to 4. Then after a year or so perhaps a bit longer began dropping it to 2 or 3 again.

Started off 2 days (Upper body, lower body), 3 days would be alternating upper body and lower body. 4 days would be chest, back, legs shoulders.

Concentrate mainly on compound exercises, not isolation. Mainly because I can't be arsed doing bicep curls or tricep pull-downs until I've put on size first.

Compounds would be bench presses, squats, leg presses, dead-lifts, clean & press etc.

I'm not strong at all. Feel as weak as a baby lamp sometimes, so stopped attending a gym and went to a strongman (yeah, I got a few strange looks).

5. Your typical time in the gym for each session

About an hour & a half.

I'll be honest with you. I made progress the first three months. My training & diet obviously weren't bang on, but I had no stress and belived that eating fairly well and training I'd succeed. I pulled a stomach hernia in the gym, and had to have surgery and lost two months training, and all the muscle I'd gained.

Back to stage 1 again. Since then, I've achieved **** all. Wanted to bulk as quick as possible so eat as much as I could (i used to be fat eating 3,000 is easy), but just went round my waste, I panicked and stopped after about 4 weeks - 6 weeks.

I am a bit of a stress head. Get wound up very quickly, but to be honest weight training (and the lack of gains from it is all i'm stressed about in life), everything else is sweet.

I do think a bit that in the past I've trained well, and eaten well, but again, if I'm being honest not both at the same times all the time.

**** knows mate, I'm clueless now. Given up with my body, no idea what the problem is, so you're the man with experience, I'll let you decipher my answers.

What do you reckon?

As for diet, that's how I eat now still. Training, I've put on hold as you know because I've just sort of lost faith in my body really, as silly as that may sound.

With regards steroids, it's not for me to judge or cast opinion on anybody. I do know that I was probably the only person in my last gym who didn't use them, and have spend time researching cycles, but to be honest I don't really want to go down that route as a saviour, there is a flicker of enthusiasm yet that doesn't want to give up and wants to achive something naturally (if it's actually possible).

Over to you fella....