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  1. #31
    Registered User beowulf359's Avatar
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    I commend you for keeping this log going. Great job!
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  2. #32
    Registered User klbbr's Avatar
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    Thanks. Appreciated.

    I take progress pictures every month, so I'll make a summary post when I reach my goal: 89 kg.

    I think my progress is more typical than the one to two pounds of muscle men can gain per month. Life gets in the way, you run into obstacles, so on and so forth.

    It's been 28 months since I began and on average I've gained 0.62 pounds / 0.28 kg per month. Some of the gains are fat. But there's a huge difference before and after already. Huge difference. Shoulders, biceps, chest, thighs.
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  3. #33
    Registered User klbbr's Avatar
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    The next chapter: Joining a Gym. Deloading has been good, and I'll make further changes this month.

    • I'll get food data into a new app, laying the ground for proper kcal tracking.

    • I'll replace bench press with dumbbell incline, as I've barely felt anything in the pecs, since the very beginning. Could partly be due to having a small bench that doesn't allow for proper grip width.

    • I'll do ordinary squats and deadlifts this month. Sadly, from the very beginning I haven't had proper equipment for legs. So I've only got some dumbbell and ez-bar leg training, which haven't amounted to much.

    • I'll run more on the treadmill.

    It's from next week I'll get access to the gym.

    My measurements on 20 September 2020
    Chest 105.0 cm (up 1.5 cm)
    Shoulders 122.5 (down 0.75 cm)
    Biceps (r) flexed 36.0 cm (down 0.5 cm)
    Thigh (r) standing 56.5 (down 0.75 cm)
    Waist 85.0 cm (down 0.5 cm)
    Neck 41.75 cm (down 1.25 cm
    Weight 82.9 kg (down 0.6 kg)
    Accumeasure 8.25 mm (down 0.25 mm)

    I've eaten whatever. Chips, chocolate, ice cream - everything - and not tracked kcal. I've dropped some weight and lost fat, and perhaps lost some muscle. It's been three days since last workout when taking the measurements, and they were taken in the evening. Some of the weight loss could be due to no creatine supplements this month. Though how much I used of that last month, I don't know. Not much. Hoping for real change the coming month!
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  4. #34
    Registered User klbbr's Avatar
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    Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, I took the to the gym, and whoa what a difference

    Working out is fun again. I manage to get my workout done in 60 minutes, not 3-4-5 hours. I have access to proper deadlift barbells, finally. I'm on a four day split, and in my workout tracker GymRun I've slapped in four new upper/lower workouts to choose from. Great fun. Machine workouts, free weight workouts. And I've added neck workouts, for first time in long. I've tried all the best neck workouts, and in the end chose headh arness with elastic bands and some other targeting upper traps, using free weights.

    Before deloading I've overtrained, and mostly worked out the upper body, and occasionally tracked calories. Now I am training with higher weights, more reps in the tank, and frankly a lot fewer reps (now 6-12, way more before).

    My thighs have grown proper, for the first time.
    My glutes have grown proper, for the first time.

    Great people at the gym as well. Got a body compliment for the very first time from a random gal (whooohooo), that is, first time since I was buff years ago, and even back then I can count on my fingers how often it happened. Ever. Bros are more generous with body compliments though.

    And the food app I now use has been amazeballs. I'd recommended it to anyone, not just gymbros. If something is often on my menu, I am one click away from logging it. Needn't even open the app. Here's how it looks. And on top of that, the food scanner works great. "Lose it!" is the app called.



    My measurements October 20, 2020

    Chest 104.5 (down 0.5 cm)
    Shoulders 122.5
    Biceps 36.0
    Thigh 58.5 (up 2.0 cm)
    Waist 84.5 (down 0.5 cm)
    Neck 41.5 (up 1.0 cm)
    Weight 82.7 kg (down 0.2 kg)
    Accumeasure 8.5 mm (up 0.25 mm)

    Measurements are taken in the morning, three days after last workout. I've tracked calories occasionally this month. And went on a weeklong trip without exercise, but with chocolate, icecream and junk food. It was fun. But not good for gains, except the wrong kind of gains. I gained a little fat, even though that's what's most pressing: to cut. Got a double chin now, when tilting the head down.

    The new diet target is not to exceed 2300 kcal (of which about 700 kcal for dinner)

    Less trash food is a goal as well. Feels like I gain weight on such, even though about the same kcal. Prolly due to sodium content. Tbh I don't care that much for gains now; cutting, getting rid of the double chin is top priority. If I lose some muscle due to cutting too fast, so be it, but prolly I'll fail, coming back next month with a bigger double chin.

    From now I've got the opportunity to do more slow cardio as well, as in simply walking with headphones. Might sound boring, but I enjoy it. Good scenery, good music, great audiobooks.

    Workout out now it gives more than it takes. It gives excess energy, and lowers the hellish stress leves I've had a while, and I can't wait to get to the gym today. Got new running shoes as well.
    Last edited by klbbr; 11-19-2020 at 04:06 PM.
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  5. #35
    Registered User klbbr's Avatar
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    My measurements on 20 November 2020

    Chest 102.5 cm (down 2.0 cm)
    Shoulders 123.75 cm (up 1.25 cm)
    Biceps 35.75 cm (down 0.25 cm)
    Thigh 56.75 cm (down 1.75 cm)
    Waist 84.25 cm (down 0.25 cm)
    Neck 41.5 cm
    Weight 81.9 kg (down 0.8 kg)
    Accumeasure 7.25 mm (down 1.25 mm)

    It's been a great month. Cutting has worked. Weight, waist and body fat has gone down, yet the shoulders have grown.

    I set the kcal goal low. 2300 kcal. Maybe it's too low, as I had some problems sticking to the diet in periods. In the four weeks, not all days were logged, but of the data I have on the weeks:

    Week 1: 3463 kcal UNDER my target
    Week 2: 1656 kcal UNDER my target
    Week 3: 1126 kcal UNDER my target
    Week 4: 4289 kcal OVER my target
    = 1956 kcal less than budgeted

    But it's been a jerky ride. It could be I've lost muscle to begin with. I've been 500 kcal under my target per day that week, then the next 236 kcal under my target per day, and then 160 kcal under my target per day, and then 612 kcal OVER my target per day that week. All in all I've had some 65 kcal per day less than my target. Though jerky, all in all it's been good, as the shoulders have increased and I've got less fat.

    One more month like this and my double chin is gone. So I won't make a change of the kcal target. But I'll try to have more of a steady diet. To have some low calorie foods available in case I am close to exceeding the kcal target that week or day.

    I went on a trip this month, as usual, but worked out once during the trip, and didn't splurge to the extent that I use to. These days weren't logged, I don't bring my scales, but the only fast food was one ice cream.

    This month I've gone to the gym almost four times a week, which was the target. The discipline is back. Looking forward to the next workout month. Working out is yet again fun!
    Last edited by klbbr; 11-22-2020 at 03:44 PM.
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  6. #36
    Registered User klbbr's Avatar
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    Rollercoaster month. Waist finally down. New machines at gym. With YT. 1000 calories a go! Fun! Pest control. Gym closes. New gym. New quad machine. Injure knee. Gf scores boxes of chocolate. 1000 excess calories, days on end. Weight up again. Double chin still here.

    On the bright side the barbell shrugs have been truly amazing. I introduced them to my workout regime a while ago, and it makes a massive impact on my looks. If I take pictures for insta now, I no longer need the Muscle Editor app (big grins—never used it—but I sure wish I did shrugs earlier!)

    My measurements on 21 December 2020
    Chest 103.5 cm (up 1.0 cm)
    Shoulders 123.25 cm (down 0.5 cm)
    Biceps 35.75 cm
    Thigh 57.0 cm (up 0.25 cm)
    Waist 84.75 cm (up 0.5 cm)
    Neck 41.5 cm
    Weight 82.1 kg (up 0.2 kg)
    Accumeasure 7.0 mm (down 0.25 mm)

    Measurements are taken late in the day, right after exercise, so there's some pump.

    What makes it easier the next month is that the knee is healing, and I got all my favorite meals logged in "Lose It!" so they're just a click away. But hey, it's soon Christmas, so the double chin is likely here to stay, at least for another month.

    I'm looking to change that though. I've got some new meals in my diet, such as half a pound of veggies with beef and low calorie sauce. But the winner's been arugula and chicken, and not to mention kale. Kale wins because I haven't grown accustomed to it yet, so meals with kale, well, I don't have second helpings. Yet.
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  7. #37
    Registered User klbbr's Avatar
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    It's been a slack month. My favorite gym is still unavailable, and I am off at this other uninspiring place. And I did a lot of ritalin to catch up on my studies. Worked like a charm, except that studies became so captivating I didn't spend time at the gym. I logged kcal for a while, then stopped when I didn't go to the gym no more.

    My measurements on 21 Januar 2021
    Chest 103.75 cm (up 0.25 cm)
    Shoulders 123.5 cm (up 0.25 cm)
    Biceps 36 cm (up 0.25 cm)
    Thigh 57.0 cm
    Waist 82.25 cm (down 2.5 cm)
    Neck 41 cm (down 0.5 cm)
    Weight 81.8 kg (down 0.3 kg)
    Accumeasure 7.0 mm

    I still intend to lose weight. Thankfully I haven't gained in the past month, where I haven't tracked kcal or exercised much. New month, new possibilities. Getting back on track with kcal tracking, and I'll try to get some workouts at the crappy gym. At least twice a week. And will check up on the guys running the better gym, about the status on when it's possible to go back. So this month. Could've been better, but could certainly be worse.
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  8. #38
    Registered User klbbr's Avatar
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    Oh, scheiss!

    Plenty more fat, not much gains. I did my very first eccentric sets this month. Well. It was one day. And I was unable to exercise for a week. I haven't had much exercise, some deload sets in the week after the eccentric, and I've met friends and ate leftover cake, quarter of a cake in one day. There's barely been kcal counting this month, partly due to a long outing with my gf, when I ate too much, but thankfully managed to squeeze in some body workout at least.

    My measurements on 20 February 2021
    Chest 105 cm (up 1.25 cm)
    Shoulders 123 cm (down 0.5 cm)
    Biceps 36 cm
    Thigh 58.25 cm (up 1.25 cm)
    Waist 86.75 cm (up 4.5 cm)
    Neck 41.5 cm (up 0.5 cm)
    Weight 84.8 kg (up 3.0 kg)
    Accumeasure 8.75 mm (up 1.75 mm)

    Fat caliper says I've gained fat.
    Waist says I've gained fat.
    The weight says I've gained kilos.
    The shoulders say it ain't muscle.

    The measurements are taken after having had breakfast and coffee, and I still got a pump from going bouldering right before the weekend. Sore in muscles I usually don't hit. Forearms, parts of legs, parts of the back, I can most def feel the pump from the bouldering still.

    Next month, well. Losing fat is the main objective. Hoping I'll make it. Monday next the best gym opens again, so in eight days I'll be back there. It surely helps as I exercise way more regularly when it's fun and accessible.
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  9. #39
    Registered User klbbr's Avatar
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    Recomp, baby!

    I never thought it'd happen, but the last month:
    • Muscles have increased (shoulders, chest and thighs)
    • Fat has decreased (waist, fat caliper and total weight)

    I haven't tracked a single calorie, only tried to cut, cut, cut—without knowing how much I eat. I guess I've been at a deficit most days, as I've lost fat, and on my splurging days—there's been at least five or six of those—my body has turned excess calories into muscles.

    My measurements on 20 March 2021
    Chest 106.75 cm (up 1.75 cm)
    Shoulders 124.75 cm (up 1.75 cm)
    Biceps 36 cm
    Thigh 58.75 cm (up 0.5 cm)
    Waist 85.5 cm (down 1.25 cm)
    Neck 41.5 cm
    Weight 84.3 kg (down 0.5 kg)
    Accumeasure 6.75 mm (down 2 mm)

    I was about to say the next month will be stricter diet, more cardio, and more discipline. But it looks like what I've been doing works well, so hopefully next month the chubbiness and double chin will be all gone.

    Never thought it, but it's been great changing gyms. My old gym, which is the best in town, has been closed due to pest control, so I went a less equipped gym for a while, and explored new barbell and dumbbell exercises, and cable exercises as well, and going back to my old gym I carried with me the best of these. So my new exercises are.

    UPPER BODY
    Cable chest fly
    dumbbell flys
    standing crossed-cable delt fly

    LOWER BODY
    walking lunges
    barbell calf raise,
    barbell hip thrust

    It's been hard hitting the pecs, and I've never really feel I've got a chest pump after exercise before, but now, with the cable flys, I've got a good pump. And in addition to that this month I've tried eccentric exercises for the first time. Eccentric pull-ups, eccentric chin-ups, eccentric curls, eccentric dips, and I will most likely experiment with eccentric chest dips, once I find a good video on how to.

    And I've worked on proper form. My squat technique is now almost good enough that I dare put on heavy weights. I've barely worked out a gym thus far, it's been home gymming, so squatting hasn't been something I've had equipment for. I've taken weak ass ez-bar front squats, but that's it. And I've also worked on my sumo deadlift technique.

    But the best thing, its' that I've got a broader and deeper understanding of the importance of mind-muscle, and proper form. So my new philosophy is progressive overload yes, but never ever at the expense of proper form. And to really nail the mind-muscle, I'm no longer lifting as to give the least resistance, such as doing a curl (almost) like you're lifting a shopping bag, but rather trying to give the most resistance, doing it slowly and kinda pretending it's an isometric exercise, going up and down.

    Everybody's different, but for me, to get proper technique, it's worked to imagine I'm lifting somebody when I'm doing military presses, and lifting somebody when I am doing deadlifts and so on and so forth. It gives me a more natural arch and slow movement than if I am looking at YouTube and mimicking whatever arch they have in their movement.

    One thing that might mess up the weight, waist, skinfold measurements is sodium. I don't know whether it can affect it, but I've had less sodium now than the previous month, I think, when I ate a lot of fried eggs. Whether high sodium intake can show up on the skinfold measurement, I don't know, but if so, then the decrease in skinfold measurement now could simply be less sodium. Anyways, looking forward to next month, and then measurements then, and if they decrease again, I am ruling out less sodium as cause of lower skinfold measurements (and waist and weight).
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  10. #40
    Registered User klbbr's Avatar
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    New split, new gains!

    Really motivating. I've never done the PPL before. So seeing a Nippard video on how you ought to have 14-20 weekly sets per muscle group for gains, I tried the PPL. My arms are now at 36.75 cm; it's the first time I've seen real growth in a year. I hammered them with dips (eccentric), chin-ups (eccentric), and regular biceps and triceps exercises. Haven't been many of those workouts, and has also been weeks where I have gotten too few workouts generally, but still, real growth.

    My measurements on 21 April 2021
    Chest 106 cm (down 0.75 cm)
    Shoulders 123.75 cm (down 1 cm)
    Biceps 36 cm (up 0.75 cm)
    Thigh 59.25 cm (up 0.5 cm)
    Waist 85.75 cm (up 0.25 cm)
    Neck 41.5 cm
    Weight 85.6 kg (up 1.3 kg)
    Accumeasure 8.25 mm (up 1.5 mm)

    I've gained some fat it seems. But some of the weight gain is likely stronger quads, hamstrings and calves. It's been cumbersome training legs at my home gym, but I'm at a regular gym now, and squats and deadlifts and glute exercises are properly incorporated into the routine.

    I can push myself further at the gym. What's holding me back is I had a heck of a long period where it was hard to do any lifting, some 1.5 years, and I don't know why that happened. It could be stress. Some disgusting stuff happened back then and I really haven't recovered completely. They say when you're down your lifts go down. One and a half years ago I did 3x10 pullups with no problems. Now I can barely do six. This setback could also be due to "overtraining" during a session: in a Ethier video he showcased a study saying that doing each set to exhaustion with plenty reps (I did like 3 sets 20+ reps for military press, 3 sets 25+ reps for bench press) was as effective as low reps heavy weights for hypertrophy. So relying on a home gym attm I thought this suits me well, I didn't have proper equipment for warmup, so lighter weights would mean less injuries, so light weights and many reps it was. Hammering every muscle I can't take 1-2-3 minute breaks between sets, but twenty minutes or more. I could even have workouts lasting 4-5 hours or more, and workout out at home gym it's easy to fill the time between sets with non-workout activities. All workouts were full body workouts. So I don't really know much about this, but I'm guessing (and I might be wrong) that we have "overtraining" within a single session, so you're pushing too hard and you fatigue during a session and you always go f**k this is really not pleasant. And you can have regular overtraining, that is giving the muscles getting too much workload period, ending up in a catabolic state.

    The first type of "overtraining" (not sure if it's right to use that word that way), that type I had. I pushed it too far during a single session. It could be my nervous system felt it was too much to handle. I have no idea. It became hard to push through the session just after the first first rounds of push-ups. No joy, and I do like working out.

    The second type of overtraining, that is the regular use of the word (i.e. a catabolic state), that I might have happened. I didn't use MyFitnessPal or such, I didn't keep track on calories, I just worked out, and pushed it to exhaustion. And I reached a point where I not only plateaued but regressed.

    Hard to tell which of these caused my setback. Could be all, could be just one of them. Anyways. YES, I can push myself further at the gym now, but I really want to avoid such a state as I was in last year or so. To get new gains I am:

    • Doing what I can now to put that stress stuff behind me, burning it as deadwood as they say, which is what it is
    • Doing some changes in the routine where I do low reps, setting 5 reps as the minimum. As I am going to a regular gym, I stopped the high reps, thankfully, but I still use the same app for logging sets and when the apps says 8 reps, I do minimum eight reps. Now I will aim for minimum 5 reps regardless of the exercise, and if I make it to the recommended eight, then good, and likewise if the app says do ten reps, then five are minimum, ten are good. A really high rep range was doing me no favors, and now I'll see if a rather low rep range (5+) is more the way to go, to avoid fatigue and make progress. When in PPL I'll do like five sets, but when doing a upper/lower week I'll go for 3 sets and low rep ranges.
    • Doing a change where if I cannot do a new set after 180 seconds, and do that set with a little bit of joy, I am cutting back on intensity. Often times it's like 4-5 minutes until I am able to bring myself to do another set.

    Cutting fat:
    I can work out in the gym WITHOUT a face mask now, and that'll be pleasant for a change. Running without a face mask. Squatting without ...

    I wish I was done cutting and was on high kcal again. But I am still going about it, and have had a half-hearted effort. But next month it's gonna be better. Spring has arrived, so I'll hike and do slow cardio outside. I've got a new non-stick pan so needn't use as much fat when frying. And I've got a taste for beans, never really tried much of that before, and I see they rank well on the satiety index. I'll try to make more oatmeal porridge instead of just eating raw, and buy sparkling water and perhaps cold-brewed tea, as they fill up space in the stomach without providing any kcal. Still eating without counting kcal. But I'll at least start this month with counting again, and seeing if it'll last.
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  11. #41
    Registered User klbbr's Avatar
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    My measurements on 17 May 2021

    Chest 105 cm (down 1 cm)
    Shoulders 125.25 cm (up 1.5 cm)
    Biceps 37 cm (up 1 cm)
    Thigh 59.75 cm (up 0.5 cm)
    Waist 86 cm (up 0.25 cm)
    Neck 41 cm (down 0.5 cm)
    Weight 87.3 kg (up 1.7 kg)
    Accumeasure 8.5 mm (up 0.25 mm)

    My neck has gone down. Prolly do to no shrugs for 50 days. One thing is certain, for me PPL trumps upper-lower: I now got progress in my lifts, I finally get plenty sets on each muscle group, which I didn't with upper-lower, and I manage this without excessive fatigue. My workouts last about an hour, and I'm not rekt at the end. Nutrition wise it hasn't been good. I am trying to cut but alas, I haven't regained the required discipline. For cutting, I'll get a tea thermos some time during the next month, hopefully. So I can make sickeningly sweet tea. And I'll get cold-brew tea, which might be good. I just got rutabaga into my diet, but gotta eat much more if it's to be helpful. Much more. And I gotta have discipline to stop at one portion of dinner. Rutabaga before dinner is prolly prudent.

    Some days ago I ran the 100m dash and took a new PR in walking lunges (haven't done them in long, so hitting the muscles a new way), and got heavy DOMS in the legs. After that my weight was a kilo more than today. But at the time of writing it's abating, I only got some soreness left in the legs.
    Last edited by klbbr; 06-20-2021 at 04:54 AM.
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  12. #42
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    Utter fail. Tried to lose fat, but gained. Again.

    My measurements on 20 June 2021
    Chest 104 cm (down 1 cm)
    Shoulders 124.25 cm (down 1.0 cm)
    Biceps 37.25 cm (up 0.25 cm)
    Thigh 60.5 cm (up 0.5 cm)
    Waist 86.5cm (up 0.5 cm)
    Neck 41.5 cm (up 0.5 cm)
    Weight 87.3 kg
    Accumeasure 10.25 mm (up 1.75 mm)

    I now prioritze leg day, my squat and deadlift are going up and my legs are growing. Thankfully. I even got less painful lower back. That really happened some months ago. I think my back problems were partly due to an unbalance of muscles in my upper and lower body. But hey it's better, and that's good. I now skip upper body days, if I have to skip, and make sure I get the most workouts of my legs. I try (*ehrm* try) to do a PPL, but in case I don't have enough days available, I do an upper/lower, and in case I can't get enough workout days I prioritize lower, not upper. It's a bit harder to get enough ompfh in my workouts now that I'm trying to go low cal. I think I would have more gains and more fun if I just were done with this cutting phase, which has gone on for how long.

    The coming month I will do more to cut. I'll get going with Loseit again. I'll always have a rutabaga in the fridge, and eat more carrots, and try to start the day with two hard boiled eggs and salad and a pitcher of zero kcal iced tea with sweetener, and eat more oatmeal porrdige (not raw oats), and drink more protein shakes to not lose muscle mass, and I might do more hiking this summer, burning kcal.

    EDIT. Yeah, and I'll make some sort of meal plan, where I start the day with three satiating low kcal meals, spaced out so I only eat them when hungry, not at given times, and by starting that way, hopefully by the end of the day I'll manage to stick to my budget when I eat something else than those three meals.
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  13. #43
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    Cutting and failing

    My measurements on 20 July 2021
    Chest 104.75 cm (up 0.75 cm)
    Shoulders 123.75 cm (down 0.5 cm)
    Biceps 37 cm (down 0.25 cm)
    Thigh 60 cm (down 0.5 cm)
    Waist 86.5cm
    Neck 41.5 cm
    Weight 86 kg (down 1.3 kg)
    Accumeasure 9.25 mm (down 1 mm)

    I want to get rid of 5 kg of blubba, but it's not going anywhere.

    It's been 8 workouts. Gotta start counting them going forwards, as they surely help by turning excess calories into muscle.

    Total workouts: 8
    Full body: 4
    Upper: 3
    Lower: 1
    Some short workouts as well, like some calistethics on a holiday at a lodge, and one at a gym in a new city, neither of which I logged. If anything all they did was keeps soreness away come next workout. The upper body workouts have been half hearted ones at the home gym. The full body workouts have more leg work, as legs are worked out before the upper body.

    I aim for a PPL, but it ain't likely I'll get it going this month. Too many gym days. An upper/lower split would be more feasible, and my legs are underdeveloped so it would make sense to go half-half, rather than PPL which is more like 2/3 upper, 1/3 lower. But in all likelihood it'll be more full body. With upper lower I ought to get 16 workouts in a month.

    Only change going forth is trying to squeeze in more gym days, and making a meal plan (whether or not it's adhered is another thing, but better a plan than none), and getting more mackerel into my diet, as I hope more fat in my macros would keep the hunger at bay.
    Last edited by klbbr; 09-18-2021 at 04:36 PM.
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  14. #44
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    Some cutting, yay, but way too little.

    My measurements on 20 August 2021
    Chest 104.75 cm
    Shoulders 124 cm (up 0.25 cm)
    Biceps 37 cm
    Thigh 59 cm (down 1 cm)
    Waist 86.5 cm (down 0.75 cm)
    Neck 41.75 cm (up 0.25 cm)
    Weight 84.3 kg (down 1.7 kg)
    Accumeasure 7 mm (down 3.25 mm)

    I've used Loseit the first part of the month, but let go once the vacation was here. I tried to cut, tried some, without looking on kcal data. Mackerel or eggs early in the day looks like a winning recipe, even though it ain't been a great month for weight loss. And moreso a meal plan, that I intend to follow but might stray from. Way better than just eating and hoping to not exceed the TDEE.

    Ideally I'd want 24 PPL workouts per month. What I aim for is 16 upper/lower workouts, what I get is less. Always less.

    Total workouts: 9
    Full body: 5
    Upper: 2
    Lower: 2

    So, just one more workout that last month. Ain't good enough. Been on two holidays, first road trip then a holiday house. Neither with access to a gym, except for one day. The full-body workouts have for the most part been calisthenics. Way better than nothing. But ... gotta improve my calisthenics routine as well, as there are so many occations throughout the year when I'm without a gym.

    Anyways, what I'm thinking is I should at least don't fail by BOTH exceeding kcal intake and lacking number of workouts. If I eat to much but work out, sure it's not a waste, if I cut kcal but don't workout enough, sure I'd lose some fat. But if I eat too much and don't work out enough ... Get at least one of them right next month. That should be feasible. Just started an ssri couple weeks back, hoping that won't pull the rug under my progress. I've tried that once before and I could not bring myself to do anything, let alone work out.
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  15. #45
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    What a month! Finally cutted, finally acceptable body fat.

    My measurements 19 September 2021
    Chest 102.25 cm (down 2.5 cm)
    Shoulders 122.25 cm (down 1.75 cm)
    Biceps 35.5 cm (down 1.5 cm)
    Thigh 56.25 cm (down 2.75 cm)
    Waist 82.25 cm (down 4.25 cm)
    Neck 40.75 cm (down 1 cm)
    Weight 80.2 kg (down 4.1 kg)
    Accumeasure 5.75 mm (down 1.25 mm)

    I might cut further some, but only some. Then do a clean bulk, slowly. I've failed at cutting for like 2 years, so I won't rush it adding calories. I'd rather have a month that's basically stalled than add too much and get too fat thus back to square one. I've had a budget of net 2105 kcal per day this month and ended up with an average of 2114 kcal. And I've lost 4,1 kg this month. That is 9 pounds. I could cut 2 kg more and still look good, but scarcely more than that. Waist at minimum 80 cm is what I go for. By cutting further I'd make a buffer when I clean bulk. I'm doing a higher dose of ssri this month and last time I did that years ago I felt drained but hungry, so that might set things back. Anyways, I'm adjusting the budget upwards to 2300 kcal per day. If that leads to a recomp, then great. If I just stall at the current body stats then I'd cut further for a month, i.e. going back to my old budget of 2105 kcal.

    I've lost some muscle also this month. But I haven't lost much strength. On some exercises I lift less, on some the same, but on most I've progressed. This progression is likely due to starting a new workout regime, with new exercises I'm just getting acquainted with. From the beginning of this period, I've been on the Fierce Five. I've often done the upper-lower from the ULPPL but haven't had time for the PPL part of it, except couple of days. Today I've added the regular Fierce Five upper lower workouts, and will continue with them in the month to come. They look great, and I guess they're touted here for a reason. They're easy to finish since they won't take long, it looks like it's focused on bench, squat and back - and alas without DL, but bench, squat and back, I should really have more strength there so that works just fine. Another great thing about Fierce Five is it'll be great for posture. I've got some posture problems. Lordosis, which seems to be due to muscle imbalances, uneven shoulders are likewise perhaps due to muscle imbalances and rounded shoulders. All of that might get fixed. I see the latter is usually due having pecs that are more tight and swole than the upper back. It's likely related to the workout routine I've used which heavily favors front instead of back exercises. It's made by Jeremy from YT who's a professional but that needn't mean it's well balanced. But whatever. The Fierce Five has plenty back exercises and it looks like that's what I need. Once I've done the fierce five upper lower for a while I will look into the Fierce five ULPPL. I might squeeze in some PPL to my current workouts every now and then if I feel I've got excess energy and want to work out harder some weeks. But mostly it'll be upper lower.

    Total number of workouts: 15
    Full body: 1
    Lower: 6
    Upper: 6
    Push: 1
    Pull: 1

    Finally close to my target, of 16 workouts per month.

    Why did I manage to cut? I think it comes down to this: No distracted eating, and eating slowly. Lots of calorie free ice tea. High fat low carb diet, instead of the opposite. Starting the day with two boiled eggs. I've studied some, on my legal study drugs, and it's likely they've cut back on hunger but it's only been like 4-5 days, something like that. Eating less for several days on a row has likely helped, as for making my body not crave big meals. I almost reached my goal of number of workouts, usually I get less. And I heeded the advice I got here: screw the macros when you cut. Good enough is perfect when it comes to protein. Just make sure to cut, cut, cut.
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  16. #46
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    For reference later, my protein intake from 20 August to 19 September, has been 1,475 grams per kg, which falls short of the recommended, and add to that it's been higher some days and lower other: quite some fluctuation. So a day when I felt no hunger at all, since I ate so much yesterday, I ate nothing. Whether this has made me lose way too much muscle this month I don't know, but thinking so be it since I finally managed to cut. So overall I'm satisfied.

    This is the protein intake per day, in chronological order. I chose to divide the average protein intake (118 gram) with the weight at the end (80 kg) since it's grams of protein per lean weight that matters; not that it makes much difference. 118 divided by 80 is 1,475 grams per kg.

    121
    223
    137
    141
    150
    80
    119
    163
    137
    175
    101
    83
    115
    107
    42
    112
    0
    89
    73
    102
    135
    179
    167
    120
    103
    167
    105
    126
    81
    97
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  17. #47
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    What a waste! I managed to get leaner last month and things were going good but then I traveled (I need to get more inspiration for easy stuff workouts to do without weights) and got the common cold, fever, no exercise but plenty eating and my waist has increased (+1 cm), weight (+1.2 kg) and the fat caliper shows I've gained (+0.25 mm). Oh well.

    My measurements 20 October 2021
    Chest 103.75 cm (up 1.5 cm)
    Shoulders 123.25 cm (up 1.5 cm)
    Biceps 36 cm (up 0.5 cm)
    Thigh 57 cm (up 0.75 cm)
    Waist 83.25 cm (up 1 cm)
    Neck 40.5 cm (down 0.25 cm)
    Weight 81.4 kg (up 1.2 kg)
    Accumeasure 6 mm (up 0.25 mm)

    Total number of workouts: 11
    Full body: 1
    Lower: 4
    Upper: 6

    Got fewer workouts than I aimed for, but could've been worse. On the positive side the Fierce Five, which I recently started, is amazing. It's easy and fun exercises and only takes a little time, so there's less fatigue. I now use the upper/lower version, like last month, and have not (yet) been tempted to try PPL again, but in the future, who knows. It's great anyhow, and especially my legs are growing now, and I for the future I know just about what my TDEE is, for cutting and gaining. I tried to cut this month but dammit the cold:

    Loseit shows I've been eating:
    Week 1: 2316 kcal per day
    Week 2: 2831 kcal per day
    Week 3: 2394 kcal per day
    Week 4: Common cold, not logging food, not moving around, not working out, but eating

    Going into this period my plan was to keep cutting. To cut till my waist is close to 80 cm. But instead I got fatter. So next month, hopefully I'll be able to cut again. Thing is I am telling myself if I don't eat at 2105 kcal (my target) but exceed it with like a thousand calories, that it'll just turn into muscle, well, I might be fooling myself, and it might be better to do like month with caloric deficit (done cutting) and then a month of lean bulking, instead of three days of cutting, three days of splurging. I have managed to recomp doing the latter before, but I am thinking it'll be way more effective to cut and be done with it. Definitiely. So that's the goal going forward. Doubling down on removing the double chin; all of it.
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  18. #48
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    One step forwards, two steps back. This is my second consecutive month gaining fat all the while trying to cut. Well "trying". I say to myself "I can always just lean bulk on days I overshoot", but alas at least this month it hasn't worked that way. I've gained fat. And last month. I gained fat. Overeating randomly usually results in dirty bulking, for me.

    My measurements 17 November 2021
    Chest 105.25 cm (up 1.5 cm)
    Shoulders 124 cm (up 0.75 cm)
    Biceps 36 cm
    Thigh 57.5 cm (up 0.5 cm)
    Waist 84.5 cm (up 1.25 cm)
    Neck 41 cm (up 0.5 cm)
    Weight 82.8 kg (up 1.4 kg)
    Accumeasure 7.5 mm (up 1.5 mm)

    Getting the waist down, close to 80 cm is my goal.

    Total number of workouts: 15
    Full body: 0
    Lower: 8
    Upper: 7

    Got a good number of workouts, even though there's been some travelling. I'm still on the Fierce 5 u/l four day split, and it seems to work fine.

    My target has been 2105 kcal per day and it's been exceeded with
    Week 1 +4898
    Week 2 +2494
    Week 3 +4534
    Week 4 +6934
    Week 5 +1764

    =20624 extra kcal
    =824 extra kcal per day
    2929 kcal per day
    there were three days without tracking in the period

    I'd guessed my clean bulk kcal TDEE would be higher than that (I guessed it's in the low three thousands), so it's kinda a surprise I've gained that much fat. Some of my gain might be water retention due to sodium intake, all though I am not sure how much more salt I have eaten compared to what I usually have. It's been a lot of eggs, but not that much salted fried eggs. My kcal intake has been somewhat unsteady so on a few days it's been up in 4000 kcal, and such peaks might have affected the fat gain.

    I should have done more walking this month, which is my favorite cardio, but the lack of walking can't explain my weight gain since I always log walking kcals burned and put that into LoseIt.

    Maybe I haven't worked out hard enough. That's possible, but I don't want to push myself so hard I'll get fatigue, overtraining, so I am loath to push myself further in the gym. It feels fine really the effort level I have.


    HOW I MESSED UP EATING
    • Due to whitening my teeth I haven't had mackerel in tomato. I think mackerel in tomato has been good for keeping hunger at bay, since it's quite satiating but not that palatable.

    • I haven't had much salad these months. I should start the day with salad and two eggs, that worked well on the cutting month.

    • Not enough mindful eating. Need to slow down more, and pay more attention to what I eat. Thinking about how it's made, all that, while eating.

    • Not slow enough eating, I should gear down, use the timer for the daily meals. Check how fast I eat them now, and how I could add seconds to them.

    • Main meal, timer for 20 minutes, that wasn't done

    • Small bites. I haven't paid attention to that.

    Not eating by the meal plan. This fell apart when I got the cold. Having the cold I just ate whenever. Getting back to the meal plan is key to progress. Both when to eat (not before a given time) and how much to eat at that given time

    • Eating oats. At the end of the month there's been quite a lot of fast easy oats and Loseit sounds the alarm, on these days I overshoot my budget. I need to get off oats until I am done cutting.

    WHAT I MANAGED
    • Eat at the table, for the most part
    • No cell phone while eating
    • Eat using the left hand, for the most part

    WHAT I SHOULD CHANGE

    • On the evening meal I have had porridge with melted fat, which I think has served me well, but these high fat meals I should have only one helping

    • Try to make more meals from the freezer, veggies and stuff

    • If I am hungry and want to eat ahead of my meal plan, I should make the meal sure, but then let it be. That's worked on several occasions so I should do that again

    More iced tea

    • More regular tea. I'll get a tea pot warmer soon, so I can have a tea pot on at all times, and it should have plenty sweetener in it, that has served be very well in the past, and I think it's the best key to success.

    • if my study drugs (yes legal) are taken several days in a row that might be enough to get my body used to a low daily kcal intake, so I should do that somewhat early in the month

    • Try 60 minute stepping machine thing again with a podcast going

    • 20 minute treadmill at the gym, not 25 or 30 minutes, as that is somewhat exhausting

    • have my gf track my kcals when we're travelling cause I just don't bother then, with no scales and such, and it takes some time getting back on track

    • walk more

    • Not thinking of food as something tasty to look forward (cheese sandwich and such) but rather reframing it as needed fuel for the body

    Next month, well I CAN LOSE AS MUCH as I did the month I succeeded to cut. I should let that be my motivation. 2105 kcal per day. And be hard with myself.
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  19. #49
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    I see it in the mirror, I see it on the measurements: this is the third consecutive month gaining fat. And now comes Christmas.

    My measurements 20 December 2021
    Chest 106.5 cm (up 1.25 cm)
    Shoulders 124 cm
    Biceps 36 cm
    Thigh 57.5 cm (up 1.5 cm)
    Waist 85.25 cm (up 0.75 cm)
    Neck 41.5 cm (up 0.5 cm)
    Weight 83.9 kg (up 1.1 kg)
    Accumeasure 8.5 mm (up 1 mm)

    Cheese sandwiches almost every night... My eating is unworthy of an athelete and a bodybuilder. Mild hunger is key to cutting imo, and I should get accustomed to mild hunger, but instead, as soon as hunger comes knocking I gorge myself.

    Total number of workouts: 16
    Full body: 0
    Lower: 8
    Upper: 8

    Good to have at least one metric where I'm succeeding, as sixteen workouts is good even though this period counts thirty-three days. So: I've managed sixteen workouts despite travelling, despite being out of sorts from covid, and despite being in quarantine. I've relied on dumbbells and bands for some leg days, and for upper body there's been some workouts with bodyweight exercises such as pushups, managing to get at least a decent amount of resistance.

    Why are my lifts lacking? I barely lift much in many of the major exercises even though it's three-and-a-half-years since I began working out. So to get stronger we do progressive resistance training. But I haven't had much progression, and I think it could be down to philosophies on how to add resistance:
    • Jeremy Ethier. To begin with, for more than a year, I followed a plan laid out by Jeremy Ethier in a video, where he said, and built it up by science, that what you need is volume (reps * weight), and high rep (very high rep) workouts yielded as much hypertrophy as low rep, as long as the volume was identical, and as long as sets were taken to failure. It suited me well this type of workouts because my home gym lacked heavy weight plates. But, well. High reps exhausted me, the workouts could drag on for many many hours cause it was so hard pulling myself through them.
    • Nippard. Seeing some videos from Nippard, he advices to leave reps in the tank. I needed to join a gym for leg day, and I now finally progress. Some. The philosophy thus became say on bench press don't max out volume (reps * weight) just add enough weight to make it hard to reach eight reps (my target), and leave reps in the tank, so I could've managed nine or ten. Progression? When it's easy to lift then add more weight plates. I am progressing surely, but slowly.
    • New philosophy. When I for example bench press and aim for the said eight reps, I should try to add weight when I can and as long as I have proper form I should be satisfied with way fewer than eight reps on some sets, as long as I manage proper form with more weight plates, managing such higher-weight-sets should be a success criterion on its own. On top of this, before I have been worried about adding weights plates since I want to prevent overexcertion, but I am thinking now that when doing it as outlined now: leaving reps in the tank and going heavier with proper form, it's likely not more exerting than lifting lighter and leaving reps in the tank. Lifting heavier and falling short of the rep target seems more in line with powerlifting than bodybuilding so maybe such "powerlifter rep range sets" are what I need once in a while, that they'd do good and break plateaus. Cause it feels like I've been on a never ending plateau regarding bench, and some other exercises as well.

    Quote from random website on rep ranges: "Most powerlifters will train with anywhere from 1-8 reps, but when training specifically for strength, the general rep range is 3-5. Bodybuilders and people who want to add muscle to their backs usually stick to doing 8-12 deadlifts and sometimes more." So if I can lift heavier than before, be satisfied with 3 reps and maybe even fewer, if I can perform the lift with proper form, and leave a rep in the tank.

    I think the bigger thighs are not only fat gain, but some muscle gain as well this month.

    Next month diet will be the biggest change.
    • Eat slowly to lose weight. I have tried using a timer to slow down, and at least for some meals it's worked, but this month I am trying the advice advocated by the NHS, namely to eat with your left hand, and use chop sticks. It slows things down for sure, and adds to mindfulness when eating. I'll try to make it the whole of this period, and summarize later whether it works.

    I'll also try to do more cardio, more twenty minutes threadmill runs, some stepping machine, and more slow steady cardio, i.e. walking, which works partly cos time spent walking isn't spent gorging oneself.

    Hoping for the best for next period, bearing in mind it's gonna be hurdles: xmas dinner, xmas parties, xmas snacks, xmas ...
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    Hurray! New PR in chest size. And the fat is either the same or I've lost some meager amount.

    My measurements 21 January 2022
    Chest 107 cm (up 0.5 cm)
    Shoulders 123.75 cm (down 0.25 cm)
    Biceps 36.75 cm (up 0.75 cm)
    Thigh 59 cm (up 1.5 cm)
    Waist 85.25 cm
    Neck 41 cm (down 0.5 cm)
    Weight 85.5 (up 1.6 kg)
    Accumeasure 7.75 mm (down 0.75 mm)

    The is the very first month since I begun working out years ago, that I haven't missed a single workout. Sure there has been some home gym workouts, and some with gymbands, but it's been four workouts a week, upper/lower, throughout the period.

    Total number of workouts: 19
    Full body: 0
    Lower: 9
    Upper: 10

    I'm disappointed with myself regarding fat loss. I should've got a slimmer waist, that was what I aimed for this month. Thankfully it hasn't grown though, only remained the same. And the fat caliper is gone down some. When it comes to eating I've used Loseit for most of the month, the exception is christmas - and when travelling, and there I really just need to have some food that needn't be weighed and measured. Such as crisp bread, boiled eggs, cup a soup, that kinda thing. Aiming for getting that sorted next month. If I manage to use Loseit consistently and get back to 2105 kcal per day, I will succeed in losing.

    I haven't made use of the fat loss tips I noted down last month. I should though. I really should.

    It really seems to help that I've upped the weight and lowered number of reps, and going for like max five reps in major lifts, and some minor lifts.

    Deloads this month (skipping workout to recover): 0
    Resets this month (going down in weight cuz stalling): 0

    For weight loss the next month I'll see if I'll find the tips I put into Google Tasks (from last months here) and utilize them. And figure out what kinda meal I can have for night snack to keep off my binge eating. Maybe porridge and salmon and salad would work.

    More walking will also be done, and trying to get more cardio. I am using the Stairmaster at the gym now, and it's fun and easy and something to keep up doing. Doesn't burn much each session but needn't burn much if it's done often enough.
    Last edited by klbbr; 02-20-2022 at 05:59 AM.
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  21. #51
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    Scheiss and hurray! I am finally losing fat it seems, but I'm losing quite some muscle as well.

    My measurements 20 February 2022
    Chest 106.5 cm (down 0.5 cm)
    Shoulders 123.5 cm (down 0.25 cm)
    Biceps 36 cm (down 0.75 cm)
    Thigh 56.5 cm (down 2.5 cm)
    Waist 84.25 cm (down 1 cm)
    Neck 40.5 cm (down 0.5 cm)
    Weight 83.0 (down 2.5 kg)
    Accumeasure? Don't have the fat caliper with me.

    I have worked out religiously for months now, 4x per week, never skipped a workout, Fierce Five upper/lower split. But not this month! I'm travelling without access to a gym, so I've lacked real workout sessions, and worse I'm using gym bands but haven't had energy to do the said four workouts, so haven't even gotten workouts consistently, even not half-hearted deload workouts consistently.

    Total number of workouts: 14
    Full body:
    Lower: 7
    Upper: 7

    8 of these 14 workouts have been at the gym, and I took an especially heavy load on the last of the gym ones, and then the last 6 have all been with bands. In the beginning I managed fine with bands, but the last workouts have been too long (some like 200 minutes) and too low-energy and there's been too many days between them. It could be I'm actually exerting myself more than I think with bands. I.e. 3x8 lunges (3x16 repetitions cause two legs) might be more of a stress on the cardiovascular system than 3x5 squats. So maybe it would do good to take fewer reps with bands, since fewer reps would make it easier to at least be able to reach my work target of 4x a week. It also is plausible that I've lacked energy for working out cause I'm on low-kcal low-protein diet now. Why? I'm on a trip and for the most part I'm eating what's served. I should get some more chicken, meat, fish and eggs, really. There's no outlets for protein powder here, and neither have I brought my shaker so that isn't an option.

    On fat loss. I've done some skiing, which might have contributed some to fat-loss, but it's only been thrice the whole month, so shouldn't amount to much. I haven't had much oats this month, that really amounts to much since so much of my excess kcal (usually) comes from oats splurges.

    Deloads this month (skipping workout to recover / super light workout to recover): -
    Resets this month (going down in weight cuz stalling): -

    Hard to fill in those, since it's hard to know whether my body's actually felt the "band workouts" have been harder than I get the impression of. So ... I'll rather fill those parameters next month. I'll try to at least get the four workouts per week regardless of whether they're light, and try to get more protein. Bought a shaker online, so got that and powder coming in 3-4 days. For the next check in here at bodybuilding forums, medio March, I'm aiming for more fat-loss.
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  22. #52
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    Lost the gym routine, and not managed to cut.

    My measurements 20 March 2022
    Chest 106 cm (down 0.5 cm)
    Shoulders 122.25 cm (down 1.25 cm)
    Biceps 35.75 cm (down 0.25 cm)
    Thigh 56.5 cm
    Waist 84.75 cm (up 0.5 cm)
    Neck 40.75 cm (up 0.25 cm)
    Weight 82.9 (down 0.1 kg)
    Accumeasure 7 mm (down 0.75 mm)

    I used to go to the gym 4x a week, but have now faltered. It was cause I was at a holiday house for long, and though I planned to at least work out with gymbands, I actually think I pushed it too hard to begin with, that the bands workout was heavier than I thought, and after I that I didn't even go through the motions, and at least do something, I just stopped working out, so the routine got broken! And I've had a broken routine since. I likely gotta get through some DOMS when I begin working out again, but well, I can take it slow when restarting, not working out hard.

    Total number of workouts: 6
    Full body: 1
    Lower: 2
    Upper: 3

    The home gym is full of luggage after the long trip, also making starting workout out harder again.

    I got some advantages for cutting now:
    • My diurnal rhythm is good for now, making it easier to faste after breakfast, waiting long for dinner, and also makes it easier to plan regular meals.
    • I am using nicotine mints, and they seem to do appetite supression.
    • Sparking iced tea! I used to drink diet soda, but had to quit due to enamel problems, but sparkling sweetened iced tea does the trick.

    I plan to have some ready salad in the fridge, or at least rough-cut greens and corn and cherry tomatoes, making it easier to opt for something calorie light in the morning.

    Primary aim now? Get goin' again with four workouts per week, regardless of whether it's low effort. And cutting.
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  23. #53
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    Easter, damn Easter!

    My measurements 20 April 2022
    Chest 105 cm (down 1 cm)
    Shoulders 123.75 cm (up 1.5 cm)
    Biceps 36 cm (up 0.25 cm)
    Thigh 58.25 cm (up 1.75 cm)
    Waist 84.5 cm (down 0.25 cm)
    Neck 40.5 cm (down 0.25 cm)
    Weight 83.9 (up 1 kg)
    Accumeasure 8 mm (up 1 mm)

    I've not worked out much during Easter, and I stopped tracking kcal then. Elsewise I have tracked kcal but not had dicipline to stick to set numbers. I have lacked some energy to work out as well, and I suppose it could be related to me leaving fewer reps in the tank. That I've overtaxed myself that way. I should really get back to more reps in the tank, that'll likely be good for motivation, and progress and actually having energy to show up and do well at the gym.

    Total number of workouts: 15
    Full body: 0
    Lower: 8
    Upper: 7

    Ideally I would've wanted 18 workouts in this period, so it wasn't that far from it actually.

    I've had sleeping problems for years, but thankfully they're still gone. All good with sleep. Which makes it easier to have a meal plan, which is something I should prioritize. As long as I have a meal plan with options for breakfast, lunch, etc. it's easier to keep dicipline. I have jotted down here and there foods that I like which are satiating and healthy, but I haven't brought all of those together in a single list. But I should do that.

    I am still having a mouse shoulder from February, but it's less pain than back then. I'm using the nicotine 2mg mints still, but not so often, and I do think they do good for appetite suppression.

    Plans for next month: Bring all the healthy food I like into a single list, get more protein from protein powder (it just doesn't add up the macros elsewise, when I am trying to cut), and I'll be travelling some next month so try to get gym band workouts when I'm without a gym, even if it's just half-hearted workouts. Really I should do more cardio as well but that will likely not happen.
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  24. #54
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    Fatter and fatter. I need a meal plan. I need to stick to it. I can't let this go on for longer.

    My measurements 21 May 2022
    Chest 106 cm (up 1 cm)
    Shoulders 126 cm (up 2.25 cm)
    Biceps 36.25 cm (up 0.25 cm)
    Thigh 58.5 cm (up 0.25 cm)
    Waist 85.5 cm (up 1 cm)
    Neck 40.5 cm
    Weight 84.6 kg (up 0.7 kg)
    Accumeasure 10.75 mm (up 2.75 mm)

    This usually happens when I cut. I have GREAT days staying at say only 1000 kcal several days in a row, and it backfires. Backfires badly. Now I plan to stay at my target of 2105 kcal, even if I don't feel hungry at a given day, I plan to still eat meeting the 2105 kcal mark, instead of going "yeah, today was way below budget!".

    My diurnal rhythm is good now: sleeping is good. So it should be very feasible to eat meals at set times. I'm staying at a holiday house now, gf needs a break from it all. And though I got access to a gym it ain't equipped that well, and I don't make dinners, which are quite fat and calorie rich. I am still doing the nicotine tablets which are actually good not only for relaxing and getting work done, but also, to some extent, keeps hunger at bay.

    Total number of workouts: 9
    Full body: 0
    Lower: 4
    Upper: 5

    I need to get myself to the gym more regularly, maybe doing more light workouts there would help, making it easier to bring myself there. Having say two reps in tank and all that. I'm working on a meal plan, times and kcal limits, hopefully I'll get some sort of plan during the month.
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  25. #55
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    Eating fewer meals, losing some fat, thankfully. I tried making this a better cutting month, but stuff has come in the way. Starting an antidepr... anti workout drug, relationship strains. So it's been harder to prioritize workouts, but thankfully I haven't lost so much energy from the antidepressant. Fewer meal plan: I'm trying to eat an early meal (like a shake or something), and then dinner, and then an eight o'clock meal and then another meal before bed.

    My measurements 20 June 2022
    Chest 105.75 cm (down 0.25 cm)
    Shoulders 123.75 cm (down 2.25 cm)
    Biceps 36.25 cm
    Thigh 58.5 cm
    Waist 85.25 cm (down 0.25 cm)
    Neck 41.5 cm (up 1 cm)
    Weight 84 kg (down 0.6 kg)
    Accumeasure 9.25 mm (down 1.5 mm)

    Total number of workouts: 9
    Full body: 0
    Lower: 5
    Upper: 4

    I'm staying at a house on an island now, with company, and tracking food wouldn't really be comme il faut. But I'm gonna try to get some hiking done, burning more, even though not keeping proper track. So more steps next month is one of my primary goals, hoping it'll lead to fat loss.
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  26. #56
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    Been on antidepressants over a month, and have barely trained for a month.

    My measurements 21 July 2022
    Chest 107.25 cm (up 1.5 cm)
    Shoulders 123.75 cm
    Biceps 36.25 cm
    Thigh 57.75 cm (down 0.75 cm)
    Waist 85.75 cm (up 0.5 cm)
    Neck 41.25 cm (down 0.25 cm)
    Weight 83.6 kg (down 0.4 kg)
    Accumeasure 9.5 mm (up 0.25 mm)

    Total number of workouts: 3
    Full body: 1
    Lower: 1
    Upper: 1

    I've gained some fat, lost some muscle. As my the fat caliper have increased, the waistline have increased, but the thighs and such have decreased along with weight. I haven't been able to bring myself to work out and it's highly likely due to the antidepressant I'm on, and will likely be on for at least another month, alas! Then it's likely tapering down, which would steal even more time. The good thing I've got going since last month is having beans for breakfast. Beans, cherry tomatoes and cottage cheese. High protein, fairly satiating. But I should really try to get more workouts done. Hoping next month I'll be able to work out at least twice as much as this month, and also that I'll be able to not gain fat, preferably lose some.
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  27. #57
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    All goo... bad things come to an end. I've finally quit the anti depressant. This coming month will be the first without such poison in me, but the month here, we'll I have had the poison at the max dose:

    My measurements 21 August 2022
    Chest 106.25 cm (down 1 cm)
    Shoulders 124.5 cm (up 0.75 cm)
    Biceps 36 cm (down 0.25 cm)
    Thigh 57.5 cm (down 0.25 cm)
    Waist 85.5 cm (down 0.25 cm)
    Neck 40.25 cm (down 1 cm)
    Weight 84.3 kg (up 0.7 kg)
    Accumeasure was 9.5 mm last month. This month I couldn't measure cause I didn't have the fat caliper handy.

    It could've gotten way worse. I've had little energy, been on holiday on a cruise where they served sugar-sugar-sugar and didn't have a gym. I brought some gym bands so I managed to get at least some workout, and even though there was zero possibilities to change the menu at the cruise, I still managed. I told the chef I was diabetic, so I got fruits instead of a gazillion calories sugar desserts.

    Total number of workouts: 6
    Full body: 0
    Lower: 4
    Upper: 2

    Not many workouts, eh. Surely it's been holiday, and I've lacked a gym. But moreso I've lacked motivation and energy. Motivation has been low since late 2019, and energy has been likewise been low, but extra low these months on the anti depressant. Some good news is I am tinkering with my diet, and after getting advice here on the forums, I'm trying to eat fewer meals, which might help. I've also realized I'm somewhat lactose intolerant, so I gotta choose between drinking that calorie rich and lovely mink, and not have my own fart orchestra but skip on the milk. I think it's gonna be easier for me to stick to the calorie budget if I skip on milk cause so many of my calories are from oats + milk + raisins.

    In the coming month I'll try to get more workouts, I'll try to make myself more motivated, not just to go to the gym but for life in general, and I have as ambition to finally manage the cutting. And what hopefully will get done is me getting in touch with a nutritionist and presenting everything I eat in a given week, and get tangible feedback on what I'm doing wrong. I think partly it's me trying to get enough protein, enough veggies, and skipping on the fat, and with little fat in my belly I get really hungry. I think such mehanisms can be at play. Wish me luck for the next month boyos. I'll surely need it.
    Last edited by klbbr; 09-20-2022 at 03:52 AM.
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  28. #58
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    I'm disgusted! Getting fatter and fatter while trying, well "trying" to cut.

    My measurements 20 September 2022
    Chest 106.25 cm
    Shoulders 124.5 cm
    Biceps 36 cm
    Thigh 60 cm (up 2.5 cm)
    Waist 88.25 cm (up 2.75 cm)
    Neck 41.5 cm (up 1.25 cm)
    Weight 86.9 kg (up 2.6 kg)
    Accumeasure was 13.5 mm (up from months before, and now record high)

    Why have I gotten so fat? I've been spending time with family, who hasn't been in sync with my eating. So I wake up, and there's dinner at noon. Later there's another dinner. I go to bed and before bed I eat to more easily fall asleep, thus I'm not at all hungry when I wake up. But I'm eating in the morning to be social, or at least not anti-social. "Gotta eat because morning". Eating chocolate with gf. Then that habit slipped into every day eating: Finished a box of chocolates by myself. Ate 200 gram bars of chocolate, several of them. Ate chee... caramel disguised as cheese at many meals. Tried to eat only thrice a day this month, usually I've eaten whenever, and eat big those three times, but it slipped out of hand and I ate meals between those meals as well. And I have barely worked out. Barely stimulated my muscles. And I've run out of the nicotine thing I've been using, using partly as some mild study drug, but also actually cause it suppresses appetite some. I've been without my scales so I haven't measured anything. My sleeping has also been off, I've went to bed 03:00 and 04:00 am many nights, so I've had little sleep, short nights, and more waking hours = more eating hours. I've been on a low veggie diet, because I've thought veggies doesn't have much fat so ... could be they don't give good enough satiety. High veggie diet hasn't been working for me.

    Total number of workouts: 3
    Full body: 0
    Lower: 2
    Upper: 1

    Here's my waist since I begun this thread:


    Here's likewise for the fat caliper measurements:
    https://i.ibb.co/YXTVfpJ/accumeasure.png

    I think the overarching problem is that I'm quite frankly depressed. I'll try to do something with that. Elsewise the goal next month is: Get better sleep, not by counting hours, that usually doesn't help, but counting the days I've gone to bed before midnight. Walk more. Get slimmer. Get in touch with a dietician or someone advising on eating. Get at least some muscle workouts, even if they're half assed. Getting a smaller waist.
    Last edited by klbbr; 09-20-2022 at 08:16 AM.
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  29. #59
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    Awful, just awful. Ever increasing fat.

    My measurements 21 October 2022
    Chest 107 cm (up 1.25 cm)
    Shoulders 127.25 cm (up 2.75 cm)
    Biceps 37 cm (up 1 cm)
    Thigh 60.5 cm (up 0.5 cm)
    Waist 89.25 cm (up 1 cm)
    Neck 41.5 cm
    Weight 89.4 kg (up 2.5 kg)
    Accumeasure was 15.25 mm (up 1.75 mm)

    Breakfast? Just say no! Everyone says "you need breakfast", but everyone don't eat a mammothal meal right before going to bed thus waking up full, and on top of that I'm not even hungry the mornings I HAVEN'T eaten big the evening before. So I should skip breakfast, just have some liquid, maybe bubblegum or a nicotine lozenge. Dinner should be my first meal. And the second meal after that, should be three eggs and bacon, that seems to be a winning recipe for holding back hunger the days I have eaten breakfast this month. To be fair I haven't been that good at comparing it, it was to be compared to beans/cottage cheese/tomato meal, and crisp bread w/mackerel meal, any case I think eggs and bacon is the winner but should compare more. My success with cutting way back when, that was with skipping breakfast, and having dinner as the first meal. True my sleeping was worse then so I ended up having breakfast earlier, but I could do that again. It used to work. And my previous successful cutting including eating a lot of carrots, I should do that more come evening now that I am cutting.

    Logging calories help, because it makes it more clear how much I have overeaten. It is fairly easy to log calories when I am by myself, it's harder when I am with people, for various reasons (mostly because it's seen as inappropriate but also cause I am served something and have no idea what it contains), but I should try to learn to guesstimate weight and kcal thus being more able to log kcal also then.

    Total number of workouts: 15
    Full body: 0
    Lower: 7
    Upper: 8

    It hasn't been that bad workout wise, it's because of gym bands, extra gym membership when travelling to family, travelling elsewhere.

    I have gotten the sleep headband stuff so falling asleep should be easier henceforth. Goal for the next month, go down at least 1 kg fat. Go down in waist size. Get to bed earlier, i.e. preferably before midnight, more nights.
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  30. #60
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    I'm too sexy for my ... Finally got results. Not in fat loss, but in real solid gainz.

    My measurements 20 November 2022
    Chest 107.25 cm (up 0.25 cm)
    Shoulders 127.5 cm (up 0.25 cm)
    Biceps 37.5 cm (up 0.5 cm)
    Thigh 62.5 cm (up 2 cm)
    Waist 89.25 cm
    Neck 41.5 cm
    Weight 89.8 kg (up 0.4 kg)
    Accumeasure 16 mm (up 0.75 mm)

    I initially tried to lose fat this month. But there were get-togethers, parties, cake, candy, chocolate, still trying to find ways around those, among them having healthy alternatives to put on the table at such occasions, but despite this I haven't gotten a bigger waist line, I haven't. And though the fat caliper shows my fat has gone up, it's imprecise. It's more likely that it's stayed the same, and I've gained 0.4 kg of muscle. I am trying to figure out WHY I have gained muscle, rather than whether, since I look more swole, and I have set new personal records, many of them, the last month, after years of dearth and plateaus.

    Total number of workouts: 15
    Full body: 0
    Lower: 8
    Upper: 7

    It's the same number of workouts as I had last month. There's some that's deload workouts, and some that's half-assed because I have been traveling and lacked proper equipment but they're still workouts. So, I have been making progress, I've been gaining. Why??

    Maybe because ...

    • My body fat has been increasing over the past months, so my body feels it's living in the land of plenty and can afford muscle gains (maybe, but I haven't gotten fatter this month, so I am not so sure about this; also I have gained fat in previous months without any gains or records)
    • My body fat is at a high enough level that once I am at this level it's easier to make gains (maybe, I don't know, my waist is the same as last month so not so likely)
    • Because I am drinking a lot (yes a lot!) of protein shakes now. They say "you don't need protein shakes if your diet is right" but my diet has always been just having whatever for dinner, so likely it's never been that good (so all the shakes have likely caused gains; I've got this new aluminium Blenderbottle now which is so easy to clean and drink from, which has contributed to me drinking a lot more shakes)
    • Because I now have a new habit of BREATHING DEEP, also called belly breathing or diaphragmatic breathing. I now do this BEFORE, DURING and also some after sets. I can't say I have the technique down pat, but I am now aware that I used to breathe shallow throughout my workouts, and only increase my rate of breathing AFTER becoming short of breath, so when I squat/bench/pullup whatever, it seems like I've lost a lot of energy toward the end, with my more shallow breathing. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/healt...atic-breathing (I think this is likely a major reason for my gains)
    • I've got better cardio fitness. I now walk more, and I have done a few short cardio sessions at the gym. A little goes a long way. I often get my heart racing when I do pull ups, which makes me think cardio could be a bottleneck for gains. I am now walking more, at least I have been this month, and that would be causing better cardio fitness, and thus making it easier to have the energy to get through heavy sets (likely a reason for gains)
    -- A reason I think breathing and better cardio fitness could be causing the gains is my compound lifts (bench, squat, pullups) are pathetic. That's lifts where the heart gets a go. Whereas the accessory exercises (calf raise, military press, biceps curl) there I do well and have always done.
    • Because I am somewhat warmed up when I enter the gym now, having walked there. Usually I don't warm up before lifting, but now I am somewhat warmed up. This could be so, maybe, but I have had sessions with new records now also after driving to gym. (likely not the cause of gains, but possible)
    • Caffine and legal study drugs. I get that from my doctor, I have an upcoming exam so I have been using it more often. But if that's been partially causing gains, it's more so that I've been able to push myself harder, but it's only been two or three such workouts where I have studied all day then hit the gym. If this is causing gains, it's only partially responsible. I have been prescribed these drugs for long, just haven't used them much. (maybe some of the reason behind the gains, but likely not much)

    New personal records this month:
    Leg curl
    Leg extension
    Pulley crunches
    Machine calf raises
    Romanian deadlift
    Squats
    Biceps curl
    Weighed pullups
    Bench press
    Reverse dumbbell flies
    Dumbbell bench press (incline)
    Barbell Row, Bent Over
    Leg Press Machine
    Flat Bench Hyperextensions
    Lateral raises (band)
    Pushup, feet on 30 cm box
    Abdominal plank, progressions
    Glute kickback with band
    Lunges w/band
    Lat pulldown w/band
    Weighted walking lunges
    and more!

    Whatever is causing me to be on a winning streak now, I want this to continue!

    I am not logging calories now. I am eating to cut, but attempting without going all-in. So I have tried to standardize my eating, and eating "meals" instead of only snacking throughout the day. So, my meals are supposed to be like this:

    Wake up. Don't eat right away, but have coffee. First meal:
    3 fried eggs
    Some bacon
    Maybe a big protein shake.
    Pitcher of tea

    I used to throw tomatoes on the pan, but I have found they only stimulate my appetite. Same goes for mushrooms. Olives I am not sure about.

    Dinner. Whatever.

    Evening-meal. Rice porridge with margarine, fake sugar and cinnamon, and maybe a couple carrots. Sometimes with a protein shake.

    I often stray from that eating schedule, but it's my preferred way of eating for the time being. I should being to log calories every day, but it's so much stuff going on, exams and everything, so for the time being I don't. Maybe later in the month, or next month. Right now I am just hoping I'll be able to keep the muscle gains coming. And new personal records coming. If it's so easy that it's just to BREATHE BETTER and DRINK MORE PROTEIN SHAKES, then I got some good lifting months coming up!
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