In need of a strategy to get back on track

[jpjapers]

Hi All, (M) 6"1 and around 265lbs. I began training about 3 years ago when i was 300lbs, i dropped down to about 240lbs at my lowest but ive since packed on a decent amount of muscle through training and then competing in powerlifting. (480 S, 280 B, 525 D) and some light strongman training (Mostly truck pulls, log press and atlas stones). However now i do a hybrid program of bodybuilding, Olympic lifting and powerlifting with 90% of it being dumbell ,kettlebell and barbell excercises and i dont mind it.

About a year ago i decided to stop powerlifting as the sessions would take too long and the nutrition running up to competition was too intensive for someone who just wants to be strong and fit. Im not competitive in the slightest so training 3 lifts for a competition for 12 weeks at a time gets old quickly.

Anyway since then ive not really had any goals and in the last 6 months ive kind of let my training get away from me. Ive noticed im getting alot more tired after work which makes it difficult to motivate myself to go train. My nutrition fell off a cliff and i gained back a few lbs. Nights got later, sleep got less and less, overall health deteriorated and basically thats where im at right now.

I know i want to get back in the game and i want to want to train hard again but i dont know what goals to set other than chasing numbers or how to really light that fire and feel driven to achieve them.
Yeah it would be great to deadlift 550lbs or to bench 300, but i dont have a reason to want that past pride and to be honest its not why i started training.
I want to look better. So powerlifting wasnt probably a great choice. Getting fat for a sport nobody cares about is pretty much the way it goes.
So i need guidance in figuring out sensible, achievable goals that ill want to work towards and want to achieve.

The last thing i want is to end up back where i started. Any advice would be really appreciated.
Im sure ill figure it out on my own eventually but hopefully with some guidance itll be a much faster process.

[FatWhiteKid]

Consistency > Intensity. Unless you have aspirations of being a BBer or PLer, learn to be more casual with working out. After 14 years of off again on again training, it’s always amazing once I realize how much better I look and feel when I take care of myself. Once you find that spark again, take that momentum and run with it.

[Garage Rat]

Set rep goals with basic movements like 10-20 reps.
Your weights will have to be lighter but these can be as or harder than a single and promote muscle hypertrophy.
It's all relative.
If can squat 20 reps say with 315 i would say you'll have some good muscular development.
You need to be spot on with your eating/nutrition.
Keep a diet and training journal so you know exactly what your eating/macros and what your doing training wise.
Get on a good eating plan higher in protien.
Most diets work if your in a calorie deficeit for a period of time.
Take pics every month in different poses ,front, back and sides and compare them.
Pics won't lie.
And as you mentioned recovery which includes and least eight hours sleep if possible.
Good luck.

[pantiespending]

Where are you going with this exactly I’m confused?

To me it sounds like a whole bunch of bull **** except maybe the gaining weight part that sounds on.

Never really lifted to be a power lifter just wanted to be strong and beefy dunno

[jpjapers]

Where are you going with this exactly I’m confused?

To me it sounds like a whole bunch of bull **** except maybe the gaining weight part that sounds on.

Never really lifted to be a power lifter just wanted to be strong and beefy dunno

Where am I going with what? I started training and my PT at the time got me to move heavy **** to build my confidence in the gym and I was decent at it plus there's a really active powerlifting club at my gym with 3 national level lifters so it was kind of an easy fit. But the same three lifts plus accessories gets very very old very very quickly.

Thanks for the suggestions to everyone else. Pics are a good idea. I don't think it's particularly healthy to be focussed on bodyweight unless there's a specific reason. Rep goals also sounds ideal. I didn't see much reason in chasing a total anymore but reps sounds like a good achievable short term goal. Thanks!

[ElrondHubbard]

Where am I going with what? I started training and my PT at the time got me to move heavy **** to build my confidence in the gym and I was decent at it plus there's a really active powerlifting club at my gym with 3 national level lifters so it was kind of an easy fit. But the same three lifts plus accessories gets very very old very very quickly.

Thanks for the suggestions to everyone else. Pics are a good idea. I don't think it's particularly healthy to be focussed on bodyweight unless there's a specific reason. Rep goals also sounds ideal. I didn't see much reason in chasing a total anymore but reps sounds like a good achievable short term goal. Thanks!

Garage Rat is right—keep the weights relatively heavy, but focus on a good rep count rather than just PRs. Sounds like you need to improve your overall fitness and capacity for energetic activity.

I could be wrong, but if I were in your position, needing to start over with a completely different approach, I would adopt a general novice program, emphasizing full body, balanced progress. You want to look good and feel good. That’s a totally reasonable goal, and the right kind of program and diet, consistently applied, will get you there.

[Sil3nt1]

[jpjapers]

Garage Rat is right—keep the weights relatively heavy, but focus on a good rep count rather than just PRs. Sounds like you need to improve your overall fitness and capacity for energetic activity.

I could be wrong, but if I were in your position, needing to start over with a completely different approach, I would adopt a general novice program, emphasizing full body, balanced progress. You want to look good and feel good. That’s a totally reasonable goal, and the right kind of program and diet, consistently applied, will get you there.

Thanks, I think taking a back to basics approach would be beneficial. There lies the issue. ive only ever learnt to train like a powerlifter so I have no frame of reference for setting goals or programming for any other discipline. Rep work sounds fine and I'm already doing some morning cardio sessions during the week to complement my diet which I'm already tracking albeit not entirely consistently.

[ElrondHubbard]

Thanks, I think taking a back to basics approach would be beneficial. There lies the issue. ive only ever learnt to train like a powerlifter so I have no frame of reference for setting goals or programming for any other discipline. Rep work sounds fine and I'm already doing some morning cardio sessions during the week to complement my diet which I'm already tracking albeit not entirely consistently.

This is where the stickies in the Workout Programs section of the forum come in handy. There are several good ones to choose from, Stronglifts, Fierce 5, Starting Strength and some others can work. What they do as much as anything is get you in the right habits and the proper mindset. Eventually you'll be comfortable enough to modify them for your own needs (and then you won't be a novice any more!), but take your time and pick one and stick with it a while. It might seem too easy at first, but it will introduce you to progressive overload at it's most basic, and you'll be challenged soon enough.