Life just keeps throwing curveballs at me... sickness, college stuff, just general life chaos... so my progress has been pretty pathetic lately... but hey, at least I've still got some attitude... The only things that actually saw any real growth were my quads and my calves (I guess I just push those the hardest for some reason, though maybe I should probably focus more on upper body instead)... if nothing else, I'll be ready to hang out with the soccer players this summer... I ended up gaining 15 pounds in a single month just by eating whatever... the goal now is to lose about 7 or 8 pounds under control and then see where I'm at...
One thing that's actually keeping me happy is how much easier it is to lean out now... my body picks up definition way faster than before. My plans are basically getting pushed back a year...
Just finished my cutting phase, currently in the middle of month two. I'm 6'5", about 190 lbs, 19 years old... been hitting the gym pretty consistently for about 19 months now. I'm feeling okay about where things are at, honestly. Just need to fill out a bit more everywhere, nothing specific... the plan is to go for one more heavy bulk, then cut again and see where I land. Supplement-wise, I just take about 15 grams of creatine a week, nothing crazy.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/20/flextrbuh.jpg/ Front abs looking okayish... 😁....this is basically where I hit my peak definition (officially, anyway). Honestly, I’m running out of steam... if I keep pushing like this, I might actually pass out... I just didn't have enough mass to begin with (hit a max of about 207 lbs). I know there’s still plenty of room to tighten things up, but I’m just not feeling it anymore 😬... For the last month, I’ve been adding bread, milk, pasta, and stuff back into my diet. Since it’s been so hot lately, I haven't been eating huge volumes, but I'm not being super strict either... a little junk food slips in here and there without me even noticing. Cardio? Nothing planned. Just long walks with friends (we’re talking 2 to 5 hour strolls) or dancing until sunrise... I’m out all the time, really not holding anything back at all. Weight is around 183 lbs, height is 6'5", 19 years old. This is just until a buddy manages to snap a better angle of me... or maybe until I finally hit another growth spurt 😢...
So, the piglet finally turned back into a human... been cutting for about two months and some change now, dropped 13 pounds, and my waist measurement is down about 3 inches everywhere... lost two and a half inches out of those four inches on my abs, arms stayed pretty much the same, everything that was supposed to stay stayed... waistline dropped an inch and a half... and the gut is down maybe 2 inches 👋. Gonna keep this cut going for a bit, then prep for a massive bulk with a better foundation and actually paying attention to what I'm doing... because during my last mass phase, I put on like 50 pounds and it wasn't even clean, I wasn't really watching my macros or anything 😁. Maybe while I'm finishing up high school I'll do a week or two of a surplus just so I don't crash from exhaustion... gotta stay feeling good 😁. Just watching my diet, no more bread, pasta, or junk food... occasionally cycle carbs, do some cardio walking or hit the stationary bike a few times a week, just lifting heavy . Standing 6'5", weighing 192 lbs, 19 years old Still need more muscle, but it's coming... been training for about a year and a month now . The photo quality sucks because of my five-year-old iPhone, you guys aren't gonna get any better than this 😢. But overall, I'm happy... by next year, I'm gonna be a beast 😉! Oh, and after a looooong time, I can finally see veins and lines on my wrists, and a vein on my bicep too. Feels like winning the lottery or something!
So, here's how I see it... just trying to draw a bit of a parallel between us... I definitely don't move around as much as you might think (I hit the gym maybe three times a week) and then there's just a little walking here and there, plus a game of soccer once a week if I feel like it. Most of my other time is spent hunched over a computer, sitting in a desk chair or on a couch... nothing too intense physically, really.
So, the stuff that seems to be the real issue here:
1. A diet that’s just way too high in calories—basically eating way more than you're actually burning. 2. Your metabolism, which probably leans toward an endomorph type, making you more prone to gaining weight compared to people with those fast, high-burn metabolisms.
3. Maybe some underlying issues with your glands, hormone balance, thyroid, or something like that...
Now, look, to even get started, you really ought to list out what you're eating and how much, just so we can figure out the next steps. Adding extra workouts to your schedule isn't going to do much if your diet is what's stalling you out.
You mentioned you've been dealing with this for quite a while, so I won't pry too deep into why, but honestly... with a balanced diet and that level of activity, you really should have leveled out at a more normal weight by now...
I mean, obviously I’m not talking about the extremes... I'm referring to those people who walk among us and just end up making life miserable—for everyone else and themselves, really—because of some fundamental failures they refuse to address despite having an actual diagnosis. But honestly, it's not my business and I don't really care enough to get involved...
they deserve even more attention, honestly... because they're hurting and they really just need some patience and warmth."
I mean, I guess there's some truth to that, if you're talking about getting them actual professional help or finding a community for them. I know from experience... I once tried to show some kindness and common sense to this totally toxic, bitter person, but man, it was such a massive waste of my time and energy. You just can't fix everything.
Everything together, since looking at them one by one is like browsing the meat aisle at Whole Foods (you guys would definitely go for the whole pig!) http://img443.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=bicv.jpg A real pig http://img156.imageshack.us/i/prase.jpg/ My crew usually loses it laughing at my face whenever I'm posing... they tell me I look like some cartoon character (though they never say which one 😕 😠)
So, yeah, arms are my absolute Achilles heel. They just don't grow... they look small even though I'm hitting them pretty hard, not overtraining or anything... but given my height and genetics, this is just how it is. Got some dumbbells, plates are broken because the local handyman is out on disability, but it doesn't bother me too much since it's not a disaster (honestly, I'm actually kind of proud of my abs since I never had them before, so it feels pretty decent right now). Still bulking, so once I cut, things should tighten up, and my waist is still on my side (around 31 inches... way too feminine, yuck!!! but it helps the taper show)... Also, my left side is weaker by at least 10%, even though I've been working to balance them out lately since it bugs me (it's from breaking my arm a few years back, so I ended up training my right side more for rehab, plus a bit of thoracic scoliosis)
EDIT: If I dig up those photos from New Year's Eve, apparently I was in nothing but boxers and a beanie doing dips on a balcony railing with a massive blood alcohol level... you wouldn't believe the grip strength I had even in a crisis!
One of those six films... honestly, that ending just sticks with you. It’s got this haunting, heavy atmosphere that really gets under your skin. Definitely leaves you sitting there thinking for a while...
Then it hit me... I remember back in high school, there was this stretch of a few months where I’d totally adopted these super positive habits and just a different way of looking at everything around me. Back then, I really believed people were inherently good at their core... you know? That love, compassion, tolerance, and empathy should always win out over the ego. Mostly thinking about how we deal with each other, obviously. If any drama popped up, or if someone bumped into me or said something rude—whether they meant to or not—I’d just forgive them right then and there and let it go...
I was just surrounded by a lot of good people, and honestly, my headspace was just full of positivity.
That’s actually how I feel right now, and it works for me. When you step back and look at the big picture, there's just no point in picking fights over every little thing or holding grudges against everyone... You've gotta live your life the best way you can, focusing on your own peace and staying positive and stuff like that.
Even with the people I wouldn't want to run into ever again, or people I wouldn't even suggest meeting to anyone else... I don't hold it against them. I don't carry around this heavy resentment or anything... they aren't the cause of all the world's problems, so you just have to move on.
So yeah, that's where I'm at. I try to forgive everyone and just keep moving forward. I weigh out those moments of conflict really carefully, and they happen pretty rarely... having a clear conscience is such a beautiful thing.
I can't quite recall if there were more of them, but I'm stuck thinking about that one guy shaking his head in Jacob's Ladder... you know, when the main character is walking through the apartment and this dude is just flailing around in some corner. It was just... way too fast! And honestly, I wasn't expecting that at all.
Look, I get it... nothing in life is handed to you on a silver platter, but if you've got some whey on hand, just mix things up. I usually throw mine in some oatmeal in the morning—that’s my go-to—and then again after a workout. Just do what you can with what you've got. Since plant-based meals make up like 40% of what I eat (especially if you toss in some nuts), it works out. Honestly, if you're doing two scoops at 250 calories each, it feels way easier on the wallet than buying full meals, and probably a lot healthier too...
Anyway, during this time of year, I actually leave my tub out of the fridge all day just so it warms up a bit... don't like eating it straight from the freezer, you know? It stays fine sitting out for a while without spoiling. As for eggs, just eat as many as you can handle and as many as your budget allows. Yesterday I ran out of whey, so I just smashed three boiled eggs with half a scoop right after training...
Long story short, if you stick to what you're already eating—assuming you aren't skipping the oatmeal, the whey, or the eggs—you're basically missing about one to one-and-a-half meals minimum. So yeah, you hit the nail on the head... just grab a shake alongside those vegan options and snack on some almonds or peanuts, and you're set.
And man, you really need to sleep... aim for at least 7 or 8 hours.
Look... low-fat cottage cheese in two 250g servings (that’s about 60g of protein total)
Lunch with some meat—say 30-40 grams
Throw in a can of fish, maybe some tuna or something similar... that's another 25-40 grams.
Add a few hard-boiled eggs, let's say 3 of them... gives you 18 grams.
Then just whatever you snack on during the day, even if you only snag another 20 grams from that.
That puts you at roughly 170g total. Is that really such a big deal? Basically, 500g of cottage cheese, lunch with some lamb, a couple of eggs, and a tin of fish. It gets you right up to that 2g per kg mark practically. I don't know how old you are, and hey, if you aren't living on your own and can't really afford all this, then whatever... but I think this kind of routine is pretty easy to stick to while you're growing, especially since you're eating plenty of carbs too, which shouldn't be an issue, and fats either. Just add some workouts😬
And honestly, hitting 2g is a must in my book. It’s the sweet spot. Anything less is usually cutting it too close, and anything more is often just overkill... so at least try to aim for that 2g mark.
I’ve actually got one of those green ones too... used it a handful of times just for laughs, but honestly, it’s pretty handy for getting around the city when you run into some nasty mess on the sidewalk... you know, bird droppings or whatever else someone left behind... and that little bag? It’s basically a fashion statement for any eco-conscious gardener out there... anyway, yeah, it’s a decent little starter kit... definitely better than having nothing at all...
it's spot on for glucose levels... maybe throw in some deadlifts whenever you can, it's better for your legs—especially if you're doing lower body work at the same time.
I'm back 😬 Found some old photos lying around... managed to bump up from about 180 to 185 lbs over the last month or so. Pretty happy with where I'm at. Standing at about 6'5". The first two shots are from mid-May. Back then I was just starting a light gym routine and put on a few pounds... can't really find the photos from before that, which is probably for the best since I was maybe 10 lbs lighter back then. 0.o The last two are from just a couple days ago. I'm liking how this bulk is coming along, and I definitely plan on keeping it going for a while longer... I'll need to pack on at least another 20 or 30 lbs before I even think about cutting down in the distant future. 😬 As far as supplements go, I wasn't taking anything until about a month ago when I started using whey protein. Just need to get my arms to catch up a bit... they're naturally pretty thin, but everything else seems to be moving in the right direction 😢. Getting closer to becoming a total gym freak... 🙂 And my glutes... man, that's a whole different story. They're growing like crazy, half my jeans are already getting too tight.
I guess I’d just point out that whether it’s a man or a woman... the mindset behind being a pedophile is pretty much the same. Both sides have these deep-seated issues and a tendency toward the same kind of behavior... even if the specific methods they use might look different on the surface. To me, it's all the same thing and deserves the exact same level of condemnation.
Come on guys, let’s not get all heavy and philosophical just yet... honestly, I was recently out near the Appalachian Mountains for this robotics meetup, and man, between working hard, staring at the stars, and playing a few rounds of ping pong, we ended up hitting the UT several times... getting ten random people to join you at a UT on such short notice... there's nothing quite like it... who could even put a price on that feeling? It’s pure euphoria... and yeah, okay, maybe "wow" is a bit much, but once you realize how intense it is, you'll probably find yourself hooked... then you're left with something most people living "clean" lives will never understand... you have to decide if you're going to follow that path toward ruin or try to rise above it... spiritually speaking, I guess... it’s basically an addiction withdrawal, but if you can push through that, you come out the other side stronger than ever... every cloud has a silver lining, right? Just go for it, the high is insane... seriously, it hits somewhere right between cocaine and heroin 😬
