Show us your setups (keep comments in a separate thread!)

I’d prefer that, but honestly, I think I need to push myself to actually do something about my physique first.

So, here's the deal: I used to be pretty thin. A few months back, I started hitting the gym with the goal of packing on some weight, and I've managed to put on a little bit since then. My main focus? I really want to build up my glutes and thighs—since, let's face it, my butt isn't exactly doing much right now 🤣—while just toning everything else out.

Anyway... these are my "before" shots 😳 ...the "after" should be ready by the end of the year. 😬


Oh, and I haven't stepped on a scale lately, but I'm guessing I'm somewhere around 136-139 lbs at 5'11" (I used to be about 128-130).

🙂

My girlfriend and I just wrapped up at the gym. She’s actually competing in bikini fitness.

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It just kind of accumulated over time, I guess. Little by little every day. I don't really have a specific program or any real goal in mind. Everything is at my place, but I try to stay consistent. I suppose I'll just keep doing what I've been doing and see what happens.

I've only got photos from right now, nothing from after the fact, haha.

Maybe someone could offer some advice on where I should focus most? You know, which muscle groups to prioritize and all that. I’m planning to really get serious with training this fall... mostly because I can't stand looking at myself lately. That extra fat around my lower abs and chest is just... ugh.

I suppose the ideal scenario would be to pack on some mass first, then eventually try to tighten everything up and get some definition.

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Just getting back from the national championship in Santa Monica. Ended up taking silver, so runner-up in the US. The whole trip was pretty grueling, honestly. But I guess if you have a clear goal and a solid plan mapped out, willpower can carry you through just about anything. I will say though, the diet was the absolute worst part. Mentally, it was a struggle just trying to stay disciplined and not grab something I wasn't supposed to eat. I’m actually writing this while devouring the biggest kebab I could find in the area. 😁

In the second photo, that’s just my first layer of tan, and I haven't even put on any bronzer yet. Sorry for looking rough—I'm pretty dehydrated here. My face looks gaunt because I haven't had a single drop of water in about 20 hours.

Here is a fresh photo after what feels like an absolute eternity. Despite facing quite a mountain of setbacks—mostly due to some nagging injuries that have really slowed my momentum—I genuinely feel as though I’ve made some meaningful progress 😁 I certainly hope I'm right about that 😁

http://i62.tinypic.com/69ga6v.jpg

http://i58.tinypic.com/1zl69gh.jpg

Here is a small contribution from my side, though I still have much work left to complete.😁

Here’s another before/after where neither of us even recognizes the person in the first photo.😁
The first one? Hard to say exactly since I hit a peak of 250 lbs and didn't snap a pic right away, but I’d guess I was around 235 lbs here. The second shot is about 180 lbs, standing 5'11". This whole transformation took about a year and a half.
People have been asking about my waist size—not totally sure what it was back then, maybe 45 or 46 inches, but now I’m sitting at around 37. The goal is to get under 35.
In that last photo, I think I was still hovering near 250, which you can tell from the pics. 😵

It’s not even really about weight loss, per se, but over the last couple of weeks, I feel like I’ve dropped some fat around my lower midsection.

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http://i.imgur.com/BUoUGMh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/TbI46M5.png

http://i.imgur.com/zYigc7b.jpg
Here’s a pretty ridiculous pose where you can actually tell there's some muscle definition starting to show, I suppose.😁
http://i.imgur.com/ettftfh.jpg

A little back work 😁

This is what happens when you spend all day prepping right before a show goes live

Some guy on the sub says I’m like a sailor, popping in every month or two and then vanishing again.
But that isn't actually true. I read everything and stay up to date, I just don't have the bandwidth to reply to everyone...

Anyway, here is a quick update.

I started a lean bulk, taking it slow. Put on some weight and moving forward.

Someone asked for a back shot a while ago, so here is a full body shot including the traps.

I'm satisfied. It's summer now, which means it's time to dial in the training and get to work. If only I had more time—if my workload wasn't so heavy—maybe I could hit the gym twice a day, but yeah 🎉

Suggestions? Critiques? 🙂

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7X...ew?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7X...ew?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7X...ew?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7X...ew?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7X...ew?usp=sharing

Here I am, sitting here after a massive bulking session involving a mountain of rice, honey, and ice cream...
It occurred to me that I should probably share my before-and-after progress with you all.
To give some context—a few years back, people used to call me "anorexic"—which, quite frankly, pissed me off enough to start a serious campaign to pack on some weight. 😁
Since I first picked up weights when I was just a kid—around 7 or 8 years old, actually—and have always enjoyed chasing that "fit" aesthetic, I decided to be smart about it and focus on putting on quality mass rather than just junk.
The Difference is right there in the photos, so I'll leave it to you to judge whether I've done a decent job. 🎉


The Difference between my last day of the beginner phase and my last day of the intermediate phase.


The Difference over two years (from age 16 to 18).

Since I’ve truly found my calling in this, I believe that to succeed—or even just to find some semblance of happiness in life—it is vital to find yourself and figure out who you really are. I’m sticking with this path, no matter what happens... regardless of the cost. In a few days, I have my entrance exams for the College of Kinesiology and the local fitness academy.
I also have big ambitions regarding competition; I'm looking at Men's physique initially, though I don't think I'm ready just yet—I'll likely wait another year or two.

I hope that by sharing my transformation, I can motivate other members facing similar struggles to get moving and solve their issues just like I did—because anything is possible if you actually want it! 😁

(It might be worth noting that I am strictly natural; my only supplements are whey, creatine, and Vitamin C.) ☕ 🙂

This is just what I look like after cutting carbs for a few days and dealing with some mild dehydration... Waist is 32 inches, biceps are 17, maybe 17.5... So yeah, my arms are officially bigger than my waist 😵
Now, if God would just grant me some luck, health (and a little extra cash), I might actually try to turn myself into someone worth watching on a competition stage by 2017. Since I’m still in the under-23 category, I’ve got five years left to make something happen—fingers crossed I can actually pull it off 🙂 🎉
My traps are basically non-existent due to genetics, but I’ll try to fix that somehow 😁

So, what’s the vibe after Zyzz? How are we all doing, my friends? 😁
dontgiveafak
Current stats—around 180-183 lbs, waist is about 31-32 inches. I probably need to drop a few more pounds to get that lean look; honestly, I'd likely pass out before I ever actually saw a six-pack.

One from this morning. After six weeks on a cut, body fat is down significantly. Biceps at 15.7 inches, chest at 40 inches—didn't bother measuring the rest. Still got work to do, but I'll be ready for summer. 😉

http://postimg.org/image/l7crtbdxn/

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7X...ew?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7X...ew?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7X...ew?usp=sharing

Here it is after 19 days.

The first one looks relaxed, while the second feels tense. I suppose there isn't much of a Difference. 🙂

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Here are two shots from the local running trail—honestly, I spent more time posing than actually training today. 🤣

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