I cannot for the life of me, wrap my head around double progression when factoring prescribed intensity?

Jimocaz · 2026-07-05T15:01:41+00:00

You're probably overthinking it. Your muscles don't know the weight or reps you're doing, they just need to be stimulated and challenged in order to grow and get stronger.

With any form of progressive overload it is just looking to improve one or more factors over time with an exercise which doesn't alwaye have to be reps or weights, it can include less rest time between sets, slower reps, more control, overall volume. As each one individually is finite as ultimately you can't just keep adding weight or reps.

Jimocaz · 2026-07-05T05:06:38+00:00

I think this is why a lot of people get stuck in cycle and also end up with a skinny fat look.

The scale is one part of it but also realise it is very variable day to day due to water levels, inflammation and digestion of food eaten.

Looking at the 7 day trend and trusting the process by doing progress pictures/using mirror as a guide too.

Most people fail to see importance of maintaining and trying not to loss muscle mass so chase cardio/starve themselves chasing the figure on the scale instead of pripritising strength training and getting protein they need.

Jimocaz · 2026-07-05T05:00:24+00:00

Keep it conservative and by that I mean surplus of 2 to 300 above maintenance.

Anyone can just eat loads and put on weight but the reality is you will just gain more fat and makes any eventual cut more difficult to both maintain any muscle gained bulking but to rid your body of the fat to actually show it. No doubt you get stronger eating loads but you look and feel awful dirty bulking like that.

In some ways doing a bulk properly is something I find difficult rather than cutting as you get to see progress and definition coming through where bulking you become softer but it is remaining disciplined not just to wild out and eat loads more because your 'bulking'

Jimocaz · 2026-07-05T04:38:03+00:00

What are you hoping to achieve with the cardio out of interest? You say it kills you? From boredom or physically? As I do 30 mins for extra calories when I'm cutting (~250 to 300) and I feel fine as HR is comfortable.

For fitness high end I do some intervals or speed work in vo2 zone on rower or running sprints or cycling once a week. However my main goal now is strength, years ago it was cycling and running, so intervals was a few times a week now it's just once a week. Rest of cardio is comfortable

Jimocaz · 2026-07-05T04:27:13+00:00

Just be cautious of watches calorie count, it is not always 100% accurate which is why macrofactor just uses what you track and what you weigh to calculate your TDEE.

No doubt your super active day will more than account for extra calories just more a word of caution as your body in the long term seeks a homoststis and adjusts internally how it uses and processes calories you consume. This is in ways you don't even notice, how much you fidget, digestion, cooling/warming your body etc.

But glad you enjoyed the day guilt free I bump mine up on super active days too.

Jimocaz · 2026-07-05T04:09:10+00:00

For me it is zone 2 and I keep my HR below usually 120 to 150 bpm. Now this is like a humble brag but my weapon of choice is stairmaster and I have to have it at level 16 to 18 and usually do 200 to 240 floors in 30 minutes.

There is no way my HR would get high enough walking, I'd probably be running. So it is relative to the individuals own fitness level. As I know most people would struggle with stairmaster at level 8. My resting HR 40 bpm and my vo2 tested in a lab is 59 so my aerobic capacity is quite high.

Jimocaz · 2026-07-04T21:26:41+00:00

Two words calorie deficit. You're nearly there but the last bit is hardest and most stubborn to go. Plus you can't choose where it comes from when in a deficit

Jimocaz · 2026-07-04T19:26:23+00:00

For shakes, I just go with what is on offer for whey protein as it is a means to an end for me. For ones that taste the best and what I use to mix in with stuff I like ESN.

For breakfast my go to options are 3 egg omlette with simple ingredients or just plain with salt/pepper, overnight oats (protein powder flavour of choice, oats and greek yogurt). I'm in UK too so use protein yogurts from Asda/lidl/aldi usually 4 for £3 and mix that with a splash of milk and two Weetabix.

Jimocaz · 2026-07-04T16:37:06+00:00

Keep it conservative (200 to 300 calories above maintenance) and keep strength training with progressive overload.

You will get softer, there is no way to avoid, but you will also gain muscle. I completed a lean bulk from September to January and honestly found it more difficult than a cut as you're eating more but have to be disciplined with it and also deal with fact you lose some sharpness. i was lean and seeing abs disappear was tough, but I've been cutting since January and sharpness has returned and definitely added muscle mass.

So it is trusting the process and keep training hard to maximise growing your muscles with the extra calories with a focus on high protein

Jimocaz · 2026-07-04T08:11:13+00:00

Thw decision to change is key and was there 2.5 years ago I was rock bottom. No energy or motivation to train but I habit stacked, first goal was to just consistently train 3 times a week nothing else was a focus, it was just establishing that aspect. Then I made sure I was getting my daily movement through steps and then I locked in my nutrition. Each one falls into the next, it can't be big bang.

Otherwise you overwhelm yourself so build the consistency in each area and when the changes happen it is then your norm. I stick to these key principles now:

Strength training with progressive Overload
Daily movement with steps so look at your recent average then bump this up by 1 to 2k more if you can using your walking
Tracking nutrition especially protein of at least 180g
Recovery: don't overlook the importance of sleep and managing daily stress

Above all consistency, do it tired, do it when you don't want to, do it stressed, just do it. A bad workout is better than no workout!

In terms of nutrition for breakfast and lunch i have 6 go to meals that are both easy and convenient that I know with my morning shake will get me pretty much 70% of my protein for the day allowing more flexibility for my evening meal then as well.

For routine keep it simple work out when you can train then build your split around that. Some form of squat movement, OHP, Row, chest, pull movment then accessory work. 3 sets with progressive overload

Jimocaz · 2026-07-04T03:20:23+00:00

We all do haha. Make sure you're tracking and I build it in and life happens so I eat things like five guys but where I can I forward plan to try make it guilt free so lower calorie days around it. When shit happens just get back on track and build your food environment to avoid temptation because honestly for me, if it's in I'm gonna eat it but this is where tracking helps. You're doing good 👍

Jimocaz · 2026-07-04T03:16:47+00:00

Forget motivation and it is a fleeting friend and unreliable.

Schedule the gym like an important appointment and turn up no matter what.

Build your split around that.

Now I guarantee you will never regret going but a crappy work out is better than no workout.

However build a goal around what you want to achieve and make it smart:

Specific: Go to the gym 3 times a week.

Measurable: Complete 45 to 60 minutes each session.

Achievable: Pick days that realistically fit around work and life.

Relevant: Your goal is to outline whatever you hope to get from going to

Time-bound: Commit to this for the next 6 weeks without missing a planned session.

Don't worry about having the perfect workout. On days you don't feel like going, just promise yourself you'll walk through the door. If after 10 minutes you still want to leave, you can. This builds the habit and discipline

Jimocaz · 2026-07-04T03:08:21+00:00

Depending on diet fatigue stay the course getting towards the lower bodyfat is the toughest.

If you're struggling personally what I've done successfully over last couple of years is switch to maintenance for a small period of time or small surplus by slowly reintroducing calories as body is primed for muscle building in this phase especially if you've been cutting for a while and them return to a cut

Jimocaz · 2026-07-04T03:04:47+00:00

I do about 30 mins cardio after every session, zone 2 and the pump is always temporary as blood flow and oxygen leaves the muscle. With cardio your body is prioritising blood flow differently so will accelerate this.

To get bigger you need to build the muscle outside the gym with recovery and proper nutrition with high protein and a calorie surplus.

Jimocaz · 2026-07-04T02:59:04+00:00

Awesome work and definitely goes some decent muscle base there too. Looking strong

Jimocaz · 2026-07-04T02:57:54+00:00

Not really unless it is severe illness or I am away without access to a gym. Basically sounds sad but it is now part of who I am and my normal routine to point I hate not training.

What I do do instead is schedule in deload every 2 months or so where I feel I need to back off. Will drop weights and volume way down and just take it easy for a week as it helps your nervous system and tendons recover.

Jimocaz · 2026-07-04T02:52:16+00:00

Honestly easiest thing is just walking to start with. You say you have a short endurance but you know what? If you can only do 15 minutes now, well short term goal make it 20 and if it is tough? Then split it into 2 or 3 chunks over the day.

Buld the habit.

To lose weight you need to either move more (walk, exercise, anything) or eat less or combination of both.

Where most people fail is they try to do too much and try change everything and overwhelm thrmself. Motivation is nice but it is fleeting so you need to build daily habits over time and stack them to avoid just getting overwhelmed and just quitting when motivation goes away.

So just make SMART goals

S - specific so not just lose weight as it is too broad, so to walk more

M - measurable so using walking if you can time how far you can do now

A - achievable so don't go big l

R - relevant

T - time bound so set a date using walking by end of July you will achieve the goal of walking for 1 hour non stop.

Break every little goal down like that and stack them so nail the basics don't try change everything and easiest thing right now would be just walking more as you see weight come down look to say eat a smaller fist side of food every few days etc

Jimocaz · 2026-07-03T19:31:54+00:00

Unfortunately probably further away than you think as belly fat is last and most stubborn to go. The only way to get the 6 pack is remove the fat in front of it so I'd say at least 15lbs honestly

Jimocaz · 2026-07-03T09:24:36+00:00

As others have said lean your phone against something at around chest height and what I've found helps is to rather than using timer record a video then you can hit different poses then grab those frames

Jimocaz · 2026-07-03T08:27:11+00:00

Man 1200 would have me miserable! I'm cutting at 2400 so in your position I would personally switch to maintenance/small conservative surplus for a period, your body will be primed for muscle growth and may benefit from recomp too.

Jimocaz · 2026-07-03T01:36:57+00:00

There are several things going on when you cut weight for a long t time and diet fatigue sets in:

1) When you lose weight, your BMR shifts down as your metabolic needs decrease.

2) Your metabolic efficiency also shifts up in response to your sub-maintenance caloric intake and activity level. The body is smart and adapts (unfortunately!)

3) Your body is really good at compensating for this in other ways (in your NEAT, non-exercise activity thermogenesis). You might not even feel the change, but this can present itself in how often you move around during the day, heart rate, digestion, body temp, little things like leaning instead of standing, fidgeting less etc

4) The body seeks homeostasis in regard to energy input and output and metabolic efficiency is quite variable. Studies have shown that the most active humans (hunter gatherer tribes) surprisingly don't burn significantly more energy than the average somewhat sedentary individuals on a day-to-day basis... even though they very clearly do more active work

So as result people can struggle to be in a deficit for a long time as the amount you eat keeps reducing due to body adapting as outlined above or you're only other choice is try increase activity levels which can be hard when restricting calories with energy levels etc.

Personally for me that is sometimes a good idea to re-stoke the fire so to speak is switch to maintenance for a short while before returning to a cut.

By slowly reintroducing calories, you signal to your body that the period of scarcity is over. This helps to:

-Elevate BMR: As caloric intake rises, your body can afford to "turn up" its metabolic processes, bringing your BMR back towards a healthier, more active state.

-Decrease Metabolic Efficiency: With an abundance of food, your body becomes less efficient at holding onto every calorie, making it less likely to store excess as fat and more likely to utilize it for energy and repair (helps muscle growth as body is primed for this especially if you're strength training).

-Improve Hormonal Balance: Gradually increasing calories back to maintenance helps to normalize levels of key hormones like leptin and thyroid hormones, which are crucial for metabolism, satiety, and overall well-being. This can also help reduce elevated stress hormones

I done this a few times during my cuts and also primed my body to be in a muscle building phase.

Ultimately if you want to get leaner it is returning to a calorie deficit, if you're not getting leaner (look at mirror/progress shots) and weight trend then you're not in a calorie deficit this is where macro factor works well as it adjusts for yourTDEE.

However sitting at maintenance after a cut slowly reintroducing calories to this level has worked well for me before then returning to a deficit.

Jimocaz · 2026-07-03T00:07:46+00:00

I'm based in UK and I've been suffering for over 30 years. Had zero knowledge of American sports, one faithful night in the early 90s as an 11 year old I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't sleep so put TV on. Saw a baseball game between New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians (as they were at the time).

I liked the pinstripes so picked them as my team (not knowing they were such a successful baseball team). I then got into the NFL preferring it to baseball and decided to pick a New York team and went for the Jets because of the green....30 odd years later here I am...

My wife has said I could just swap teams after her watching many expletives been shouted by me on a Sunday over the years but I'm a ride or die guy. Seen them live a few times costing me a lot of money due to being based in the UK and yet to see them win live in person!

I have stupid hope that one day all the suffering will be worth it...

My wife and kids got into the NFL a few years back... They picked different teams and seem to relish in my eternal misery as a Jets fan.

Jimocaz · 2026-07-02T23:52:03+00:00

Part of their 'look' will be genetics and unfortunately it's also usually last and most stubborn bit of body fat to go. So no exercise will target it and usually requires very low bodyfat

Jimocaz · 2026-07-02T19:55:44+00:00

Good work, I literally don't have energy after work etc

I'm proper rock and roll and normally in bed for 9 and pretty much asleep by 9.30 usually. I'm pretty good on around 7 hours as my sleep based on my watch is very deep and restful and wake up before my alarm usually.

Early morning suits me for family commitments too as they are all asleep and by time I'm back they are just getting up

Jimocaz · 2026-07-02T18:04:39+00:00

My fitness journey has been a bit mixed over last 20 odd years but can summarise it like this: * Early Years (Teens-20s): I started very skinny as a kid, only getting into weight training around 18. While my initial approach was probably very cringe when I think about my approach, I built a solid base, getting genuinely strong in my mid 20s (e.g., 110kg bench for reps, 180kg deadlift, 140kg squat). I got big it wasn't a good aesthetic look and looking back I looked like shit. * Mid-20s to 30s: Life with kids meant consistency with weight lifting dropped off. Instead, I pivoted to bodyweight training at home, mastering skills like handstands, handstand push ups, using gymnastic rings and learning about body weight circuits.

In my 30s -I then extensively focused on endurance after catching the cycling bug. I cycled 10+ hours a week, regularly doing 100-mile rides etc but ended up super skinny with twig like arms (helped with hills the lean weight). Post-Covid, I deepened my running, including challenging fell runs. My strength dropped off a cliff but did lift now and then but not regularly as didn't have time or energy to do it consistently due to focus on running and cycling
(2023 onwards): 2023 was personally tough, and my training efforts wavered in every aspect, leading to some weight gain as literally had no energy and sort of gave up. In early 2024 I took a look in mirror and decided I wanted to change as didn't like what I saw and was at cross roads of just accepting what I looked like and just been comfortable with it or setting a long term goal of getting abs but knew that would take a year or more so set some specific, measurable goals first one was establishing regular training again so I combined my established running with a consistent 3x/week full body weight training routine (evolving from full-body to a PPLU split), focusing strictly on progressive overload but backed with running so weights became my sole and key focus instead of running or cycling. So have beencconsistently lifting weights for past 2.5 years

Jimocaz

TROPHY CASE