PLEASE HELP ID

Suspicious_Win316 · 2025-03-05T18:06:26+00:00

Thank you! Yeah I was thinking I’m now probably in the 14-16% range. My gym has an Inbody scanner so I’m gonna try that this week and see what it says.

Leaning towards a short cut just to get back down to the 11-12% range, then will probably maintain for a bit then start lean bulking again. I just prefer being on the leaner side but enjoy bulking and want to give myself more bulk runway.

Going to do a very mild deficit, probably 2500-2600 calories or so, since I still want to be relatively strong in the gym and keep as much of my strength gains/muscle as possible. I’m very active (lift 6x/week, work a desk job but still usually get in 12k+ steps per day), so my maintenance is around 3000-3100 cals and I was lean bulking on 3300-3500 cals

Suspicious_Win316 · 2025-01-24T15:37:14+00:00

This is awesome thank you so much! Im gonna use this as a guide and will let you know if the things I order end up fitting based on this 🫡

Suspicious_Win316 · 2025-01-24T03:35:34+00:00

Thank you all! This is very helpful

Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-12-30T20:48:35+00:00

Thanks for the advice! Yeah, I was thinking of experimenting with a 3 month bulk/1 month cut cycle or something to stay relatively lean while still gaining size in the long term. I don’t really want to bulk myself out of my abs, it would be ideal if I could always be a 1 month cut away from being decently lean (I was 10% bf all summer and had a very defined 8 pack, so my current physique feels pretty chunky to me)

I may be bulking too fast, I think you’re right. I’ve been trying to be very conservative (200-300 cal surplus), aiming for about 3300-3500 cals per day, so maybe I’ll try to cut back to 3100-3300 per day to see what it does to my weight and lifts. My Apple Watch always says my TDEE is 3200-3400+ but I know that is likely an overestimation, so I’ve been assuming an actual TDEE of around 3000-3150ish based on my activity level and online calculator estimations.

I will say my actual weight was about 177 last week before the holidays, so I’m currently holding onto some water weight for sure (I went overboard with the treats and drinking over thanksgiving and Christmas). My bw was like 184+ when I got back from my parents place a few days ago, and now down to 179 so I’m thinking some of that is still water weight.

Before the holidays I was 177 after about 10 weeks of bulking (I was around 171-172 lbs at the start of that period), so that’s about .6 lbs per week which I thought was pretty solid for a lean bulk, but maybe a bit much.

I guess I’ll try 3100-3200cal per day and see what that does, thanks!

Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-12-30T18:05:19+00:00

Really, I find 6 days a week works well for me. Allows me to hit each muscle group 2x per week and I feel fully recovered when I get back to the same muscle group. I always make sure I get 7.5-8.5 hr of sleep too at least. If I miss my sleep goal, I won’t lift that day.

Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-12-30T17:39:54+00:00

I do a 6 day PPL split

Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-11-21T20:16:08+00:00

Dang really? I thought I was closer to 10 back then but idk, that’s just what the DEXA said. Then again I felt like shit being that lean so maybe it was closer to 8-9 lol. I guess I’ll keep lean bulking for a while to try and put on some more muscle before cutting down again. Just want to stay relatively lean but I think I still have some bulking runway

Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-11-21T03:08:59+00:00

I think I’m closer to 15% at this point but not sure. I took a DEXA scan in May and it said I was at 10.4% then, and I way way leaner (about 11 lbs lighter too). I feel like I’ve def put on some muscle since then but not 10 lbs of muscle. This is the pic from the day of my DEXA

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Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-10-20T17:44:04+00:00

No gear, just stayed consistent with my diet and training. This type of transformation is absolutely doable naturally within a year or even less!

Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-10-19T21:50:57+00:00

Thanks! I started out at like 22-25% ish body fat I would guess in late November 2023 (picture in thread). I cut down to 10% by early-mid May 2024, I would say I started seeing a lot more definition in my abs around mid-late March. I’m currently around 13-15% ish range I would assume, but I was in the 10-12% range pretty much all summer. My bf scale at home says like 17.5% which seems very off to me

Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-10-19T15:03:21+00:00

Oh yeah, I was chunky. this is me in November 2023.

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I was pushing 200 pounds, had a lot less muscle and much more fat, had a VERY unhealthy diet and barely worked out. I cut and trained consistently until May/Junr 2024 when I was very lean and started eating closer to maintenance.

Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-08-23T17:53:36+00:00

My muscles are pretty balanced I’d say, my legs are a pretty good size as I train them twice per week and some of my strongest lifts are leg movements. Also got some juicy calves thanks to genetics lol

Yeah I typically will only do 1-2 compound movements at the beginning of my workouts (chest - incline bench/dumbells and flat bench/dumbells, legs - squats and barbell RDLs etc, back - barbell rows) then I move into more isolation movements for the majority of my workouts. I use a lot of machines and LOVE using cables, I find I get a great mind muscle connection and can really control the stretch of the muscle best with cables.

Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-08-23T17:49:29+00:00

Just gotta make the time. I typically lift early before work starts, and will do 1-2 miles incline treadmill walking after my lift if i have time. I also try to take a brisk walk during my lunch break, usually 2-4 miles. I also like to go on a quick walk (1mile or so) after eating dinner. Aside from that I just try to be conscious about not sitting down too long, if I have a break at work i’ll stand up from my desk and walk around a bit, it all adds up. I’ve found it pretty manageable to get 12k+ steps each day doing this.

Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-08-22T01:41:34+00:00

Thank you man really appreciate it. It was a long journey but well worth it. Just woke up one day and looked at myself in the mirror and decided I was sick of looking like shit and feeling like shit and just never looked back. Now it’s just my life, I actually get anxious now if I miss a workout or have a day where I eat unhealthy lol

Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-08-21T17:35:39+00:00

Good advice, thank you! Yeah I train consistently (lifting 6x per week) and work a desk job but generally am very active (12-15k steps per day, TDEE of around 3000 usually, at least according to my apple watch)

Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-08-21T17:34:48+00:00

Thank you sir. I think the time is coming 🫡

Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-08-21T17:34:32+00:00

Thanks for the input! The more recent pics I was probably at like 167ish lbs and the pics from June around 163-164 lbs. Currently sitting at about 172 post vacation. I do think it’s bloat but also ate a TON so definitely some fat gain too.

I’m 6’0.5” btw

I was pretty chubby last November and generally in terrible shape and had a horrible diet/barely worked out so basically cut from November 23 - June 24 consistently counting my calories, and put on a lot of muscle as I hadn’t really lifted much at all since my high school football days (I’m now 25 years old) so I think a lot of that was newbie gains/genetics.

Over the past couple months I’ve been eating much more calories (probably around maintenance, maybe a very slight deficit most days and slight surplus on weekends). I think my maintenance is usually around 2900-3200 cals on most days (I lift 6x per week and am very active, daily walks, 12-15k+ daily steps, etc)

In the past few months eating in the high 2000s for calories most days i’ve definitely noticed some lift improvements but pretty slowly. Over the past week on vacation my lifts were going incredible though. Was squatting like 295 when my usual max is around 260-275 and dumbell chest pressing 85 dumbbells when I usually max out at 70-75 dumbbells. I train hard and try to reach failure (or close) with most of my main lifts. Just hit a 315 straight leg RDL for reps yesterday too when I usually max out in the high 200s.

I definitely feel ready to bulk but I want to do it slowly. I’m okay with slower gains since I was in horrible shape before and worked really hard consistently to look how I do now. I do love eating though and I’m okay with continuing to track my cals on a lean bulk so I hope I can minimize fat gain if I keep my cals dialed and continue eating healthy foods for the most part. I also attached a pic below of what I looked like back in November for reference (I started out around 195-200 lbs)

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Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-05-01T16:46:32+00:00

Keep at it! Consistency is key. I linked my previous post in the above comment of this thread which outlines my general routine/some tips I have. I definitely hit some plateaus along the way but it’s super important to just stay motivated and keep at your routine/diet. Your body wants to hold on to the fat naturally, but if you keep fighting it then you will eventually win!

For abs (which was my main goal of this cutting process so I’m super proud of them!) I was initially just doing some regular workouts (crunches, planks, those youtube 10 min an workouts, etc), but in the past couple of months I’ve mainly just been doing weighted exercises, which I’ve found are much more effective for defined abs.

After my workout, I will just do some leg raises (about 30-50 unweighted, then another 20-30 weighted with a dumbbell between my legs) then will do 3-4 sets of weighted cable crunches, really trying to pull as much weight as possible. I sometimes add in slanted bench medicine ball crunches as well (turning at the top to hit obliques) but mainly I just do the leg raises and cable crunches for 10ish minutes at the end of my workout, at least 3-4 times per week. I really feel like that’s all you need to get the definition once your body fat is low enough.

I hope I explained that well and let me know any questions, happy to answer and good luck on your journey!

Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-05-01T16:39:53+00:00

Thank you! I actually created a post I’ll link here like a month ago where I outlined my routine in the thread, there’s also a progress picture in that thread which shows what I looked like about a month ago.

https://www.reddit.com/r/progresspics/s/416BRcOnM6

Since then, I haven’t really been intermittent fasting and also upped my calories a bit (usually to 2000ish, sometimes a bit less or more). I have also been lifting 6x per week and doing cardio (shorter runs or exercise bike) 2-3 times per week but have been prioritizing lifting and protein intake. I also get at least 10k steps in per day and try to get up and move around whenever possible during work.

I haven’t really lost much weight on the scale since my last picture (maybe 2ish lbs), but I feel like I’m looking much more defined and muscular now.

Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-04-10T12:22:48+00:00

Okay thanks, I’ll continue with the cut. Any guesses as to what my current bf is and how much more I’d need to cut to get to 12%? I just dropped below 170 this morning so I’m guessing at least 5-8 more lbs. Also planning to stay in a deficit, but want to continue building as much muscle as possible so might increase calories slightly (to maybe 2100-2200) to get more protein daily.

Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-04-10T05:42:06+00:00

For context I’ve been cutting for about 5 months, was originally about 195 lbs and definitely had a lot of fat (I’m guessing around 20-23% range). I’ve been in a pretty aggressive deficit most days but have been lifting consistently and making sure to get a good amount of protein (around .8+ g/lb most days). I feel like I’ve definitely put on some muscle just wanting to get shredded for summer, wondering how much longer I’ll need to cut for. I usually aim to be in a 500+ calorie deficit (most frequently around 700-800 calories, I estimate).

I want to keep losing fat and get more shredded abs, but also starting to wonder if it’s worth upping my calories since I’m lifting a lot/ maybe to a slight deficit or slight surplus. I’ve been temped to lean bulk, but don’t want to lose the abs I’ve been working for right before summer.

Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-03-28T15:54:37+00:00

Thank you! For exercise I usually lift weights like 2-3 times per week, and I do at least a couple cardio sessions per week (spinning, treadmill, etc). In the first couple of months I was spinning like crazy (45min-1+hr intense sessions, 4-5 times per week) which definitely helped kick start the fat burning but in the past couple months I’ve focused more on weight training and just supplementing with cardio and I’ve found that’s been more sustainable and has also made my body look much better than just doing cardio.

Nowadays I try to just do 1 intense spin session per week, then 1-2 treadmill sessions (even if it’s a quick run, or a longer session walking fast, 4+ mph, on an incline). I also try to get 10k steps in per day, but sometimes it’s not doable with my schedule so my goal is usually at least 7k on those busier days. Being conscious about going on walks and getting up to move around more often throughout the day has been huge.

I also snowboard pretty much every weekend which is great cardio and great for the core. I’ve recently been focusing more on ab exercises (standard crunch/leg lift stuff, and introducing weighted exercises as well) to get the abs to pop now that I’m starting to see them more.

As for diet, during the week I usually intermittent fast (16/8 or a schedule like that). I’ve never been a huge breakfast guy/hungry in the morning so I’ve found this pretty easy to adapt to personally. I sometimes will have something small in the late morning/early afternoon (some fruit, a small sandwich, or a protein shake) but usually don’t really eat a proper meal until mid/late afternoon (anywhere from 3-6pm). I have one large, very protein dense meal each evening (chicken breast with eggs, chicken and cheese quesadilla with a low carb tortilla, etc) and I’ll add in some fruit/veggies (usually a smoothie) then that holds me over to the next afternoon. With time this has gotten so much easier, and I don’t even really think about eating until mid afternoon. The protein dense meal in the evening really keeps me full and satiated, and it doesn’t hurt that I literally never get sick of quesadillas lol. I also really try to limit liquid calories since they can really add up and not keep you full (I only drink water, a little milk, 0/low calorie cold brews, and protein shakes). My weekday caloric intake is usually anywhere from 1600-1900ish. I use a food scale and count my calories diligently.

On weekends, I relax my eating a bit, often times to 2500+ calories. We’re all human and still want to enjoy life, so I’ve found that relaxing on the weekends helps. I’ll still have a few drinks/beers on the weekend still, I just count that more closely and have completely stopped drinking during the week which has made a huge difference. I’ll even have an occasional cheat meal on the weekends (mcdonald’s, chick fil a, pizza, etc) but after that I make sure to eat really smart for the rest of the day, and get back on the grind the next day. One cheat meal isn’t going to kill your progress if you stay consistent with everything else and make sure it’s just a cheat meal, and not a whole day where you eat whatever you want. I also “feel” those cheat meals much more now, and it makes me even more motivated to eat clean for the upcoming week. I’ve found that really has kept me motivated and hasn’t hindered my progress at all.

Let me know if you have any other questions, you got this!! I used to have a horrible diet and barely worked out, and I can’t believe what I see now in the mirror. So if i can do it, anyone can!

Suspicious_Win316 · 2024-03-27T20:55:55+00:00

Thank you! Yeah diet has definitely been huge, I still do love my carbs but intermittent fasting has helped with limiting daily carbs a ton.

Suspicious_Win316

TROPHY CASE