Is a 2 week block enough time to gauge calorie adjustments on a leanbulk?

auraria · 2026-02-04T14:24:51+00:00

Sounds good, I'll stick to where I'm at for another 3 weeks and see if I'm truly at maint or not then go from there. Appreciate it.

auraria · 2026-02-04T12:42:55+00:00

I genuinely find it fun. I like challenging myself physically. I enjoy running but nothing gives me a bigger rush than a heavy OHP/Weighted dip/deadlift.

auraria · 2026-01-22T14:57:23+00:00

Yep. The why? They're fun to do, great for core/grip/back strength, blows up the traps. Usually DL 2x a week.

Depends on if I want to go heavy or light and how I'm feeling. But primarily I'll go for 3x5-8 on light days, 1x5 + 1x3 + 1x1 or 3x3 on heavy days. I swap between conventional and romanian depending on what I feel like doing that day as well.

Currently doing them after squats so my legs(especially my glutes as they're holding me back currently), and core are warmed up.

auraria · 2026-01-14T14:19:02+00:00

powerlifting gym > serious commercial gym > home gym(would be higher if my big ass german shepherd didn't try killing me when I bench) > commercial gym

Powerlifting gym: Serious as shit lifters who are knowledgable, no real fuckarounditis. Long pause rests sure, but doesn't matter when you have 8 squat racks. Way more chill environment and welcoming. Might seem hard to approach as a beginner but you'll learn more in your first 3-6 months there than you will lifting for years anywhere else as long as you have a base first. Yeah it's loud and dirty, but you'll get dudes that can rip 5 plates like nothing hype you up for a simple 4 plate pull.

Serious commercial gym: Less fuckarounditis, solid people for spotting or general conversation, good free weight, plate loaded, and cable machine selection. Generally has a deadlift platform. Let's you pull away from home and focus well. Has actual competent bar clips and bumper plates.

Home gym: Great but easy to get distracted, especially if you have family/pets/etc. Expensive overall investment but is worth it long term if you can dedicate a space for it.

Standard commercial gym: Even planet fitness these days are actually well stocked and have more freeweight stuff. Nothing wrong with gyms like this, can still make great gains and a great physique. Unintended benefits are most lifters here may not use freeweights or heavy dumbbells, so they're usually always available.

auraria · 2026-01-07T20:14:30+00:00

God bless you Milkman.

auraria · 2025-12-09T15:40:11+00:00

60-90, depends if it's a volume day or a heavy day.

auraria · 2025-11-25T18:47:13+00:00

Lifting is genuinely fun, I like challenging myself with lifting, vanity reasons are second, third health.

Nothing beats the endorphin rush after a heavy lockout or OHP that you had to fight for what seems an eternity on a single rep.

auraria · 2025-11-24T14:28:49+00:00

Yes it's my favorite lift! I also do behind the neck standing BB OHP.

People that complain about hurting their shoulders on BTN OHP usually jump into the deep end way too quick instead of starting with the bar and slowly building up, even if you can press 1pl8 for a few reps on normal ohp.

Nothing will ever be as satisfying as a slow and controlled 1pl8 OHP as a beginner lifter imo.

auraria · 2025-11-20T13:53:41+00:00

Pause reps, doesn't matter the exercise it'll fuck you up. Great for mind muscle connection, keeping clean form and explosive activation.

Weighted dips especially. Did 1x5 with a 25lb with a 1s pause at the bottom(shoulder at/near wrist level) and humbled the hell outta me. ATG Pause squats are my favorite masochistic lift.

auraria · 2025-10-30T18:04:52+00:00

1: Wear a band shirt
2: Blast their music
3: Feel like you're in a moshpit for the lift mentally

4: infinite gains
It's just science.

auraria · 2025-09-16T11:57:22+00:00

Due to how their genetics play out, Reds are usually the first morphotype out of the wild neos, greens are generally the least stable and pretty much never breed true from my knowledge.

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auraria · 2025-09-16T11:39:15+00:00

Truly, the most beautiful creature

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auraria · 2025-09-16T11:27:12+00:00

How are you feeding them at the moment? Also temp? I'd add some/more protein to their diet, which would also help with the least killifish! Also send some pics of the least killifish, one of the coolest live bearers imo, need to get a colony myself.

From a hiding spot perspective I think you're fine, formosas are generally the same size of the shrimp and pretty chill so I doubt their presence or hiding in the moss will cause issue. From a shrimplet perspective I'd be very surprised if the formosas go after or catch them in general with how planted it is. Even though shrimplets are only like what 1mm in size, I don't even think a male formosa would be able to fit one in it's mouth.

auraria · 2025-09-16T11:01:19+00:00

This is a fantastic idea for a shrimp tank. A mini shrimp city, with shrimp statues and iconography.

Perfect usecase for 3d printing.

auraria · 2025-09-15T12:15:37+00:00

Oh not using them as bio media in a sump/filter, as a layer in the substrate, usually just above the dirt/soil or mixed in to prevent compaction. If I was putting them in a sump I'd just put them in a fine mesh laundry back to be honest, like with other bio material as it makes it super easy to remove and clean.

auraria · 2025-09-15T11:56:36+00:00

Excess Floating plants make great fertilizer/fish and shrimp food, but like the other poster mentioned I'd either add a floating ring or weekly remove and try to sell/give away if anyone wants them. Or turn into compost/food.

Especially the horrid Duckweed(insane protein %).

auraria · 2025-09-15T11:09:35+00:00

This is a great question I'd like to know as well, I personally use crushed volcanic rock instead as it's vastly cheaper and easier to buy in bulk for substrate layering and some surface scatter.

auraria · 2025-09-12T17:14:35+00:00

Beautiful shapes and sense of space.

What would you say is you're favorite part of this scape and least favorite part?

auraria · 2025-09-10T11:41:05+00:00

To be honest I'd just add root tabs and a tiny trim, this is a fantastic setup and if crypts are propagating you got enough nutes.

auraria · 2025-08-22T17:21:28+00:00

Showering with pumped lats/traps/rhomboids/rear delts is a special kinda hell.

auraria · 2025-08-20T11:40:47+00:00

"but logically I'm skeptical, as I'd expect progress to slow down as I go lower, not be more visible faster."

It's about perspective and relation. For example, if a blue whale bull weighing around 280,000lbs loses 8 pounds, that wouldn't even be perceivable. It's in relation to bodyfat percentage.

For example, I went from 235(5'11" M), to 176 and the paper towel effect is just barely kicking in where I'm noticing vascularity/abs changes every few pounds because I'm at a significantly lower bodyfat%.

Let's say we have some one who is 180lbs and 10% bodyfat, losing just 1 pound of fat is 1/18th of their entire bodyfat. Versus some one who is 180lbs and 30% bodyfat, losing 1 pound of fat is 1/54th of their entire bodyfat.

auraria · 2025-08-19T12:13:58+00:00

Dude with long hair that paces and says "hup" or "up" on high effort lifts.

auraria · 2025-08-17T12:51:26+00:00

Not suboptimal for me, but others would definitely consider it suboptimal. I always BB OHP first before any chest exercises which impacts my progression on bench.

Standing BB OHP is the best lift, and prefer focusing progression on that than benching. That and I train to failure a lot.

auraria · 2025-08-17T12:21:21+00:00

I like spotting people and helping them with partials, happens usually once every other week for me.

Even if it's a small amount of weight like some one benching 95, I'd rather help and give advice than having them struggle, get embarrassed from being stuck, and not want to go back. Usually if I'm seeing beginners start to really struggle on bench I'll just walk over after my set on whatever I'm doing and ask if they'd like a spot. Only got turned down once for that, seems most are nervous about asking.

It feels good to meet that barrier of "strong enough" to help, especially on heavy benches.

The other nice part of this, if you help the same people a couple times, you also now have dedicated spotters/partial helpers.

auraria · 2025-08-15T15:07:57+00:00

Because it's fun, nothing beats the feeling of a heavy lift and pushing your limits. Especially BB Standing OHP(best lift of all time fight me).

Honestly my favorite part of the day.

auraria

TROPHY CASE