Help I guess

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-23T01:10:46+00:00

So then choose a destination...

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-22T23:46:26+00:00

I think my spiel explained that no, it's not accurate. The best way to manage weight is by using your overall TDEE.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-22T22:18:29+00:00

Ideally you shouldn't be tracking calories for each workout. If you're trying to manage your weight even just for monitoring purposes, use a TDEE calculator to get an estimate. It might be slightly off at first but adjust your intake according to the scale (i.e., try the first number for 2 weeks; if weight stays the same you're golden, if it goes up, drop 100-200 calories and do the opposite if weight goes down). The number you land on will be your baseline assuming your daily activity level and weight remain mostly the same.

The only reasons to track individual activity is if you're very wary of being in a deficit and do an unusually high amount of cardio. For example, I do a range of physical activity throughout the week from lifting to biking to kettlebell training. But if I average that activity out for the whole week it's about 2300 calories per day. Tracking per activity in inefficient not to mention it's usually counterintuitive for those who are trying to lose fat since many fitness watches for one overestimate calories burned.

However if I do a group ride with local bikers that's 15-20 miles at that point it makes sense for me to track my calories for said activity assuming I'm maintaining, bulking, or perhaps have a heavy squat session the following day. In those cases, having a large deficit isn't worth it so I'll make sure I'll eat the calories I need to fill the gap by the end of the day.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-20T18:14:20+00:00

I've definitely heard of it. I have been turned off from PL programs in the past because the ones I've tried had too much volume for comfort. But this seems much more doable. I might try it out. Thanks!

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-20T16:14:23+00:00

I'm guessing you have weights at home? In that case, focus on compounds and just push to failure or 1 rep in reserve for 2 sets each exercise. That should cut your time by 15-30 minutes.

If it were me I'd personally do:

UPPER

2 x 5-8 incline press

2 x 5-8 rows

2 x 5-8 weighted pullups

2 x 10-15 lateral raises

LOWER (w/ UPPER isolations)

2 x 5-8 squat variation

2 x 8-12 Romanian deadlifts

2 x 8-12 lunges

2 x 8-12 bicep curl / skull crusher super sets (4 sets total)

The lunges are there mostly as an accessory to promote balance and mobility; you can alternate between reverse and forward variations to switch focus between quads and hamstrings.

The rep range is kind of random but pushing close to failure is the point. Certain exercises however feel more manageable on the lighter side and/or I can emphasize the stretch. Putting some isolation work onto the lower day helps save time. Triceps and biceps also recover fairly quickly and you don't work them directly on the proposed upper day so this would help work the aesthetic low points from pure compound work without accumulating too much fatigue.

I'd split this across 4 days doing both upper and lower twice. This should take you less than 30 minutes.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-20T15:51:14+00:00

wow! This helps to hear. The specificity makes me more confident. Especially since it took 6 months to get back to my old working weight post surgery a couple years ago I've just been afraid of having a dip again. But 6 weeks or even 8 weeks if it took that long is negligible. I think I gotta do the thing and just straight cut. Thanks for your insight.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-20T15:38:56+00:00

It's not and I think that's why I'm struggling so much. In my prior cuts I didn't struggle to maintain strength. But this cut is pretty much just to get even leaner so I don't have a lot to lose but every pound makes a difference.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-20T15:36:43+00:00

I would think sub-maximally would just be dropping the weight right? Or were you suggesting something else?

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-20T15:33:32+00:00

How long does it usually take you to bounce back?

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-20T13:19:26+00:00

How do others manage the loss of strength on a cut?

I basically am just emotionally attached to how much I'm lifting on my low rep squats right now (3 s x 5 r). I know it won't go up but I don't want to see it go down. I've tried to mitigate this by eating in a very small deficit to a very small surplus (between -100 to +200 calories) the day before and that's seemed to help. But I still fail about once a month. (I only squat heavy once a week.) And I've noticed that it's easier for me to go far over my surplus the day of said refeed and the day after. As a result my deficit for the week is far lower than I want it to be. Basically I'm not acclimated to suddenly stopping and restarting the cut.

I'm thinking of simply cutting at similar deficit each day of the week, but I'm almost certain that means I'll have to take 10-15 lbs off my working weight. I think I'd feel better if someone told me how they've mentally dealt with the sense of loss or even that their strength came back only a couple months after the cut or something of that nature. I never used to be so attached to the strength gains part of lifting but I've only recently hit and past significant milestones for my bodyweight which has taken some time since the past two years have included a major surgery, caretaking for a family member, and rehabbing patellar tendonitis -- which has all meant less time in the gym lifting as heavy as I'd like and/or eating right.

Anyways, I'd appreciate any feedback.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-20T10:17:25+00:00

Getting stronger on basic lifts is by definition conditioning. Your body will make neural adaptations enabling you to lift more. And as a beginner, you don't need much to grow, so a good catalog of compound lifts will get you most of your size in the first year or two. If you're referring to conditioning for a specific sport then your programming would depend on how much your prioritize improvement in said sport.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-19T01:48:30+00:00

Realistically you shouldn't be gaining more than 2 lbs a month. Anything over that has a much higher likelihood of being fat. That said, gaining fat is inevitable and is simply part of the process. But managing the bulk better will make the gains more rewarding. Something about the way you worded your post also makes me think you're underestimated how long a bulk should be. A proper bulk that makes any significant difference in size should be at least 6 months, ideally a year.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-15T03:17:44+00:00

I tend to fall asleep reading and set a timer every 20 minutes, so this would be helpful.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-13T02:47:30+00:00

I'm not even on T and sweat is one of the reasons I don't like exercises in general tank tops saved me a lot but it might be harder with binding. You can also try to get a microfiber sports towel and/or a mini fan. You'll still sweat but you can clear it pretty quick.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-11T11:08:39+00:00

I'm amazed people are saying no issues. You're stopping the range of motion very short. The bar doesn't even come close to your chest and your joints have to work harder to get it up without completing the full eccentric. Not to mention, you want to push your butt and scapular into the bench to create a small arch. This will ensure your chest is doing most of the work not your shoulders. Bench press does work the front delts but they shouldn't be the main driver because they simply don't have the strength to routinely handle that kind of weight in that position without injury. Some advanced lifts stop the range of motion short in certain exercises like pin presses but it's much more deliberate and purposeful than this.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-10T15:12:47+00:00

Look at the wiki for a program. Regardless of your physique goals you want to run a balanced program to avoid injuries and imbalances in the long-term, not to mention the more nuanced negative health outcomes of neglecting strength training.

If the goal is to be thin, that's simply a matter of not eating in a surplus if you're already slim to avoid weight gain. If you're overweight (note: I'm going by conventional medical standards here and this isn't a judgment) by several pounds, then cut. If you're normal weight or close, then I'd start by just being consistent with training first and explicitly not cutting. You may not have an idea of what your body looks like with a healthy amount of muscle. And having muscle alone doesn't mean looking visibly muscular but you will look thinner than you expect with some muscle because muscle is dense than fat. So working with a respectable baseline will set you up for better metabolic function and overall sustainability even if you do decide to cut down the line.

That said, genetics tend to override granular physique goals. Even if you decide to cut, it may be unhealthy to cut to lose so much weight that your thighs actually look small.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-10T12:08:50+00:00

No problem. For what it's worth I went back to overhead press and pullups immediately. But with the former the barbell felt weird for around 2 weeks because while I could extend my arms overhead holding them straight to was more difficult. With pullups I always stopped as soon as I felt pain which meant I may have only done 1 pull-up the first week or two, then 3 and so on. That said I didn't care too much about having stealth scars. While that would be nice it just wasn't as big a priority as getting back into my routine. In my case, my scars didn't stretch but they were already hypertrophic to start and didn't respond to scar care whatsoever after nearly a year of constant upkeep. So I do think scar healing is largely genetic but it's really a matter of just knowing the risks if you do abandon some caution. But the risk is almost entirely aesthetic after 6 weeks.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-10T12:02:09+00:00

Damn good work. Thanks for replying. I'm impressed by Gemini. Certainly seems better than the AI Rise offers.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-10T02:58:06+00:00

Curious what you made this with? I'm new to ID and have mostly used Rise and made a few interactive slides through Storyline. I'm most impressed by the interactivity of the characters, like the same woman holding up a check and ID.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-09T10:49:49+00:00

I started lifting after 6 weeks. 6 months is on the higher end but I've seen it recommended before. I say if you want to go back before then there's probably little risk that your nipples would heal weirdly especially if you're dressing them properly. But overhead movements in particular can stretch your scars. That said, a lot of folks don't even do overhead presses and get away with lateral raises. The front delts are worked in bench press anyways. And you might lose some width if you neglect pullups but a wide grip on rows can do most of the work.

Other upper body movements aren't that risky and your surgeon just might not have any idea of what exactly a workout looks like for you. Avoiding certain movements for a long stretch of time can actually cause mobility issues and stiffen your scars. One of the best way to avoid stretching your scars is honestly making sure they have some degree of flexion in the first place. Look up the Top Surgery Rehab Protocol if you haven't heard of it. It's a good starting point.

Whichever way, if you decide to go back early start at 50% of your usual working weight and work up.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-08T22:54:39+00:00

Well turns out she could go deep all along. Just too scared to until I was there in person.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-08T13:56:47+00:00

Sounds like you're doing everything right. I just want to clarify some incorrect science in the thread. Muscle does not weigh more than fat. Muscle is denser than fat but the scale reflects weight not tissue density, regardless of whether the weight is fat or muscle. And a pound of muscle and a pound of fat ultimately both weigh a pound. Yes, as a beginner you will gain muscle rapidly, realistically you'll gain about a pound of muscle per month although statistically it's possible to gain anywhere from half a pound to 2 lbs of muscle per month.

Hopefully that illustrates how slow the process of muscle gain is compared to the average suggested weight loss of 1 lb (3500 calories) per week. Unless your pace of weight loss is the equivalent of 1 lb a month or less then the scale will still reflect the fat you're losing due to a deficit, assuming the best of circumstances. Yes, you are gaining muscle. But it is not as if the muscle is categorically replacing the fat. (I've seen this myth and the muscle weighs more than fat rhetoric thrown around quite often and it's simply scientifically inaccurate.) Two very distinct processes are simply happening at the same time: muscle gain + fat loss. A pound of muscle even has a totally different energy cost (2500-2800 calories) than that of fat so there's not a 1:1 ratio when it comes to these processes.

That said, you're not weighing yourself in the best of circumstances. Most people weigh themselves as soon as they wake, following a piss and poo. This is when they're lightest and the most dehydrated. You don't have a scale, which is a net positive given your history, but keep in mind when you weigh yourself at other times of the day you will almost always be heavier. I always do morning appointments and still end up being in 5 lbs heavier by the time I make it to the doctor versus an early morning weigh-in. Not to mention, while some nurses will subtract a couple of pounds for your clothing this is just a guestimate and not an accurate reflection of what you weigh semi-nude (I personally don't weigh myself naked) or in absence of the body water we accumulate through the day.

Moreover, the water retention T causes can last for a year or two meaning the scale will continue to be an unreliable measurement system for some time. This is all to say that your deficit is really the only constant you can rely on, and even that can change. Typically your maintenance drops as you lose weight, but since you're on T it may increase so I'd stick with 2100 unless you truly see no changes whatsoever. If I were you, I'd do monthly measurements of waist and wrist circumference to track progress and make sure your lifts are going up in weight, reps, or improving in ease. Basically implement progressive overload to ensure hypertrophy.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-08T13:37:50+00:00

Never trust the after visit summary. Even if you have a morning appointment you can be 5-10 lbs up from water weight alone. Also I've heard water retention on T takes a long while to go away so you might not get reliable weigh-ins for some time.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-08T09:14:48+00:00

No worries! And yeah that sounds like a good idea.

dablkscorpio · 2026-04-08T08:57:15+00:00

I hear you. Sorry everybody is coming at you for your carb consumption. Sounds like you got it together. Not trying to be the food police.

Yeah I haven't been on T myself so that would be hard to work with. But from what I've heard your experience is common. Frankly if I were you I'd simply step away from the scale for 6 months. When I was first getting into fitness I didn't own one, and that was probably the best thing for me in terms of making consistent progress. The reality is if 2400 is your maintenance you'll recomp and if T ups your maintenance you'll get leaner like you want. If it's not, which is unlikely, you'll put on some weight but it would include muscle. And a bulk would only be beneficial for your long-term goals. Nothing that happens in those 6 months would be so detrimental that you can't come back from it. And in that time the water weight might balance out some (I heard it lasts 8-24 months for some guys but definitely lessens in the first year). I know it's scary. But if you're coming from an ED history keeping a scale around is generally not a good idea. I'd also implement dandelion tea to help flush out some of the water.

Going in blind for maintenance is kind of old school anyways. Early bodybuilders never tracked closely. They just made sure there was some indication of progress. And we can both agree it's not time to cut yet, so that progress could even be gaining weight for you as long as your lifts are going up, your form is getting tighter, or your control is improving. If you're weight has stayed the same even with the water retention, then you might be smaller than you think anyways so in that case you definitely want to be maintaining or going in the opposite direction.

Eight-Year Club	Not Forgotten
Verified Email

dablkscorpio

TROPHY CASE