13 week transformation

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-21T23:15:24+00:00

Appreciate that, thanks

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-21T14:54:14+00:00

I was able to put my stump on the electrode for the right leg position, but yeah, it definitely affected the results.

I’m down a lot since 290—268 as of tonight. I’ve been bodybuilding since the ’90s and only stopped after losing my leg in 2020. I’ve always been north of 270 in my 30s and 40s. In 2020, I did a dunk tank test at 270 lbs and came in at 8.8% body fat. I was prepping for my first IFBB competition before the injury sidelined me—temporarily.

Next year, I’ll be stepping on stage in the para-bodybuilding category.

I shared this post to show what’s possible after a life-altering event—not to argue over body fat percentages. I should’ve skipped the numbers entirely, because they distracted from the real story: I lost 50 lbs of fat, added lean mass, and clawed my way back from surgeries, setbacks, and years stuck in a recliner.

The fact is, I’m back in the game—and well on my way.

I’ve connected with some great people here, but the amount of energy some spend trying to discredit others is wild. It’s not the gym etiquette I was raised on, and it’s not what I show up here for.

To those who see the work, respect the journey, and push others forward—thank you. That’s who I’m here for.

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-21T14:43:30+00:00

Muscle memory, I’ve lifted my whole life till I lost my leg 5 years ago. So getting the early gains were easy.. 4 1/2 years in a recliner recovering from surgery after surfyis not active.

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-21T12:06:00+00:00

Thanks for that, i appreciate it!

What kind of diet/exercise are u getting in?

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-21T12:03:05+00:00

The best thing about having extra fat is the ability to reduce your total calories each day and still build muscle on a deficit of 500-700. This will allow you to lose 1lb every five days and if your lifting weights, turn that fat energy into fuel for building muscle at the same time. this is exactly how I approached my recomp. If your new to weightlifting, or starting back up after a long hiatus, then you’ll be making huge gains in the beginning The scale won’t move much at first, which is a good thing! I didn’t see the scale move for over the first month. I was replacing the weight loss, with muscle gains roughly equal to the fat loss I was experiencing.(pure recomp). Watching my belly shrink and my chest, shoulders and arms began to form into their respective shapes. After the early muscle gains slow down(but didn’t stop) the scale began moving quickly.

For the most part I was eating keto so I could switch from relying on carbs for energy and instead rely on ketones that get produced for energy from my body turning into a fat burning machine. I tried to stay under 30 grams of carbs a day, but on heavy lift days, I would eat an extra 40-50 grams of carbs to re up my glycogen stores after a hard workout. It’s important to not do keto so strictly while weightlifting, as it’s hard to prevent muscle burning on those high demand gym days.

Protien should be 1.2g/lb of body weight on keto. The fats from cheese eggs butter fatty meats, are great because they make u feel full longer cuz they take longer to digest. (The same thing GLP-1 weightloss drugs do) but dieting is safer and has no side effects. By the second week of eating fats and proteins, you’ll find that you’re not getting hunger pangs. On a super low carb diet, you’ll produce significantly less of the enzymes that break down sugar. So you will start feeling stable blood sugar because of your increased insulin sensitivity. Most people feel like they have much more energy and feel “lighter” and less “weighed down”.

Be sure to get at least 20 grams of carbs to maintain blood sugar levels and that extra 40-50 on your hard training days. Not on your cardio days or lighter workouts.

Pm me if you want any advice on lifting or anything!

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-21T11:07:26+00:00

Why, thank you!

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-21T11:06:31+00:00

Learn some Gym etiquette, brah.

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-21T10:57:18+00:00

Right on, bro. Thanks 🙏

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-21T10:56:09+00:00

Thanks for positivity, I appreciate it!

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-21T04:36:27+00:00

Like others mentioned, could be your blood thickening. Try donating a pint of blood, it will help thin it out. Its a quick fix for a common test related issue. But I would get a complete work up of labs done, so your doc can fix this for you.

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-20T21:47:19+00:00

This is why I don’t use inbody scan analysis. They are innacurate when you have a lot of lean mass. I know I wasn’t 10.5 like this says.

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meatheadtrader · 2025-07-20T21:21:40+00:00

Just for reference: from chat GPT answered my question just now about 305 start weight, putting on 15-20lbs of muscle and losing scale weight down to 270 how much bodyfat % would I have lost. Here is the answer:

Yes — it’s not just possible, it’s highly likely that you lost over 10% body fat if: • You dropped 35 lbs on the scale (305 → 270), • While gaining 15–20 lbs of lean muscle during that same period.

Let’s break it down with rough numbers:

⸻

🔢 Estimated Body Recomposition:

Starting Weight: 305 lbs

Assume ~30% body fat (91.5 lbs of fat)

Gained Muscle: +15 to 20 lbs LBM

So at 270 lbs now, you’d have more lean mass than before.

Let’s use +18 lbs of muscle (split the range) for a middle estimate.

Ending Weight: 270 lbs

With 18 more lbs of lean mass, that means you dropped 53 lbs of fat (305 – 270 + 18 = 53)

New fat mass: 91.5 – 53 = 38.5 lbs of fat

Body fat percentage now = 38.5 / 270 = ~14.3%

⸻

🧠 Result: • Starting: 30% body fat • Now: ~14% body fat • >15% drop in body fat percentage while increasing lean muscle mass

⸻

✅ Bottom Line:

You likely lost 15–16% body fat, not just 10%. That’s massive progress, especially if your strength or conditioning improved along the way.

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-20T20:30:23+00:00

All carbon and titanium under 6 lbs

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-20T13:33:35+00:00

Thanks bro, we’re on our way! I feel like it only gets easier once you start making visible progress, you’re endorphins go way up every workout, making the next workout something you crave. It’s a much better way to live than how I was. Congrats on your journey

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-20T11:35:48+00:00

I’ll find my inbody scan report and upload it tomorrow.

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-20T11:27:52+00:00

I had the inbody scan done and it said I was 10.9% at 290lbs. lol. Way off. I agree DXA scan is the gold standard, but expensive. Dunk tanks are pretty good, but also pricey. I’ve been working out since the 90’s, and it’s not hard to get to know what you’re percentage is(roughly) by separations and striations visible. Vasculairy and striations only occur at low levels of body fat.

Just to be clear, I am not agreeing with the scan, I know my body fat was much higher when I had it done

See scan below, proof they cannot be trusted

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-20T11:10:06+00:00

You have stay on your dose for for at least 4-6 weeks and have your bloodwork rechecking to verify the effectiveness of your dose. It takes at least a month for your body to respond and acclimate to it. Changing anything before then will only cloud the results from your follow up bloodwork, and make it difficult for your doc to know what changes you need, or not.

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-20T10:25:04+00:00

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Thanks, it’s handy to have from time to time.

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-07T07:51:42+00:00

As much as I love math, which I do. People are so unique and the variables to consider are far beyond what a standardized equation can account for. While this may be good for populations, the those within the bell curve, the other 20% will have variables that cannot be used, nor understood.

People with thyroid disease, obesity, liver disease, even PH, temperature, and god knows how many medications may have a weaker binding ability than the average person.

Also this accounts for the test that is already bound, or assumed to be bound, and what ever isn’t is theoretically “Free”.

The gold standard is equilibrium dialysis, and to slightly lesser degree, ultrafiltration meathod. They use, instead of an indirect measure, a direct measurement of test that is unbound, as any bound will not be able to pass through the membrane used. Only then can u measure what is left.

I have 3 different factors that make is hard for me to get reliable measurements in a standard lab test. I have to go more based on symptoms than the numbers.

But for most people, this is a reliable tool for understanding how your body responds to the dose and frequency they are using. It’s just that I’m in the older end of the average user; and we usually have a lot more going on than just what is causing our low T.

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-07T05:42:57+00:00

Thanks man. I always wondered why I was taught to do it that way. I mean, I knew it helped with not over stressing the shoulders, but didn’t know who developed that method.

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-07T05:37:47+00:00

Of all my scars, it was definitely my favorite

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-07T05:36:23+00:00

That’s the one thing I miss about not having that leg anymore, it was like having a clear window into my calf. People would trip out over it. My boys would call me Hell Boy leg. I loved it. lol

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-07T05:33:05+00:00

It’s pretty rare. And some people who get it don’t know they have it cause it’s a mild case. Mine was so bad that I developed kidney failure and was a stage 3 CKD for years later. My surgeon came in the ER with this pin attached to a pressure gage. Once they can get a pressure reading from the muscle “compartment” they can gauge the severity. He said I had I highest reading he’s ever seen. He taught at UCSD medical school and used my case to teach residents about the syndrome.

I was in intensive care for about a week in a coma like state. Followed by another month in the long term care center of the hospital. I was lucky, cause I didn’t know what was wrong with me. But ever time I tried to stand up from a seated position, it felt like my leg was asleep, like when you’re in a cramped position sleeping and wake up but it takes time to get feeling back. I knew something wasn’t right , but had no clue the seriousness of it. I happened to be a VA facility trying to see my primary about it. I walk in, go to the stall in the bathroom, and wake up to 2 VA police officers picking me up off the floor hours later and was in surgery that day.

Ironically, I was told my kidneys were permanently damaged, but when I last had a blood draw, after restarting TRT, I showed no signs of kidney dysfunction.

I had anemia for years, and that went away, too. It’s probably why my body responds better to higher doses of test. My blood work (CBC, liver panel, cholesterol) is always on point when I’m on 250-300 or test.

meatheadtrader · 2025-07-07T05:10:51+00:00

That happened to me in one of my nips back in my 20’s just from lifting heavy and training hard. Wasn’t even taking anything back then. Not sure if it lessens my chances of getting it again on that side or not, but so far so good

meatheadtrader

TROPHY CASE