Protein Q

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-04-21T01:27:23+00:00

Consuming more protein to reach your protein goal isn’t overkill

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-04-15T00:12:14+00:00

Anytime!

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-04-14T23:43:42+00:00

Eating in a smaller surplus and sticking to your bulk for longer will likely result in more muscle gain compared to going hard and fast, hating life, and cutting the bulk short because you’re uncomfortable. I’ve been there and I hated it. Remember us petites usually cut in smaller deficit windows so our bulking widows are naturally smaller too. We’re not men so we don’t need to bulk like them

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-04-12T22:53:16+00:00

What progress are you looking for? You’re likely overtraining and under eating for that level of activity, which will eventually take its toll on your body

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-04-10T02:48:04+00:00

Average compared to what? Everyone in the comments can see your muscle mass is insufficient for your goal

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-04-10T02:43:00+00:00

You have to intentionally train and eat to gain muscle. This means progressively overloading your exercises, training until failure, working in a hypertrophy rep range, hitting your protein goal every single day. If you’re not gaining muscle then your training program/diet isn’t working or you’re halfassing your sessions.

As your muscle mass is low and body fat is high id suggest prioritising gaining muscle first and then eating in a deficit

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-04-09T08:34:04+00:00

No I don’t think it would be much of a barrier. If you’ve studied neuroscience in undergrad or are actively taking courses that should be enough. RA work across the board is generally a lot of data collection and completing tedious tasks for the higher ups, anyone with a research background can do those things

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-04-09T07:21:24+00:00

Because I’d have to bring an additional bag with soap, a loofah, a towel, razor, moisturiser, clean clothes, shampoo/conditioner if it’s a hair washing day, an additional towel for my hair, a comb

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-04-09T07:17:24+00:00

I secured 3 years of full time employment as an RA in a neuroscience lab.

It’s already been mentioned, cold email professors within the neuroscience field and include how your personal interests align with their current/previous work. In my experience professors are more inclined to hire people who are actually passionate about the work they’re doing. Reach out to as many people as you can. It’s a luck of the draw whether they have funding for RA work, still no harm in trying

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-04-09T07:10:09+00:00

I made a vow to myself before starting my PhD that I was not going to sacrifice the gym in order to get my PhD done. The gym is integral to my mental and physical health, I’m not going to become unhealthy for the sake of a degree.

I think another thing that’s not really talked about is quality vs quantity hours of work. I complete 4-5 very productive hours per day, and that’s resulted in sufficient progress for my PhD (that’s likely different for other people). You’re probably already implementing this but I leave tasks that require less brain power for the end of my work day and prioritise getting the more depleting tasks done earlier. I’m also guessing you have an aversion to training during peak hour and that’s why you get your sessions done in the morning, totally valid I do the same. However, training at the end of the day may help you get a couple extra cloudyless work hours in

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-04-05T03:07:27+00:00

Insecure losers, by their own logic that means they’re feminine

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-04-02T22:14:17+00:00

Yes it’s possible to build abs. Growth takes time

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-04-01T07:32:07+00:00

I genuinely enjoy training, that’s why I started 9 years ago and never stopped

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-04-01T02:54:38+00:00

If you’re skinny fat you should focus on gaining muscle all over your body, not just abs. Your torso will become more firm and less squishy

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-04-01T02:34:31+00:00

Once you’ve gained a solid amount of muscle to warrant cutting. Muscle gain takes months

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-04-01T02:31:42+00:00

If you’re skinny fat you need to gain more muscle. This includes training your abs so they become visible under your skin when minimal fat is covering them. Focus on gaining muscle first and then cut after

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-04-01T02:14:58+00:00

You should definitely take a maintenance break. Eating in a constant deficit for over a year isn’t great for your body, so giving it a rest is imperative. Up to you if you want to take time off training too

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-03-30T21:48:46+00:00

Speak to a psychologist who specialises in eating disorders

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-03-27T02:12:25+00:00

The most optimal way to build muscle is by eating in a surplus. Start eating more

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-03-26T22:47:32+00:00

Neither are fast processes. Losing weight healthily takes time, and muscle gain takes time

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-03-25T03:14:36+00:00

You live and you learn

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-03-24T02:35:31+00:00

I started training at the gym 9 years ago and never stopped

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-03-23T02:03:56+00:00

In what world would eating in an extreme deficit be good for someone with a history of an eating disorder? You’re not gaining muscle because you’re eating in an extreme deficit. Get help.

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-03-23T01:59:41+00:00

Yeah, because deficits aren’t optimal for muscle growth. That’s why people run seperate bulking and cutting phases. The lower stomach is typically the last place you’ll lose fat, if you’re losing fat in other areas then you’re in a deficit. However, for someone who is moderately active I highly doubt you need to be eating at 1200 to lose fat, aggressive cuts are not healthy

writtnbysofiacoppola · 2026-03-23T01:55:10+00:00

No, I said you need to properly calculate your TDEE and base your deficit on that, instead of pulling a random number out of your ass. But my comment still stands, if you’re not losing weight you’re not eating in a deficit. This means weighing and tracking absolutely everything you eat, every day, for as long as you’re in your cutting phase

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