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** A MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING **
A long time ago, I'd come to a stalemate with my body: I would exercise, but it would not grow. I just accepted this as the way it was and was at peace with that. I was, simply, destined to forever be skinny.
In the middle of 2018, I met some folks here on FS and tried something new and revolutionary: CICO + heavy lifting.
The truce was broken; I was one again at war with my body... only this time, I began winning!
Now, we all get a splendid gift in our physiological makeup when we begin, referred to as "newbie gains". It's a window of a few months to a year in which the body responds exceptionally to workouts by growing muscle at an accelerated rate.
As I have been working out with L2E lately, I've noticed some things he is doing differently from the way I did that has made him far more successful than I was while taking advantage of this temporary bump:
(1) For guys, beef up your shoulders and arms. You're gonna need them in order to do heavier bench and shoulder presses later. These are two of my weaker lifts now because they are my least developed muscle groups.
(2) For ladies, I'd recommend all varieties of squats and deadlifts as your focus to get the coveted legs and butt. I spent too much time on squats and deadlifts, and although I did gain about 25lbs of muscle in my first year, I refer to them as my "hidden gains".
I say "hidden" because my focus got my lower back and posterior chain strong as heck which corrected my slouching posture from years of desk work - which is great - but nothing really showy saying, "look I'm huge". I just got thicker lol.
Nothing envious, just observing ❤
One more point: I've noticed the folks that start later in life have bodies that respond slowly. If you have kids, teach them to workout while they're in their teens and early 20s to take advantage of the massive amounts of natural growth hormones they have for those years! If they wait until later in life, progress will be dramatically slowed.
Just as I've once again made peace with my body, I'm realizing more and more this process is a very slow one. But, I'm in no rush. I see my weights in the gym increasing regularly. I'm very happy with the progress I've made thus far. My body is still continuing to take shape. I know what needs to be done and will continue to chip away at the iceberg and will eventually get to where I'd like to be.
Just some things I'd have done differently in retrospect, but nothing regrettable. Maybe someone can learn from this 👍🏻
All this to say that I continue to put in the work at the gym and the food at home and my body continues to slowly develop into the form I desire. It takes a long time, so I won't be fooled into thinking otherwise. We have a mutual understanding.
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71.7 kg
Lost so far: 0 kg.
Still to go: 0 kg.
Diet followed: Reasonably Well.
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1801 kcal
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Fat: 26.06g | Prot: 197.37g | Carbs: 201.97g.
Breakfast: Hidden Valley Fat Free Ranch Dressing, Hidden Valley Fat Free Ranch Dressing, Valu Time 1% Low Fat Milk, Egg Beaters Egg Beaters - Southwestern Style, Better'n Eggs Better'n Eggs, Quaker Instant Oatmeal - Strawberries & Cream, Publix Quick Cooking Oats. Elevenses: Coffee (Brewed From Grounds), Nature's Best Isopure Original Creamy Vanilla Whey Protein Isolate. Lunch: Nature's Best Perfect Zero Carb Isopure Whey Protein Isolate - Mango Peach, Ocean Spray Diet Cranberry Spray Juice, Fiber One Oats & Chocolate Chewy Bars, Fiber One Soft Baked Bars Lemon Bar. Dinner: Stubb's Bar-B-Q Sauce Original, Skinless Chicken Breast, Hidden Valley Fat Free Ranch Dressing, Earthbound Farm Organic Baby Spinach, Tillamook Marionberry Pie Ice Cream. Supper: Vitafusion Extra Strength Melatonin Gummies, Vitafusion MultiVites Gummy Vitamins. more...
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2289 kcal
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Exercise:
Resting - 5 hours and 30 minutes, Driving - 1 hour, Sleeping - 7 hours, Sitting - 1 hour, Showering - 15 minutes, Bus Driving - 9 hours, Cooking - 15 minutes. more...
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Losing 3.2 kg a Week
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