The last ~4 months since the gyms opened up have been great for me. Being told I can't go to the gym made me want to go more than ever, so since the time they reopened I've been extremely consistent.

But I've gained enough in that time that it's time to cut down and shed some fat. I've had a lot of success with keto in the past so that's what I'm going with. (ETA: Not really true keto, my protein will be higher than real-deal keto. But I will be monitoring my blood ketones with a blood glucose/ketone meter).

In the gym today I got 225 on incline barbell bench for 6 reps, then 6 reps on flat dumbell bench with 110's. And they both felt easier than 220/105 did last week. Got caught up on some sleep last night which probably helped. Going to stick with a 6 rep scheme but reduce volume somewhat to try to continue to increase strength through this cut.

Weighed in this morning at 227.4lbs. Going to cut down to 200 and re-evaluate what I want to do at that time, depending on how I'm looking / feeling / how my strength is doing.

I plan to keep this thread updated with body weight and strength progress. This picture is from a week or two ago for reference.

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ETA: I'm 5'11", mid 30s.

Day 01 - 09.07.2020 - 227.4
Day 02 - 09.08.2020 - 225.0 (-2.4)
Day 03 - 09.09.2020 - 225.0 (-2.4)
Day 04 - 09.10.2020 - 223.8 (-3.6)
Day 05 - 09.11.2020 - 222.6 (-4.8)
Day 06 - 09.12.2020 - 220.6 (-6.8)
Day 07 - 09.13.2020 - 222.4 (-5.0)
Day 08 - 09.14.2020 - 224.8 (-2.6)
Day 09 - 09.15.2020 - 222.2 (-5.2)
Day 10 - 09.16.2020 - 222.6 (-4.8)
Day 11 - 09.17.2020 - 221.2 (-6.2)
Day 12 - 09.18.2020 - 220.4 (-7.0)
Day 13 - 09.19.2020 - 219.8 (-7.6)
Day 16 - 09.22.2020 - 223.2 (-4.2)

Hell yea!

Need pictures with shirt off. Full homo!

In all seriousness, I quit going last October because soccer was 6x per week. I was about to start back up mid Feb and then covid came in and they closed the gyms down.

I have noticed not only has the physical ability been very lacking, my mental health started to decline. I am normally just a slightly pissy person and not going to the gym made me pissed off even more. This past two weeks have made a world of difference and I feel human again.

I started back with 531 and started much lower and conservative. Very hard not to throw three plates on each side and get after it. I know I can do it but I will pay for it dearly 3 days later!

Keep pushing brother!

Shirtless pictures will come when I'm less fat lol.

I also started out 25-50% lower than where I've been before and have progressed at minimum increments (5-10lbs) weekly. I have a couple of old injuries I really didn't want to re-acquire so even when I really knew I had more left in me, I'd hang it up for the day when I had finished the workout. Give all the auxiliary stuff time to catch up to the primary stuff. I'm sticking to my programming exactly and it has paid off.

I'm glad I went this route because I'm as strong as I've ever been, avoided injury, and my joints feel as good as they ever have. I feel better than I have since my mid 20s.

I started carnivore and holy shit was it fantastic for my joints. Dislocated shoulder for 7 months took me from benching 378x3 to the bar in a days time. It actually felt normal with that diet and so did my knees which have had both been cut up on.

Then the great meat/ammo/gun shortage of 2020 happened and went back to eating like shit again.

225.0 today, down 2.4lbs.

I peed 87 times yesterday, dropping that water.



Yeah thankfully meat is somewhat back to normal. I had a good stock of ground beef and venison in the deep freeze, but I don't like freezing good steaks so I ran out of those pretty quick.

Day 4, down 3.6lbs to 223.8.

Felt a little lethargic yesterday on leg day. My strength was still there, I just wasn't as "peppy" as usual.

Today was shoulder day and my energy was much better. Got a PR on seated overhead barbell press, strict, and coming all the way down to the chest, of 185 for 6 reps. So that was cool.

Muscles have definitely flattened out. That's the worst part about keto to me - the pump sucks compared to a carbed up pump lol.

Ketone measurement post workout / post protein shake. I have some but not in nutritional ketosis yet. I bet I will be tomorrow or Saturday.

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Great job man. Keep it up!

Day 6, 220.6lbs (-6.8).

Had a few fingers of bourbon last night (McKenna 10 year BiB) which may have dehydrated me somewhat. Benefit (?) of low carb is it doesn't take much to get a little buzz.

I have no illusions that most of my weight drop so far is water / glycogen

I expect my weight to level out this week. Especially since I am fully planning to go HAM on some gumbo tomorrow (special occasion).

Feeling good this morning though and ready to hit the gym.

My diet so far has consisted mostly of:
- Bacon
- Eggs
- 50/50 beef/pork meatballs
- Chicken wings
- Steak
- Ground beef
- Cheese
- Salami
- Chicharrones
- Smoked pork butt
- Protein shakes

ETA: Great workout today. This proves my theory that bourbon has magical recovery properties.

No broccoli, cauliflower, beans, or asparagus ?

When I was going from keto to carnivore, I learned that those gas me terrible bloat and water retention.

Went full carnivore and cut out dairy and it all but went away.

Downside is flat muscles, no pump, no long endurance abilities.

I didn't last long enough in carnivore to get past those side effects because the cost of beef went so high which was my main source or fats.

222.4 today.

Meant to take this right when I woke up. Didn't think of it until ~30min after I had a protein shake. Oh well, ketosis achieved.

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Sometimes broccoli and asparagus. Not much though.

Last night I had a reverse seared 2" prime ribeye, seasoned with salt & fresh ground pepper, seared in organic clarified butter, and topped with Kerrygold grassfed butter. Butter is a vegetable right?

I'd WAG that 70% of my colories comes from meats and low/no carb cheeses, 25% comes from protein shakes, and the rest comes from miscellaneous shit like vegetables when I'm in the mood.

I don't avoid vegetables, I'm usually just focused on the main course. Vegetables to me are primarily useful as a fat delivery system (coated in butter, or cheese, or oil, or whatever).

224.8 today.

Yesterday's gumbo (and garlic bread) definitely pushed my weight up (water retention).

But, the gumbo fueled workout I just had was great. I feel like my shirt was hanging slightly looser and I had slightly more vascularity in my arms.

Back to the diet as of last night.

Have you had any luck with the carb cycling? I'll go several days without carbs and then one meal will be a carb fest. I feel like I could lift the world and veins in my arms, legs, shoulders all start popping out.

I guess in practice I am doing a form of carb cycling. I will generally have a carb up or refeed day once every week or two.

Day 11, 221.2 (-6.2) today, feeling good. Feels like I've fully adjusted to the lack of carbs.

Feeling stronger and more energetic than I did at the start. Still look flat though and no pump is minorly annoying.

Got 6 at 190 on OHP today and it felt easier than 185 last week.

I really want to get to 225 on OHP! Taking it slow though.

Day 12, down 7# to 220.4.

Vascularity is looking slightly better in my arms. In the pic I feel like I look fatter and smaller than in the day 1 pic lol. No carbs = flat muscles

But my clothes are starting to fit a little better.

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Day 16

223.2 oof

Got a little off track over the weekend.

Back on track now with no distractions on the calendar for a couple of weeks.

You still going?

Ha, nope.

I have abandoned working on getting lean and decided to take up 5/3/1.

The numbers/vids posted in the 5/3/1 thread got me thinking I am not nearly stronk enough.

I've charted out the lifts for 1 year, we'll see how far I get before I plateau.

Plus I like carbs.

When I do decide to lean out I may try something that doesn't totally eliminate carbs. I've done keto successfully before, but with young kids and a skinny wife that gets away with eating carbs and this weird thing called "portion control" it's tough.

Weighed in today at 224.0 so I haven't really gained weight yet, but my lifts / calculated 1RMs started going up immediately with increased calories & protein. Just going to try to keep myself under 235lbs.

I have a little bit of a gut but my chest is still the first thing to enter the room and my arms are veiny so I'm lean enough for the coming winter months

I follow a very lazy/dirty keto, not for weight loss, but general health and overall feelings of mental wellness. I am a runner and have a hard time getting into anything other than that exercise wise, but starting on weights to help build muscle. Good luck on your journey!

What's amazing is I went almost 3 weeks with less than 20g/d.

I go on vacation and I eat one meal that contains carbs and it's a shit show of bloating and feeling like crap.