Andrewgen_Receptor's Training/Nutrition Log

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

But 18 months continuously in a deficit?

Yes. incoming information that's not really backed by science... take with a spoonful of salt.

My maintenance cals were about 3200 when I weighed 235 some 18 months ago (and was probably 30%+ BF). I started dieting down at 2000-2500cals over the next year and a half. Calories have consistently been sub-2500 for 6ish months although weight loss has stalled. Mirror shows progress, scale does not... So what do you do? I lowered calories further to 2000-2200 and the scale still does not move.

Did my maintenance calories drop by over 1200cals daily because I dropped 25lbs? I'm quite sure pictures show a noticeable difference where I've got more muscle now despite having been in a deficit. So would 25lbs less fat and an unmeasured increase in muscle mass account for a 1200 calorie difference in maintenance calories? (asking earnestly)

So where do I go from here? The answer, to me, is to go deeper, but start incorporating diet breaks all the way back up to maintenance cals for 2-3 days for leptin response (Layne Norton's idea, not mine). I know every fatass out there says "but I'll mess up my metabolism" but I think this might actually be true for me.

Sorry, ranting/explaining. This shit is frustrating.

Weight loss trend (only goes back 12 months, but I started in Nov '21 at 229-235lbs):

Started TRT at red arrow, saw scale climbing while running a MetCon program (Coach Thibbs, T Nation) and was seeing recomposition, so I stopped tracking for a period. I assume this was estrogen/water retention from TRT as my diet was unchanged 225-250g protein, 150g carbs, 50g fats

Blue arrow is when I officially hit sub-210lbs. Weekly average for the last 2 months has been about 210lbs while following the same macros.

Green arrow is when I started adding cardio, slight trend downwards, but avg weekly weight is still about 208lbs after nearly 3 weeks.

 

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

How many times during that 18 months did you start and then not continue with an approach?

A few. I had to adjust course occasionally as I learned better, more sustainable ways for me to diet.

This has been a really long road for me with a LOT of learning I had to do along the way. I'm aware that the next step is lowering calories further and hitting weekly cardio goals. 3hrs sounds like a good round number (literally pulled this number out of my ass) to start with, and 500cals less I think is sustainable - looking at the meal plan I've got set up.

 

[BigBaldBeardGuy]

Yes. incoming information that's not really backed by science... take with a spoonful of salt.

My maintenance cals were about 3200 when I weighed 235 some 18 months ago (and was probably 30%+ BF). I started dieting down at 2000-2500cals over the next year and a half. Calories have consistently been sub-2500 for 6ish months although weight loss has stalled. Mirror shows progress, scale does not... So what do you do? I lowered calories further to 2000-2200 and the scale still does not move.

Did my maintenance calories drop by over 1200cals daily because I dropped 25lbs? I'm quite sure pictures show a noticeable difference where I've got more muscle now despite having been in a deficit. So would 25lbs less fat and an unmeasured increase in muscle mass account for a 1200 calorie difference in maintenance calories? (asking earnestly)

So where do I go from here? The answer, to me, is to go deeper, but start incorporating diet breaks all the way back up to maintenance cals for 2-3 days for leptin response (Layne Norton's idea, not mine). I know every fatass out there says "but I'll mess up my metabolism" but I think this might actually be true for me.

Sorry, ranting/explaining. This shit is frustrating.

Weight loss trend (only goes back 12 months, but I started in Nov '21 at 229-235lbs):
View attachment 38178
Started TRT at red arrow, saw scale climbing while running a MetCon program (Coach Thibbs, T Nation) and was seeing recomposition, so I stopped tracking for a period. I assume this was estrogen/water retention from TRT as my diet was unchanged 225-250g protein, 150g carbs, 50g fats

Blue arrow is when I officially hit sub-210lbs. Weekly average for the last 2 months has been about 210lbs while following the same macros.

Green arrow is when I started adding cardio, slight trend downwards, but avg weekly weight is still about 208lbs after nearly 3 weeks.

I'll start by stating the obvious shit.

So this entire 18 month period is what people refer to as a "recomp". You're in a deficit the entire time, but your lifts are continuing upwards. Muscle seemingly built from nothing. This is possible to do because as you stated, you started at 235 lbs and est 30% BF, your body used the fat that was stored as fuel and energy and you consumed enough protein. Nice job.

Flash forward ahead to today. Your BF% is down. That means you have less stored fuel and energy to continue accruing muscle optimally. I'd say at this point, you shift your focus to "cut" in the traditional meaning of the word. During a recomp your expectations are essentially "get bigger and get smaller" at the same time. Now focus on just losing fat.

Then the plan:
Keep your weight training exactly where it is this week. Those numbers are what you would like to maintain. Less stress on the body for muscle growth. Keep your diet the same (anywhere between 1700 and 2200 calories as you have). The thing you want to change is the amount of cardio. Make that the focus. Force your body to burn the remaining fat. But cardio sucks. Get off the treadmill. Do hikes, run outside, pickup basketball, fucking pickleball seems to be popular and evergrowing (I like to promote pickleball whenever possible), whatever you feel like doing. But raise your activity level and for the next few weeks don't let this whole thing consume you. I swear to fuck, no more charts! Lol.

 

[Jenn_is_Jenning]

Hey buddy, I honestly think once you're done school and are able to get more sleep most nights, the fat will melt off MUCH easier for you. Just my .02 cents anyway.

 

[RowdyBrad]

Yes. incoming information that's not really backed by science... take with a spoonful of salt.

My maintenance cals were about 3200 when I weighed 235 some 18 months ago (and was probably 30%+ BF). I started dieting down at 2000-2500cals over the next year and a half. Calories have consistently been sub-2500 for 6ish months although weight loss has stalled. Mirror shows progress, scale does not... So what do you do? I lowered calories further to 2000-2200 and the scale still does not move.

Did my maintenance calories drop by over 1200cals daily because I dropped 25lbs? I'm quite sure pictures show a noticeable difference where I've got more muscle now despite having been in a deficit. So would 25lbs less fat and an unmeasured increase in muscle mass account for a 1200 calorie difference in maintenance calories? (asking earnestly)

So where do I go from here? The answer, to me, is to go deeper, but start incorporating diet breaks all the way back up to maintenance cals for 2-3 days for leptin response (Layne Norton's idea, not mine). I know every fatass out there says "but I'll mess up my metabolism" but I think this might actually be true for me.

Sorry, ranting/explaining. This shit is frustrating.

Weight loss trend (only goes back 12 months, but I started in Nov '21 at 229-235lbs):
View attachment 38178
Started TRT at red arrow, saw scale climbing while running a MetCon program (Coach Thibbs, T Nation) and was seeing recomposition, so I stopped tracking for a period. I assume this was estrogen/water retention from TRT as my diet was unchanged 225-250g protein, 150g carbs, 50g fats

Blue arrow is when I officially hit sub-210lbs. Weekly average for the last 2 months has been about 210lbs while following the same macros.

Green arrow is when I started adding cardio, slight trend downwards, but avg weekly weight is still about 208lbs after nearly 3 weeks.

I started just over 6 months ago at 280 and got down to 213-215. Even though I got down to just 1500 calories, I was staying the same weight. My weights were not improving and my appetite was surging (I hadn't had a cheat meal or junk food in 6 months) which all told me it was time to go in to a slight surplus for a few weeks.

In a few more weeks, I will start the deficit again and hopefully hit 10% or so at around 210 pounds. I would prefer to cap a diet deficit at about 12 weeks and manintain, then cut more. Not much more frustrating than eating a fraction of the calories, staying 100% on diet and still not seeing weight drop lol.

I am following your progress, keep doing so well. Also interested in the semaglutide usage. Interesting.

 

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

interested in the semaglutide usage

it's primary benefit is hunger reduction. Sure, theres some stuff about insulin sensitivity and whatnot but that stuff takes a backseat to the hunger suppression.

I'm aware this is a bandaid and will not help the root cause of me being a former fatass, but I'm very certain I can manage maintenance calories without hunger suppression aids.

After some reflection, I don't think the diet breaks make sense to do for me. Too much conflicting information for me to rely on something I KNOW will take me out of a deficit.

Thanks for sharing your experience and following along here.

 

[BrotherIron]

I don't know. Personally, I'm a fan of rotations with 2 high days a week. I prefer to add cardio/ conditioning in place of cutting Kcal. I only cut Kcal when nothing else is working. I also believe to start with small changes to give me room to make adjustments as I need.

 

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

4/20/23 - Jordan Peters PPLA Arms 1​

Food (yesterday)
Cal: 1445
P: 230g
C: 56g
F: 26g

• Reverse Grip Forearm Curls sucked, need to drop weight.
• Equipment order should be coming in anyways, hoping knee sleeves show up before legs tomorrow.

FYI to all the contributions here, I'll be bumping carbs a tad on leg days to help with recovery/performance. Avg daily will be 50-60g but leg days will be 100-120g.

 

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

4/21/23 - Jordan Peters PPLA Legs 1​

Food (yesterday)
Cal: 1773
P: 241g
C: 73g
F: 53g
^fats got a little out of hand yesterday.

• Hack Squats are out. Tried it with knee sleeves and my left knee still isn’t having it. Smith squats as an alternative for heavy Quad Compound? Maybe front squats? Will figure something out.
• Struggled this whole session. Could be sleep or nutrition, either way - I made it through and increased weights/reps.

 

[Reader591]

take with a spoonful of salt.

Speaking of that….. do you take in extra sodium and other electoytes when doing any low carb? For sure it helps. You still have an adjustment period for sure, but it helps me personally quite a lot when I go low carb.especially when eating Whole Foods cooked by you, your sodium intake comes quite low. So that plus some potassium, magnesium may help. Just a thought if you decide to continue, or maybe even use it just a few days a week.

I also agree that stress level seems to slow fat loss. No I don’t have studies to back it, but when I try too hard to force anything, I end up not sticking to anything for long, change plans, stress to much about it. So I think the biggest thing is picking something you can’t stick to. But even so, stress seems to slow my progress no matter what.

Also you’re a big enough dude but lean enough that I feel recomp may be very hard to accomplish and would also agree it’s time to just cut. Fat, or untrained people get away with it. I understand this is your first cycle, and I don’t think recomp is 100% goal right now, but reading between the lines I think you still want it.

I have no cycle experience yet, so can’t speak on it. But my guess is sure you’re a good potential candidate for recomp on it for now, but I almost feel like calories are too low for any chance and time would be better spent just trying to shed the last bit of fat you want off then going into a reasonable bulk.

Again just my quick thoughts while pooping. Not very thought out. This was my only chance to get on here today and I wanted to see your progress haha!

 

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

4/23/23 - Jordan Peters PPLA Push 2​

4/21/23 food
Cal: 1920
P: 255g
C: 151g
F: 29g

4/22/23 food
Cal: 1789
P: 293g
C: 57g
F: 35g

• Lowered weights on Bench and OHP, slowed rep tempo to a true 3s negative. Wider grip on both.

20min HIIT session (shortest rest periods I could manage):

Snatch Grip High Row
10x135lb
10x135lb
10x135lb

Farmer’s Carry
80yd x 90lb
80yd x 90lb
80yd x 90lb

Sled Push
160yd x 190lb
160yd x 190lb
160yd x 190lb

+20min cardio

 

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

4/24/23 - Cardio​

Food (yesterday)
Cal: 1902
P: 159g
C: 218g
F: 48g
^This was supposed to be 3k cal for diet break day… hard miss lol.

Toes to Bar
x8
x8

15min Treadmill
15min Stationary Bike
15min Treadmill
15min Stationary Bike

 

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

Week in Review​

Cardio/Weight Log (in minutes)

date	weights	cardio	HIIT	Weight Avg	Changes
week 1	193	182	20	209lb	1700cal daily goal, 3hrs cardio weekly, 4x weight training. Hold.

Sleep


Nutrition
Cal Avg: 1764
P Avg: 251g
C Avg: 93g
F Avg: 38g

 

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

Was supposed to train yesterday but was feeling really out of it. Sleep was shit the night before, decided a rest and refeed day was needed. Was just a well because the new gym toy showed up. Will post up when i have it situated. Macros tracked, just not posting.
Felt much better today, so enough of the touchy-feely garbage.

4/26/23 - Jordan Peters PPLA Pull 2​

• I think i cheese dicked rest pause set 2 on DB Rows. Either way, i officially need a gym with heavier dumbbells.

Probably skipping leg day this week. My knees are fucking pissed at me for those Hack Squats. This isn’t a ‘lazy skip day’ but an ‘injury prevention’ skip. Will have to workshop my hack squat or get rid of it altogether when knees feel less compromised.

 

[Diesel59]

Come to Gold's Gym, I'll let you in for free.

 

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

Come to Gold's Gym, I'll let you in for free.

Nearest gold's to me is like 2 hours away and I'm in Cali... BUT if you want to open a franchise near me, I'll be your first membership - and the first homeless person living in the locker rooms.

So I have a lot to offer here

 

[Diesel59]

Nearest gold's to me is like 2 hours away and I'm in Cali... BUT if you want to open a franchise near me, I'll be your first membership - and the first homeless person living in the locker rooms.

So I have a lot to offer here

I'll take homeless guy living in the locker rooms over crazy guy who takes shits on the floor any day.

You're doing great with those 110s. I don't see too many guys doing rows with dumbbells that heavy.

 

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

I'll take homeless guy living in the locker rooms over crazy guy who takes shits on the floor any day.

I should probably clarify:


























I'll do both.

 

[Send0]

I'll take homeless guy living in the locker rooms over crazy guy who takes shits on the floor any day.

Dude... I already said my bad and apologized for that. How was I supposed to know that's frowned upon. You don't have any signs up saying it's not allowed... Geez!

 

[Yano]

Dude... I already said my bad and apologized for that. How was I supposed to know that's frowned upon. You don't have any signs up saying it's not allowed... Geez!