Approved Log Beginner Retatrutide Cut Journal

[2G2B]

Context:
2016 slipped 3 discs in my lower back with nerve impingement, was treated sub optimally and sent back out into the world with no follow up or training advice.
2023 Discs went again, impinging nerve again, absolutely crippled and bedridden and struggled to get effective help from professionals, lost my mind and spiralled and (based on follow up MRIs) had a muscle fat replacement loss of up to 30% comboed with body weight ballooning up to 120kg.
This time I was in a position to seek out my own treatment and follow up training, I am still very limited by the impingement but its stable enough for me to maintain my current routine and experiment with new movements.
Lost my job, lost my mind, lost my body and I just have to work to get it all back and beyond.

Feb 26 2025 my weigh in was 120 kg beginning my first ever cutting phase.
Jul 1 2025 my weigh in was 99.6 kg concluding my first ever cutting phase.

Stats:
Age: 28

Height: 183cm

Starting Weight: 98 kg (08/09/2025 after morning cardio)

Training History: Limited, first time locking in long term and taking it seriously, including basic rehab work closing in on 2 years of consistency.

Cycle History: Early on jumped on Ostarine oral 10mg a day and Cardarine oral 15mg day for 7 weeks (Been a while but I think these were the numbers) to help get through the initial slog of picking up cardio.

Goals:
I don't really have specifics for this, I just got to the point where I was sick of how I looked and the toll it was taking on my life.
I'd love to use this as a pre-cycle (test e) cut and drop as much bf as I can to reduce risk of aromatizing.
Really just want to stop taking my body for granted and see what it's capable of if I give it my all.
Goal of reta is just to reduce the damn food noise, I wouldn't say I'm hungry but the voices man.

Training:
Oh boy, I'm not sure how well my split will go down but you'll see the pattern as I start to log daily workouts.
For my rehab work I work with a exercise physiologist once a week but otherwise pull my routine every single day with no rest days.

Morning: fasted 60 minutes cycling aiming to stay in zone 2 but heart rate often builds to mid 140s from exhaustion.
Night: 20 minutes cycling locked in zone 2 for warm up, followed up by 6 weight training movements typically taking 120 minutes.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my rehab work and the limitations of my exersise choices at this stage still with every workout update.*

Diet:
From the first portion of the year cut I was just rocking an estimated 750kcal deficit.
This cut I decided to see if I could increase this, regardless of daily expenditure I'm trying to lock down 2,000 kcal a day attempting to focus on protein.
If I find myself getting fatigued or any negative consequences of this I'm happy to increase in increments.
I am very aware my nutrition is jacked but this is vast vast vast progress compared to where I started and I will dial it in more and more following advice.
I also have not yet got back into meal prep for the start of this cut yet but I should this week at some point.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my dietary choices and limitations on budget and personal restrictions with every daily meal update.*

Supplements:
I am not running a supplement cycle outside of doing a loading phase of creatine at the moment.
I thought it best to list what I have on hand and let the pros at it if they're so inclined.
I can answer why I have some of these but the rest are unfounded.
(I was meant to stock up on a general multi-vit but seem to have forgotten)

Nutra-Life Digestive Enzymes 120 Capsules
Healthy Way Scrumptious Psyllium Husk 500g
Blackmores Probiotics+ Immune Defence 90 Capsules
Vitamin K2 MK7 Softgels 365 softgels (100mcg)
Vitamin D3 Softgels 500 Softgels (5000IU)
Bulk Nutrients ZMA Complex Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Potency Plus Capsules
Bulk Nutrients 5-HTP Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Ashwagandha Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Magnesium Glycinate Capsules
Blackmores Fish Oil 1000 Capsules

I do also have Slin Pills unopened from a promotion, I'm unsure if they're beneficial for me at this stage.

Cycle:
Being a reta log it'd be a shame for me to forget reta
Starting on a daily 1mg/week as advised in my previous thread. I have seen a lot of logs recently implementing a daily protocol but this will be my first ever substance pinning and am more comfortable starting out with weekly and modifying this as I become more comfortable with the process/idea.
(This has not started yet but I will post when it does, likely next week at this stage because I like timing to feel right?)

Starting Questions:
When logging dumbbells vs machine do I log combined dumbbell weight or just specify dumbbell weight once and it's assume that's per side?

Attached Photos:
Single photo from Feb 26 2025 showing starting body side on.
Rest of photos are from Sep 7 2025 showing current body comp.
(included a side on with and without core engaged because I'm not sure how this is typically standardized)
(I think I messed up the back photo and scrunched instead of pulling forward?)
(yes the dawgs are out)
*
The disclaimers are not a coverall for me to ignore any advice provided, I greatly value any input into my training, diet and lifestyle and everything will be logged mentally and utilized.
Just given my situation there might have to be gradual shifts towards these changes, I'll attempt to keep updated notes about things i'm working towards changing.

First round of food and training to come at nights conclusion, nervous and excited.

 

[vanlife_gymbum]

Context:


Lost my job, lost my mind, lost my body and I just have to work to get it all back and beyond.

Same as me bro! Execpt mine was due to drugs and alcohol but same outcome. I detoxed at a hospital two years ago but have only started training and diet seriously in the past 6 months

Training History: Limited, first time locking in long term and taking it seriously

Same as me.

Goals:
I don't really have specifics for this, I just got to the point where I was sick of how I looked and the toll it was taking on my life.

Same as me. I also have a gut and bitch tits. I have goals now and shaped them message by message as I got feedback from the Forum as I started logging

Training:

Oh boy, I'm not sure how well my split will go down but you'll see the pattern as I start to log daily workouts.

Yeah man that's what it's all about! You'll modify your training based on feedback and advice. There's all sorts of different experienced people and others doing similar stuff to you here. You'll be amazed.

Listen to these podcast episodes about logging to get a better idea of the scope and power of logging and interviews with Loggers @Noah Wixx and @BeMe

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https://open.spotify.com/episode/3G6hOUpv4c7MPs2gPYwZkv?si=21h2dYurQDeTUfbxtEAm_Q
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2eKriC8LY4ZzViz1kBlDKg?si=dHR84B2YQqyhscgt0PS8BA
https://open.spotify.com/episode/38wvoD0QYdpnxaSjYfjihd?si=XPQ-SXjQRDGF4zzmEksptA
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3QBXNhcN2lm4hg6ARERgVQ?si=x_gMDC7QQOC1Gs0DaV3FrA

Morning: fasted 60 minutes cycling aiming to stay in zone 2 but heart rate often builds to mid 140s from exhaustion.
Night: 20 minutes cycling locked in zone 2 for warm up, followed up by 6 weight training movements typically taking 120 minutes.

Badass man! I'm all about the cardio and spring just started in New Zealand where I live and I'm gonna ride my skateboard and go to a rink to use my roller skates and thinking about getting a surf board by summer coz the beach suburb where I live has chicks travelling to it to surf every morning.

Even now when it's still cold as fuck in the morning it's stocked with chicks in wet suits going to surf. The other local chicks are split between the crossfit boxes, yoga studios, knock off cross fit gyms, and the atcual gym, or just loose running around the streets or walking their dogs.

Being an atcual member of society and going outside or even being awake in the morning wasn't really available to me up until recently. Definatly no shot at talking to woman at seven in the morning.

I also have not yet got back into meal prep for the start of this cut yet but I should this week at some point.

Good plan. All you gotta do is meal prep then stick to the plan and log as you go. From Day 1 of logging you're on The Path, and it's just a matter of staying the course and enjoying the ride. Just like biking, it's good fun and you want to get on the ride.

Cycle:
Being a reta log it'd be a shame for me to forget reta

Check out the podcast episodes on reta, @Mobster and @stevesmi cover everything you need to know to think your decision through and make a plan. Share it here for feedback too.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0nwHWTFPRRJCnldHXyc5ef?si=530a_Ua3TzyCawlMkucqaA
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0qbCq0d7Zmx3Lm5JWd47EB?si=ECGK35KVQC-SrhicHzSa3A
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7tvoDGknbiNaUbctHFz6IM?si=qrzhV_aSQNKKFkOeXsSaKw
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7tvoDGknbiNaUbctHFz6IM?si=hHO6GUQ_RrCZlNt7cHeZPg

I greatly value any input into my training, diet and lifestyle and everything will be logged mentally and utilized. towards changing.

You'll get it in your log if you keep logging bro =)

first round of food and training to come at nights conclusion, nervous and excited.

Awesome man welcome to the Forum! There's a bunch of others on very similar paths to us and I look forward to following your log!

I'm taking 300mg/wk of testosterone enanthate as self-admistered testosterone therapy and to get sliced and stronger in the gym and get way fitter cardio wise and eat properly and increase endurance and confidence and stop hiding away and share myself with the woman on tinder.

 

[2G2B]

Awesome man welcome to the Forum! There's a bunch of others on very similar paths to us and I look forward to following your log!

I'm taking 300mg/wk of testosterone enanthate as self-admistered testosterone therapy and to get sliced and stronger in the gym and get way fitter cardio wise and eat properly and increase endurance and confidence and stop hiding away and share myself with the woman on tinder.

Hell yeah, thank-you for the listening material, shouldn't take me to long to dig through given the time I have these days.

I remember your log was included in my browsing pre-deciding to publicize my own journey, I didn't realize it started so recently too though .
Crazy how we're all on the same journey just different start points and paths to get to our destinations.

I wish I had your super power to eat those same meals so consistently. I swear I only get a few weeks of a food before I can't look at it without gagging.

Keen to follow along the rest of your journey too as it progresses

 

[vanlife_gymbum]

I didn't realize it started so recently too though .

Yeah man it was basically last week I started, today is Day 12.

I wish I had your super power to eat those same meals so consistently. I swear I only get a few weeks of a food before I can't look at it without gagging.

It's really just when I started logging on Evo man, I trained at least once a week with my PT and tried to eat well but every week I'd eat two family-sized blocks of chocolate two or three nights and generally fall off very often.

I'm hoping the reta and the logging and the season of fresh produce coming and being able to afford meat and eggs if I budget carefully but above all else it's the Forum that's guiding me.

Keen to follow along the rest of your journey too as it progresses

Likewise bro! We'll both be consistent soon enough, all we have to do is eat, train and log. Are you also unemployed?

 

[2G2B]

It's really just when I started logging on Evo man, I trained at least once a week with my PT and tried to eat well but every week I'd eat two family-sized blocks of chocolate two or three nights and generally fall off very often.

Man can I relate to this, reflecting on how much I used to be able to binge eat just straight garbage until I was sick on repeat is crazy.
I still get the noise like crazy and hopefully reta is the key to taking the edge off that.

Likewise bro! We'll both be consistent soon enough, all we have to do is eat, train and log. Are you also unemployed?

Unfortunately so, I have recently been approved by my practitioners to return to work but old workplace has moved on and nobody really wants to hire someone coming out of major injury rehab. We're out here applying though.

 

[vanlife_gymbum]

Unfortunately so, I have recently been approved by my practitioners to return to work but old workplace has moved on and nobody really wants to hire someone coming out of major injury rehab. We're out here applying though.

It's good you got the all clear for your sake but fuck corporations and employers and shit man, they don't give a shit about us and they don't have what we need to truely recover.

I've tried and failed over and over and just giving in and doing the 9 to 5 or chained behind a counter or some other shit will just continue to rob us of our precious time. I don't want to give it to them anymore, for any amount of money. I've had and spent millions of dollars and it got me nowhere. Even if i had money I can't buy that time back.

We can always get jobs later when we're better and can help more people with our skills but we have to put our own safety belt on first, so to speak.

If you want my advice bro I think we should lock in for the next year, log every day and try our best to stick to the plan, train hard and eat right, take our meds and supplements, do self care shit, and make the best of the opportunity we have here to observe, copy and be guided directly by the Gods Among Men who populate this forum.

 

[willipede]

Nice work brother. I've had issues myself with herniated discs and nerve impingement.

You've come a great way in improving your health and well-being.


Losing weight is the best thing you can do to help save you discs

I would get yourself totally painfree before starting any cycles/gear

Ill suggest some things that have helped me but your already on the right track with everything so well done.

Supps from iherb
500mg Meriva curcumin. Morning & night
600mg PEA daily

Peptides,
(these will mainly give relief from pain but if you haven't resolved the disc/nerve issues pain will return once you stop)

500mcg Bpc-157 daily
2.5mg Tb500 per week (i do 250mcg daily)

 

[Allupfromhere]

Well done bro! You have got the ball rolling and you are in the right place here in EVO. You will get nothing short of support, advice and encouragement here.
Really look foward to seeing you slay it in your journey brother, proud of you for taking control

 

[Pigsy]

Good work brother. Keep it up, will be following

 

[2G2B]

Nice work brother. I've had issues myself with herniated discs and nerve impingement.
You've come a great way in improving your health and well-being.
Losing weight is the best thing you can do to help save you discs
Peptides,
(these will mainly give relief from pain but if you haven't resolved the disc/nerve issues pain will return once you stop)
500mcg Bpc-157 daily

Since I ran card/ost I had my eye on 157 but still in a nervous position about daily stabs.
I will look into the other supps too though thank-you for the suggestions

Well done bro! You have got the ball rolling and you are in the right place here in EVO. You will get nothing short of support, advice and encouragement here.
Really look foward to seeing you slay it in your journey brother, proud of you for taking control

Looks who's talking though, cracked through your other threads since my last question thread, crazy progress in crazy time.
Still always get thrown by peoples profile pics then going back through their journeys and seeing how long ago they looked around my build and look way better than I could ever envision myself looking, something to look forward too now I guess.

Good work brother. Keep it up, will be following

Blessed by one of the OGs, appreciate it
Hopefully in time I can follow the path of daily reta pins instead of a weekly taper.

 

[Allupfromhere]

Looks who's talking though, cracked through your other threads since my last question thread, crazy progress in crazy time.
Still always get thrown by peoples profile pics then going back through their journeys and seeing how long ago they looked around my build and look way better than I could ever envision myself looking, something to look forward too now I guess.

Hahah thank you for the kind words brother, just remember nothing is out of your reach if you truely want it. All you need is time and consistency

 

[2G2B]

Day 1 Misc
(Please Note I was An Eager Little Bugger and Ordered The Reta Prior To Our Dosage Discussion And Will Figure Out How To Make It Work)

​

 

[2G2B]

Day 1 Diet

Breakfast 10:30 AM

100g Fresh Strawberries Diced
KCal: 33
Prot: 0.6
Carb: 5.8
Fats: 0.2
50g Carmans Aussie Oat Clusters Berry Crunch
KCal: 99
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 16.3
Fats: 2.4
360g YoPro Vanilla Yoghurt
KCal: 204
Prot: 34.2
Carb: 13.7
Fats: 1.1
Totals:
KCal: 336
Prot: 36.8
Carb: 35.7
Fats: 3.7

Lunch 01:00 PM

150g Chicken Meat From Full Roast
KCal: 335
Prot: 36
Carb: 0? (this doesn't feel right now I have to write it?)
Fats: 20.1
100g Eggs (fried in nothing so just calc similar to boiled?)
KCal: 155
Prot: 12.6
Carb: 1.1
Fats: 10.6
10g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 19
Prot: 1.7
Carb: 0.1
Fats: 1.4
1 Sweet Potato Wrap
KCal: 196
Prot: 5.7
Carb: 28.9
Fats: 5.2
Totals:
KCal: 705
Prot: 56
Carb: 30.1
Fats: 37.3

Dinner 04:30 PM

100g Chicken Meat From Full Roast
KCal: 223
Prot: 24
Carb: 0
Fats: 13.4
50g Leaf Mix
KCal: 10
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.2
Fats: 0.5
50g Butternut Pumpkin
KCal: 19
Prot: 0.6
Carb: 3.6
Fats: 0.2
25g Beerenberg Garlic Sauce
KCal: 74
Prot: 0.6
Carb: 2.3
Fats: 7.1
10g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 19
Prot: 1.7
Carb: 0.1
Fats: 1.4
Totals:
KCal: 355
Prot: 28.3
Carb: 6.2
Fats: 22.6

Lil Snackaroo 10:00pm (feel like this one will be up for debate, but read protein before sleep is the move currently and easy way to spike my intake with last of kcal)

62g Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla Icecream
KCal: 245
Prot: 48
Carb: 8
Fats: 2
400ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 252
Prot: 13.3
Carb: 19.2
Fats: 13.6
Totals:
KCal: 497
Prot: 61.3
Carb: 27.2
Fats: 15.6

Daily Total:
KCal: 1988.7
Prot: 187.3
Carb: 113.9
Fats: 84.2
Hydration Estimate: 4000 ml ( did I specifically drink a little water to make it round perfectly, maybe, was I off by 0.2 ml, maybe)

(2475 excludes the 750 kcal deficit i'm overshooting so it should be like 3225)


* I am yet to resume full meal prep for this portion of the journey so I'm just doing my best winging it until I lock in some recipes I'm not sick of eating.
Would love some simple goto suggestions. Food Budget is uncomfortably limited but we're working on it.

(is there anyway I can make images smaller...)

 

[2G2B]

Day 1 Workouts

Workout 8:55 AM - 9:55 AM (Messed up my sleep trying to see this fancy moon shit)

60 minutes Cycling attempted zone 2 but always creeps up in intensity.



Workout 7:40 pm - > 9:40 pm ( started this timing during summer so I wouldn't just melt and kinda just stuck to it)
(20 minutes shorter than usual due to "superset" day)

20 Minutes Zone 2 Cycling

Benchpress
8 x 50 kg
8 x 60 kg
8 x 60 kg
8 x 60 kg

Dumbell Shoulder Press
8 x 20 kgs
8 x 20 kgs
8 x 20 kgs
8 x 20 kgs

~~~ "Super Set" ~~~
Bicep Curl Machine
8 x 39 kg
8 x 39 kg
8 x 39 kg
8 x 39 kg

Tricep Pushdown Machine
8 x 39 kg
8 x 39 kg
8 x 39 kg
8 x 39 kg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lat pulldown
8 x 57.5 kg
8 x 57.5 kg
8 x 57.5 kg
8 x 57.5 kg

High Low Cable Row (Kinda new/returning to rotation so starting at feel it out weight)
8 x 15 kg
8 x 15 kg
8 x 15 kg
8 x 15 kg

(see who picks up the pattern first as my days go on)

* Please note that the most of my training comprises of a small group of specific movements at a time that my exersise physiologist rotates through and I pad out the time with
movements we have done in the past that weren't inflamatory to my injury and or muscle groups I don't want to exclude that aren't directly covered by my rehab training.

 

[vanlife_gymbum]

Morning: fasted 60 minutes cycling aiming to stay in zone 2 but heart rate often builds to mid 140s from exhaustion.
Night: 20 minutes cycling locked in zone 2 for warm up, followed up by 6 weight training movements typically taking 120 minutes.

I think there's something to this cycling man. Have you heard Dorian Yates talk about getting into cycling later in life? He takes a joint on his push bike up a mountains around where he lives in Spain (can't think how to spell it) and talks about like its the cycling that cares cancer not the joint.

I think you're onto something here man. We can level up with the bike I recon and hopefully both drop a few cup sizes.

There's a half hour cario bike group class at my local gym I'm gonna go starting today. It's at 6:15am. I've mentioned I planned to go a few times the last week but I'm up for once and going.

Me atcually owning a bicycle is probably provoking the police at the moment so I'm gonna do this group class instead. I got an hour long walk in the morning I have to do for my daily pharmacy run to add at 8am.

Hopefully it's not just one other pervert wondering where the chicks are.

Great start to your log too, I appreciate you formatting it.

Have a good day brother.

 

[BeMe]

Context:
2016 slipped 3 discs in my lower back with nerve impingement, was treated sub optimally and sent back out into the world with no follow up or training advice.
2023 Discs went again, impinging nerve again, absolutely crippled and bedridden and struggled to get effective help from professionals, lost my mind and spiralled and (based on follow up MRIs) had a muscle fat replacement loss of up to 30% comboed with body weight ballooning up to 120kg.
This time I was in a position to seek out my own treatment and follow up training, I am still very limited by the impingement but its stable enough for me to maintain my current routine and experiment with new movements.
Lost my job, lost my mind, lost my body and I just have to work to get it all back and beyond.

Feb 26 2025 my weigh in was 120 kg beginning my first ever cutting phase.
Jul 1 2025 my weigh in was 99.6 kg concluding my first ever cutting phase.

Stats:
Age: 28

Height: 183cm

Starting Weight: 98 kg (08/09/2025 after morning cardio)

Training History: Limited, first time locking in long term and taking it seriously, including basic rehab work closing in on 2 years of consistency.

Cycle History: Early on jumped on Ostarine oral 10mg a day and Cardarine oral 15mg day for 7 weeks (Been a while but I think these were the numbers) to help get through the initial slog of picking up cardio.

Goals:
I don't really have specifics for this, I just got to the point where I was sick of how I looked and the toll it was taking on my life.
I'd love to use this as a pre-cycle (test e) cut and drop as much bf as I can to reduce risk of aromatizing.
Really just want to stop taking my body for granted and see what it's capable of if I give it my all.
Goal of reta is just to reduce the damn food noise, I wouldn't say I'm hungry but the voices man.

Training:
Oh boy, I'm not sure how well my split will go down but you'll see the pattern as I start to log daily workouts.
For my rehab work I work with a exercise physiologist once a week but otherwise pull my routine every single day with no rest days.

Morning: fasted 60 minutes cycling aiming to stay in zone 2 but heart rate often builds to mid 140s from exhaustion.
Night: 20 minutes cycling locked in zone 2 for warm up, followed up by 6 weight training movements typically taking 120 minutes.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my rehab work and the limitations of my exersise choices at this stage still with every workout update.*

Diet:
From the first portion of the year cut I was just rocking an estimated 750kcal deficit.
This cut I decided to see if I could increase this, regardless of daily expenditure I'm trying to lock down 2,000 kcal a day attempting to focus on protein.
If I find myself getting fatigued or any negative consequences of this I'm happy to increase in increments.
I am very aware my nutrition is jacked but this is vast vast vast progress compared to where I started and I will dial it in more and more following advice.
I also have not yet got back into meal prep for the start of this cut yet but I should this week at some point.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my dietary choices and limitations on budget and personal restrictions with every daily meal update.*

Supplements:
I am not running a supplement cycle outside of doing a loading phase of creatine at the moment.
I thought it best to list what I have on hand and let the pros at it if they're so inclined.
I can answer why I have some of these but the rest are unfounded.
(I was meant to stock up on a general multi-vit but seem to have forgotten)

Nutra-Life Digestive Enzymes 120 Capsules
Healthy Way Scrumptious Psyllium Husk 500g
Blackmores Probiotics+ Immune Defence 90 Capsules
Vitamin K2 MK7 Softgels 365 softgels (100mcg)
Vitamin D3 Softgels 500 Softgels (5000IU)
Bulk Nutrients ZMA Complex Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Potency Plus Capsules
Bulk Nutrients 5-HTP Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Ashwagandha Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Magnesium Glycinate Capsules
Blackmores Fish Oil 1000 Capsules

I do also have Slin Pills unopened from a promotion, I'm unsure if they're beneficial for me at this stage.

Cycle:
Being a reta log it'd be a shame for me to forget reta
Starting on a daily 1mg/week as advised in my previous thread. I have seen a lot of logs recently implementing a daily protocol but this will be my first ever substance pinning and am more comfortable starting out with weekly and modifying this as I become more comfortable with the process/idea.
(This has not started yet but I will post when it does, likely next week at this stage because I like timing to feel right?)

Starting Questions:
When logging dumbbells vs machine do I log combined dumbbell weight or just specify dumbbell weight once and it's assume that's per side?

Attached Photos:
Single photo from Feb 26 2025 showing starting body side on.
Rest of photos are from Sep 7 2025 showing current body comp.
(included a side on with and without core engaged because I'm not sure how this is typically standardized)
(I think I messed up the back photo and scrunched instead of pulling forward?)
(yes the dawgs are out)
*
The disclaimers are not a coverall for me to ignore any advice provided, I greatly value any input into my training, diet and lifestyle and everything will be logged mentally and utilized.
Just given my situation there might have to be gradual shifts towards these changes, I'll attempt to keep updated notes about things i'm working towards changing.

First round of food and training to come at nights conclusion, nervous and excited.

You're doing a great job already. You've done an amazing job of reclaimimg your health. It's a process so the main thing is to stay consistent over everything and the changes will come. Supps and training looks great. Keep it up!

 

[LevButlerov]

Context:
2016 slipped 3 discs in my lower back with nerve impingement, was treated sub optimally and sent back out into the world with no follow up or training advice.
2023 Discs went again, impinging nerve again, absolutely crippled and bedridden and struggled to get effective help from professionals, lost my mind and spiralled and (based on follow up MRIs) had a muscle fat replacement loss of up to 30% comboed with body weight ballooning up to 120kg.
This time I was in a position to seek out my own treatment and follow up training, I am still very limited by the impingement but its stable enough for me to maintain my current routine and experiment with new movements.
Lost my job, lost my mind, lost my body and I just have to work to get it all back and beyond.

Feb 26 2025 my weigh in was 120 kg beginning my first ever cutting phase.
Jul 1 2025 my weigh in was 99.6 kg concluding my first ever cutting phase.

Stats:
Age: 28

Height: 183cm

Starting Weight: 98 kg (08/09/2025 after morning cardio)

Training History: Limited, first time locking in long term and taking it seriously, including basic rehab work closing in on 2 years of consistency.

Cycle History: Early on jumped on Ostarine oral 10mg a day and Cardarine oral 15mg day for 7 weeks (Been a while but I think these were the numbers) to help get through the initial slog of picking up cardio.

Goals:
I don't really have specifics for this, I just got to the point where I was sick of how I looked and the toll it was taking on my life.
I'd love to use this as a pre-cycle (test e) cut and drop as much bf as I can to reduce risk of aromatizing.
Really just want to stop taking my body for granted and see what it's capable of if I give it my all.
Goal of reta is just to reduce the damn food noise, I wouldn't say I'm hungry but the voices man.

Training:
Oh boy, I'm not sure how well my split will go down but you'll see the pattern as I start to log daily workouts.
For my rehab work I work with a exercise physiologist once a week but otherwise pull my routine every single day with no rest days.

Morning: fasted 60 minutes cycling aiming to stay in zone 2 but heart rate often builds to mid 140s from exhaustion.
Night: 20 minutes cycling locked in zone 2 for warm up, followed up by 6 weight training movements typically taking 120 minutes.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my rehab work and the limitations of my exersise choices at this stage still with every workout update.*

Diet:
From the first portion of the year cut I was just rocking an estimated 750kcal deficit.
This cut I decided to see if I could increase this, regardless of daily expenditure I'm trying to lock down 2,000 kcal a day attempting to focus on protein.
If I find myself getting fatigued or any negative consequences of this I'm happy to increase in increments.
I am very aware my nutrition is jacked but this is vast vast vast progress compared to where I started and I will dial it in more and more following advice.
I also have not yet got back into meal prep for the start of this cut yet but I should this week at some point.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my dietary choices and limitations on budget and personal restrictions with every daily meal update.*

Supplements:
I am not running a supplement cycle outside of doing a loading phase of creatine at the moment.
I thought it best to list what I have on hand and let the pros at it if they're so inclined.
I can answer why I have some of these but the rest are unfounded.
(I was meant to stock up on a general multi-vit but seem to have forgotten)

Nutra-Life Digestive Enzymes 120 Capsules
Healthy Way Scrumptious Psyllium Husk 500g
Blackmores Probiotics+ Immune Defence 90 Capsules
Vitamin K2 MK7 Softgels 365 softgels (100mcg)
Vitamin D3 Softgels 500 Softgels (5000IU)
Bulk Nutrients ZMA Complex Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Potency Plus Capsules
Bulk Nutrients 5-HTP Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Ashwagandha Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Magnesium Glycinate Capsules
Blackmores Fish Oil 1000 Capsules

I do also have Slin Pills unopened from a promotion, I'm unsure if they're beneficial for me at this stage.

Cycle:
Being a reta log it'd be a shame for me to forget reta
Starting on a daily 1mg/week as advised in my previous thread. I have seen a lot of logs recently implementing a daily protocol but this will be my first ever substance pinning and am more comfortable starting out with weekly and modifying this as I become more comfortable with the process/idea.
(This has not started yet but I will post when it does, likely next week at this stage because I like timing to feel right?)

Starting Questions:
When logging dumbbells vs machine do I log combined dumbbell weight or just specify dumbbell weight once and it's assume that's per side?

Attached Photos:
Single photo from Feb 26 2025 showing starting body side on.
Rest of photos are from Sep 7 2025 showing current body comp.
(included a side on with and without core engaged because I'm not sure how this is typically standardized)
(I think I messed up the back photo and scrunched instead of pulling forward?)
(yes the dawgs are out)
*
The disclaimers are not a coverall for me to ignore any advice provided, I greatly value any input into my training, diet and lifestyle and everything will be logged mentally and utilized.
Just given my situation there might have to be gradual shifts towards these changes, I'll attempt to keep updated notes about things i'm working towards changing.

First round of food and training to come at nights conclusion, nervous and excited.

Day 1 Misc
(Please Note I was An Eager Little Bugger and Ordered The Reta Prior To Our Dosage Discussion And Will Figure Out How To Make It Work)

View attachment 117449View attachment 117450View attachment 117451
​

Day 1 Diet

Breakfast 10:30 AM

100g Fresh Strawberries Diced
KCal: 33
Prot: 0.6
Carb: 5.8
Fats: 0.2
50g Carmans Aussie Oat Clusters Berry Crunch
KCal: 99
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 16.3
Fats: 2.4
360g YoPro Vanilla Yoghurt
KCal: 204
Prot: 34.2
Carb: 13.7
Fats: 1.1
Totals:
KCal: 336
Prot: 36.8
Carb: 35.7
Fats: 3.7

View attachment 117455

Lunch 01:00 PM

150g Chicken Meat From Full Roast
KCal: 335
Prot: 36
Carb: 0? (this doesn't feel right now I have to write it?)
Fats: 20.1
100g Eggs (fried in nothing so just calc similar to boiled?)
KCal: 155
Prot: 12.6
Carb: 1.1
Fats: 10.6
10g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 19
Prot: 1.7
Carb: 0.1
Fats: 1.4
1 Sweet Potato Wrap
KCal: 196
Prot: 5.7
Carb: 28.9
Fats: 5.2
Totals:
KCal: 705
Prot: 56
Carb: 30.1
Fats: 37.3

View attachment 117456

Dinner 04:30 PM

100g Chicken Meat From Full Roast
KCal: 223
Prot: 24
Carb: 0
Fats: 13.4
50g Leaf Mix
KCal: 10
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.2
Fats: 0.5
50g Butternut Pumpkin
KCal: 19
Prot: 0.6
Carb: 3.6
Fats: 0.2
25g Beerenberg Garlic Sauce
KCal: 74
Prot: 0.6
Carb: 2.3
Fats: 7.1
10g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 19
Prot: 1.7
Carb: 0.1
Fats: 1.4
Totals:
KCal: 355
Prot: 28.3
Carb: 6.2
Fats: 22.6

View attachment 117457

Lil Snackaroo 10:00pm (feel like this one will be up for debate, but read protein before sleep is the move currently and easy way to spike my intake with last of kcal)

62g Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla Icecream
KCal: 245
Prot: 48
Carb: 8
Fats: 2
400ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 252
Prot: 13.3
Carb: 19.2
Fats: 13.6
Totals:
KCal: 497
Prot: 61.3
Carb: 27.2
Fats: 15.6

Daily Total:
KCal: 1988.7
Prot: 187.3
Carb: 113.9
Fats: 84.2
Hydration Estimate: 4000 ml ( did I specifically drink a little water to make it round perfectly, maybe, was I off by 0.2 ml, maybe)
View attachment 117458
(2475 excludes the 750 kcal deficit i'm overshooting so it should be like 3225)


* I am yet to resume full meal prep for this portion of the journey so I'm just doing my best winging it until I lock in some recipes I'm not sick of eating.
Would love some simple goto suggestions. Food Budget is uncomfortably limited but we're working on it.

(is there anyway I can make images smaller...)

Day 1 Workouts

Workout 8:55 AM - 9:55 AM (Messed up my sleep trying to see this fancy moon shit)

60 minutes Cycling attempted zone 2 but always creeps up in intensity.



Workout 7:40 pm - > 9:40 pm ( started this timing during summer so I wouldn't just melt and kinda just stuck to it)
(20 minutes shorter than usual due to "superset" day)

20 Minutes Zone 2 Cycling

Benchpress
8 x 50 kg
8 x 60 kg
8 x 60 kg
8 x 60 kg

Dumbell Shoulder Press
8 x 20 kgs
8 x 20 kgs
8 x 20 kgs
8 x 20 kgs

~~~ "Super Set" ~~~
Bicep Curl Machine
8 x 39 kg
8 x 39 kg
8 x 39 kg
8 x 39 kg

Tricep Pushdown Machine
8 x 39 kg
8 x 39 kg
8 x 39 kg
8 x 39 kg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lat pulldown
8 x 57.5 kg
8 x 57.5 kg
8 x 57.5 kg
8 x 57.5 kg

High Low Cable Row (Kinda new/returning to rotation so starting at feel it out weight)
8 x 15 kg
8 x 15 kg
8 x 15 kg
8 x 15 kg

(see who picks up the pattern first as my days go on)

* Please note that the most of my training comprises of a small group of specific movements at a time that my exersise physiologist rotates through and I pad out the time with
movements we have done in the past that weren't inflamatory to my injury and or muscle groups I don't want to exclude that aren't directly covered by my rehab training.

welcome now FULLY to the EVO family @2G2B I can see you're really dedicated and you have a good base, I really want to see you take it to the next level and cut.

Cardio will be the key here and training dont go over 3 sets per exercise.

With diet, retatrutide might make digesting fat a bit hard, try 200 grams protein 150-200 grams of carbs and moderate fat as you see it.

 

[2G2B]

welcome now FULLY to the EVO family @2G2B I can see you're really dedicated and you have a good base, I really want to see you take it to the next level and cut.

Cardio will be the key here and training dont go over 3 sets per exercise.

With diet, retatrutide might make digesting fat a bit hard, try 200 grams protein 150-200 grams of carbs and moderate fat as you see it.

Thank-you, excited to be undergoing my journey here and taking the opportunity to absorb as much info as I can from those who came before me

It might take me some time to dial in nutrition but trying to lock in a routine/meal plan for 200 protein is the goal, and I've never been afraid of carbs but my food choices have typically just left me low in them which I'll need to find a way to address with my restriction.

I was going to play the whole mystery split game but since you bring up modifying my load I'd like to provide more information to maybe adjust it in regards to your suggestion of dropping from 4 sets to 3.

My current rotation is:

Chest x 8 x 4
Shoulders x 8 x 4
Bicep x 8 x 4
Tricep x 8 x 4
Daily rotation x 8 x 4
Daily rotation x 8 x 4
where daily rotation is either Back, Legs, or Core
(please note every day consists of different variants/exercises for each body segment targeted)

My questions would be, based on the advice to drop sets:

Can/Should I increase load on the now 3 sets.
And
Is it worth considering dropping the daily rotation 2 and making it full body every day since I am very comfortable with the time frame I spend at the gym, It's one of my daily escapes and it'd feel a shame to cut it shorter. (or is there a major group I'm missing that I could incorporate as well)

Also for consideration, Whilst I push close to or to failure on exercises I am able to I typically don't experience any significant DOMs or fatigue day to day even without rest days at this stage.

 

[Allupfromhere]

Brother ypur food looks amazing and workouts look solid! I think im more excited then you are for your log hahaha can see this being proper

 

[stevesmi]

Context:
2016 slipped 3 discs in my lower back with nerve impingement, was treated sub optimally and sent back out into the world with no follow up or training advice.
2023 Discs went again, impinging nerve again, absolutely crippled and bedridden and struggled to get effective help from professionals, lost my mind and spiralled and (based on follow up MRIs) had a muscle fat replacement loss of up to 30% comboed with body weight ballooning up to 120kg.
This time I was in a position to seek out my own treatment and follow up training, I am still very limited by the impingement but its stable enough for me to maintain my current routine and experiment with new movements.
Lost my job, lost my mind, lost my body and I just have to work to get it all back and beyond.

Feb 26 2025 my weigh in was 120 kg beginning my first ever cutting phase.
Jul 1 2025 my weigh in was 99.6 kg concluding my first ever cutting phase.

Stats:
Age: 28

Height: 183cm

Starting Weight: 98 kg (08/09/2025 after morning cardio)

Training History: Limited, first time locking in long term and taking it seriously, including basic rehab work closing in on 2 years of consistency.

Cycle History: Early on jumped on Ostarine oral 10mg a day and Cardarine oral 15mg day for 7 weeks (Been a while but I think these were the numbers) to help get through the initial slog of picking up cardio.

Goals:
I don't really have specifics for this, I just got to the point where I was sick of how I looked and the toll it was taking on my life.
I'd love to use this as a pre-cycle (test e) cut and drop as much bf as I can to reduce risk of aromatizing.
Really just want to stop taking my body for granted and see what it's capable of if I give it my all.
Goal of reta is just to reduce the damn food noise, I wouldn't say I'm hungry but the voices man.

Training:
Oh boy, I'm not sure how well my split will go down but you'll see the pattern as I start to log daily workouts.
For my rehab work I work with a exercise physiologist once a week but otherwise pull my routine every single day with no rest days.

Morning: fasted 60 minutes cycling aiming to stay in zone 2 but heart rate often builds to mid 140s from exhaustion.
Night: 20 minutes cycling locked in zone 2 for warm up, followed up by 6 weight training movements typically taking 120 minutes.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my rehab work and the limitations of my exersise choices at this stage still with every workout update.*

Diet:
From the first portion of the year cut I was just rocking an estimated 750kcal deficit.
This cut I decided to see if I could increase this, regardless of daily expenditure I'm trying to lock down 2,000 kcal a day attempting to focus on protein.
If I find myself getting fatigued or any negative consequences of this I'm happy to increase in increments.
I am very aware my nutrition is jacked but this is vast vast vast progress compared to where I started and I will dial it in more and more following advice.
I also have not yet got back into meal prep for the start of this cut yet but I should this week at some point.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my dietary choices and limitations on budget and personal restrictions with every daily meal update.*

Supplements:
I am not running a supplement cycle outside of doing a loading phase of creatine at the moment.
I thought it best to list what I have on hand and let the pros at it if they're so inclined.
I can answer why I have some of these but the rest are unfounded.
(I was meant to stock up on a general multi-vit but seem to have forgotten)

Nutra-Life Digestive Enzymes 120 Capsules
Healthy Way Scrumptious Psyllium Husk 500g
Blackmores Probiotics+ Immune Defence 90 Capsules
Vitamin K2 MK7 Softgels 365 softgels (100mcg)
Vitamin D3 Softgels 500 Softgels (5000IU)
Bulk Nutrients ZMA Complex Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Potency Plus Capsules
Bulk Nutrients 5-HTP Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Ashwagandha Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Magnesium Glycinate Capsules
Blackmores Fish Oil 1000 Capsules

I do also have Slin Pills unopened from a promotion, I'm unsure if they're beneficial for me at this stage.

Cycle:
Being a reta log it'd be a shame for me to forget reta
Starting on a daily 1mg/week as advised in my previous thread. I have seen a lot of logs recently implementing a daily protocol but this will be my first ever substance pinning and am more comfortable starting out with weekly and modifying this as I become more comfortable with the process/idea.
(This has not started yet but I will post when it does, likely next week at this stage because I like timing to feel right?)

Starting Questions:
When logging dumbbells vs machine do I log combined dumbbell weight or just specify dumbbell weight once and it's assume that's per side?

Attached Photos:
Single photo from Feb 26 2025 showing starting body side on.
Rest of photos are from Sep 7 2025 showing current body comp.
(included a side on with and without core engaged because I'm not sure how this is typically standardized)
(I think I messed up the back photo and scrunched instead of pulling forward?)
(yes the dawgs are out)
*
The disclaimers are not a coverall for me to ignore any advice provided, I greatly value any input into my training, diet and lifestyle and everything will be logged mentally and utilized.
Just given my situation there might have to be gradual shifts towards these changes, I'll attempt to keep updated notes about things i'm working towards changing.

First round of food and training to come at nights conclusion, nervous and excited.

I've got 3 herniated discs in my neck from years of pouding in the weight room. the ONLY thing that helped me was hot yoga. if you haven't tried it then i suggest you find a class it will help you tremendously @2G2B

 

[2G2B]

There's a half hour cario bike group class at my local gym I'm gonna go starting today. It's at 6:15am. I've mentioned I planned to go a few times the last week but I'm up for once and going.

Hell yeah, I saw your log this morning of you making it to the class, good shit We shall all ride to our dream bodies.

Hopefully it's not just one other pervert wondering where the chicks are.

Sus choice of words, But also personally feel very uneasy about the cardio setup at my gym with the bikes at the back staring at everyone backs, thankfully there's usually something on TV I can attempt to watch whilst blasting my ears with beats.

Great start to your log too, I appreciate you formatting it.
Have a good day brother.

I underestimated how much typing and translating it would be to try do it all at EOD before hopping into bed, def going to try transcribe throughout the day in notes then post xD
Going to see how long I can keep up being painfully comprehensive before I cave and just post the direct screenshots of foods and summaries from chronometer but that wont have full break downs and allow me to reflect on tweaking specific choices in meals.

You're doing a great job already. You've done an amazing job of reclaimimg your health. It's a process so the main thing is to stay consistent over everything and the changes will come. Supps and training looks great. Keep it up!

Thank-you, It means a lot. Its nice to finally be at a point where I feel comfortable sharing this journey and can't overstate how appreciative I am of the communities feedback and advice off the bat to get me going better on track.

 

[2G2B]

Brother ypur food looks amazing and workouts look solid! I think im more excited then you are for your log hahaha can see this being proper

It's a strange feeling, since starting the log I have a constant buzz like I have a grand secret the worlds going to find out about one day but it's just me eating good food and working out hard :')

I've got 3 herniated discs in my neck from years of pouding in the weight room. the ONLY thing that helped me was hot yoga. if you haven't tried it then i suggest you find a class it will help you tremendously @2G2B

Holy shit I can't imagine what it'd be like to experience this in your neck, I barely want to survive with one leg being on fire constantly.
I am at a decent point in stability almost 2 years into the injury again this time now but I have a sneaking feeling something is off since any time I include rotational or extensional exercises I get a flare up. even nerve flossing as gently as one can causes irritation.
I have an appointment this afternoon to request contrasts and praying it hasn't fused with scar tissue since I got very poor help and advice early on in this bout of injury in which my mobility was severely limited.

 

[2G2B]

Supplement Program
For Revision

Morning
1 x Potency Plus*
1 x Magnesium Glycinate 655 mg
1 x Vitamin D3 5,000 UI*
1 x Vitamin K2 200 mcg*
1 x Omega-3 1000 mg
1 x Probiotics+
1 x Ashwagandha dry conc 300mg from dry root 3.75g
1 x Psyllium Husk 5g (in drink)
1 x Multi-Vitamin

Pre-Workout
1 x Creatine Mono-hydrate 5g (Currently loading 20g a day split into 4 doses of 5g until 14/09/2025)
1 x *Undecided on an actual pre-workout, likely only to be taken for morning session anyway since night session is night session and I want to sleep)

Night
2 x ZMA Complex
1 x Magnesium Glycinate 655 mg
1 x Ashwagandha dry conc 300mg from dry root 3.75g
1 x 5-HTP 99 mg
1 x Omega-3 1000 mg
1 x Psyllium Husk 5g (in drink)

Pre-Meal (Main 3 a day)
1 x Digestive Enzymes

Weekly
1 x Retatrutide 1 mg (Beginning 14/09/2025)


* indicating I don't exactly remember why I added it the first time and stocked up on it other than K2 was only to mitigate negatives of the high D3

Just slapping this up in case anyone wants to look over it/make any big changes before I lock it in but its what I came up with today regarding what I have in stock at the moment.

I was going to hyperlink each product for those big number crunchers out there but unsure if it'll be seen as some form of advertising so will refrain for now.

 

[LevButlerov]

Thank-you, excited to be undergoing my journey here and taking the opportunity to absorb as much info as I can from those who came before me

It might take me some time to dial in nutrition but trying to lock in a routine/meal plan for 200 protein is the goal, and I've never been afraid of carbs but my food choices have typically just left me low in them which I'll need to find a way to address with my restriction.

I was going to play the whole mystery split game but since you bring up modifying my load I'd like to provide more information to maybe adjust it in regards to your suggestion of dropping from 4 sets to 3.

My current rotation is:

Chest x 8 x 4
Shoulders x 8 x 4
Bicep x 8 x 4
Tricep x 8 x 4
Daily rotation x 8 x 4
Daily rotation x 8 x 4
where daily rotation is either Back, Legs, or Core
(please note every day consists of different variants/exercises for each body segment targeted)

My questions would be, based on the advice to drop sets:

Can/Should I increase load on the now 3 sets.
And
Is it worth considering dropping the daily rotation 2 and making it full body every day since I am very comfortable with the time frame I spend at the gym, It's one of my daily escapes and it'd feel a shame to cut it shorter. (or is there a major group I'm missing that I could incorporate as well)

Also for consideration, Whilst I push close to or to failure on exercises I am able to I typically don't experience any significant DOMs or fatigue day to day even without rest days at this stage.

If you cut to 3 sets, yes you should bump the weight a little and push those harder, that way intensity makes up for the volume drop. Keep the reps tight and near failure and you’ll still progress. I wouldn’t switch to full body daily, you’ll burn yourself out eventually even if you feel fine right now, better to keep that rotation so each group has some recovery. Instead of removing your second daily rotation, make sure legs and back are never skipped, those are big movers that carry over into everything else.
DOMs not showing up doesn’t mean you’re not working hard, it just means your body’s adapting, so don’t use soreness as the measuring stick. Stick to this plan for a while, log your training, and see if strength is climbing week to week. Over time you’ll know exactly if the balance is right or if you need another tweak. @2G2B

 

[vanlife_gymbum]

Hell yeah, I saw your log this morning of you making it to the class, good shit We shall all ride to our dream bodies.

Haha I like your style brother! Do you have a physical bike or gonna do this at the gym?

Sus choice of words, But also personally feel very uneasy about the cardio setup at my gym with the bikes at the back staring at everyone backs, thankfully there's usually something on TV I can attempt to watch whilst blasting my ears with beats.

Hah that sounds exactly like the setup at my gym. There's like 6 big screen TVs along one whole wall, it's in an ex-aircraft hanger, then the rows of cardio bikes, the the rows of treadmill, then a row of ellipticals and two stairmasters.

There's also a second floor where the yoga studio is, but I've never need up there. That's one of the other non-lifting things I've been planning to do. Every now and again when I'm on the bike a class ends up there and 20 woman stream out, flowed by two dodgy looking old men... "corner guys" I've overheard them being referred to as

My Dad has been into Tai Chi since the 80s and I always wanted to try that or Yoga. I like the idea of active recovery days with yoga and go to the community swimming pool and swim and use the hot tub.

The bike group class was in a separate room though and had the real flash sports bikes, the types with no digital displays and knows for everything. They're designed for pros to trash without breaking.

The instructor was at the front on a bike and the rest of us, maybe 15 people were in three rows. It was pretty hard going, you can't really look at each other and wouldn't interact at all while the class was on, and just briefly at the end though most people just leave.

I had "gym anxiety" when I first joined, I pretty much just went there to shower and charge my batteries. I'm a computer nerd and generally teach myself things via trial and error. That's served me pretty well since I was a kid but doesn't work at all for this.

My usual ways learning something is figuring out the scope of it, getting a textbook to skim and try stuff out of, then just trial and error hacking at it solving each problem as it comes until I understand it. But that doesn't work at all in a busy gym with others waiting and everything.

Also have injured myself before and don't want to throw any of that out again so between over-planning/analysis-paralysis and being cautious about form, etc. Basically nothing got done. The PT initiated me into how the gym works, but before that I was going to group classes all the time.

You won't feel as uneasy at them I think bro, and it was pretty intense all up. I've been doing half an hour on the bike for ages and it doesn't add up to shit but if I'd been doing that half hour bike class it'd be a different story for sure.

My other cario plan is to start roller-skating practice again. I did an 8 week beginner skatkng course last winter which was the prerequisite for thr beginner derby class, where they teach you roller derby not how to skate. It's an underground sport with a real interesting history but has been standardised, so these courses are a set global standard and there's tests. But man those two hours were hardcore, kinda HIIT style since you go in intense bursts and one session a week was more than enough.

I underestimated how much typing and translating it would be to try do it all at EOD before hopping into bed, def going to try transcribe throughout the day in notes then post xD

I would be interested to hear how you go with this man. I'm still figuring out how to do it best as well. So far been writing throughout the day I'm Obsidian, a sweet note management app for phones but no formatting and then paste it into Evo and format it there.

With the notes I take photos of pins and food as I go and the pictures will remind me what happened and I can fill in the blanks. I have a really bad short term memory so pretty much have to.

But the training entries I do differently and record the sets and write them as I go. Then after I finished lifting I just sat on the bench and finished the entry and posted it.

Because I'm reading replies on evo with the details of the thing I'm going to try, or looking at someone else's log to get the exercises it works pretty well. EVO will save your draft post in the input box if you navigate away to search or look at other logs

For example I've done the shoulder routine of @HarleyGuy twice this week. I just loaded his log entry and went through it one exercise at a time.

Going to see how long I can keep up being painfully comprehensive before I cave and just post the direct screenshots of foods and summaries from chronometer but that wont have full break downs and allow me to reflect on tweaking specific choices in meals.

We'll figure out a nice balance and get our own systems and templates so it'll become second nature after a while I'm sure =)

 

[2G2B]

Haha I like your style brother! Do you have a physical bike or gonna do this at the gym?

I would be interested to hear how you go with this man. I'm still figuring out how to do it best as well. So far been writing throughout the day I'm Obsidian, a sweet note management app for phones but no formatting and then paste it into Evo and format it there.

We'll figure out a nice balance and get our own systems and templates so it'll become second nature after a while I'm sure =)

I don't think I've ever owned a bike I didn't break the seat on so it's in the gym for me.

Personally huge fan of the way you log and riff through your experiences, feels real and relatable compared to my raw stats, I am still slowly reading more logs and learning how to engage with the forum better for a broader experience. I hope to become a little more verbose with my thoughts outside of the log specifics and figure out how to engage with other peoples logs more actively.

 

[2G2B]

If you cut to 3 sets, yes you should bump the weight a little and push those harder, that way intensity makes up for the volume drop. Keep the reps tight and near failure and you’ll still progress. I wouldn’t switch to full body daily, you’ll burn yourself out eventually even if you feel fine right now, better to keep that rotation so each group has some recovery. Instead of removing your second daily rotation, make sure legs and back are never skipped, those are big movers that carry over into everything else.

I'll give this a feel out for tonight's session and see how it feels.

Back, Legs, Core are cycled like they are at the moment because of the muscle loss I saw in those areas from the bedridden portion of my injury.
We are still trying to ease into them and find movements that are safe for me to perform solo and not trigger a flare up of nerve pain.
The exercise physiologist seeing me through rehab has only recently introduced these specific movements and asked I try them out at least twice a week between sessions at this stage.

I will ask on Friday for an assessment of how we're doing with them and see if I can make any of them more regular at this stage though

DOMs not showing up doesn’t mean you’re not working hard, it just means your body’s adapting, so don’t use soreness as the measuring stick.@2G2B

Need to drill this into myself somehow. I appreciate my bodies adaptability in not punishing me post work-out but I think at the moment I'm making up for it mentally and constantly wanting to stretch further and do more to compensate for not feeling like I did enough but that'll lead to burn out.

 

[vanlife_gymbum]

I don't think I've ever owned a bike I didn't break the seat on so it's in the gym for me.

Personally huge fan of the way you log and riff through your experiences, feels real and relatable compared to my raw stats, I am still slowly reading more logs and learning how to engage with the forum better for a broader experience. I hope to become a little more verbose with my thoughts outside of the log specifics and figure out how to engage with other peoples logs more actively.

Thanks bro, I'm trying to add the stats in and summarise better, sure there's a combination of both we can figure out =)

I'm trying to summarise the weekly sessions I did with the PT, he recorded them like this:

I've been reading through people's logs too, and taking routines and formatting from them.

As long as we keep logging and try get the data in we'll get there, we haven't been trying very long =)

 

[Mobster]

You DO need specific targets. Start with short term ones first

 

[2G2B]

You DO need specific targets. Start with short term ones first

I agree, when I filled out the template I was a little stumped by that question.

Some part of me torn between wanting something bold to strive for but also not wanting to set an unreasonable target that leads to me crashing out.

I think personally mentally rephrasing the section as Milestones would be helpful and I'll spend some time this afternoon compiling things I'd be absolutely stoked to achieve even if not the final destination of this journey.

Thanks bro, I'm trying to add the stats in and summarise better, sure there's a combination of both we can figure out =)
I'm trying to summarise the weekly sessions I did with the PT, he recorded them like this:
I've been reading through people's logs too, and taking routines and formatting from them.
As long as we keep logging and try get the data in we'll get there, we haven't been trying very long =)

Tables already call to me so strongly at least for the base nutrients of foods so I can have quick calculations on frequent entries, currently I just transcribe straight to notepad then paste into the thread.

 

[vanlife_gymbum]

I agree, when I filled out the template I was a little stumped by that question.

@Mobster is right man but I find you can be pretty flexible with them at the start. They will change a bit as you go and you'll think of new ones to add.

I have goals for months, weeks and single workout sessions. Like the other day @LevButlerov gave me his thoughts on adding body-weight squats to my routine and said to do 100 so that become a workout session goal and i havent got past 50 yet and try every second day.

Same with trying the shoulder routine of @HarleyGuy I just copied it straight out of his into my notes app Obsidian and adjusted the weights down to my level and went to the gym twice this week with the goal in mind to get through that.

I have the goal to stay eating clean and never eat chocolate again

I have the goal to shower at the gym every day and do guided meditation and the half hour massage routine post workout

I have the goal to loose my gut and tits during this log

I have the goal to log diet, gear, training on evo every day

I have the goal to do my 12 step daily work every day

I have the goal to re-activate my Tinder Gold subscription in 87 days time.

Most of these have been in mind for ages but only became documented targets during my 13 days logging. They feel concrete enough now though and I know what steps to take right now

Tables already call to me so strongly at least for the base nutrients of foods so I can have quick calculations on frequent entries, currently I just transcribe straight to notepad then paste into the thread.

Can you do mine too then?

 

[LevButlerov]

I'll give this a feel out for tonight's session and see how it feels.

Back, Legs, Core are cycled like they are at the moment because of the muscle loss I saw in those areas from the bedridden portion of my injury.
We are still trying to ease into them and find movements that are safe for me to perform solo and not trigger a flare up of nerve pain.
The exercise physiologist seeing me through rehab has only recently introduced these specific movements and asked I try them out at least twice a week between sessions at this stage.

I will ask on Friday for an assessment of how we're doing with them and see if I can make any of them more regular at this stage though

I get it lets go slow and add exercises as you go

Need to drill this into myself somehow. I appreciate my bodies adaptability in not punishing me post work-out but I think at the moment I'm making up for it mentally and constantly wanting to stretch further and do more to compensate for not feeling like I did enough but that'll lead to burn out.

Mental strength is #1, stay strong EVO family supports you @2G2B

 

[Allupfromhere]

Some part of me torn between wanting something bold to strive for but also not wanting to set an unreasonable target that leads to me crashing out.

Set the bold target for sure brother its important! How we prevent ourselves from crashing out is setting smaller stepping stones allong the way to get there. I find this way we can feel the pride of little accomplishments along the way and thats what keep us motivated its the little wins the builds the fire and once its burning, nothing will get in your way.... not even yourself.

 

[BeMe]

Supplement Program
For Revision

Morning
1 x Potency Plus*
1 x Magnesium Glycinate 655 mg
1 x Vitamin D3 5,000 UI*
1 x Vitamin K2 200 mcg*
1 x Omega-3 1000 mg
1 x Probiotics+
1 x Ashwagandha dry conc 300mg from dry root 3.75g
1 x Psyllium Husk 5g (in drink)
1 x Multi-Vitamin

Pre-Workout
1 x Creatine Mono-hydrate 5g (Currently loading 20g a day split into 4 doses of 5g until 14/09/2025)
1 x *Undecided on an actual pre-workout, likely only to be taken for morning session anyway since night session is night session and I want to sleep)

Night
2 x ZMA Complex
1 x Magnesium Glycinate 655 mg
1 x Ashwagandha dry conc 300mg from dry root 3.75g
1 x 5-HTP 99 mg
1 x Omega-3 1000 mg
1 x Psyllium Husk 5g (in drink)

Pre-Meal (Main 3 a day)
1 x Digestive Enzymes

Weekly
1 x Retatrutide 1 mg (Beginning 14/09/2025)


* indicating I don't exactly remember why I added it the first time and stocked up on it other than K2 was only to mitigate negatives of the high D3

Just slapping this up in case anyone wants to look over it/make any big changes before I lock it in but its what I came up with today regarding what I have in stock at the moment.

I was going to hyperlink each product for those big number crunchers out there but unsure if it'll be seen as some form of advertising so will refrain for now.

Supplements look really on point. Well done there.

For the pre-workout I'd suggest only taking it when you really need it. That way it remains effective. You can start building a tolerance to that sorta thing and you'll find you need to take more and more over time to get the same effects.

I only take mine before really big days in the gym or when I'm sapped from work. Maybe once or twice a week tops and I have a 5 day split.

 

[Ulter]

Context:
2016 slipped 3 discs in my lower back with nerve impingement, was treated sub optimally and sent back out into the world with no follow up or training advice.
2023 Discs went again, impinging nerve again, absolutely crippled and bedridden and struggled to get effective help from professionals, lost my mind and spiralled and (based on follow up MRIs) had a muscle fat replacement loss of up to 30% comboed with body weight ballooning up to 120kg.
This time I was in a position to seek out my own treatment and follow up training, I am still very limited by the impingement but its stable enough for me to maintain my current routine and experiment with new movements.
Lost my job, lost my mind, lost my body and I just have to work to get it all back and beyond.

Feb 26 2025 my weigh in was 120 kg beginning my first ever cutting phase.
Jul 1 2025 my weigh in was 99.6 kg concluding my first ever cutting phase.

Stats:
Age: 28

Height: 183cm

Starting Weight: 98 kg (08/09/2025 after morning cardio)

Training History: Limited, first time locking in long term and taking it seriously, including basic rehab work closing in on 2 years of consistency.

Cycle History: Early on jumped on Ostarine oral 10mg a day and Cardarine oral 15mg day for 7 weeks (Been a while but I think these were the numbers) to help get through the initial slog of picking up cardio.

Goals:
I don't really have specifics for this, I just got to the point where I was sick of how I looked and the toll it was taking on my life.
I'd love to use this as a pre-cycle (test e) cut and drop as much bf as I can to reduce risk of aromatizing.
Really just want to stop taking my body for granted and see what it's capable of if I give it my all.
Goal of reta is just to reduce the damn food noise, I wouldn't say I'm hungry but the voices man.

Training:
Oh boy, I'm not sure how well my split will go down but you'll see the pattern as I start to log daily workouts.
For my rehab work I work with a exercise physiologist once a week but otherwise pull my routine every single day with no rest days.

Morning: fasted 60 minutes cycling aiming to stay in zone 2 but heart rate often builds to mid 140s from exhaustion.
Night: 20 minutes cycling locked in zone 2 for warm up, followed up by 6 weight training movements typically taking 120 minutes.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my rehab work and the limitations of my exersise choices at this stage still with every workout update.*

Diet:
From the first portion of the year cut I was just rocking an estimated 750kcal deficit.
This cut I decided to see if I could increase this, regardless of daily expenditure I'm trying to lock down 2,000 kcal a day attempting to focus on protein.
If I find myself getting fatigued or any negative consequences of this I'm happy to increase in increments.
I am very aware my nutrition is jacked but this is vast vast vast progress compared to where I started and I will dial it in more and more following advice.
I also have not yet got back into meal prep for the start of this cut yet but I should this week at some point.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my dietary choices and limitations on budget and personal restrictions with every daily meal update.*

Supplements:
I am not running a supplement cycle outside of doing a loading phase of creatine at the moment.
I thought it best to list what I have on hand and let the pros at it if they're so inclined.
I can answer why I have some of these but the rest are unfounded.
(I was meant to stock up on a general multi-vit but seem to have forgotten)

Nutra-Life Digestive Enzymes 120 Capsules
Healthy Way Scrumptious Psyllium Husk 500g
Blackmores Probiotics+ Immune Defence 90 Capsules
Vitamin K2 MK7 Softgels 365 softgels (100mcg)
Vitamin D3 Softgels 500 Softgels (5000IU)
Bulk Nutrients ZMA Complex Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Potency Plus Capsules
Bulk Nutrients 5-HTP Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Ashwagandha Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Magnesium Glycinate Capsules
Blackmores Fish Oil 1000 Capsules

I do also have Slin Pills unopened from a promotion, I'm unsure if they're beneficial for me at this stage.

Cycle:
Being a reta log it'd be a shame for me to forget reta
Starting on a daily 1mg/week as advised in my previous thread. I have seen a lot of logs recently implementing a daily protocol but this will be my first ever substance pinning and am more comfortable starting out with weekly and modifying this as I become more comfortable with the process/idea.
(This has not started yet but I will post when it does, likely next week at this stage because I like timing to feel right?)

Starting Questions:
When logging dumbbells vs machine do I log combined dumbbell weight or just specify dumbbell weight once and it's assume that's per side?

Attached Photos:
Single photo from Feb 26 2025 showing starting body side on.
Rest of photos are from Sep 7 2025 showing current body comp.
(included a side on with and without core engaged because I'm not sure how this is typically standardized)
(I think I messed up the back photo and scrunched instead of pulling forward?)
(yes the dawgs are out)
*
The disclaimers are not a coverall for me to ignore any advice provided, I greatly value any input into my training, diet and lifestyle and everything will be logged mentally and utilized.
Just given my situation there might have to be gradual shifts towards these changes, I'll attempt to keep updated notes about things i'm working towards changing.

First round of food and training to come at nights conclusion, nervous and excited.

good start to this. i think you will get outstanding results on this log. i recomend RECOMP. cut fat and build lean gains @2G2B

 

[2G2B]

I get it lets go slow and add exercises as you go

Mental strength is #1, stay strong EVO family supports you @2G2B

Appreciate it, Finding a lot of cross-over between better mental health and better fitness journeys, surrounding yourself with the right people is always a game changer

Set the bold target for sure brother its important! How we prevent ourselves from crashing out is setting smaller stepping stones allong the way to get there. I find this way we can feel the pride of little accomplishments along the way and thats what keep us motivated its the little wins the builds the fire and once its burning, nothing will get in your way.... not even yourself.

fr though can I just write "Stop being a fat cunt and look shredded". Aside I spent some time today trying to pull some things together that I think I really want to see from myself, some things like weight I'm not privy to what's possible given my lean mass but i'll be including them in todays Misc section ramblings.

Supplements look really on point. Well done there.

For the pre-workout I'd suggest only taking it when you really need it. That way it remains effective. You can start building a tolerance to that sorta thing and you'll find you need to take more and more over time to get the same effects.

I only take mine before really big days in the gym or when I'm sapped from work. Maybe once or twice a week tops and I have a 5 day split.

Weirdly I've been finding I'm less reliant on caffeine this time around, something about being in the gym and just moving gets me going. Preparing for the flat days before they come will be important for me. Just gotta find one I don't hate the taste of now.

good start to this. i think you will get outstanding results on this log. i recomend RECOMP. cut fat and build lean gains @2G2B

Thank-you, it feels funny to write this after writing I have no goals, but i'd say the overarching goal of this journey was always just to look at it like a massive recomp and see where we go from there

 

[Ulter]

Appreciate it, Finding a lot of cross-over between better mental health and better fitness journeys, surrounding yourself with the right people is always a game changer

fr though can I just write "Stop being a fat cunt and look shredded". Aside I spent some time today trying to pull some things together that I think I really want to see from myself, some things like weight I'm not privy to what's possible given my lean mass but i'll be including them in todays Misc section ramblings.

Weirdly I've been finding I'm less reliant on caffeine this time around, something about being in the gym and just moving gets me going. Preparing for the flat days before they come will be important for me. Just gotta find one I don't hate the taste of now.

Thank-you, it feels funny to write this after writing I have no goals, but i'd say the overarching goal of this journey was always just to look at it like a massive recomp and see where we go from there

okay good. lets work this

 

[2G2B]

Day 2 Misc

First time trying out 3 sets instead of 4 on everything. Felt like less of a slog even when increasing weights, some things moved up easier than expected so interested to see how this plays out going forward.
Might introduce another fuck around muscle group for things I want to hit but are more specific to pad the time out in future sessions.

Excited, finally got to the point where I ordered my first ever set of tank tops a while back and they arrived today.
First time wearing a tank top to the gym, very nervous but really liked the way it looked and felt more connected than I usually do with the addition of being able to see my muscle groups engage throughout a movement.

Did some grocery shopping and tried to get some meal prep-y-er more carbier things so we'll see how that goes going forward in the week.

Had a think about my goals today, and I'm still not very confident in expressing effectively them despite it being a strong feeling about what I want.
I would say my overall goal from this log is a strong cut/recomp, maintaining as much as possible or even gaining muscle whilst cutting to a point where I've hit a BF% that would be considered good for running a cycle to build muscle.

I am still trying to determine what are reasonable milestones to set for myself considering on the cut prior to this log they were things like

110kg Body Weight
100kg Body Weight
<100kg Body Weight
Pushup
Set of Pushups
All 4 Sets of 15kg Dumbbell Preacher Curl
Hit The Gym Daily
Introduce 20 Mins Cycling Cardio Daily
Introduce 60 Mins Cycling Cardio Daily
Confidence To Get Tank Tops

Some things I'm still looking forward to relative to those are

90kg Body Weight
85kg Body Weight
First Pull Up
First Set of Pull-Ups
80kg Bench
90kg Bench
100kg Bench
Be Able To Hit My 10k Steps Walking Without Nerve Flare Up
When Lean Enough, Learning To Pose.
Confidence To Be Shirtless Around People
Graduating Physical Rehab (big ask)
Having Actual Pecs Instead of Just Tits
Solid Definition When Flexing
Return To Employment
Gain Confidence In My Resistance To Food Noise


I am unsure if this is all my rambling for now... we'll see...

 

[2G2B]

Day 2 Diet
(I felt Watched)
Breakfast 09:45 AM

83g Fresh Strawberries Diced
KCal: 27
Prot: 0.5
Carb: 4.8
Fats: 0.2
22g Carmans Aussie Oat Clusters Berry Crunch
KCal: 99
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 16.3
Fats: 2.4
360g YoPro Vanilla Yoghurt
KCal: 204
Prot: 34.2
Carb: 13.7
Fats: 1.1
Totals:
KCal: 318
Prot: 36.5
Carb: 32.9
Fats: 3.4

Lunch 01:00 PM

100g Chicken Meat From Full Roast
KCal: 223
Prot: 24
Carb: 0
Fats: 13.4
100g Eggs (fried in nothing so just calc similar to boiled?)
KCal: 155
Prot: 12.6
Carb: 1.1
Fats: 10.6
25g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 48
Prot: 4.3
Carb: 0.3
Fats: 3.4
1 Sweet Potato Wrap
KCal: 196
Prot: 5.7
Carb: 28.9
Fats: 5.2
Totals:
KCal: 622
Prot: 46.6
Carb: 30.3
Fats: 32.6

Dinner 05:30 PM

195.5g Chicken Breast
KCal: 235
Prot: 44
Carb: 0
Fats: 5.1
50g Leaf Mix
KCal: 10
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.2
Fats: 0.5
20g Old El Paso Crispy Spice Mix
KCal: 64
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 11.5
Fats: 0.5
10 Beerenberg Garlic Sauce
KCal: 30
Prot: 0.3
Carb: 0.9
Fats: 2.9
15g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 29
Prot: 2.6
Carb: 0.1
Fats: 2
5g Parmesan Cheese Flakes
KCal: 21
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.7
Fats: 1.4
Totals:
KCal: 389
Prot: 54.4
Carb: 13.4
Fats: 12.4

(This does exclude a very light sprits of avocado oil from a spray can, I'm not sure how to log that? if I weight it before and after..? but today it didn't feel important considering how steep of a deficit i'm already in)

Lil Snackaroo 10:00pm

31g Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla Icecream
KCal: 122.5
Prot: 24
Carb: 4
Fats: 1
400ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 252
Prot: 13.3
Carb: 19.2
Fats: 13.6
Totals:
KCal: 374.5
Prot: 37.3
Carb: 23.2
Fats: 14.6

Misc
121ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 76
Prot: 4
Carb: 5.8
Fats: 4.1
170g High Protein Coffee Pudding
KCal: 157
Prot: 15.5
Carb: 10.6
Fats: 5.3
500ml Ultra Strawyberry Dreams Monster
KCal: 12
Prot: 0
Carb: 6.5
Fats: 0


Daily Total:
KCal: 2045.4
Prot: 201.6
Carb: 128
Fats: 76.6
Hydration Estimate: 3123 ml ( forgot my water bottle when running errands/doctors)

(Energy target excludes the 750 kcal deficit i'm overshooting)

* I am yet to resume full meal prep for this portion of the journey so I'm just doing my best winging it until I lock in some recipes I'm not sick of eating.
Would love some simple goto suggestions. Food Budget is uncomfortably limited but we're working on it.

 

[2G2B]

Day 2 Workouts

Workout 8:20 AM - 9:20 AM

60 minutes Cycling managed to maintain on or sub 133 hr.


Workout 7:40pm - 9:40pm

20 Minutes Zone 2 Cycling

Dumbell Inclined Chest Press
8 x 22.5 kgs
8 x 25 kgs
8 x 27.5 kgs

Dumbell Shoulder Press (forgot it was machine day )
8 x 20 kgs
8 x 22.5 kgs
8 x 22.5 kgs

Dumbell Preacher Curl
8 x 15 kgs
8 x 15 kgs
8 x 15 kgs

Seated Dip Machine
8 x 60 kg
8 x 70 kg
8 x 70 kg

Cable Palloff Press
8 x Each Side x 10 kg
8 x Each Side x 10 kg
8 x Each Side x 12.5 kg

Modified Dead Bug
4 x Each Side
4 x Each Side
4 x Each Side

 

[BodyMonster34]

Context:
2016 slipped 3 discs in my lower back with nerve impingement, was treated sub optimally and sent back out into the world with no follow up or training advice.
2023 Discs went again, impinging nerve again, absolutely crippled and bedridden and struggled to get effective help from professionals, lost my mind and spiralled and (based on follow up MRIs) had a muscle fat replacement loss of up to 30% comboed with body weight ballooning up to 120kg.
This time I was in a position to seek out my own treatment and follow up training, I am still very limited by the impingement but its stable enough for me to maintain my current routine and experiment with new movements.
Lost my job, lost my mind, lost my body and I just have to work to get it all back and beyond.

Feb 26 2025 my weigh in was 120 kg beginning my first ever cutting phase.
Jul 1 2025 my weigh in was 99.6 kg concluding my first ever cutting phase.

Stats:
Age: 28

Height: 183cm

Starting Weight: 98 kg (08/09/2025 after morning cardio)

Training History: Limited, first time locking in long term and taking it seriously, including basic rehab work closing in on 2 years of consistency.

Cycle History: Early on jumped on Ostarine oral 10mg a day and Cardarine oral 15mg day for 7 weeks (Been a while but I think these were the numbers) to help get through the initial slog of picking up cardio.

Goals:
I don't really have specifics for this, I just got to the point where I was sick of how I looked and the toll it was taking on my life.
I'd love to use this as a pre-cycle (test e) cut and drop as much bf as I can to reduce risk of aromatizing.
Really just want to stop taking my body for granted and see what it's capable of if I give it my all.
Goal of reta is just to reduce the damn food noise, I wouldn't say I'm hungry but the voices man.

Training:
Oh boy, I'm not sure how well my split will go down but you'll see the pattern as I start to log daily workouts.
For my rehab work I work with a exercise physiologist once a week but otherwise pull my routine every single day with no rest days.

Morning: fasted 60 minutes cycling aiming to stay in zone 2 but heart rate often builds to mid 140s from exhaustion.
Night: 20 minutes cycling locked in zone 2 for warm up, followed up by 6 weight training movements typically taking 120 minutes.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my rehab work and the limitations of my exersise choices at this stage still with every workout update.*

Diet:
From the first portion of the year cut I was just rocking an estimated 750kcal deficit.
This cut I decided to see if I could increase this, regardless of daily expenditure I'm trying to lock down 2,000 kcal a day attempting to focus on protein.
If I find myself getting fatigued or any negative consequences of this I'm happy to increase in increments.
I am very aware my nutrition is jacked but this is vast vast vast progress compared to where I started and I will dial it in more and more following advice.
I also have not yet got back into meal prep for the start of this cut yet but I should this week at some point.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my dietary choices and limitations on budget and personal restrictions with every daily meal update.*

Supplements:
I am not running a supplement cycle outside of doing a loading phase of creatine at the moment.
I thought it best to list what I have on hand and let the pros at it if they're so inclined.
I can answer why I have some of these but the rest are unfounded.
(I was meant to stock up on a general multi-vit but seem to have forgotten)

Nutra-Life Digestive Enzymes 120 Capsules
Healthy Way Scrumptious Psyllium Husk 500g
Blackmores Probiotics+ Immune Defence 90 Capsules
Vitamin K2 MK7 Softgels 365 softgels (100mcg)
Vitamin D3 Softgels 500 Softgels (5000IU)
Bulk Nutrients ZMA Complex Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Potency Plus Capsules
Bulk Nutrients 5-HTP Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Ashwagandha Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Magnesium Glycinate Capsules
Blackmores Fish Oil 1000 Capsules

I do also have Slin Pills unopened from a promotion, I'm unsure if they're beneficial for me at this stage.

Cycle:
Being a reta log it'd be a shame for me to forget reta
Starting on a daily 1mg/week as advised in my previous thread. I have seen a lot of logs recently implementing a daily protocol but this will be my first ever substance pinning and am more comfortable starting out with weekly and modifying this as I become more comfortable with the process/idea.
(This has not started yet but I will post when it does, likely next week at this stage because I like timing to feel right?)

Starting Questions:
When logging dumbbells vs machine do I log combined dumbbell weight or just specify dumbbell weight once and it's assume that's per side?

Attached Photos:
Single photo from Feb 26 2025 showing starting body side on.
Rest of photos are from Sep 7 2025 showing current body comp.
(included a side on with and without core engaged because I'm not sure how this is typically standardized)
(I think I messed up the back photo and scrunched instead of pulling forward?)
(yes the dawgs are out)
*
The disclaimers are not a coverall for me to ignore any advice provided, I greatly value any input into my training, diet and lifestyle and everything will be logged mentally and utilized.
Just given my situation there might have to be gradual shifts towards these changes, I'll attempt to keep updated notes about things i'm working towards changing.

First round of food and training to come at nights conclusion, nervous and excited.

@2G2B bro much love for this. you got some good size on your frame. i say bulk up and get bigger

 

[2Thick]

Context:
2016 slipped 3 discs in my lower back with nerve impingement, was treated sub optimally and sent back out into the world with no follow up or training advice.
2023 Discs went again, impinging nerve again, absolutely crippled and bedridden and struggled to get effective help from professionals, lost my mind and spiralled and (based on follow up MRIs) had a muscle fat replacement loss of up to 30% comboed with body weight ballooning up to 120kg.
This time I was in a position to seek out my own treatment and follow up training, I am still very limited by the impingement but its stable enough for me to maintain my current routine and experiment with new movements.
Lost my job, lost my mind, lost my body and I just have to work to get it all back and beyond.

Feb 26 2025 my weigh in was 120 kg beginning my first ever cutting phase.
Jul 1 2025 my weigh in was 99.6 kg concluding my first ever cutting phase.

Stats:
Age: 28

Height: 183cm

Starting Weight: 98 kg (08/09/2025 after morning cardio)

Training History: Limited, first time locking in long term and taking it seriously, including basic rehab work closing in on 2 years of consistency.

Cycle History: Early on jumped on Ostarine oral 10mg a day and Cardarine oral 15mg day for 7 weeks (Been a while but I think these were the numbers) to help get through the initial slog of picking up cardio.

Goals:
I don't really have specifics for this, I just got to the point where I was sick of how I looked and the toll it was taking on my life.
I'd love to use this as a pre-cycle (test e) cut and drop as much bf as I can to reduce risk of aromatizing.
Really just want to stop taking my body for granted and see what it's capable of if I give it my all.
Goal of reta is just to reduce the damn food noise, I wouldn't say I'm hungry but the voices man.

Training:
Oh boy, I'm not sure how well my split will go down but you'll see the pattern as I start to log daily workouts.
For my rehab work I work with a exercise physiologist once a week but otherwise pull my routine every single day with no rest days.

Morning: fasted 60 minutes cycling aiming to stay in zone 2 but heart rate often builds to mid 140s from exhaustion.
Night: 20 minutes cycling locked in zone 2 for warm up, followed up by 6 weight training movements typically taking 120 minutes.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my rehab work and the limitations of my exersise choices at this stage still with every workout update.*

Diet:
From the first portion of the year cut I was just rocking an estimated 750kcal deficit.
This cut I decided to see if I could increase this, regardless of daily expenditure I'm trying to lock down 2,000 kcal a day attempting to focus on protein.
If I find myself getting fatigued or any negative consequences of this I'm happy to increase in increments.
I am very aware my nutrition is jacked but this is vast vast vast progress compared to where I started and I will dial it in more and more following advice.
I also have not yet got back into meal prep for the start of this cut yet but I should this week at some point.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my dietary choices and limitations on budget and personal restrictions with every daily meal update.*

Supplements:
I am not running a supplement cycle outside of doing a loading phase of creatine at the moment.
I thought it best to list what I have on hand and let the pros at it if they're so inclined.
I can answer why I have some of these but the rest are unfounded.
(I was meant to stock up on a general multi-vit but seem to have forgotten)

Nutra-Life Digestive Enzymes 120 Capsules
Healthy Way Scrumptious Psyllium Husk 500g
Blackmores Probiotics+ Immune Defence 90 Capsules
Vitamin K2 MK7 Softgels 365 softgels (100mcg)
Vitamin D3 Softgels 500 Softgels (5000IU)
Bulk Nutrients ZMA Complex Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Potency Plus Capsules
Bulk Nutrients 5-HTP Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Ashwagandha Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Magnesium Glycinate Capsules
Blackmores Fish Oil 1000 Capsules

I do also have Slin Pills unopened from a promotion, I'm unsure if they're beneficial for me at this stage.

Cycle:
Being a reta log it'd be a shame for me to forget reta
Starting on a daily 1mg/week as advised in my previous thread. I have seen a lot of logs recently implementing a daily protocol but this will be my first ever substance pinning and am more comfortable starting out with weekly and modifying this as I become more comfortable with the process/idea.
(This has not started yet but I will post when it does, likely next week at this stage because I like timing to feel right?)

Starting Questions:
When logging dumbbells vs machine do I log combined dumbbell weight or just specify dumbbell weight once and it's assume that's per side?

Attached Photos:
Single photo from Feb 26 2025 showing starting body side on.
Rest of photos are from Sep 7 2025 showing current body comp.
(included a side on with and without core engaged because I'm not sure how this is typically standardized)
(I think I messed up the back photo and scrunched instead of pulling forward?)
(yes the dawgs are out)
*
The disclaimers are not a coverall for me to ignore any advice provided, I greatly value any input into my training, diet and lifestyle and everything will be logged mentally and utilized.
Just given my situation there might have to be gradual shifts towards these changes, I'll attempt to keep updated notes about things i'm working towards changing.

First round of food and training to come at nights conclusion, nervous and excited.

you won't go wrong with reta. once a week is fine. but 1mg is low. i would push 2mgs @2G2B

 

[ROIDDERS]

Context:
2016 slipped 3 discs in my lower back with nerve impingement, was treated sub optimally and sent back out into the world with no follow up or training advice.
2023 Discs went again, impinging nerve again, absolutely crippled and bedridden and struggled to get effective help from professionals, lost my mind and spiralled and (based on follow up MRIs) had a muscle fat replacement loss of up to 30% comboed with body weight ballooning up to 120kg.
This time I was in a position to seek out my own treatment and follow up training, I am still very limited by the impingement but its stable enough for me to maintain my current routine and experiment with new movements.
Lost my job, lost my mind, lost my body and I just have to work to get it all back and beyond.

Feb 26 2025 my weigh in was 120 kg beginning my first ever cutting phase.
Jul 1 2025 my weigh in was 99.6 kg concluding my first ever cutting phase.

Stats:
Age: 28

Height: 183cm

Starting Weight: 98 kg (08/09/2025 after morning cardio)

Training History: Limited, first time locking in long term and taking it seriously, including basic rehab work closing in on 2 years of consistency.

Cycle History: Early on jumped on Ostarine oral 10mg a day and Cardarine oral 15mg day for 7 weeks (Been a while but I think these were the numbers) to help get through the initial slog of picking up cardio.

Goals:
I don't really have specifics for this, I just got to the point where I was sick of how I looked and the toll it was taking on my life.
I'd love to use this as a pre-cycle (test e) cut and drop as much bf as I can to reduce risk of aromatizing.
Really just want to stop taking my body for granted and see what it's capable of if I give it my all.
Goal of reta is just to reduce the damn food noise, I wouldn't say I'm hungry but the voices man.

Training:
Oh boy, I'm not sure how well my split will go down but you'll see the pattern as I start to log daily workouts.
For my rehab work I work with a exercise physiologist once a week but otherwise pull my routine every single day with no rest days.

Morning: fasted 60 minutes cycling aiming to stay in zone 2 but heart rate often builds to mid 140s from exhaustion.
Night: 20 minutes cycling locked in zone 2 for warm up, followed up by 6 weight training movements typically taking 120 minutes.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my rehab work and the limitations of my exersise choices at this stage still with every workout update.*

Diet:
From the first portion of the year cut I was just rocking an estimated 750kcal deficit.
This cut I decided to see if I could increase this, regardless of daily expenditure I'm trying to lock down 2,000 kcal a day attempting to focus on protein.
If I find myself getting fatigued or any negative consequences of this I'm happy to increase in increments.
I am very aware my nutrition is jacked but this is vast vast vast progress compared to where I started and I will dial it in more and more following advice.
I also have not yet got back into meal prep for the start of this cut yet but I should this week at some point.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my dietary choices and limitations on budget and personal restrictions with every daily meal update.*

Supplements:
I am not running a supplement cycle outside of doing a loading phase of creatine at the moment.
I thought it best to list what I have on hand and let the pros at it if they're so inclined.
I can answer why I have some of these but the rest are unfounded.
(I was meant to stock up on a general multi-vit but seem to have forgotten)

Nutra-Life Digestive Enzymes 120 Capsules
Healthy Way Scrumptious Psyllium Husk 500g
Blackmores Probiotics+ Immune Defence 90 Capsules
Vitamin K2 MK7 Softgels 365 softgels (100mcg)
Vitamin D3 Softgels 500 Softgels (5000IU)
Bulk Nutrients ZMA Complex Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Potency Plus Capsules
Bulk Nutrients 5-HTP Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Ashwagandha Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Magnesium Glycinate Capsules
Blackmores Fish Oil 1000 Capsules

I do also have Slin Pills unopened from a promotion, I'm unsure if they're beneficial for me at this stage.

Cycle:
Being a reta log it'd be a shame for me to forget reta
Starting on a daily 1mg/week as advised in my previous thread. I have seen a lot of logs recently implementing a daily protocol but this will be my first ever substance pinning and am more comfortable starting out with weekly and modifying this as I become more comfortable with the process/idea.
(This has not started yet but I will post when it does, likely next week at this stage because I like timing to feel right?)

Starting Questions:
When logging dumbbells vs machine do I log combined dumbbell weight or just specify dumbbell weight once and it's assume that's per side?

Attached Photos:
Single photo from Feb 26 2025 showing starting body side on.
Rest of photos are from Sep 7 2025 showing current body comp.
(included a side on with and without core engaged because I'm not sure how this is typically standardized)
(I think I messed up the back photo and scrunched instead of pulling forward?)
(yes the dawgs are out)
*
The disclaimers are not a coverall for me to ignore any advice provided, I greatly value any input into my training, diet and lifestyle and everything will be logged mentally and utilized.
Just given my situation there might have to be gradual shifts towards these changes, I'll attempt to keep updated notes about things i'm working towards changing.

First round of food and training to come at nights conclusion, nervous and excited.

looks like you leaned out a lot so far this year. great work. now from here lets dial it all in @2G2B

 

[ceo]

Context:
2016 slipped 3 discs in my lower back with nerve impingement, was treated sub optimally and sent back out into the world with no follow up or training advice.
2023 Discs went again, impinging nerve again, absolutely crippled and bedridden and struggled to get effective help from professionals, lost my mind and spiralled and (based on follow up MRIs) had a muscle fat replacement loss of up to 30% comboed with body weight ballooning up to 120kg.
This time I was in a position to seek out my own treatment and follow up training, I am still very limited by the impingement but its stable enough for me to maintain my current routine and experiment with new movements.
Lost my job, lost my mind, lost my body and I just have to work to get it all back and beyond.

Feb 26 2025 my weigh in was 120 kg beginning my first ever cutting phase.
Jul 1 2025 my weigh in was 99.6 kg concluding my first ever cutting phase.

Stats:
Age: 28

Height: 183cm

Starting Weight: 98 kg (08/09/2025 after morning cardio)

Training History: Limited, first time locking in long term and taking it seriously, including basic rehab work closing in on 2 years of consistency.

Cycle History: Early on jumped on Ostarine oral 10mg a day and Cardarine oral 15mg day for 7 weeks (Been a while but I think these were the numbers) to help get through the initial slog of picking up cardio.

Goals:
I don't really have specifics for this, I just got to the point where I was sick of how I looked and the toll it was taking on my life.
I'd love to use this as a pre-cycle (test e) cut and drop as much bf as I can to reduce risk of aromatizing.
Really just want to stop taking my body for granted and see what it's capable of if I give it my all.
Goal of reta is just to reduce the damn food noise, I wouldn't say I'm hungry but the voices man.

Training:
Oh boy, I'm not sure how well my split will go down but you'll see the pattern as I start to log daily workouts.
For my rehab work I work with a exercise physiologist once a week but otherwise pull my routine every single day with no rest days.

Morning: fasted 60 minutes cycling aiming to stay in zone 2 but heart rate often builds to mid 140s from exhaustion.
Night: 20 minutes cycling locked in zone 2 for warm up, followed up by 6 weight training movements typically taking 120 minutes.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my rehab work and the limitations of my exersise choices at this stage still with every workout update.*

Diet:
From the first portion of the year cut I was just rocking an estimated 750kcal deficit.
This cut I decided to see if I could increase this, regardless of daily expenditure I'm trying to lock down 2,000 kcal a day attempting to focus on protein.
If I find myself getting fatigued or any negative consequences of this I'm happy to increase in increments.
I am very aware my nutrition is jacked but this is vast vast vast progress compared to where I started and I will dial it in more and more following advice.
I also have not yet got back into meal prep for the start of this cut yet but I should this week at some point.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my dietary choices and limitations on budget and personal restrictions with every daily meal update.*

Supplements:
I am not running a supplement cycle outside of doing a loading phase of creatine at the moment.
I thought it best to list what I have on hand and let the pros at it if they're so inclined.
I can answer why I have some of these but the rest are unfounded.
(I was meant to stock up on a general multi-vit but seem to have forgotten)

Nutra-Life Digestive Enzymes 120 Capsules
Healthy Way Scrumptious Psyllium Husk 500g
Blackmores Probiotics+ Immune Defence 90 Capsules
Vitamin K2 MK7 Softgels 365 softgels (100mcg)
Vitamin D3 Softgels 500 Softgels (5000IU)
Bulk Nutrients ZMA Complex Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Potency Plus Capsules
Bulk Nutrients 5-HTP Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Ashwagandha Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Magnesium Glycinate Capsules
Blackmores Fish Oil 1000 Capsules

I do also have Slin Pills unopened from a promotion, I'm unsure if they're beneficial for me at this stage.

Cycle:
Being a reta log it'd be a shame for me to forget reta
Starting on a daily 1mg/week as advised in my previous thread. I have seen a lot of logs recently implementing a daily protocol but this will be my first ever substance pinning and am more comfortable starting out with weekly and modifying this as I become more comfortable with the process/idea.
(This has not started yet but I will post when it does, likely next week at this stage because I like timing to feel right?)

Starting Questions:
When logging dumbbells vs machine do I log combined dumbbell weight or just specify dumbbell weight once and it's assume that's per side?

Attached Photos:
Single photo from Feb 26 2025 showing starting body side on.
Rest of photos are from Sep 7 2025 showing current body comp.
(included a side on with and without core engaged because I'm not sure how this is typically standardized)
(I think I messed up the back photo and scrunched instead of pulling forward?)
(yes the dawgs are out)
*
The disclaimers are not a coverall for me to ignore any advice provided, I greatly value any input into my training, diet and lifestyle and everything will be logged mentally and utilized.
Just given my situation there might have to be gradual shifts towards these changes, I'll attempt to keep updated notes about things i'm working towards changing.

First round of food and training to come at nights conclusion, nervous and excited.

bros you making a nice comeback if you ask me. i think you gonna do great on this one @2G2B we gonna support you

 

[BeMe]

Appreciate it, Finding a lot of cross-over between better mental health and better fitness journeys, surrounding yourself with the right people is always a game changer

fr though can I just write "Stop being a fat cunt and look shredded". Aside I spent some time today trying to pull some things together that I think I really want to see from myself, some things like weight I'm not privy to what's possible given my lean mass but i'll be including them in todays Misc section ramblings.

Weirdly I've been finding I'm less reliant on caffeine this time around, something about being in the gym and just moving gets me going. Preparing for the flat days before they come will be important for me. Just gotta find one I don't hate the taste of now.

Thank-you, it feels funny to write this after writing I have no goals, but i'd say the overarching goal of this journey was always just to look at it like a massive recomp and see where we go from there

I use the ghost warheads watermelon flavour pre-workout. Not sure if you guys have warheads candies down there or not. The flavour is good but the pre-workout packs a serious punch. I have a high tolerance to caffeine but this pre-workout hits like a truck at half doses. I did a 3/4 scoop one-time and felt like I was on coke. My wife even noticed and said the same cuz I couldn't stop talking lol. It uses Arabica bean extracts and man that stuff hits hard.

 

[2G2B]

@2G2B bro much love for this. you got some good size on your frame. i say bulk up and get bigger

you won't go wrong with reta. once a week is fine. but 1mg is low. i would push 2mgs @2G2B

looks like you leaned out a lot so far this year. great work. now from here lets dial it all in @2G2B

bros you making a nice comeback if you ask me. i think you gonna do great on this one @2G2B we gonna support you

Thank-you All
Something about the support and accountability from the community adds a layer of confidence to the journey I didn't get in the first half.

Only additional was, the initial plan was to just jump on 2.5 reta but community advised since I've never taken anything before other than some oral Cardarine and Ostarine to just coast for 4 weeks at 1 and see how I feel and move up if I need to move up. Since I am trying to embody slowing my roll with compounds and getting out of hand planning stacks I thought this was a good starting point to have to taper my expectations for a while and creep up.

I use the ghost warheads watermelon flavour pre-workout. Not sure if you guys have warheads candies down there or not. The flavour is good but the pre-workout packs a serious punch. I have a high tolerance to caffeine but this pre-workout hits like a truck at half doses. I did a 3/4 scoop one-time and felt like I was on coke. My wife even noticed and said the same cuz I couldn't stop talking lol. It uses Arabica bean extracts and man that stuff hits hard.

We do.. surely it can't be as bitter as the candy..? that'd be insane? right?
But I guess that'd wake you up as much as the caffeine at that point.

Been meaning to swing into one of our supp stores when I pass by, in the past for work I had a creaming soda flavored one that I'd just put a scoop into 1 L of water and sip now and then to get through the day but wasn't as much a fan of the flavour as I am the actual drink.

Guess I should spend some time looking into the compounds in pre-workout other than caffeine and their benefits on the workout and pick one based on my goals instead of just flavour hopping now though.

 

[ceo]

Thank-you All
Something about the support and accountability from the community adds a layer of confidence to the journey I didn't get in the first half.

Only additional was, the initial plan was to just jump on 2.5 reta but community advised since I've never taken anything before other than some oral Cardarine and Ostarine to just coast for 4 weeks at 1 and see how I feel and move up if I need to move up. Since I am trying to embody slowing my roll with compounds and getting out of hand planning stacks I thought this was a good starting point to have to taper my expectations for a while and creep up.


We do.. surely it can't be as bitter as the candy..? that'd be insane? right?
But I guess that'd wake you up as much as the caffeine at that point.

Been meaning to swing into one of our supp stores when I pass by, in the past for work I had a creaming soda flavored one that I'd just put a scoop into 1 L of water and sip now and then to get through the day but wasn't as much a fan of the flavour as I am the actual drink.

Guess I should spend some time looking into the compounds in pre-workout other than caffeine and their benefits on the workout and pick one based on my goals instead of just flavour hopping now though.

bros trust me these logs push you 100%

 

[LevButlerov]

Appreciate it, Finding a lot of cross-over between better mental health and better fitness journeys, surrounding yourself with the right people is always a game changer

Mental health is #1 issue in the world today and EVO family has your back, here for you on your journey @2G2B

Day 2 Misc

First time trying out 3 sets instead of 4 on everything. Felt like less of a slog even when increasing weights, some things moved up easier than expected so interested to see how this plays out going forward.
Might introduce another fuck around muscle group for things I want to hit but are more specific to pad the time out in future sessions.

Excited, finally got to the point where I ordered my first ever set of tank tops a while back and they arrived today.
First time wearing a tank top to the gym, very nervous but really liked the way it looked and felt more connected than I usually do with the addition of being able to see my muscle groups engage throughout a movement.

Did some grocery shopping and tried to get some meal prep-y-er more carbier things so we'll see how that goes going forward in the week.

Had a think about my goals today, and I'm still not very confident in expressing effectively them despite it being a strong feeling about what I want.
I would say my overall goal from this log is a strong cut/recomp, maintaining as much as possible or even gaining muscle whilst cutting to a point where I've hit a BF% that would be considered good for running a cycle to build muscle.

I am still trying to determine what are reasonable milestones to set for myself considering on the cut prior to this log they were things like

110kg Body Weight
100kg Body Weight
<100kg Body Weight
Pushup
Set of Pushups
All 4 Sets of 15kg Dumbbell Preacher Curl
Hit The Gym Daily
Introduce 20 Mins Cycling Cardio Daily
Introduce 60 Mins Cycling Cardio Daily
Confidence To Get Tank Tops

Some things I'm still looking forward to relative to those are

90kg Body Weight
85kg Body Weight
First Pull Up
First Set of Pull-Ups
80kg Bench
90kg Bench
100kg Bench
Be Able To Hit My 10k Steps Walking Without Nerve Flare Up
When Lean Enough, Learning To Pose.
Confidence To Be Shirtless Around People
Graduating Physical Rehab (big ask)
Having Actual Pecs Instead of Just Tits
Solid Definition When Flexing
Return To Employment
Gain Confidence In My Resistance To Food Noise


I am unsure if this is all my rambling for now... we'll see...

Dropping to 3 sets was a smart move, it’ll help you keep intensity high without burning yourself out. Adding a smaller “fun” muscle group at the end is a good idea too, keeps sessions fresh while still progressing on the main lifts. Wearing that tank and seeing muscles working in real time is going to fire you up even more, that’s progress in itself. Meal prep with more carbs will help you recover better and fuel those lifts, just stay mindful of portions so the cut keeps moving. Keep stacking those milestones, focus on one at a time, and the confidence will keep building alongside the strength.

Day 2 Diet
(I felt Watched)
Breakfast 09:45 AM

83g Fresh Strawberries Diced
KCal: 27
Prot: 0.5
Carb: 4.8
Fats: 0.2
22g Carmans Aussie Oat Clusters Berry Crunch
KCal: 99
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 16.3
Fats: 2.4
360g YoPro Vanilla Yoghurt
KCal: 204
Prot: 34.2
Carb: 13.7
Fats: 1.1
Totals:
KCal: 318
Prot: 36.5
Carb: 32.9
Fats: 3.4

View attachment 117775

Lunch 01:00 PM

100g Chicken Meat From Full Roast
KCal: 223
Prot: 24
Carb: 0
Fats: 13.4
100g Eggs (fried in nothing so just calc similar to boiled?)
KCal: 155
Prot: 12.6
Carb: 1.1
Fats: 10.6
25g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 48
Prot: 4.3
Carb: 0.3
Fats: 3.4
1 Sweet Potato Wrap
KCal: 196
Prot: 5.7
Carb: 28.9
Fats: 5.2
Totals:
KCal: 622
Prot: 46.6
Carb: 30.3
Fats: 32.6

View attachment 117776

Dinner 05:30 PM

195.5g Chicken Breast
KCal: 235
Prot: 44
Carb: 0
Fats: 5.1
50g Leaf Mix
KCal: 10
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.2
Fats: 0.5
20g Old El Paso Crispy Spice Mix
KCal: 64
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 11.5
Fats: 0.5
10 Beerenberg Garlic Sauce
KCal: 30
Prot: 0.3
Carb: 0.9
Fats: 2.9
15g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 29
Prot: 2.6
Carb: 0.1
Fats: 2
5g Parmesan Cheese Flakes
KCal: 21
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.7
Fats: 1.4
Totals:
KCal: 389
Prot: 54.4
Carb: 13.4
Fats: 12.4

(This does exclude a very light sprits of avocado oil from a spray can, I'm not sure how to log that? if I weight it before and after..? but today it didn't feel important considering how steep of a deficit i'm already in)

View attachment 117777

Lil Snackaroo 10:00pm

31g Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla Icecream
KCal: 122.5
Prot: 24
Carb: 4
Fats: 1
400ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 252
Prot: 13.3
Carb: 19.2
Fats: 13.6
Totals:
KCal: 374.5
Prot: 37.3
Carb: 23.2
Fats: 14.6

Misc
121ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 76
Prot: 4
Carb: 5.8
Fats: 4.1
170g High Protein Coffee Pudding
KCal: 157
Prot: 15.5
Carb: 10.6
Fats: 5.3
500ml Ultra Strawyberry Dreams Monster
KCal: 12
Prot: 0
Carb: 6.5
Fats: 0


Daily Total:
KCal: 2045.4
Prot: 201.6
Carb: 128
Fats: 76.6
Hydration Estimate: 3123 ml ( forgot my water bottle when running errands/doctors)

View attachment 117778
(Energy target excludes the 750 kcal deficit i'm overshooting)

* I am yet to resume full meal prep for this portion of the journey so I'm just doing my best winging it until I lock in some recipes I'm not sick of eating.
Would love some simple goto suggestions. Food Budget is uncomfortably limited but we're working on it.

Foods look really good BUT you need to up your fats a bit to around 90, can you do that?

and who's the big puffball in the back, what kind of big puppy is that? (i know its a dog but looks CUTE)

Day 2 Workouts

Workout 8:20 AM - 9:20 AM

60 minutes Cycling managed to maintain on or sub 133 hr.


Workout 7:40pm - 9:40pm

20 Minutes Zone 2 Cycling

Dumbell Inclined Chest Press
8 x 22.5 kgs
8 x 25 kgs
8 x 27.5 kgs

Dumbell Shoulder Press (forgot it was machine day )
8 x 20 kgs
8 x 22.5 kgs
8 x 22.5 kgs

Dumbell Preacher Curl
8 x 15 kgs
8 x 15 kgs
8 x 15 kgs

Seated Dip Machine
8 x 60 kg
8 x 70 kg
8 x 70 kg

Cable Palloff Press
8 x Each Side x 10 kg
8 x Each Side x 10 kg
8 x Each Side x 12.5 kg

Modified Dead Bug
4 x Each Side
4 x Each Side
4 x Each Side

cycling you're doing high intensity?

 

[2G2B]

Mental health is #1 issue in the world today and EVO family has your back, here for you on your journey @2G2B

Spent about half of my life on a high dose of SSRIs but tapered off with a doctor a couple years back to see how I was cruising given changed life circumstances and just never looked back to them again. Still adjusting to how unusually some things hit me, things I wasn't aware the drugs were suppressing but it's still part of the journey

Dropping to 3 sets was a smart move, it’ll help you keep intensity high without burning yourself out. Adding a smaller “fun” muscle group at the end is a good idea too, keeps sessions fresh while still progressing on the main lifts. Wearing that tank and seeing muscles working in real time is going to fire you up even more, that’s progress in itself. Meal prep with more carbs will help you recover better and fuel those lifts, just stay mindful of portions so the cut keeps moving. Keep stacking those milestones, focus on one at a time, and the confidence will keep building alongside the strength.

I keep kicking myself trying to decide on the final set which is a weird place to be, just have to keep reminding myself it could be something as simple as traps or forearms and it's about consistency not intensity for me at this point.

Foods look really good BUT you need to up your fats a bit to around 90, can you do that?
and who's the big puffball in the back, what kind of big puppy is that? (i know its a dog but looks CUTE)

Did my "weekly" shop yesterday with a little more meal-prep-higher-carb focus so I will see how that impacts fats this week and if I don't hit the mark I'll have to look for some fat specific additions to things or how to do that without skewing everything else.
That is my co-captain in the kitchen, never eat a meal alone here. He is a Maremma, sitting a little heavy at about 74kg, maybe he'll start a log too.

cycling you're doing high intensity?

the 60 minutes stemmed from managing the 20 minutes zone 2 intensity, I just started sneaking in 1 or 2 a week where I could and eventually built up to doing it every morning, as this week has progressed I have kinda realized that since it's an optional entry by me to my program I don't have to sit in zone 2 and cut just cut loose.

I don't know how to gauge intensity of my cycling.. I'd guess moderate, my 60 minutes today was 550 kcal estimate by the machine and a little higher by my wearable. Pace about 80-90 rpm? and then start at 11 on the machine and maybe drop every 20-30 minutes as I fatigue out.

At this stage i'm not sure I could increase Intensity without impacting my fatigue by a lot but that's also just a guess.

 

[2G2B]

bros trust me these logs push you 100%

Opened my eyes this year to finally understanding all that content you see about how when you start your journey and start to care and lock in how you really end up having to migrate circles to those with similar mindsets around your goals.

I'm not going to drop anyone in my life who doesn't want to or isn't in a position to change but as it's a major focus in my life right now I needed to surround myself with people who are invested in that as well and I can bounce ideas and feedback off. Here seems like that kind of place.

 

[LevButlerov]

Spent about half of my life on a high dose of SSRIs but tapered off with a doctor a couple years back to see how I was cruising given changed life circumstances and just never looked back to them again. Still adjusting to how unusually some things hit me, things I wasn't aware the drugs were suppressing but it's still part of the journey

I keep kicking myself trying to decide on the final set which is a weird place to be, just have to keep reminding myself it could be something as simple as traps or forearms and it's about consistency not intensity for me at this point.

Did my "weekly" shop yesterday with a little more meal-prep-higher-carb focus so I will see how that impacts fats this week and if I don't hit the mark I'll have to look for some fat specific additions to things or how to do that without skewing everything else.
That is my co-captain in the kitchen, never eat a meal alone here. He is a Maremma, sitting a little heavy at about 74kg, maybe he'll start a log too.

the 60 minutes stemmed from managing the 20 minutes zone 2 intensity, I just started sneaking in 1 or 2 a week where I could and eventually built up to doing it every morning, as this week has progressed I have kinda realized that since it's an optional entry by me to my program I don't have to sit in zone 2 and cut just cut loose.

I don't know how to gauge intensity of my cycling.. I'd guess moderate, my 60 minutes today was 550 kcal estimate by the machine and a little higher by my wearable. Pace about 80-90 rpm? and then start at 11 on the machine and maybe drop every 20-30 minutes as I fatigue out.

At this stage i'm not sure I could increase Intensity without impacting my fatigue by a lot but that's also just a guess.

can you post some pics from your food shopping?

Spent about half of my life on a high dose of SSRIs but tapered off with a doctor a couple years back to see how I was cruising given changed life circumstances and just never looked back to them again. Still adjusting to how unusually some things hit me, things I wasn't aware the drugs were suppressing but it's still part of the journey

@2G2B ssris are horrible for you, good you taper off and stay off

 

[2G2B]

can you post some pics from your food shopping?

I can do so going forward, it's a little tricky to pull everything back together onto a surface for this now but I can take pre-checkout cart photos with a text summary for future shops.

I can also provide a text form of yesterdays purchases if that's helpful.

 

[LevButlerov]

I can do so going forward, it's a little tricky to pull everything back together onto a surface for this now but I can take pre-checkout cart photos with a text summary for future shops.

I can also provide a text form of yesterdays purchases if that's helpful.

Try to do what you can and update us more

 

[Mobster]

No need to break down each ingredient - just post the totals

 

[stevesmi]

Day 2 Diet
(I felt Watched)
Breakfast 09:45 AM

83g Fresh Strawberries Diced
KCal: 27
Prot: 0.5
Carb: 4.8
Fats: 0.2
22g Carmans Aussie Oat Clusters Berry Crunch
KCal: 99
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 16.3
Fats: 2.4
360g YoPro Vanilla Yoghurt
KCal: 204
Prot: 34.2
Carb: 13.7
Fats: 1.1
Totals:
KCal: 318
Prot: 36.5
Carb: 32.9
Fats: 3.4

View attachment 117775

Lunch 01:00 PM

100g Chicken Meat From Full Roast
KCal: 223
Prot: 24
Carb: 0
Fats: 13.4
100g Eggs (fried in nothing so just calc similar to boiled?)
KCal: 155
Prot: 12.6
Carb: 1.1
Fats: 10.6
25g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 48
Prot: 4.3
Carb: 0.3
Fats: 3.4
1 Sweet Potato Wrap
KCal: 196
Prot: 5.7
Carb: 28.9
Fats: 5.2
Totals:
KCal: 622
Prot: 46.6
Carb: 30.3
Fats: 32.6

View attachment 117776

Dinner 05:30 PM

195.5g Chicken Breast
KCal: 235
Prot: 44
Carb: 0
Fats: 5.1
50g Leaf Mix
KCal: 10
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.2
Fats: 0.5
20g Old El Paso Crispy Spice Mix
KCal: 64
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 11.5
Fats: 0.5
10 Beerenberg Garlic Sauce
KCal: 30
Prot: 0.3
Carb: 0.9
Fats: 2.9
15g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 29
Prot: 2.6
Carb: 0.1
Fats: 2
5g Parmesan Cheese Flakes
KCal: 21
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.7
Fats: 1.4
Totals:
KCal: 389
Prot: 54.4
Carb: 13.4
Fats: 12.4

(This does exclude a very light sprits of avocado oil from a spray can, I'm not sure how to log that? if I weight it before and after..? but today it didn't feel important considering how steep of a deficit i'm already in)

View attachment 117777

Lil Snackaroo 10:00pm

31g Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla Icecream
KCal: 122.5
Prot: 24
Carb: 4
Fats: 1
400ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 252
Prot: 13.3
Carb: 19.2
Fats: 13.6
Totals:
KCal: 374.5
Prot: 37.3
Carb: 23.2
Fats: 14.6

Misc
121ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 76
Prot: 4
Carb: 5.8
Fats: 4.1
170g High Protein Coffee Pudding
KCal: 157
Prot: 15.5
Carb: 10.6
Fats: 5.3
500ml Ultra Strawyberry Dreams Monster
KCal: 12
Prot: 0
Carb: 6.5
Fats: 0


Daily Total:
KCal: 2045.4
Prot: 201.6
Carb: 128
Fats: 76.6
Hydration Estimate: 3123 ml ( forgot my water bottle when running errands/doctors)

View attachment 117778
(Energy target excludes the 750 kcal deficit i'm overshooting)

* I am yet to resume full meal prep for this portion of the journey so I'm just doing my best winging it until I lock in some recipes I'm not sick of eating.
Would love some simple goto suggestions. Food Budget is uncomfortably limited but we're working on it.

man that is a big dog! it looks like it belongs in the snow with that fur lol. @2G2B

 

[BodyMonster34]

Day 2 Diet
(I felt Watched)
Breakfast 09:45 AM

83g Fresh Strawberries Diced
KCal: 27
Prot: 0.5
Carb: 4.8
Fats: 0.2
22g Carmans Aussie Oat Clusters Berry Crunch
KCal: 99
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 16.3
Fats: 2.4
360g YoPro Vanilla Yoghurt
KCal: 204
Prot: 34.2
Carb: 13.7
Fats: 1.1
Totals:
KCal: 318
Prot: 36.5
Carb: 32.9
Fats: 3.4

View attachment 117775

Lunch 01:00 PM

100g Chicken Meat From Full Roast
KCal: 223
Prot: 24
Carb: 0
Fats: 13.4
100g Eggs (fried in nothing so just calc similar to boiled?)
KCal: 155
Prot: 12.6
Carb: 1.1
Fats: 10.6
25g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 48
Prot: 4.3
Carb: 0.3
Fats: 3.4
1 Sweet Potato Wrap
KCal: 196
Prot: 5.7
Carb: 28.9
Fats: 5.2
Totals:
KCal: 622
Prot: 46.6
Carb: 30.3
Fats: 32.6

View attachment 117776

Dinner 05:30 PM

195.5g Chicken Breast
KCal: 235
Prot: 44
Carb: 0
Fats: 5.1
50g Leaf Mix
KCal: 10
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.2
Fats: 0.5
20g Old El Paso Crispy Spice Mix
KCal: 64
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 11.5
Fats: 0.5
10 Beerenberg Garlic Sauce
KCal: 30
Prot: 0.3
Carb: 0.9
Fats: 2.9
15g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 29
Prot: 2.6
Carb: 0.1
Fats: 2
5g Parmesan Cheese Flakes
KCal: 21
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.7
Fats: 1.4
Totals:
KCal: 389
Prot: 54.4
Carb: 13.4
Fats: 12.4

(This does exclude a very light sprits of avocado oil from a spray can, I'm not sure how to log that? if I weight it before and after..? but today it didn't feel important considering how steep of a deficit i'm already in)

View attachment 117777

Lil Snackaroo 10:00pm

31g Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla Icecream
KCal: 122.5
Prot: 24
Carb: 4
Fats: 1
400ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 252
Prot: 13.3
Carb: 19.2
Fats: 13.6
Totals:
KCal: 374.5
Prot: 37.3
Carb: 23.2
Fats: 14.6

Misc
121ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 76
Prot: 4
Carb: 5.8
Fats: 4.1
170g High Protein Coffee Pudding
KCal: 157
Prot: 15.5
Carb: 10.6
Fats: 5.3
500ml Ultra Strawyberry Dreams Monster
KCal: 12
Prot: 0
Carb: 6.5
Fats: 0


Daily Total:
KCal: 2045.4
Prot: 201.6
Carb: 128
Fats: 76.6
Hydration Estimate: 3123 ml ( forgot my water bottle when running errands/doctors)

View attachment 117778
(Energy target excludes the 750 kcal deficit i'm overshooting)

* I am yet to resume full meal prep for this portion of the journey so I'm just doing my best winging it until I lock in some recipes I'm not sick of eating.
Would love some simple goto suggestions. Food Budget is uncomfortably limited but we're working on it.

bro you got some good eats. i want to see more red meat though @2G2B that makes the man

 

[2G2B]

Try to do what you can and update us more

Open question to anyone here but, I noticed I've independently received advice to increase prot/carb/fat to 200/200/90, and I'm sure this is implied by that recommendation but I struggle with implications, that I need to increase my calorie target to make this even possible on the most optimal diet? Since resuming this cut i've been just riding 2,000kcal a day and I'm under the impression that's not possible even if I somehow only ate those macros perfectly.

Chronometer is ball parking my daily input/output for the last week as 2,057/3,329
and Garmin watch is kind of agreeing on the days I remember to wear it for all my sessions generally reading an avg total of 3,553 output for the last week

No need to break down each ingredient - just post the totals

Saves me some transcribing, it was kinda fun but I did realize at some point the benefit I thought I was getting out of it of being able to reflect on ingredient specific macros was kinda mute because I still have to read them all personally to calc the totals I just don't have to share it.

man that is a big dog! it looks like it belongs in the snow with that fur lol. @2G2B

Very, no brick of butter is safe on any counter.
Thank-fully(? not for the vaccuum I guess) he has a seasonal double coat, in the summer much to my dismay he loves laying out in full sun and just soaking it up.

bro you got some good eats. i want to see more red meat though @2G2B that makes the man

First half of the year I was all over it but recently I've been trying to broaden my horizons, at the moment I'm just trying out meals and seeing if they land in the repeat or never again pile.
Also battling a hopefully temporary unforeseen budgeting issue but we persist.

 

[2G2B]

Day 3 Misc
I want to have words with whoever invented egg-white oats.
Only note on that I really have is after making it taste good with fruit and cinnamon I should have left the yolks in for fats.

Macros are all over the place as I ended up trying a bunch of different things without considering how the totals would come together at the end of the day instead of adjusting single meals at a time.

Not a lot to say today, feeling the pressure of sending out as many job applications as I can a day and not getting a peep back tanks the mood.

Workouts felt really good despite the lack of motivation from above.
Something about being able to creep up on numbers with the dropped set is just fun still.
Today's time extender was the old reverse curl, Didn't really know where to start weight wise. Hands hurt like hell but to be expected of thumb-less grip.

 

[2G2B]

Day 3 Diet

Breakfast 09:45 AM

75g Fresh Strawberries Diced
30g Quick Oats
400ml Full Cream Milk
100g Egg Whites
2g Cinnamon Sugar

Totals:
KCal: 443
Prot: 28.6
Carb: 45.4
Fats: 16

Lunch 12:45 AM

20g Old El Paso Crispy Spice Mix
195.5g Chicken Breast
10 Beerenberg Garlic Sauce
25g Leaf Mix
5g Parmesan Cheese Flakes
65g Spinach and Herb Wrap

Totals:
KCal: 548
Prot: 53.2
Carb: 44.4
Fats: 15.1

Dinner 04:30 PM

200g 10% Fat Beef Mince
245g Spud Lite Potatoes
87g Brown Onion
60g Red Bell Pepper
12g Old El Paso Taco Seasoning

Totals:
KCal: 537.1
Prot: 42.7
Carb: 36
Fats: 20.9

Snack 06:30 PM
360g YoPro Strawberry Yogurt
45g Carmans Berry Crunch
100g Fresh Strawberries Diced

Totals:
KCal: 421.8
Prot: 38.8
Carb: 50
Fats: 5.5

Daily Totals:
KCal: 1961.8
Prot: 163.3
Carb: 180.4
Fats: 57.5

Hydration Estimate: 4274 ml

 

[2G2B]

Day 3 Workouts

Workout 8:40 AM - 9:40 AM

60 Minutes Cycling


Workout 7:40 PM - 10:00 PM

20 Minutes Zone 2 Cycling

Inclined Bench Press
8 x 50 kg
8 x 60 kg
8 x 60 kg

Machine Shoulder Press
8 x 36 kgs
8 x 41 kgs
8 x 41 kgs

Strange Curl Machine
8 x 45 kg
8 x 45 kg
8 x 45 kg

Seated Triceps Extension Machine
8 x 57 kg
8 x 57 kg
8 x 57 kg

Leg Press
8 x 110 kg
8 x 110 kg
8 x 110 kg

Modified Step-Ups
8 x Each Side
8 x Each Side
8 x Each Side

Ez-Bar Reverse Curl
8 x 15 kg
8 x 17.5 kg
8 x 17.5 kg

 

[2Thick]

Day 2 Diet
(I felt Watched)
Breakfast 09:45 AM

83g Fresh Strawberries Diced
KCal: 27
Prot: 0.5
Carb: 4.8
Fats: 0.2
22g Carmans Aussie Oat Clusters Berry Crunch
KCal: 99
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 16.3
Fats: 2.4
360g YoPro Vanilla Yoghurt
KCal: 204
Prot: 34.2
Carb: 13.7
Fats: 1.1
Totals:
KCal: 318
Prot: 36.5
Carb: 32.9
Fats: 3.4

View attachment 117775

Lunch 01:00 PM

100g Chicken Meat From Full Roast
KCal: 223
Prot: 24
Carb: 0
Fats: 13.4
100g Eggs (fried in nothing so just calc similar to boiled?)
KCal: 155
Prot: 12.6
Carb: 1.1
Fats: 10.6
25g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 48
Prot: 4.3
Carb: 0.3
Fats: 3.4
1 Sweet Potato Wrap
KCal: 196
Prot: 5.7
Carb: 28.9
Fats: 5.2
Totals:
KCal: 622
Prot: 46.6
Carb: 30.3
Fats: 32.6

View attachment 117776

Dinner 05:30 PM

195.5g Chicken Breast
KCal: 235
Prot: 44
Carb: 0
Fats: 5.1
50g Leaf Mix
KCal: 10
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.2
Fats: 0.5
20g Old El Paso Crispy Spice Mix
KCal: 64
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 11.5
Fats: 0.5
10 Beerenberg Garlic Sauce
KCal: 30
Prot: 0.3
Carb: 0.9
Fats: 2.9
15g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 29
Prot: 2.6
Carb: 0.1
Fats: 2
5g Parmesan Cheese Flakes
KCal: 21
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.7
Fats: 1.4
Totals:
KCal: 389
Prot: 54.4
Carb: 13.4
Fats: 12.4

(This does exclude a very light sprits of avocado oil from a spray can, I'm not sure how to log that? if I weight it before and after..? but today it didn't feel important considering how steep of a deficit i'm already in)

View attachment 117777

Lil Snackaroo 10:00pm

31g Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla Icecream
KCal: 122.5
Prot: 24
Carb: 4
Fats: 1
400ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 252
Prot: 13.3
Carb: 19.2
Fats: 13.6
Totals:
KCal: 374.5
Prot: 37.3
Carb: 23.2
Fats: 14.6

Misc
121ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 76
Prot: 4
Carb: 5.8
Fats: 4.1
170g High Protein Coffee Pudding
KCal: 157
Prot: 15.5
Carb: 10.6
Fats: 5.3
500ml Ultra Strawyberry Dreams Monster
KCal: 12
Prot: 0
Carb: 6.5
Fats: 0


Daily Total:
KCal: 2045.4
Prot: 201.6
Carb: 128
Fats: 76.6
Hydration Estimate: 3123 ml ( forgot my water bottle when running errands/doctors)

View attachment 117778
(Energy target excludes the 750 kcal deficit i'm overshooting)

* I am yet to resume full meal prep for this portion of the journey so I'm just doing my best winging it until I lock in some recipes I'm not sick of eating.
Would love some simple goto suggestions. Food Budget is uncomfortably limited but we're working on it.

@2G2B the strawberries are looking good! i love it for sure. protein is amazing as well. keep it up!

 

[Ulter]

Day 2 Diet
(I felt Watched)
Breakfast 09:45 AM

83g Fresh Strawberries Diced
KCal: 27
Prot: 0.5
Carb: 4.8
Fats: 0.2
22g Carmans Aussie Oat Clusters Berry Crunch
KCal: 99
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 16.3
Fats: 2.4
360g YoPro Vanilla Yoghurt
KCal: 204
Prot: 34.2
Carb: 13.7
Fats: 1.1
Totals:
KCal: 318
Prot: 36.5
Carb: 32.9
Fats: 3.4

View attachment 117775

Lunch 01:00 PM

100g Chicken Meat From Full Roast
KCal: 223
Prot: 24
Carb: 0
Fats: 13.4
100g Eggs (fried in nothing so just calc similar to boiled?)
KCal: 155
Prot: 12.6
Carb: 1.1
Fats: 10.6
25g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 48
Prot: 4.3
Carb: 0.3
Fats: 3.4
1 Sweet Potato Wrap
KCal: 196
Prot: 5.7
Carb: 28.9
Fats: 5.2
Totals:
KCal: 622
Prot: 46.6
Carb: 30.3
Fats: 32.6

View attachment 117776

Dinner 05:30 PM

195.5g Chicken Breast
KCal: 235
Prot: 44
Carb: 0
Fats: 5.1
50g Leaf Mix
KCal: 10
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.2
Fats: 0.5
20g Old El Paso Crispy Spice Mix
KCal: 64
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 11.5
Fats: 0.5
10 Beerenberg Garlic Sauce
KCal: 30
Prot: 0.3
Carb: 0.9
Fats: 2.9
15g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 29
Prot: 2.6
Carb: 0.1
Fats: 2
5g Parmesan Cheese Flakes
KCal: 21
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.7
Fats: 1.4
Totals:
KCal: 389
Prot: 54.4
Carb: 13.4
Fats: 12.4

(This does exclude a very light sprits of avocado oil from a spray can, I'm not sure how to log that? if I weight it before and after..? but today it didn't feel important considering how steep of a deficit i'm already in)

View attachment 117777

Lil Snackaroo 10:00pm

31g Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla Icecream
KCal: 122.5
Prot: 24
Carb: 4
Fats: 1
400ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 252
Prot: 13.3
Carb: 19.2
Fats: 13.6
Totals:
KCal: 374.5
Prot: 37.3
Carb: 23.2
Fats: 14.6

Misc
121ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 76
Prot: 4
Carb: 5.8
Fats: 4.1
170g High Protein Coffee Pudding
KCal: 157
Prot: 15.5
Carb: 10.6
Fats: 5.3
500ml Ultra Strawyberry Dreams Monster
KCal: 12
Prot: 0
Carb: 6.5
Fats: 0


Daily Total:
KCal: 2045.4
Prot: 201.6
Carb: 128
Fats: 76.6
Hydration Estimate: 3123 ml ( forgot my water bottle when running errands/doctors)

View attachment 117778
(Energy target excludes the 750 kcal deficit i'm overshooting)

* I am yet to resume full meal prep for this portion of the journey so I'm just doing my best winging it until I lock in some recipes I'm not sick of eating.
Would love some simple goto suggestions. Food Budget is uncomfortably limited but we're working on it.

full meal prep is on point. keep pushing things. the protein is solid over 200g@2G2B

 

[Noah Wixx]

Well done bro! You have got the ball rolling and you are in the right place here in EVO. You will get nothing short of support, advice and encouragement here.
Really look foward to seeing you slay it in your journey brother, proud of you for taking control

100% brother spot on with this comment

 

[Allupfromhere]

Day 2 Misc

First time trying out 3 sets instead of 4 on everything. Felt like less of a slog even when increasing weights, some things moved up easier than expected so interested to see how this plays out going forward.
Might introduce another fuck around muscle group for things I want to hit but are more specific to pad the time out in future sessions.

Excited, finally got to the point where I ordered my first ever set of tank tops a while back and they arrived today.
First time wearing a tank top to the gym, very nervous but really liked the way it looked and felt more connected than I usually do with the addition of being able to see my muscle groups engage throughout a movement.

Did some grocery shopping and tried to get some meal prep-y-er more carbier things so we'll see how that goes going forward in the week.

Had a think about my goals today, and I'm still not very confident in expressing effectively them despite it being a strong feeling about what I want.
I would say my overall goal from this log is a strong cut/recomp, maintaining as much as possible or even gaining muscle whilst cutting to a point where I've hit a BF% that would be considered good for running a cycle to build muscle.

I am still trying to determine what are reasonable milestones to set for myself considering on the cut prior to this log they were things like

110kg Body Weight
100kg Body Weight
<100kg Body Weight
Pushup
Set of Pushups
All 4 Sets of 15kg Dumbbell Preacher Curl
Hit The Gym Daily
Introduce 20 Mins Cycling Cardio Daily
Introduce 60 Mins Cycling Cardio Daily
Confidence To Get Tank Tops

Some things I'm still looking forward to relative to those are

90kg Body Weight
85kg Body Weight
First Pull Up
First Set of Pull-Ups
80kg Bench
90kg Bench
100kg Bench
Be Able To Hit My 10k Steps Walking Without Nerve Flare Up
When Lean Enough, Learning To Pose.
Confidence To Be Shirtless Around People
Graduating Physical Rehab (big ask)
Having Actual Pecs Instead of Just Tits
Solid Definition When Flexing
Return To Employment
Gain Confidence In My Resistance To Food Noise


I am unsure if this is all my rambling for now... we'll see...

This is rock solid.. some people get so caught up with big volume at the start before the body is ready for that kind of stimulus. Volume should be based around our ability to recover from our workouts not based on how excited we are to make change haha i massively guilty of this.

As far as the tank tops brother.... we dont wesr those for others we wear those for ourselves there is no better motivation then seeing the changes from the hard work we put in so have at it legend
You will feel like nothing is changing from time to time, covers up the rig when training for a few weeks then bust the tanks back out for a mental reset. Hard to notice changes sometimes with something we can find ourselves over observing. A huge thing i found is take progress photos each month, even if they're justnon your phone and dont worry if your not that happy with them either, just compare them to photos from early in your journey and these will prove your hard work is paying off!! Dont become a slave to the scales either im only 5kg give or take difference since the start of the year and my composition is completely different. Photos are your friend scales are not.. this log is lit brother keep up the good work

 

[ROIDDERS]

Day 2 Diet
(I felt Watched)
Breakfast 09:45 AM

83g Fresh Strawberries Diced
KCal: 27
Prot: 0.5
Carb: 4.8
Fats: 0.2
22g Carmans Aussie Oat Clusters Berry Crunch
KCal: 99
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 16.3
Fats: 2.4
360g YoPro Vanilla Yoghurt
KCal: 204
Prot: 34.2
Carb: 13.7
Fats: 1.1
Totals:
KCal: 318
Prot: 36.5
Carb: 32.9
Fats: 3.4

View attachment 117775

Lunch 01:00 PM

100g Chicken Meat From Full Roast
KCal: 223
Prot: 24
Carb: 0
Fats: 13.4
100g Eggs (fried in nothing so just calc similar to boiled?)
KCal: 155
Prot: 12.6
Carb: 1.1
Fats: 10.6
25g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 48
Prot: 4.3
Carb: 0.3
Fats: 3.4
1 Sweet Potato Wrap
KCal: 196
Prot: 5.7
Carb: 28.9
Fats: 5.2
Totals:
KCal: 622
Prot: 46.6
Carb: 30.3
Fats: 32.6

View attachment 117776

Dinner 05:30 PM

195.5g Chicken Breast
KCal: 235
Prot: 44
Carb: 0
Fats: 5.1
50g Leaf Mix
KCal: 10
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.2
Fats: 0.5
20g Old El Paso Crispy Spice Mix
KCal: 64
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 11.5
Fats: 0.5
10 Beerenberg Garlic Sauce
KCal: 30
Prot: 0.3
Carb: 0.9
Fats: 2.9
15g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 29
Prot: 2.6
Carb: 0.1
Fats: 2
5g Parmesan Cheese Flakes
KCal: 21
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.7
Fats: 1.4
Totals:
KCal: 389
Prot: 54.4
Carb: 13.4
Fats: 12.4

(This does exclude a very light sprits of avocado oil from a spray can, I'm not sure how to log that? if I weight it before and after..? but today it didn't feel important considering how steep of a deficit i'm already in)

View attachment 117777

Lil Snackaroo 10:00pm

31g Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla Icecream
KCal: 122.5
Prot: 24
Carb: 4
Fats: 1
400ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 252
Prot: 13.3
Carb: 19.2
Fats: 13.6
Totals:
KCal: 374.5
Prot: 37.3
Carb: 23.2
Fats: 14.6

Misc
121ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 76
Prot: 4
Carb: 5.8
Fats: 4.1
170g High Protein Coffee Pudding
KCal: 157
Prot: 15.5
Carb: 10.6
Fats: 5.3
500ml Ultra Strawyberry Dreams Monster
KCal: 12
Prot: 0
Carb: 6.5
Fats: 0


Daily Total:
KCal: 2045.4
Prot: 201.6
Carb: 128
Fats: 76.6
Hydration Estimate: 3123 ml ( forgot my water bottle when running errands/doctors)

View attachment 117778
(Energy target excludes the 750 kcal deficit i'm overshooting)

* I am yet to resume full meal prep for this portion of the journey so I'm just doing my best winging it until I lock in some recipes I'm not sick of eating.
Would love some simple goto suggestions. Food Budget is uncomfortably limited but we're working on it.

those are some nice dishes for sure! also great work on the training. you are doing some strong volume and throwing that iron around nicely @2G2B

 

[ceo]

Opened my eyes this year to finally understanding all that content you see about how when you start your journey and start to care and lock in how you really end up having to migrate circles to those with similar mindsets around your goals.

I'm not going to drop anyone in my life who doesn't want to or isn't in a position to change but as it's a major focus in my life right now I needed to surround myself with people who are invested in that as well and I can bounce ideas and feedback off. Here seems like that kind of place.

bros i love that mentality

 

[Allupfromhere]

Opened my eyes this year to finally understanding all that content you see about how when you start your journey and start to care and lock in how you really end up having to migrate circles to those with similar mindsets around your goals.

I'm not going to drop anyone in my life who doesn't want to or isn't in a position to change but as it's a major focus in my life right now I needed to surround myself with people who are invested in that as well and I can bounce ideas and feedback off. Here seems like that kind of place.

This is it right here! We find ourselves making changes through diet training and habits to gain better health physically so making changes to the environment/people around us for better health mentally is equally as important. Surround yourself only with things and people that will help you climb high, this isnt selfish at all as you will find yourself helping them back in the same way.

 

[ceo]

Day 2 Diet
(I felt Watched)
Breakfast 09:45 AM

83g Fresh Strawberries Diced
KCal: 27
Prot: 0.5
Carb: 4.8
Fats: 0.2
22g Carmans Aussie Oat Clusters Berry Crunch
KCal: 99
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 16.3
Fats: 2.4
360g YoPro Vanilla Yoghurt
KCal: 204
Prot: 34.2
Carb: 13.7
Fats: 1.1
Totals:
KCal: 318
Prot: 36.5
Carb: 32.9
Fats: 3.4

View attachment 117775

Lunch 01:00 PM

100g Chicken Meat From Full Roast
KCal: 223
Prot: 24
Carb: 0
Fats: 13.4
100g Eggs (fried in nothing so just calc similar to boiled?)
KCal: 155
Prot: 12.6
Carb: 1.1
Fats: 10.6
25g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 48
Prot: 4.3
Carb: 0.3
Fats: 3.4
1 Sweet Potato Wrap
KCal: 196
Prot: 5.7
Carb: 28.9
Fats: 5.2
Totals:
KCal: 622
Prot: 46.6
Carb: 30.3
Fats: 32.6

View attachment 117776

Dinner 05:30 PM

195.5g Chicken Breast
KCal: 235
Prot: 44
Carb: 0
Fats: 5.1
50g Leaf Mix
KCal: 10
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.2
Fats: 0.5
20g Old El Paso Crispy Spice Mix
KCal: 64
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 11.5
Fats: 0.5
10 Beerenberg Garlic Sauce
KCal: 30
Prot: 0.3
Carb: 0.9
Fats: 2.9
15g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 29
Prot: 2.6
Carb: 0.1
Fats: 2
5g Parmesan Cheese Flakes
KCal: 21
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.7
Fats: 1.4
Totals:
KCal: 389
Prot: 54.4
Carb: 13.4
Fats: 12.4

(This does exclude a very light sprits of avocado oil from a spray can, I'm not sure how to log that? if I weight it before and after..? but today it didn't feel important considering how steep of a deficit i'm already in)

View attachment 117777

Lil Snackaroo 10:00pm

31g Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla Icecream
KCal: 122.5
Prot: 24
Carb: 4
Fats: 1
400ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 252
Prot: 13.3
Carb: 19.2
Fats: 13.6
Totals:
KCal: 374.5
Prot: 37.3
Carb: 23.2
Fats: 14.6

Misc
121ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 76
Prot: 4
Carb: 5.8
Fats: 4.1
170g High Protein Coffee Pudding
KCal: 157
Prot: 15.5
Carb: 10.6
Fats: 5.3
500ml Ultra Strawyberry Dreams Monster
KCal: 12
Prot: 0
Carb: 6.5
Fats: 0


Daily Total:
KCal: 2045.4
Prot: 201.6
Carb: 128
Fats: 76.6
Hydration Estimate: 3123 ml ( forgot my water bottle when running errands/doctors)

View attachment 117778
(Energy target excludes the 750 kcal deficit i'm overshooting)

* I am yet to resume full meal prep for this portion of the journey so I'm just doing my best winging it until I lock in some recipes I'm not sick of eating.
Would love some simple goto suggestions. Food Budget is uncomfortably limited but we're working on it.

@2G2B bros this is a good one. nice targets. i like what you put together. it shows you take this seriously

 

[LevButlerov]

Open question to anyone here but, I noticed I've independently received advice to increase prot/carb/fat to 200/200/90, and I'm sure this is implied by that recommendation but I struggle with implications, that I need to increase my calorie target to make this even possible on the most optimal diet? Since resuming this cut i've been just riding 2,000kcal a day and I'm under the impression that's not possible even if I somehow only ate those macros perfectly.

Chronometer is ball parking my daily input/output for the last week as 2,057/3,329
and Garmin watch is kind of agreeing on the days I remember to wear it for all my sessions generally reading an avg total of 3,553 output for the last

Calories mean nothing, what matters is food and macros. Dont worry about calories, worry about the food itself. You're training and dieting, you're not a fat lady

 

[2G2B]

@2G2B the strawberries are looking good! i love it for sure. protein is amazing as well. keep it up!

full meal prep is on point. keep pushing things. the protein is solid over 200g@2G2B

100% brother spot on with this comment

This is rock solid.. some people get so caught up with big volume at the start before the body is ready for that kind of stimulus. Volume should be based around our ability to recover from our workouts not based on how excited we are to make change haha i massively guilty of this.
As far as the tank tops brother.... we dont wesr those for others we wear those for ourselves there is no better motivation then seeing the changes from the hard work we put in so have at it legend
this log is lit brother keep up the good work

those are some nice dishes for sure! also great work on the training. you are doing some strong volume and throwing that iron around nicely @2G2B

@2G2B bros this is a good one. nice targets. i like what you put together. it shows you take this seriously

Calories mean nothing, what matters is food and macros. Dont worry about calories, worry about the food itself. You're training and dieting, you're not a fat lady

I'm starting to gain a 6th sense of knowing the time of day based on when batches of notifications come through and sides of the world wake up or go to sleep.

Thank-you all for the kind words and support. A brand new kind of pre-workout motivation.
Still so new to this journey and there's so much to learn and take in and interpret but we're here for it.

It's a weird moment for it to finally happen and click, but better late then never!, but been thinking all morning about what Lev said and settled on understanding that as long as my diet is focused around the specific macros and nutrition required to work on my specific goals then calories are more or less just a number out there to scare me but will just work themselves out as long as I am conscious and don't give into cravings.
It would be insane to not give my body the fuel it needs to help me out on this journey based on an arbitrary restriction that'll lead to sub optimal outcomes and exhaustion.

It's a shame it's the benchmark the media drums into us our entire lives as the important number.

 

[BeMe]

I'm starting to gain a 6th sense of knowing the time of day based on when batches of notifications come through and sides of the world wake up or go to sleep.

Thank-you all for the kind words and support. A brand new kind of pre-workout motivation.
Still so new to this journey and there's so much to learn and take in and interpret but we're here for it.

It's a weird moment for it to finally happen and click, but better late then never!, but been thinking all morning about what Lev said and settled on understanding that as long as my diet is focused around the specific macros and nutrition required to work on my specific goals then calories are more or less just a number out there to scare me but will just work themselves out as long as I am conscious and don't give into cravings.
It would be insane to not give my body the fuel it needs to help me out on this journey based on an arbitrary restriction that'll lead to sub optimal outcomes and exhaustion.

It's a shame it's the benchmark the media drums into us our entire lives as the important number.

You're bodybuilding now. More muscle means higher metabolic rate equals more calories burned. The stronger you get the harder you train the more calories burned. You see the pattern bro?

Get bigger and stronger while burning fat is your new mindset. You got this!

 

[LevButlerov]

I'm starting to gain a 6th sense of knowing the time of day based on when batches of notifications come through and sides of the world wake up or go to sleep.

Thank-you all for the kind words and support. A brand new kind of pre-workout motivation.
Still so new to this journey and there's so much to learn and take in and interpret but we're here for it.

It's a weird moment for it to finally happen and click, but better late then never!, but been thinking all morning about what Lev said and settled on understanding that as long as my diet is focused around the specific macros and nutrition required to work on my specific goals then calories are more or less just a number out there to scare me but will just work themselves out as long as I am conscious and don't give into cravings.
It would be insane to not give my body the fuel it needs to help me out on this journey based on an arbitrary restriction that'll lead to sub optimal outcomes and exhaustion.

It's a shame it's the benchmark the media drums into us our entire lives as the important number.

That’s a really solid realization. Once you stop obsessing over the calorie number and instead keep your macros lined up with your goals, everything falls into place better. You’ll have more energy, recovery improves, and progress feels steady instead of forced. Calories are just the vehicle, but the macros are what drive results. The media pushes the number like it’s everything, but you’ve already figured out the smarter way forward. @2G2B

 

[Allupfromhere]

That’s a really solid realization. Once you stop obsessing over the calorie number and instead keep your macros lined up with your goals, everything falls into place better. You’ll have more energy, recovery improves, and progress feels steady instead of forced. Calories are just the vehicle, but the macros are what drive results. The media pushes the number like it’s everything, but you’ve already figured out the smarter way forward. @2G2B

Macros first, calories will just follow.

 

[2G2B]

Day 4 Misc

Breakfast was a lot better with yolks in, sweetener, apples. Maybe a little too much volume for me to tank right after cycling though.

Closest I've been to macro targets, might just eat the same thing tomorrow since I still have half of the main parts.
Going to be ups and downs on the numbers still until I figure out more regular recipes I enjoy.

Went to a different gym location and was burdened with the least ergonomic version of the tricep machine ever.

Also realized cronometer has a web app.. so I didn't have to be writing everything out all this time... will speed things up in future

 

[2G2B]

DAY 4 Diet

Breakfast 10:30 AM

50g Quick Oats
100g Whole Eggs
400g Full Cream Milk
8g Monk fruit Brown Sugar Replacement
4g Cinnamon Sugar
84g Kanzi Apple

Total
KCal: 656.3
Prot: 33.2
Carb: 63
Fats: 28

Lunch 1:30 PM

74g Kanzi Apple
43g Strawberry
150g 10% Fat Beef Mince
25g Mixed Leaf
64g Spinach and Herb Wrap
40g Red Bell Pepper
55g Brown Onion
120g Whole Eggs

Total
KCal: 722.7
Prot: 50.1
Carb: 50.8
Fats: 33.7

Dinner 6:00 PM

30g Mixed Leaf
126g Whole Eggs
120g Chicken Breast Raw Weight
15g Old El Paso Fajita Spice Mix
92g Home Brand Tortilla

Total
KCal: 679
Prot: 52
Carb: 56
Fats: 25

Snack:
400g Full Cream Milk
62 g Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla Ice Cream

Total
KCal: 497
Prot: 61
Carb: 27
Fats: 16

Daily Totals:
KCal: 2554
Prot: 196.3
Carb: 197.3
Fats: 102.2

Hydration Estimate: 3903 ml

 

[2G2B]

Day 4 Workout

Workout 8:20 AM - 9:20 AM

60 Minutes Cycling


Workout 7:40 PM - 10:20 PM

20 Minutes Zone 2 Cycling

Flat Bench Press
8 x 60 kg
8 x 60 kg
8 x 60 kg

Dumbbell Shoulder Press
8 x 27.5 kgs
8 x 25 kgs
8 x 25 kgs

Dumbbell Preacher Curl
8 x 15 kgs
8 x 15 kgs
8 x 15 kgs

Freaky Seated Triceps Extension Machine
8 x 45 kg
8 x 40 kg
8 x 40 kg

Lat Pulldown
8 x 65 kg
8 x 65 kg
8 x 65 kg

High-Low Cable Row
8 x Each Side x 15 kg
8 x Each Side x 15 kg
8 x Each Side x 17.5 kg

Dumbbell Shrugs
8 x 20 kgs
8 x 20 kgs
8 x 27.5 kgs

 

[Allupfromhere]

Closest I've been to macro targets, might just eat the same thing tomorrow since I still have half of the main parts.
Going to be ups and downs on the numbers still until I figure out more regular recipes I enjoy.

I find structuring my meals in week blocks really helps with staying tight to macro targets. Yeah it can be boring but its only for the week or could go half a week if you have time to prep more meals.

Naturally as time goes on your will find what meals you enjoy that are within your target macro range, all apart of the journey.

Your meals look amazing by the way!! I wish i had more time to get a little more creative then the same foods just with a different spice each week

Workout looks good, however imo if you have push the same weight and reps for 3 straight sets then your probably not putting in as much as you could for your first 2 sets.

My main/heavy movement, bench press as an example, i like to hit 2 top working sets with the second close* to failure. Then drop back the weight and increase the rep range to push it safely for the 3rd set.

Accessorie movements, eg. Curls, raises, i still only have 2 top* working sets and when i reach the 3rd ill drop the weight back and hit it with a drop set or rest pause set to maximise pump and expenditure saftey.
Something to try anyway.

Keep it up bro your building in this log already

 

[BeMe]

Day 4 Workout

Workout 8:20 AM - 9:20 AM

60 Minutes Cycling


Workout 7:40 PM - 10:20 PM

20 Minutes Zone 2 Cycling

Flat Bench Press
8 x 60 kg
8 x 60 kg
8 x 60 kg

Dumbbell Shoulder Press
8 x 27.5 kgs
8 x 25 kgs
8 x 25 kgs

Dumbbell Preacher Curl
8 x 15 kgs
8 x 15 kgs
8 x 15 kgs

Freaky Seated Triceps Extension Machine
8 x 45 kg
8 x 40 kg
8 x 40 kg

Lat Pulldown
8 x 65 kg
8 x 65 kg
8 x 65 kg

High-Low Cable Row
8 x Each Side x 15 kg
8 x Each Side x 15 kg
8 x Each Side x 17.5 kg

Dumbbell Shrugs
8 x 20 kgs
8 x 20 kgs
8 x 27.5 kgs

Food and training still looking on point bro.

Where are you getting your training program from? Are you doing it yourself? Are you familiar with progressive overload and reps in reserve (RIR).

 

[Tiger Salman Khan]

Day 4 Workout

Workout 8:20 AM - 9:20 AM

60 Minutes Cycling


Workout 7:40 PM - 10:20 PM

20 Minutes Zone 2 Cycling

Flat Bench Press
8 x 60 kg
8 x 60 kg
8 x 60 kg

Dumbbell Shoulder Press
8 x 27.5 kgs
8 x 25 kgs
8 x 25 kgs

Dumbbell Preacher Curl
8 x 15 kgs
8 x 15 kgs
8 x 15 kgs

Freaky Seated Triceps Extension Machine
8 x 45 kg
8 x 40 kg
8 x 40 kg

Lat Pulldown
8 x 65 kg
8 x 65 kg
8 x 65 kg

High-Low Cable Row
8 x Each Side x 15 kg
8 x Each Side x 15 kg
8 x Each Side x 17.5 kg

Dumbbell Shrugs
8 x 20 kgs
8 x 20 kgs
8 x 27.5 kgs

@2G2B Numbers look solid.....great work........

 

[2G2B]

I find structuring my meals in week blocks really helps with staying tight to macro targets. Yeah it can be boring but its only for the week or could go half a week if you have time to prep more meals.
Naturally as time goes on your will find what meals you enjoy that are within your target macro range, all apart of the journey.
Your meals look amazing by the way!! I wish i had more time to get a little more creative then the same foods just with a different spice each week

I am emotionally preparing for it to be way easier to eat that way though, just preparing a week of the same thing up front and getting through it.
I struggle a little bit with textures and consistent flavors becoming off-putting but it's just something to overcome if I'm serious about this moving forward.

Workout looks good, however imo if you have push the same weight and reps for 3 straight sets then your probably not putting in as much as you could for your first 2 sets.
My main/heavy movement, bench press as an example, i like to hit 2 top working sets with the second close* to failure. Then drop back the weight and increase the rep range to push it safely for the 3rd set.
Accessorie movements, eg. Curls, raises, i still only have 2 top* working sets and when i reach the 3rd ill drop the weight back and hit it with a drop set or rest pause set to maximise pump and expenditure saftey.
Something to try anyway.

I would put it down to a combination of confidence, the gym, and adjusting to 3 sets at the moment. perhaps and forgetfulness.
Forgot to adjust one of the figured and it doesn't appear I can edit it, but only hit 27.5 kgs for 6 before dropping back to 25s for the last two which would have been a new weight for me across the board even if I managed 25s all sets I believe.

Preachers since i'm doing dumbbell I'm limited by the step up the gym provides, my regular gym has 15s -> 16s ->17.5s but the one I attended last night didn't have 16s when I felt like I could do more and 17.5 felt like a bit to much of a step up considering my last few 15s are usually pretty messy but we get there.

Bench is generally just scary, I have a strong feeling I could push out more than 60 for 3 even if not by much. I think accepting my trainers offer of doing a 1RM day across all my regular workouts would be beneficial to my confidence.

Keep it up bro your building in this log already

Food and training still looking on point bro.
Where are you getting your training program from? Are you doing it yourself? Are you familiar with progressive overload and reps in reserve (RIR).

It's a combination of a small program my exercise physiologist rotates for me every 6-10 weeks with specific movements and how often they want me to hit them a week between our sessions. Then I pad out the time with both movements we've done prior that have been deemed safe or muscle groups my rehab just doesn't focus on that I don't want to get left behind.

We do some progressive overload work and RIR is known to me.
On my 4 set system it was a little like, First two sets were really just warmup but at rep weight, second to last should be RIR 2-3 maybe then 4 I am meant to push out as many reps as I can and if I consistently can hit around 12 or so even suffering I start creeping up weight in that movement starting like 3 sets old 1 set new weight, 2 sets old 2 sets new weight, 1 set old 3 sets new weight , overtime.
It might not be the most optimal way to be progressing but it was what I have been advised based on my injury and not wanting to push it any given day to a unforeseen flareup. We are very focused on my backs stability.

I'm sure I butchered explaining that but it kind of makes sense.

If i've been a little slow on progression I usually get my ass kicked at our weekly sessions when they ask how easy something has been all week they bump me up straight away.

@2G2B Numbers look solid.....great work........

Thank-you for the support

 

[BeMe]

I am emotionally preparing for it to be way easier to eat that way though, just preparing a week of the same thing up front and getting through it.
I struggle a little bit with textures and consistent flavors becoming off-putting but it's just something to overcome if I'm serious about this moving forward.

I would put it down to a combination of confidence, the gym, and adjusting to 3 sets at the moment. perhaps and forgetfulness.
Forgot to adjust one of the figured and it doesn't appear I can edit it, but only hit 27.5 kgs for 6 before dropping back to 25s for the last two which would have been a new weight for me across the board even if I managed 25s all sets I believe.

Preachers since i'm doing dumbbell I'm limited by the step up the gym provides, my regular gym has 15s -> 16s ->17.5s but the one I attended last night didn't have 16s when I felt like I could do more and 17.5 felt like a bit to much of a step up considering my last few 15s are usually pretty messy but we get there.

Bench is generally just scary, I have a strong feeling I could push out more than 60 for 3 even if not by much. I think accepting my trainers offer of doing a 1RM day across all my regular workouts would be beneficial to my confidence.


It's a combination of a small program my exercise physiologist rotates for me every 6-10 weeks with specific movements and how often they want me to hit them a week between our sessions. Then I pad out the time with both movements we've done prior that have been deemed safe or muscle groups my rehab just doesn't focus on that I don't want to get left behind.

We do some progressive overload work and RIR is known to me.
On my 4 set system it was a little like, First two sets were really just warmup but at rep weight, second to last should be RIR 2-3 maybe then 4 I am meant to push out as many reps as I can and if I consistently can hit around 12 or so even suffering I start creeping up weight in that movement starting like 3 sets old 1 set new weight, 2 sets old 2 sets new weight, 1 set old 3 sets new weight , overtime.
It might not be the most optimal way to be progressing but it was what I have been advised based on my injury and not wanting to push it any given day to a unforeseen flareup. We are very focused on my backs stability.

I'm sure I butchered explaining that but it kind of makes sense.

If i've been a little slow on progression I usually get my ass kicked at our weekly sessions when they ask how easy something has been all week they bump me up straight away.


Thank-you for the support

Sound like you have a solid game plan in place. Once you're full recovered well have to make some modifications and start pushing the limit. For no tho stay the course.

 

[LevButlerov]

Day 4 Misc

Breakfast was a lot better with yolks in, sweetener, apples. Maybe a little too much volume for me to tank right after cycling though.

Closest I've been to macro targets, might just eat the same thing tomorrow since I still have half of the main parts.
Going to be ups and downs on the numbers still until I figure out more regular recipes I enjoy.

Went to a different gym location and was burdened with the least ergonomic version of the tricep machine ever.

Also realized cronometer has a web app.. so I didn't have to be writing everything out all this time... will speed things up in future

DAY 4 Diet

Breakfast 10:30 AM

50g Quick Oats
100g Whole Eggs
400g Full Cream Milk
8g Monk fruit Brown Sugar Replacement
4g Cinnamon Sugar
84g Kanzi Apple

Total
KCal: 656.3
Prot: 33.2
Carb: 63
Fats: 28

View attachment 118394

Lunch 1:30 PM

74g Kanzi Apple
43g Strawberry
150g 10% Fat Beef Mince
25g Mixed Leaf
64g Spinach and Herb Wrap
40g Red Bell Pepper
55g Brown Onion
120g Whole Eggs

Total
KCal: 722.7
Prot: 50.1
Carb: 50.8
Fats: 33.7

View attachment 118395

Dinner 6:00 PM

30g Mixed Leaf
126g Whole Eggs
120g Chicken Breast Raw Weight
15g Old El Paso Fajita Spice Mix
92g Home Brand Tortilla

Total
KCal: 679
Prot: 52
Carb: 56
Fats: 25

View attachment 118396

Snack:
400g Full Cream Milk
62 g Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla Ice Cream

Total
KCal: 497
Prot: 61
Carb: 27
Fats: 16

Daily Totals:
KCal: 2554
Prot: 196.3
Carb: 197.3
Fats: 102.2

Hydration Estimate: 3903 ml

Food looks good and finally you are out of the calorie trap, lets stay at this level of macros forget the calories @2G2B

Day 4 Workout

Workout 8:20 AM - 9:20 AM

60 Minutes Cycling


Workout 7:40 PM - 10:20 PM

20 Minutes Zone 2 Cycling

Flat Bench Press
8 x 60 kg
8 x 60 kg
8 x 60 kg

Dumbbell Shoulder Press
8 x 27.5 kgs
8 x 25 kgs
8 x 25 kgs

Dumbbell Preacher Curl
8 x 15 kgs
8 x 15 kgs
8 x 15 kgs

Freaky Seated Triceps Extension Machine
8 x 45 kg
8 x 40 kg
8 x 40 kg

Lat Pulldown
8 x 65 kg
8 x 65 kg
8 x 65 kg

High-Low Cable Row
8 x Each Side x 15 kg
8 x Each Side x 15 kg
8 x Each Side x 17.5 kg

Dumbbell Shrugs
8 x 20 kgs
8 x 20 kgs
8 x 27.5 kgs

The volume is good, cardio?

 

[2G2B]

Food looks good and finally you are out of the calorie trap, lets stay at this level of macros forget the calories @2G2B
The volume is good, cardio?

Not intentionally outside of the logged 80 minutes of cycling each day.

I am more or less limited to cycling at the moment, walking seems to pull my nerve more than we'd like at the moment on treadmill, just walking around the neighborhood or even just a long flat surface seems to get spicy after not to long or repeat days even if the first day doesn't hurt.

 

[LevButlerov]

Not intentionally outside of the logged 80 minutes of cycling each day.

I am more or less limited to cycling at the moment, walking seems to pull my nerve more than we'd like at the moment on treadmill, just walking around the neighborhood or even just a long flat surface seems to get spicy after not to long or repeat days even if the first day doesn't hurt.

How is your legs from the cycling?

 

[2G2B]

How is your legs from the cycling?

They have adjusted better now to the morning hour than they were doing.

Id say I'm more or less not impacted for the rest of my day duties other than maybe a light ache in the quads.

 

[RoySimpson]

Day 2 Diet
(I felt Watched)
Breakfast 09:45 AM

83g Fresh Strawberries Diced
KCal: 27
Prot: 0.5
Carb: 4.8
Fats: 0.2
22g Carmans Aussie Oat Clusters Berry Crunch
KCal: 99
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 16.3
Fats: 2.4
360g YoPro Vanilla Yoghurt
KCal: 204
Prot: 34.2
Carb: 13.7
Fats: 1.1
Totals:
KCal: 318
Prot: 36.5
Carb: 32.9
Fats: 3.4

View attachment 117775

Lunch 01:00 PM

100g Chicken Meat From Full Roast
KCal: 223
Prot: 24
Carb: 0
Fats: 13.4
100g Eggs (fried in nothing so just calc similar to boiled?)
KCal: 155
Prot: 12.6
Carb: 1.1
Fats: 10.6
25g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 48
Prot: 4.3
Carb: 0.3
Fats: 3.4
1 Sweet Potato Wrap
KCal: 196
Prot: 5.7
Carb: 28.9
Fats: 5.2
Totals:
KCal: 622
Prot: 46.6
Carb: 30.3
Fats: 32.6

View attachment 117776

Dinner 05:30 PM

195.5g Chicken Breast
KCal: 235
Prot: 44
Carb: 0
Fats: 5.1
50g Leaf Mix
KCal: 10
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.2
Fats: 0.5
20g Old El Paso Crispy Spice Mix
KCal: 64
Prot: 2.0
Carb: 11.5
Fats: 0.5
10 Beerenberg Garlic Sauce
KCal: 30
Prot: 0.3
Carb: 0.9
Fats: 2.9
15g Danish Style Feta Low Fat
KCal: 29
Prot: 2.6
Carb: 0.1
Fats: 2
5g Parmesan Cheese Flakes
KCal: 21
Prot: 1.4
Carb: 0.7
Fats: 1.4
Totals:
KCal: 389
Prot: 54.4
Carb: 13.4
Fats: 12.4

(This does exclude a very light sprits of avocado oil from a spray can, I'm not sure how to log that? if I weight it before and after..? but today it didn't feel important considering how steep of a deficit i'm already in)

View attachment 117777

Lil Snackaroo 10:00pm

31g Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla Icecream
KCal: 122.5
Prot: 24
Carb: 4
Fats: 1
400ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 252
Prot: 13.3
Carb: 19.2
Fats: 13.6
Totals:
KCal: 374.5
Prot: 37.3
Carb: 23.2
Fats: 14.6

Misc
121ml Full Cream Milk
KCal: 76
Prot: 4
Carb: 5.8
Fats: 4.1
170g High Protein Coffee Pudding
KCal: 157
Prot: 15.5
Carb: 10.6
Fats: 5.3
500ml Ultra Strawyberry Dreams Monster
KCal: 12
Prot: 0
Carb: 6.5
Fats: 0


Daily Total:
KCal: 2045.4
Prot: 201.6
Carb: 128
Fats: 76.6
Hydration Estimate: 3123 ml ( forgot my water bottle when running errands/doctors)

View attachment 117778
(Energy target excludes the 750 kcal deficit i'm overshooting)

* I am yet to resume full meal prep for this portion of the journey so I'm just doing my best winging it until I lock in some recipes I'm not sick of eating.
Would love some simple goto suggestions. Food Budget is uncomfortably limited but we're working on it.

@2G2B food log is on point bro!

 

[LevButlerov]

They have adjusted better now to the morning hour than they were doing.

Id say I'm more or less not impacted for the rest of my day duties other than maybe a light ache in the quads.

You should get yourself a massage gun you'll see

 

[2G2B]

You should get yourself a massage gun you'll see

Gym has those full body chairs free, worth giving a crack or look for an actual hand held?

 

[2G2B]

Day 5 ready just posting delayed due to being away from home.

 

[ballin2504]

Context:
2016 slipped 3 discs in my lower back with nerve impingement, was treated sub optimally and sent back out into the world with no follow up or training advice.
2023 Discs went again, impinging nerve again, absolutely crippled and bedridden and struggled to get effective help from professionals, lost my mind and spiralled and (based on follow up MRIs) had a muscle fat replacement loss of up to 30% comboed with body weight ballooning up to 120kg.
This time I was in a position to seek out my own treatment and follow up training, I am still very limited by the impingement but its stable enough for me to maintain my current routine and experiment with new movements.
Lost my job, lost my mind, lost my body and I just have to work to get it all back and beyond.

Feb 26 2025 my weigh in was 120 kg beginning my first ever cutting phase.
Jul 1 2025 my weigh in was 99.6 kg concluding my first ever cutting phase.

Stats:
Age: 28

Height: 183cm

Starting Weight: 98 kg (08/09/2025 after morning cardio)

Training History: Limited, first time locking in long term and taking it seriously, including basic rehab work closing in on 2 years of consistency.

Cycle History: Early on jumped on Ostarine oral 10mg a day and Cardarine oral 15mg day for 7 weeks (Been a while but I think these were the numbers) to help get through the initial slog of picking up cardio.

Goals:
I don't really have specifics for this, I just got to the point where I was sick of how I looked and the toll it was taking on my life.
I'd love to use this as a pre-cycle (test e) cut and drop as much bf as I can to reduce risk of aromatizing.
Really just want to stop taking my body for granted and see what it's capable of if I give it my all.
Goal of reta is just to reduce the damn food noise, I wouldn't say I'm hungry but the voices man.

Training:
Oh boy, I'm not sure how well my split will go down but you'll see the pattern as I start to log daily workouts.
For my rehab work I work with a exercise physiologist once a week but otherwise pull my routine every single day with no rest days.

Morning: fasted 60 minutes cycling aiming to stay in zone 2 but heart rate often builds to mid 140s from exhaustion.
Night: 20 minutes cycling locked in zone 2 for warm up, followed up by 6 weight training movements typically taking 120 minutes.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my rehab work and the limitations of my exersise choices at this stage still with every workout update.*

Diet:
From the first portion of the year cut I was just rocking an estimated 750kcal deficit.
This cut I decided to see if I could increase this, regardless of daily expenditure I'm trying to lock down 2,000 kcal a day attempting to focus on protein.
If I find myself getting fatigued or any negative consequences of this I'm happy to increase in increments.
I am very aware my nutrition is jacked but this is vast vast vast progress compared to where I started and I will dial it in more and more following advice.
I also have not yet got back into meal prep for the start of this cut yet but I should this week at some point.

I will likely copy and paste a disclaimer regarding my dietary choices and limitations on budget and personal restrictions with every daily meal update.*

Supplements:
I am not running a supplement cycle outside of doing a loading phase of creatine at the moment.
I thought it best to list what I have on hand and let the pros at it if they're so inclined.
I can answer why I have some of these but the rest are unfounded.
(I was meant to stock up on a general multi-vit but seem to have forgotten)

Nutra-Life Digestive Enzymes 120 Capsules
Healthy Way Scrumptious Psyllium Husk 500g
Blackmores Probiotics+ Immune Defence 90 Capsules
Vitamin K2 MK7 Softgels 365 softgels (100mcg)
Vitamin D3 Softgels 500 Softgels (5000IU)
Bulk Nutrients ZMA Complex Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Potency Plus Capsules
Bulk Nutrients 5-HTP Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Ashwagandha Capsules
Bulk Nutrients Magnesium Glycinate Capsules
Blackmores Fish Oil 1000 Capsules

I do also have Slin Pills unopened from a promotion, I'm unsure if they're beneficial for me at this stage.

Cycle:
Being a reta log it'd be a shame for me to forget reta
Starting on a daily 1mg/week as advised in my previous thread. I have seen a lot of logs recently implementing a daily protocol but this will be my first ever substance pinning and am more comfortable starting out with weekly and modifying this as I become more comfortable with the process/idea.
(This has not started yet but I will post when it does, likely next week at this stage because I like timing to feel right?)

Starting Questions:
When logging dumbbells vs machine do I log combined dumbbell weight or just specify dumbbell weight once and it's assume that's per side?

Attached Photos:
Single photo from Feb 26 2025 showing starting body side on.
Rest of photos are from Sep 7 2025 showing current body comp.
(included a side on with and without core engaged because I'm not sure how this is typically standardized)
(I think I messed up the back photo and scrunched instead of pulling forward?)
(yes the dawgs are out)
*
The disclaimers are not a coverall for me to ignore any advice provided, I greatly value any input into my training, diet and lifestyle and everything will be logged mentally and utilized.
Just given my situation there might have to be gradual shifts towards these changes, I'll attempt to keep updated notes about things i'm working towards changing.

First round of food and training to come at nights conclusion, nervous and excited.

@2G2B welcome to the forum, brother. We are glad to have you now. Let’s get it.

 

[Tiger Salman Khan]

DAY 4 Diet

Breakfast 10:30 AM

50g Quick Oats
100g Whole Eggs
400g Full Cream Milk
8g Monk fruit Brown Sugar Replacement
4g Cinnamon Sugar
84g Kanzi Apple

Total
KCal: 656.3
Prot: 33.2
Carb: 63
Fats: 28

View attachment 118394

Lunch 1:30 PM

74g Kanzi Apple
43g Strawberry
150g 10% Fat Beef Mince
25g Mixed Leaf
64g Spinach and Herb Wrap
40g Red Bell Pepper
55g Brown Onion
120g Whole Eggs

Total
KCal: 722.7
Prot: 50.1
Carb: 50.8
Fats: 33.7

View attachment 118395

Dinner 6:00 PM

30g Mixed Leaf
126g Whole Eggs
120g Chicken Breast Raw Weight
15g Old El Paso Fajita Spice Mix
92g Home Brand Tortilla

Total
KCal: 679
Prot: 52
Carb: 56
Fats: 25

View attachment 118396

Snack:
400g Full Cream Milk
62 g Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla Ice Cream

Total
KCal: 497
Prot: 61
Carb: 27
Fats: 16

Daily Totals:
KCal: 2554
Prot: 196.3
Carb: 197.3
Fats: 102.2

Hydration Estimate: 3903 ml

@2G2B Meal looks healthy and tasty.......

 

[LevButlerov]

Gym has those full body chairs free, worth giving a crack or look for an actual hand held?

Yes massage chairs, use them

Day 5 ready just posting delayed due to being away from home.

no problem

 

[2G2B]

Day 5 Diet

I am away from home for 3 or so days so formatting is different out of convenience for my situation, hope it is readable still to those interested.
Next few days might not contain photographs of meals given the situation.

Totals:

Hydration Estimate: 4001ml

 

[2G2B]

Workouts Day 5

Workout 7:30 AM -> 8:30 AM

60 Minute fasted cycling

Workout

30 Minute session with trainer

Workout 8 pm -> 10 pm

20 Minutes cycling

Hyght Dumbbell Fly (learning)
8 x 8 kgs
12 x 10 kg
15 x 10 kgs

Machine Shoulder Press
8 x 41.8 kgs
8 x 51.8 kgs (low RIR)
8 x 51.8 kgs (failure)

Freaky Dumbell Curl
8 x 45 kg
8 x 45 kg (RIR if i'm lucky)
8 x 45 kg (failure)

Palloff Press
8 x 12.5 kg
8 x 12.5 kg
8 x 12.5 kg

Different Modified DeadBug
8 x Each Side
8 x Each Side (failure)
6 x Each Side (failure)

Pushups
Just kinda filled out time doing bursts until fatigued then resting.

 

[2G2B]

Follow up misc:
I understand scale weight is arbitrary but I usually do a weekly weigh in just for the vibes, where I am staying currently appears to have no scales and the ones at the gym post fasted cardio have to be on the fritz there's no way they were accurate.

 

[LevButlerov]

Day 5 Diet

I am away from home for 3 or so days so formatting is different out of convenience for my situation, hope it is readable still to those interested.
Next few days might not contain photographs of meals given the situation.

View attachment 118774


Totals:
View attachment 118775

Hydration Estimate: 4001ml




View attachment 118776View attachment 118777

Food looks good, controlled macros for now @2G2B

Workouts Day 5

Workout 7:30 AM -> 8:30 AM

60 Minute fasted cycling

Workout

30 Minute session with trainer

Workout 8 pm -> 10 pm

20 Minutes cycling

Hyght Dumbbell Fly (learning)
8 x 8 kgs
12 x 10 kg
15 x 10 kgs

Machine Shoulder Press
8 x 41.8 kgs
8 x 51.8 kgs (low RIR)
8 x 51.8 kgs (failure)

Freaky Dumbell Curl
8 x 45 kg
8 x 45 kg (RIR if i'm lucky)
8 x 45 kg (failure)

Palloff Press
8 x 12.5 kg
8 x 12.5 kg
8 x 12.5 kg

Different Modified DeadBug
8 x Each Side
8 x Each Side (failure)
6 x Each Side (failure)

Pushups
Just kinda filled out time doing bursts until fatigued then resting.

Training is perfect and cardio is boosted big time!

Follow up misc:
I understand scale weight is arbitrary but I usually do a weekly weigh in just for the vibes, where I am staying currently appears to have no scales and the ones at the gym post fasted cardio have to be on the fritz there's no way they were accurate.

You dont need weight, just stay on the path dont worry.

 

[stevesmi]

Day 5 Diet

I am away from home for 3 or so days so formatting is different out of convenience for my situation, hope it is readable still to those interested.
Next few days might not contain photographs of meals given the situation.

View attachment 118774


Totals:
View attachment 118775

Hydration Estimate: 4001ml




View attachment 118776View attachment 118777

wow this is some good food you are putting together man! the meals are incredible. proud of you keep it up ! @2G2B

 

[2Thick]

Day 5 Diet

I am away from home for 3 or so days so formatting is different out of convenience for my situation, hope it is readable still to those interested.
Next few days might not contain photographs of meals given the situation.

View attachment 118774


Totals:
View attachment 118775

Hydration Estimate: 4001ml




View attachment 118776View attachment 118777

@2G2B wow good work on this one. the food is incredible. nice protein products i love this

 

[Mobster]

Meal prep for this 3 days.

 

[BodyMonster34]

Day 5 Diet

I am away from home for 3 or so days so formatting is different out of convenience for my situation, hope it is readable still to those interested.
Next few days might not contain photographs of meals given the situation.

View attachment 118774


Totals:
View attachment 118775

Hydration Estimate: 4001ml




View attachment 118776View attachment 118777

bro damn that some good eats @2G2B my wife would like that. but she likes to add bacon to mexican food