Thanks for all the replies – appreciate the volume of responses already.
I’ve actually been into lifting since 2014, but I kept stopping and starting. Made a relatively big transformation doing 5x5 back in the day and went from 120lbs to 145lbs with only very marginal changes in hip and waist measurements. I certainly didn’t look fatter after that weight gain because I was already under weight.
After that I just wasn’t consistent. I’d keep picking the sport up and then stopping and just pretty much maintained a weight of around 155 in my early 20s. I was kind of in the skinny-fat realm at that point. It’s only this last year I decided enough was enough and I wanted to dedicate all the time required to getting bigger and stronger.
Found some old stats from 2020:
Weight: 157lbs
Waist: 34”
Hips: 35.9”
Arms: 13.5”
Chest: 38”
Shoulders: 45”
Thighs: 22”
Workout 06/07/2020
DB Bench: 17.5kg: 8,8,8,5
DB Rows: 25kg: 8,8,8,8
Split Squats: 30kg+BW: 10,10,10
DB Shoulder Press: 15kg: 8,8,8,5
Once I finished University, I started lifting properly again and consistently. I decided I wanted to cut some fat and start with a leaner base, so I hoped to recomp somewhat and then go into a bulk. This pretty much worked and I got both leaner, stronger, and a little bigger.
By the end of June 2023, I’d cut as much as I thought I needed. This was how I looked:
Unfortunately, I only have the above pictures from that time period and no measurements.
I took proper measurements for the first time when I got a log book last December, which I have updated today for this post. Here’s the comparison between December 2022 measurements and today:
And here are some pictures of me now. Tried to take them in the same places as the June ones:
Here are my lifts at the start of December last year:
Bench: 90kg: 5. 85kg: 6,5
DB Press: 40kg: 7,7. 35kg: 10,6
DB OHP: 27.5kg: 7,4. 20kg: 8,7
DB Row: 45kg: 8,8,8,5
Leg Press: 165kg: 12,12,10,7
These are my lifts now:
Bench: 90: 7,7. 85: 8,7
DB Press: 40kg: 8,8,7. 35kg: 10
DB OHP: 27.5: 8,8,8,6
DB Row: 60kg (with straps): 10,10,9,9
Leg Press: 170: 15,15,12,8
I’ve always trained full body 3 times a week and enjoy it that way. Have only shown compounds but all my isolation stuff has improved too. I track all my progress in a log book and haven’t missed a workout since august I think, so my consistency is good. Diet has been tracked everyday for the last year using myfitnesspal. I’m currently on 3500-3600 calories per day.
So basically, picture comparisons between last June and now, and measurement comparisons between last December and now.
My hope with the mini cut was to get back to around the bodyfat percentage I was in June while retaining the muscle I (hope) I’ve gained. I suppose I’m just a bit afraid of it because I’ve really put everything into it and have been proud of my unswerving consistency, which I always sucked with before.
Because I’ve been progressing well strength wise every workout since June, I thought I must be on the right track, but this idea that you can get stronger but just have gained mostly fat is worrisome – especially considering I’ve probably been gaining a little too quickly.
Any thoughts appreciated, thanks!