Squat and sumo looked pretty fine to me. Actually really good.
Conv Dl looked good too. I thought there were something, but I can’t really see what it is. Looks fine.
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Thanks mort! Just being a little anal about some lower back rounding. Not as pronounced here but with heavier weights, it becomes more evident.
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@mortdk I just can’t get it as flat as how it looks compared with some of the guys on YouTube. Then again, I know everyone’s Deadlift is gonna look different. I just think it’s worth trying to emulate early since I haven’t lifted that long yet. Easier than developing a bad motor pattern and having to fix it down on the road later on. That’s why I’m being so anal about it for now
My personal favourite when I’m trying to pile in some cheap, tasty, quality calories is what I call “shakshuka”, although it probably bears no relation to the real thing.
Saute off your veg (I usually use red onions, red pepper/capsicum, butternut squash, courgette/zucchini) and some spicy sausage (optional, I like chorizo) until softened, add garlic and woody herbs/spices (I use rosemary, smoked paprika and cumin) for a minute or so to release favour, then a decent chunk of tomato puree and soft herbs (I use oregano) for another minute. Add a splash of water to loosen the tomato up, then crack 6 eggs into the pan and salt to taste. You can finish the cooking on the stove top or in the oven. I serve with pan fried salmon on the side.
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So that’s what cholesterol looks like.
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It looks tasty
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You ever just throw that over a pile of oatmeal for breakfast?
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You and @ChickenLittle will probably laugh at me for this, but this a major reason why I have trouble learning how to cook.
I got so used to science experiments being written step by step, down to the microgram and microliter, and waiting exactly in magnitudes of seconds before doing something. This way, we know we aren’t screwing up.
When I was trying to learn from my mom before, she’d always say “there’s no rules in cooking.” But when I then try and proceed to do something, she’d go “oh you can’t do that, it has to be this before that, never this or that, but also this or that.” Uhmm…so…yeah 
So when I see something like “saute this, this, and that,” I can’t help but think, ok so maybe garlic first, then onions, then what? How long do I let it sit in the pan before adding the next stuff? How strong does the flame need to be? Bla bla bla. And now I’m stuck. Lol.
I’ll try my best to get rid of that strict science experiment mindset though. I see what my mom said when she said “there are no rules.” I think a lot of it goes by feel, and of course a lot comes through practice.
That looks freakin delicious btw!
I have for…uhmm… midnight snack.
…midnight snack number 2 
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I do this as well! Usually I include spinach, chilis, tomato, cumin, paprika then eggs (no meat). Then eat it with a toast.
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Just remember, Julia Childs fired a sous-chef once for chopping an onion the “wrong” way.
There is a lot of carry over between cooking and chemistry.
It’s just a little more relaxed. Once you get some good basic techniques down you can start the pinch of this, dash of that type stuff and start really having fun.
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So far for me, as long as the onions are in pieces, I’m good. Despite the orientation or shape lol
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That’s it. There is no wrong way to cut an onion. Just someone’s perception of it.
If you need finely chopped onions, like for meatballs, just use the cheese grater. Works for butter too 
FYI You add the garlic after the onions have turned translucent. Never burn the garlic. It gets really bitter.
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I have to wonder if chorizo is different in the UK because there is not near enough red grease in that pan.
Not yet, I prefer to keep my oats on the sweet side. Berries and fruit for the win. Although I saw an awesome one with pancetta and wild mushrooms a while back that sounds awesome.
Chorizo varies wildly over here. Some of it is awful, some of its really good. There’s probably only about 25-50g of chorizo in there, it’s not quite the grease-fest @Frank_C is painting. Most of the fats are from eggs and the salmon I serve it with. And maybe the butter I cooked it with.
I’m also a chemist by training. You have to remember that food is not an exact science, and it can’t be because “real food” is too complicated and variable, chemically, to be an exact science.
I’m self taught at cooking, and it’s actually easy enough to learn by doing. You’ll learn not to burn onions or garlic after burning them for the first time. Likewise undercooking them.
In general I would advise you learn how to:
- cook a few different carb sources (rice, pasta are the easiest, boil them in plenty of (salted) water until cooked to taste)
- cook meat (high heat for a sear, with a splash of some kind of fat in the pan. Finish off with a low heat if needed to cook through (poultry, pork) OR cook fattier cuts on a low heat for a really long time (many hours), slow cookers are king here)
- Cook veg that you like (pan fry on a medium heat, with some fat, until they look cooked or add to liquid in a slow cooker towards the end of cooking)
- Add flavour. This means herbs, spices, garlic, chilli, stocks, sauces, etc. In general garlic, chilli, “hard” herbs and most spices benefit from a light saute to release flavour, “soft” herbs can be added near the end of cooking and will burn with high heat.
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@chickenlittle wow, some nice hacks there! Thanks for the tips! and yeah, I’ve burnt garlic one or two times, it doesn’t taste good lol
@dagill2 gotcha. Thanks man!
Yeah, I think it really boils down to this and making some mistakes along the way. Thanks!
Squat looks good
Sumo looks like you don’t have enough tension in your posterior chain when you set up, like you are trying to squat the weight up. Either you need to have your hips higher or open them wider/knees out more.
Conventional looks like you are mostly using your quads to drive the weight up. The impression that I get is that you are more quad dominant, work on glutes and hamstrings. Some people just can’t maintain a neutral spine on conventional for whatever reason, if you feel that is the case and sumo is at least closes to equally strong then pull sumo. You can get whatever supposed benefits of conventional from RDLs, good mornings, and back raises.
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Oh thanks Chris! Yeah that sumo video was the same one you and pinkylifting commented on. I hate to admit it, but yeah sumo feels stronger even though I barely do them. I was actually surprised I reached 10 reps there because i really have no clue what my 1, 3 or 5RM is for sumo. Back to the gym Saturday, so gonna work on technique again!
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