Fucking great log Mark! I wonder why I haven’t popped in before.
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Wow, thank you @Rattus
Woke at 185.2 lbs. I’m going to attribute a bunch of that to dehydration, but we’ll see tomorrow.
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I woke up at 185.6 today, damnnn, you go bro.
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Woke at 186.8 lbs.
Had my BIA yesterday: 186.6 lbs, 13.1% bodyfat and 93.3 lbs skeletal muscle. That’s five percent bodyfat down and 1.3 lbs muscle lost. A decent trade-off I think. I’m really pleased.
Phase I is now officially over.
I had a think and it’s time to call it. I started out wanting to hit 15 per cent and estimated it’d take about a year. Even with error margins, I’m there. I’ve still got some fat to lose but that should come off while I steady out. Loose skin should gradually tighten up too.
My LBM is approximately 163 lbs, so my maintenance window is 2300-2800 cal/day. Based on that Phase II will run as follows:
- Calories to 2400/day for six weeks. BIA in six weeks. If muscle mass has decreased by over 0.4 lbs, increase to 2500 cal/day. If not, stick at 2400 cal/day for six more weeks.
- After three months, increase calories to 2500/day. BIA in six weeks. If muscle mass has decreased by over 0.4 lbs, increase to 2600 cal/day. If not, stick at 2500 cal/day for six more weeks.
- After three months (six months from now), increase calories to 2600/day. BIA in six weeks. If muscle mass has decreased by over 0.4 lbs, increase to 2700 cal/day. If not, stick at 2600 cal/day for six more weeks.
- After three months (nine months from now), increase calories to 2700/day. BIA in six weeks. If muscle mass has decreased by over 0.4 lbs, increase to 2800 cal/day. If not, stick at 2700 cal/day for six more weeks.
- After three months (12 months from now), increase calories to 2800/day. BIA in six weeks. End phase II.
@The_Myth @BOTSLAYER @littlesleeper this seem sensible? This is why I think I’ll still lose a bit of fat going forward. My main goal is to gradually let my body get used to being sub-15% and when it has a new set point start working on adding muscle. I figure a year should be enough. The six weekly BIA is because that’s the best way I can see of making sure I don’t lose more muscle than the minimum unavoidable. I’m budgeting for at most a further 1.6 lbs of muscle loss, and hoping it’ll be less.
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Mark, have you ever had experience with recomping that was ever shown by a dexa (or whatever you use to measure it)? I always assumed you recomp if you stay the same weight, but gain strength, but then again bulking is a thing.
Also that’s damn good progress, 5% and a pound of muscle that you can probably gain back really quickly once you start gaining back the weight. You’ve been making me want to cut, but I like getting stronger too much for it. Maybe after I get into and compete at the AO.
God dang, you are going to be destroying your numbers once you get back to your old weight class.
Also nosebleeds are a fun part of lifting, at least occasionally. I’ve had it happen a couple times, both on squats. One time was the first time I used bands, second time was when I hit a massive squat PR that I probably shouldn’t have tried.
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I’ve never seen anyone lay out such a meticulous plan. I’m a bit jealous. What’s BIA? I’m a bit worn out and can’t seem to figure it out… Obviously it’s a scan or measurement tool. My Alma mater has a DEXA but I never got to use it. It’s a full body scan that measures body fat, lean mass, and everything else.
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Seems very sensible. Good ol’ if/else equation. The only other possible variable would be fat mass and the unlikely event of it increasing while LBM remains the same/decreases. But given your training and nutrition remain consistent I see no reason that this scenario presents itself.
=if(logical statement, if true, if false)
=if((Past LBM - Current LBM)>0.4lbs, +100cal/day, +0cal/day)
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Not really, or I don’t think so. I’ve looked at what I’m doing as a recomp, although I guess it’s been more of a cut.
That’s the plan, although as I set out I’m budgeting for some further limited muscle loss as I steady out.
Also part of the plan
Welcome to the world of the high functioning autistic. In this respect it’s a big advantage.
Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis. It’s basically a poor man’s DEXA. Not gold standard, but I figure since I’ve used the same machine at the least it’ll be accurate in terms of my own changes.
Yes, this crossed my mind although as you said I think this is unlikely unless I do something really stupid.
I looked into a getting a dexa scan, but it costs just south of $100. I also can’t get my insurance to pay for it. It’s probably good though. If it came in higher than expected, I’d probably cry and eat ice cream. If it was low, I’d be pissed that I’m not ripped. haha
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Ah, yes–the handheld gadget that can be fooled by varying levels of hydration. I hate that thing but on the plus side, I’ve never fooled it into thinking I’m really lean (it’s always high). I have skin fold calipers and have my wife pinch me occasionally. My BF is always lower with calipers. I believe the BIA is always higher than your actual BF but I think it’s a good tool for tracking changes as long as you’re consistent with the variables (time of day, hydration, food intake, etc). Don’t expect accuracy if you test first thing in the morning one day and late afternoon on another.
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This one isn’t handheld. There are plates for toes, heels and handles for thumbs.
Be suspicious of BIA accuracy, just saying.
Clearly, you have made phenomenal progress in recomping, but the BIA is really not as accurate as most think. It’s a good way to measure trends, and a good way to monitor progress, but it’s not as accurate as a Dexa.
Example - when I measured 15.7 on my BIA scale, an experienced DPT calipered me at 18.1. I have both a scale, and a hand held, because I am, after all, bat shit crazy. My scale I have set at 26 years old because the algorithm on that scale for a 53 year old is a bit fucked up. When the scale has me at 13.4, like this morning, my hand held has me at 12.7, but my hand held has me at 53 years old. There is a range.
I think it’s safe to say you are certainly below 16, and probably below 15. I’ve always read that 15% is beach body, abs clear, but no six pack yet.
Check these out - don’t think they’re the final word, but decent information.
That being said, like usual, I think your plan is solid. For this T-ransformation, I got down to 174 and 11.4 percent on my scale, and frankly, I looked like shit. And, I couldn’t hold it because I got there too quickly. I’m back up to 186 and between 13.2 and 13.7 every day.
So the plan to stabilize at current BF% is spot on. The gradual adding of calories will, I think, let you continue to recomp. If you BF% inches up, I’d add some LISS to keep it steady.
Yes, the benefits of youth. Mine just hangs over my belt and makes an unfortunate frown below my belly button. TMI? Lol. Use some lotion.
Bro, seriously, epic transformation. Don’t think I’m a hater by cautioning you about BIA - that couldn’t be further from the truth.
End game? Is it to compete at 181, 198, or slowly get back to the 100 KG with a 1600 total?
I know short term is the wedding, mid term? Long term.
It’s a joy to follow, your attention to detail is inspiring.
Rock on!
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I know 
I’m going to get calipers done periodically too, probably similar time to BIA to see how the two sets of measurements match up.
Compete at 181 for a year or so, because I’ll be aiming to sit at 187 lbs give or take for a year to get my body to a new set point. Then work my way back to 198, staying at or below 15%. That’ll take some time, since it’ll mean getting to somewhere between 196 and 200 lbs at 15%. Then maybe work up to 220 lbs at 15%, although that’s something that I’ll look at when I’m at 198. A 1600 total is along the way, I have a specific number in mind.
That would probably also put me in a decent position to maybe try BB down the track.
Thank you
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Do you write out your training for a stupid amount of time and then check it to much?
Anyway nice to see a fellow autist functioning like a normal human.
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As for your plan that looks really good.
Agree with Myth about BF% tests…except I think that for all of them 
What ever BF% test you use as long as it is the same one it will monitor your results and progress as desired.
I don’t know a lot about resetting BF% but I do think that 3 months might be longer than needed. But better safe than sorry.
A lot of power to you for being able to be that disciplined btw. There is a reason I have to cut down from 8 million percent body fat 4 times a year hahahahaha
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@hugh_gilly planning usually runs like this for me:
- Get idea
- Set out initial plan, sometimes on here to get feedback
- Enter program on my spreadsheet
- Revisit plan, making changes as required
It doesn’t generally take too long. As I go I look at my next phase or cycle to make sure I haven’t missed things and also to make changes if I’ve figured something new out or something has cropped up that needs fixing.
Right now all my programming is done until end 2017. I’m hoping this year will form the basis of an ongoing system for me that I can use indefinitely with only minor tweaks to fit in competitions.
Bingo. I’m realising the mirror is the true test but something that can give you an objective value is helpful to gauge physical progress.
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