I worked out three times a week for 4 months. Here are my results. [Repost from r/fitness/]

[rickerc]

Youtube Video Edit: Just read that I'm allowed to post a video if it's in relation to the transformation, check it out!

Hi Reddit!​

I shared my progress pictures with my family and friends yesterday. I also got nice comments on r/fitness/ that I thought to write about my fitness progress so far in more detail here as I mostly used bodyweight exercises.​

Stats​

• Height: 5'11" / 180 cm
• Age: 16
• Progress pics
• Starting weight: 125 lbs. / 57 kg
• After weight: 152 lbs. / 69 kg

Initial motivation​

I always wanted to go to the gym. I was weak and quite underweight. I could only do a few pushups and only one proper pullup. I browsed /r/fitness and /r/bodybuilding a lot but never really got around to it. There was a gym in my town but it was quite expensive €38 per month without a free weight area.

Training​

I started off doing bodyweight training only. My town did not have any fitness parks to workout at. Instead I used different school playgrounds as my main workout area. As the exercises became easier I either added weight through a backpack full of boring school books or moved on to a harder progression which you can see below.

Pullups	1x	3x7 +5kg (+12kg bw)
Dips	2x	3x10 +8kg (+12kg bw)
Rows	3x4	3x10 one arm incline rows
Pushups	3x5	3x12 +20kg
Squats	3x12	3x8 +10kg single leg squats
Lunges	3x8	5x20 +40kg
Abs	30 sec plank	3x10 hanging leg raises
Sprints	5x40m	10x90m

Exercise
Before
After

[h6]Basic Workout Breakdown:[/h6]

This is a basic example of what my average workout looked like. Some days I'll sub in different exercises, but this will give you a good starting point. For example once I got to 15 reps on pushups for 3 sets I either added weight through a backpack or moved onto diamond pushups.

Pullups 3x5-10	Dips 4x5-10	Wide Pullups 3x5-10
Dips 3x5-10	Chinups 4x5-10	Dips 3x5-10
Rows 3x8-15	Weighted Pushups 4x5-10	Rows 5x8-15
Pushups 3x8-15	Pause Rows 4x5-10	Pushups 5x8-15
Squats 3x15-20	Leg Raises 4x10-15	Squat Jumps 3x5
Walking Lunges 3x15-20	Hill Sprints 50m x8	Lunges 5x15-20

Workout A
Workout B
Workout C

Diet​

I usually eat whatever I want and I make sure to get enough calories and protein at the end of the day. But I know people on r/fitness always want the full package so below is an example of what my diet looks like on a school day.

Breakfast	3 Scrambled eggs, turkey ham, oatmeal and a glass of milk	850	39
Lunch	6 Sandwiches: 2x cheese, 2x PB, 2x ham and a glass of milk	1050	34
Dinner	Ground beef with potatoes and veggies	700	30
Snack	Bowl of quark, a banana and a handful of walnuts	400	27

Meal
Example
Calories
Protein

Supplements​

I didnt take protein shakes, BCAAs, ZMA, etc. Simply because I could not afford it. The only supplements I have taken daily and will continue to do so are:

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D

I feel like that's all I need for now. As my budget increases, I might consider experimenting with taking other supplements.

Sleep​

I know and feel sleep is important. School requires me to get up at 06:30. This is why I am in bed 22:30 Sunday to Friday. I religiously sleep 8 hours at least and about 8.5-9 in the weekend.

Habits​

I now workout three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I can't remember a moment in my life dedicating to something and being consistent with it before I started fitness.

I also wake up and go to bed at the same time almost every day. Before I would wake up one day at 10 am and go to bed at 2 am.

Last but not least I changed my way of eating from around barely 1300 calories a day to 3000 a day which was necessary for the gainz to be made.

Conclusion​

Starting to workout has been the best decision in my life so far. I have changed my habits and I have probably laid a good foundation for the rest of my fitness and life journey. I am feeling much happier and more productive in general.

Training wise I came to the conclusion that weighted work is much easier to program progressive overload allowing you to see more consistent gains. Due my dedication my brother bought me a gym membership. The past weeks I started with barbell squats and deadlifts. I missed out on so much fun leg gainz.

Edit: The reason I did not include straight arm work was because I didn't had not studied it properly and was afraid to injure myself. Now I have read up on the progressions, I will include them in my training. I'd like to achieve a front lever by the end of 2017.

 

[renesmeealyss]

@rickerc You were born after the year 2000

Dafuuuuqqq

 

[rickerc]

@renesmeealyss "Today, I'm 2017!"

My response when people ask how old I am . People never forget how old I am. I turn 17 later this year.

 

[mariz]

@rickerc If there's anything to take solace in is that you never have to do mental math to calculate your age.

 

[chrisbmars]

@mariz ...Is this a normal concern for some people? I think I can honestly say I've never had to resort to arithmetic to figure out how old I am.

 

[marturos]

@chrisbmars Yeah, I forget a lot and have to figure it out. I'm always like "have I had a birthday this year yet?" (In my head)

 

[odycakep]

@chrisbmars It's possible you're not old enough yet. I used to think the same thing, like, this was something people with feeble minds do. It's me now and it will be you too one day. In my defense it's something that happens when life speeds up....

 

[portclancia]

@odycakep Just a few days ago I thought I was 28. Nope, still 27. It's weird to lose track of your own age but at least it was in the right direction haha.

When your birthday is at the end of the year rather than in the beginning (mine is October 21st), it's easy to get lost!

Edit: accidentally wrote "21th". I might just be dumb.

 

[davidtoma]

@chrisbmars Just wait until you get older it will come

 

[njambey]

@rickerc For me, the year corresponds to what grade I'm in.

I'M IN 2017TH GRADE!

 

[joem789]

@renesmeealyss That's when you know you're old. I always thought kids born in the late 90s was young, but now we have kids born after Y2K lol

 

[whinrei99]

@rickerc The biggest change is the look on your face. MORE POWER!

 

[rickerc]

@whinrei99 That's what I noticed too after my brother took the picture .

 

[tovamaciv]

@rickerc Damn man I've been going to the gym 3-5 times a week for the past 7 months and haven't made even 1/3 of the gains you have. Great job.