joelashley
New member
https://preview.redd.it/703ly0f1mpz...bp&s=33a60fd5666fdbb4ec4eb3ca409c6073dd5e5779
Posted in r/Brogress, was recommended I cross-post here..!
TL;DR for below's info:
--> Been lifting 2-5 times a week for 4 years. Made most of my gains in the two years when I had time to go 4-5 times a week. No cardio though so was bloated. Switching to soy protein helped that a bit due to lactose build up in the gut from whey..! Went fully vegan 18 months ago.
--> 12 week cut, mostly with intermittent fasting on vegan diet 150g protein, around 2100-2300 cals, 2 -3x 30 mins cardio per week.--> Weight training 3 x a week, hitting everything twice. Bench went down, squat and rack pulls went up.--> Only regret is not doing cardio before so I was leaner to start with..!?
---
Background: (A quick run down of where I'm coming from as best as I can recall it
Years 1-1.5: Started lifting 4 years ago, very skinny at 140-145lbs. First two years were essentially a two year dirty bulk to 190lb on approx. 3000-3500 per day, approx. 150g protein per day. Gained some decent strength and loved lifting for fun, but carried a lot of weight on stomach due to the fact that I wasn't training hard enough to warrant the amount I was eating (5 days a week for 1 year, 3-4 days a week thereafter - no cardio)
Year 1.5 - 2.5: Changed my diet by switching to soy milk got rid of the bloated gut I had developed (realised I had hit a wall in lactose intoleration, and I looked noticeably leaner drinking tonnes of soy rather than cows milk due to loss of bloat - just a personal point that helped), and I ate vegetarian whilst intaking 100 - 150g protein per day.
Started to lose weight a little whilst gaining muscle, although again due to it being a hobby and not a serious pursuit, this was all in minimal proportions: bench went from 215lbs to 242lbs, lost 10lbs of weight throughout the year.
Year 2.5 - 3.5
Went vegan and started lifting using Alpha Destiny's 2-day-a-week programme (due to having less time for lifting whilst working). Still no cardio. My back and shoulders gained strength, didn't focus on bench so much due to wrist injury. Eating 2800-3000cals per day, 100-150g protein.
---
Aug 14 - November 20th 2018
Picture 1 is of me in mid-August:
Due to previous wrist and back injuries, I have not been training the 'big three' directly, so read in to the below stats what you will:
180lbs - B - 215lbs was easy, probably could do 242 lbs if I pushed it / S - 200 for 10 reps pre-exhausted from lunges / D - Only comparison I have is rack pull below the knee: 320lbs for 4 reps
---
Diet and cardio:
I ate completely vegan, mostly plant-based (my wife and I are vegan). I set up My Fitness Pal to give me: 158g protein / 263g carbs / 47g fat. Didn't follow these macros religiously, as sometimes I was slightly under on protein and slightly over on carbs. However I always made sure I got at least 140g protein.
First 4 weeks: Approx 2300 cals. Not counting calories or weighing myself, throwing in 2-3 30 minute sessions of cardio.
Next 4 weeks: Switched to intermittent fasting for the last two months (eating from 11am - 7pm using the 16/8 protocol).
2200 cals / lost 2lbs a week average / 2 x 30 min cardio sessions
Final 4 weeks: 2100 cals / lost 2lbs a week average / 3 x 30 min cardio sessions
----
Weight training:
- I split up 3 days and made sure I did them all in every week, trying to leave at least a days' rest between them.
- All last around 1hr - 1 hr 15 mins / pretty much every exercise was 3 working sets, throwing in slight variations week by week (e.g. sitting dumbell OHP / standing barbell), focussing on maintaining strength. Threw in abs every day for 10 mins or so.
Day 1 - Heavy chest (focus on bench press and OHP) / Light back (focus on Pulldown/rear delt/biceps)
Day 2 - Heavy legs (Focus on lunges and squats) / Light chest (focus on dumbell bench press and triceps)
Day 3 - Heavy back (Focus on rack pulls and cheat shrugs) / Light legs (focus on calves and single leg press)
---
After the 12 weeks of cutting:
B - 180 lbs for triples (felt nearly impossible to go heavier)/ S - pre-exhausted from 150lbs lunges - 215 for three sets of 4 reps / Rack pulls below knee: 330 lbs 3x 4 reps
So my bench went down, squats went up perhaps a little compared to before, and rack pull definitely improved. This highlights for me what I suspected - bench isn't my easiest lift and i expected it to decrease in a cut, and my back is the strongest area.
Then a 1 week refeed: 3000 cals
After: B - 200lbs / S is the same / Rack pulls below knee: 350lbs 3 x 4 reps
Rack pull still improving, and bench coming back up a little due to increased energy.
---
Final thoughts: Kudos to my wife for putting up with me when i was a little tired and under caloried! In hindsight, I'd recommend to anyone starting off weight training to include cardio for your heart and so you don't get tempted to drop weight so quickly( I'm happy with results, but if I went back I'd just do more cardio to start with to save my weight getting higher, plus I missed running/cycling after several years not doing it thinking they'd kill my gains..!)
There you have it! Happy or any feedback or questions.
Posted in r/Brogress, was recommended I cross-post here..!
TL;DR for below's info:
--> Been lifting 2-5 times a week for 4 years. Made most of my gains in the two years when I had time to go 4-5 times a week. No cardio though so was bloated. Switching to soy protein helped that a bit due to lactose build up in the gut from whey..! Went fully vegan 18 months ago.
--> 12 week cut, mostly with intermittent fasting on vegan diet 150g protein, around 2100-2300 cals, 2 -3x 30 mins cardio per week.--> Weight training 3 x a week, hitting everything twice. Bench went down, squat and rack pulls went up.--> Only regret is not doing cardio before so I was leaner to start with..!?
---
Background: (A quick run down of where I'm coming from as best as I can recall it
Years 1-1.5: Started lifting 4 years ago, very skinny at 140-145lbs. First two years were essentially a two year dirty bulk to 190lb on approx. 3000-3500 per day, approx. 150g protein per day. Gained some decent strength and loved lifting for fun, but carried a lot of weight on stomach due to the fact that I wasn't training hard enough to warrant the amount I was eating (5 days a week for 1 year, 3-4 days a week thereafter - no cardio)
Year 1.5 - 2.5: Changed my diet by switching to soy milk got rid of the bloated gut I had developed (realised I had hit a wall in lactose intoleration, and I looked noticeably leaner drinking tonnes of soy rather than cows milk due to loss of bloat - just a personal point that helped), and I ate vegetarian whilst intaking 100 - 150g protein per day.
Started to lose weight a little whilst gaining muscle, although again due to it being a hobby and not a serious pursuit, this was all in minimal proportions: bench went from 215lbs to 242lbs, lost 10lbs of weight throughout the year.
Year 2.5 - 3.5
Went vegan and started lifting using Alpha Destiny's 2-day-a-week programme (due to having less time for lifting whilst working). Still no cardio. My back and shoulders gained strength, didn't focus on bench so much due to wrist injury. Eating 2800-3000cals per day, 100-150g protein.
---
Aug 14 - November 20th 2018
Picture 1 is of me in mid-August:
Due to previous wrist and back injuries, I have not been training the 'big three' directly, so read in to the below stats what you will:
180lbs - B - 215lbs was easy, probably could do 242 lbs if I pushed it / S - 200 for 10 reps pre-exhausted from lunges / D - Only comparison I have is rack pull below the knee: 320lbs for 4 reps
---
Diet and cardio:
I ate completely vegan, mostly plant-based (my wife and I are vegan). I set up My Fitness Pal to give me: 158g protein / 263g carbs / 47g fat. Didn't follow these macros religiously, as sometimes I was slightly under on protein and slightly over on carbs. However I always made sure I got at least 140g protein.
First 4 weeks: Approx 2300 cals. Not counting calories or weighing myself, throwing in 2-3 30 minute sessions of cardio.
Next 4 weeks: Switched to intermittent fasting for the last two months (eating from 11am - 7pm using the 16/8 protocol).
2200 cals / lost 2lbs a week average / 2 x 30 min cardio sessions
Final 4 weeks: 2100 cals / lost 2lbs a week average / 3 x 30 min cardio sessions
----
Weight training:
- I split up 3 days and made sure I did them all in every week, trying to leave at least a days' rest between them.
- All last around 1hr - 1 hr 15 mins / pretty much every exercise was 3 working sets, throwing in slight variations week by week (e.g. sitting dumbell OHP / standing barbell), focussing on maintaining strength. Threw in abs every day for 10 mins or so.
Day 1 - Heavy chest (focus on bench press and OHP) / Light back (focus on Pulldown/rear delt/biceps)
Day 2 - Heavy legs (Focus on lunges and squats) / Light chest (focus on dumbell bench press and triceps)
Day 3 - Heavy back (Focus on rack pulls and cheat shrugs) / Light legs (focus on calves and single leg press)
---
After the 12 weeks of cutting:
B - 180 lbs for triples (felt nearly impossible to go heavier)/ S - pre-exhausted from 150lbs lunges - 215 for three sets of 4 reps / Rack pulls below knee: 330 lbs 3x 4 reps
So my bench went down, squats went up perhaps a little compared to before, and rack pull definitely improved. This highlights for me what I suspected - bench isn't my easiest lift and i expected it to decrease in a cut, and my back is the strongest area.
Then a 1 week refeed: 3000 cals
After: B - 200lbs / S is the same / Rack pulls below knee: 350lbs 3 x 4 reps
Rack pull still improving, and bench coming back up a little due to increased energy.
---
Final thoughts: Kudos to my wife for putting up with me when i was a little tired and under caloried! In hindsight, I'd recommend to anyone starting off weight training to include cardio for your heart and so you don't get tempted to drop weight so quickly( I'm happy with results, but if I went back I'd just do more cardio to start with to save my weight getting higher, plus I missed running/cycling after several years not doing it thinking they'd kill my gains..!)
There you have it! Happy or any feedback or questions.