M/29/5'7" [67 kg to 72 kg] (5 months). I've many questions, please read full post

[revrude]

[Front picture]

[Side picture]

Hello everyone! First time posting here. This is my 5 months progress as I had joined the Gym on 10th Feb, 2023 and took a break of 20 days in June. In the starting my weight was around 67 kg and now it's 72 kg.
Left side of photo is of 10 days after I joined the gym and the right side photo is of today, that is 31 July, 2023.

I definitely feel better and stronger but to be honest, I'm not much happy with my progress. That's why I'm posting here so that I could take experienced people advice.

In the first three months, I followed r/fitness beginner’s routine which consists of 3 alternative days workout in a week. It's like this (Workout A on Monday, Workout B on Wednesday, Workout A on Friday, Workout B on next week Monday etc).

Workout A

3×5+ Barbell Rows
3×5+ Bench Press
3×5+ Squats

Workout B

3×5+ Chinups (or equivalent)
3×5+ Overhead Press
3×5+ Deadlifts

After completing three months of this workout, I moved on to the recommended GZCLP program which is also 3 alternative days a week. It's like this as given in the figure. Click on me.

My diet has been not good. I'm from India and my diet is mostly vegetarian. I eat chicken once in a month. Here's my general regular diet

Morning

7:30 am
Tea, 4 biscuits

8:30 am
3 eggs (On Tuesdays or on religion festival, it's 0 egg)

09:30 - 11:00 am
Gym

12:00 pm
5 chapati, one cup any subzi (vegetable) and about 400 ml milk

1:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Work (I don't take good to office)

7:00 pm
Tea

8:30 pm
One plate of rice, dal (pulse) and one cup of curd

I know this diet isn't good enough, so I'm looking for suggestions from you all on my diet which is protein rich at a economical cost.

Talking about my lifts,

Benchpress - 2 Reps of 40 kg (20+20 kg plates, I didn't count weight of bar)

Squats - 3 Reps of 55 kg (27.5 + 27.5 kg plates, I didn't count weight of bar)

Deadlift - 3 Reps of 45 kg (22.5 + 22.5 kg plates, I didn't count weight of bar)

Overhead press - 3 Reps of 25 kg (12.5 + 12.5 kg plates, I didn't count weight of bar)

Barbell row - 15 Reps of 20 kg (10 + 10 kg, I didn't count weight of bar)

Lat pulldown - 15 Reps of 25 kg

Now here are my few questions

1. I see almost everyone in my gym do various kinds of workout with dumbbell, barbell and other machines whereas my program GZCLP suggests me to stick to only barbell based above mentioned workouts. They all look much muscular and stronger than me.
   Is there any better program than the one I'm following GZCLP? Is 3 days a week workout good enough?
2. When I tell my lifts to someone, do I need to add the weight of bar too? If yes, how much does squat bar and deadlift bar weight?
3. What changes do I need to make in my diet to get better and stronger?
4. Now that I've been maintaining almost same weight 72 kg with this diet for last 2 months. I used an online calculator to check my body fat percentage and it's 22%. What do I do now? Bulk or Cut?
5. Any suggestion or changes in my routine, diet, program which you want to give?

Thank you so much for reading.

 

[mpromptu]

@revrude

1. You’ve only done 5 exercises since 5 months? You have to do at least 2 to 3 exercise for each muscle group. This routine is simply not exhaustive enough.
2. Bar weight doesn’t matter and no one cares how much weight you can pull or push. What DOES matter is are you making progress? Are you noting down how much weight you can push and checking if you increased that after 2 weeks of training? You have to know if you’re getting stronger.
3. Again that protein is simply not adequate, more eggs, chicken, pulses go crazy eating. You don’t need protein supplements, but make sure you are eating like you’re GYMING! Your meal right now is like an everyday meal for a non gym goer.
4. Judging by the pictures and your routine I don’t think you put on much muscle, don’t rely on these online calculators they are never accurate. You have to look at yourself in the mirror and check your own progress.
5. Yes a lot of changes. Start watching YouTube. Watch genuine fitness channels. FitMuscleTV has greatly helped me. Split the days of the week and set a day for each muscle group!

All the best you got this!

 

[revrude]

@mpromptu Thank you so much!
I've making progress in every workout as I increase the 5 kg weight in each day.

1. Can you suggest a good program for me? Reddit r/fitness suggests GZCLP as one of the best. It's exhausting too as I do 5 sets of 3 Reps of first workout, 3 sets of 10 Reps each in second workout and 3 sets of 15 Reps each in third workout. But the progress isn't good enough. So I think there must be better program than this.

2, 3, 4, 5. Thanks for the response.

 

[thika]

@revrude One point i would add is to don't compare yourself with the muscular dudes in the gym
They have their own journey and you have your own. Check your progress regularly and don't get intimidated by the progress of other people.

 

[mpromptu]

@revrude No, I cannot. Working out is a lot of self discovery as well. I used to be scared of working out with barbells and big machines so I started simple. I pretty much did every possible variation of push-ups except one handed pushups for 2 months and saw visible progress. I then joined a gym and started a very basic routine. I didn’t see much progress so I tweaked it to my needs. It will be different for everyone, but you have develop the intuition and find out what is working for you and what’s not. For example, choose a random routine, you can find plenty online. Stick to it and check for progress. If you don’t see it tweak the routine, find out where you’re lacking. You’re really just trying to get to know your body.

For example I wasn’t able to do a single pull-up one month into training, I realized my back was weak and I wasn’t pushing hard enough on Back day, after changing the number of reps and increasing the weight I very recently did my first pull up

 

[dan222]

@revrude Two big red flags in your routine:

1. Get rid of tea/biscuits and other such sugary items from your diet. You're skinny fat, and need to do a body recomposition. Increase your protein intake, if it's possible have chicken daily, and try to have 2 scoops of whey protein in a day.
2. What in the world work-out are you following? There's a difference between strength and hypertrophy specific workouts. Please look them up! I'd recommend a PPL if you want to get some serious hypertrophy done. Dumbbells, cables, machines, involve everything, not just barbells.

 

[revrude]

@dan222 Thank you! I'm work on my diet and check out this PPL program. Thanks again.

 

[revrude]

@dan222 Also, should I bulk or cut?

 

[deborah101]

@revrude Bro. I'll tell you this. You're workout routine is fine . Your meals are fine. For the body to change it takes time. I realised going through YouTube videos gives us realistic expectations.i looked pretty much exactly the same for a year , and suddenly the changes came. It was weird. But just stick to the path and be consistent. It'll happen. I'm no super body builder. But trying to offer advice
You can see my profile for a better idea.

 

[easternorthodoxnerd]

@revrude If you aren't prone to any injury, your lift figures suggest you lack intensity in your workout.

 

[revrude]

@easternorthodoxnerd Can you suggest a better program please?

 

[easternorthodoxnerd]

@revrude Stick to your plan, just make your workout intense.Try to go till your potential, you are leaving gains on table. Find a spotter, ramp up all compound lift's volume number(Rep×weight). You should barely make out last rep of every set.

 

[gusbus]

@revrude Just follow jeet selals beginner series on youtube and watch some of his other videos, he's the most respected and knowledgeable person in the fitness community .