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Rocsteady wrote:Some strawberry floating banana split has stolen all my stuff. Must have left my bag outside the locker by mistake and they've taken my wallet with all my cards and my expensive Bose headphones. strawberry floating raging. I'm hoping the banana split gets complacent at some point and wears the headphones to the gym, they have a few distinctive marks on them. So much hassle abroad with credit cards, driver's license, etc. banana splits man.

I hope you find out who did that. That sort of stuff boils my piss.

That's well gooseberry fool Roc, hopefully things work out for you in some way.

It has happened to a couple of people I work with at the gym, the gym is in a building not owned by them so they can't look at the CCTV apparently, even though two cameras are where the lockers are! They basically had to fill in a form and never heard back, I think one contacted the police but they said there wasn't much they could do without CCTV.

The people that did it must know this, meaning they can get away with it every time unless they are doing it at the same time someone goes back to their locker. Eugh.

Rocsteady wrote:Some strawberry floating banana split has stolen all my stuff. Must have left my bag outside the locker by mistake and they've taken my wallet with all my cards and my expensive Bose headphones. strawberry floating raging. I'm hoping the banana split gets complacent at some point and wears the headphones to the gym, they have a few distinctive marks on them. So much hassle abroad with credit cards, driver's license, etc. banana splits man.

Ah strawberry floating hell, that's so gooseberry fool thieves are such banana splits. Hope you manage to get your documents and that sorted out without too much hassle.

Rocsteady wrote:Some strawberry floating banana split has stolen all my stuff.

Scum, subhuman scum.


I'm looking for a bit of advice - I think I'm coming up to 14 weeks of dieting and think I need to stop. I've lost about 10% of my bodyweight, so pushing further and going past 12 weeks (which I've already done) seems like I'm just fighting against momentum and need a proper break. My energy levels are quite low, motivation for training is non-existent - despite taking some days off, and I just feel like I constantly want food, even when I've just eaten. It's not so much hunger, I just want to eat.

I don't want to start a bulk given I don't have access to decent gym equipment so am thinking I will just maintain my current weight and try to get my body used to being at this weight. I haven't decided whether I'd like to bulk or cut after this break (I'm tempted to get down to 10% as this is just a long term goal I have and I will be more comfortable gaining weight in a bulk from that start point), but am wondering if it really matters how long I stay at maintenance before going either way?

For example, if I want to diet for say, another four weeks, how long should I spend at maintenance? I was thinking a minimum of 2 weeks at the moment.

What's your reason? Are you looking to compete or just look good?

A little bit of both. A bit of it is to just get that lean so I can scratch that particular itch - I've always wanted to get shredded - even if I don't remain that lean for very long. And partly because I like and follow bodybuilding and want to see if it's something I might be able to compete in a couple of years (need a lot more size first). If I struggle and hate the process of getting down to 10% then it's probably not for me, though.

I'd personally have a week where you don't worry about the diet. Don't go mental but just eat a good amount of food and get yourself feeling full again. Then get back on the cut and scratch that itch of being lean and seeing where it takes you.

I'm so excited for the end of the month, but also I've been suddenly hit with caution. I've dropped a lot of muscle in the past few months and my eatings been off so I'm dying to go back.

But then it's such an area with people panting/breathing out/sweating touching everything that I'm a little worried about it. Anyone else?

Harry Bizzle wrote:A little bit of both. A bit of it is to just get that lean so I can scratch that particular itch - I've always wanted to get shredded - even if I don't remain that lean for very long. And partly because I like and follow bodybuilding and want to see if it's something I might be able to compete in a couple of years (need a lot more size first). If I struggle and hate the process of getting down to 10% then it's probably not for me, though.

Can you give an example of your diet and daily calories? In my opinion spending time on your diet so you have food you enjoy and look forward too eating is a game changer.

Rocsteady wrote:Some strawberry floating banana split has stolen all my stuff. Must have left my bag outside the locker by mistake and they've taken my wallet with all my cards and my expensive Bose headphones. strawberry floating raging. I'm hoping the banana split gets complacent at some point and wears the headphones to the gym, they have a few distinctive marks on them. So much hassle abroad with credit cards, driver's license, etc. banana splits man.

strawberry float. I hope something comes of it.

gaminglegend wrote:I'm so excited for the end of the month, but also I've been suddenly hit with caution. I've dropped a lot of muscle in the past few months and my eatings been off so I'm dying to go back.

But then it's such an area with people panting/breathing out/sweating touching everything that I'm a little worried about it. Anyone else?

Yeah I'm not sure I fancy being a guinea pig, I'm letting everything ride out for a few months to see what happens.

gaminglegend wrote:I'm so excited for the end of the month, but also I've been suddenly hit with caution. I've dropped a lot of muscle in the past few months and my eatings been off so I'm dying to go back.

But then it's such an area with people panting/breathing out/sweating touching everything that I'm a little worried about it. Anyone else?

It does feel kind of dangerous being back tbh. Everything is open as normal here and the one place I still feel off is the gym, even with going at 9am local time so the place is almost always completely empty.

Hime wrote:Can you give an example of your diet and daily calories? In my opinion spending time on your diet so you have food you enjoy and look forward too eating is a game changer.

Breakfast - 40g quaker oats in water, teaspoon of honey 80g of frozen fruit (e.g. blueberries). 1 scoop whey and a cup of black coffee. - 293cal
Lunch - 200g basmati rice, 200g chicken breast (usually in the form of a very healthy curry, so I generally don't count anything except the chicken. Plus a big salad for volume. - 700 cals
Dinner - Same as lunch. 700-800cals.
+200 cals on whatever I want.

Daily goal is 2000 calories. Maintenance would be ~2800. If I do weights I might have an extra 100-200 cals. If I go for a run, that's probably an extra 300-400. I'm currently aiming for an 800cal deficit so I can lose about 1% bodyweight a week - (about 0.75kg). I make sure I get a minimum of 130g of protein a day but am usually more like 150-160g.

I think I'm pretty good at dieting on the whole. I enjoy the food I eat and those extra calories help me eat various foods I might want - fruit, chocolate, cookies, whatever. I think it's primarily the duration of my diet that's making it more difficult. I just feel a bit tired and worn out, training isn't the same, etc.

blackoutHERO wrote:I'd personally have a week where you don't worry about the diet. Don't go mental but just eat a good amount of food and get yourself feeling full again. Then get back on the cut and scratch that itch of being lean and seeing where it takes you.

Thank you - this seems like a good idea. I generally prefer to eat clean, so will probably just eat the same sorts of food when I'm bulking. Eggs and toast for breakfast and a few extra calories with each meal and that will take me to about 2800 fairly easily. I definitely don't want to go crazy as I'm likely to see my weight shift up by a kilo or so just due to water and what not when my diet changes so I'm keen to get a feel for that and make sure my estimated maintenance cals are accurate.

Harry Bizzle wrote:

Hime wrote:Can you give an example of your diet and daily calories? In my opinion spending time on your diet so you have food you enjoy and look forward too eating is a game changer.

Breakfast - 40g quaker oats in water, teaspoon of honey 80g of frozen fruit (e.g. blueberries). 1 scoop whey and a cup of black coffee. - 293cal
Lunch - 200g basmati rice, 200g chicken breast (usually in the form of a very healthy curry, so I generally don't count anything except the chicken. Plus a big salad for volume. - 700 cals
Dinner - Same as lunch. 700-800cals.
+200 cals on whatever I want.

Daily goal is 2000 calories. Maintenance would be ~2800. If I do weights I might have an extra 100-200 cals. If I go for a run, that's probably an extra 300-400. I'm currently aiming for an 800cal deficit so I can lose about 1% bodyweight a week - (about 0.75kg). I make sure I get a minimum of 130g of protein a day but am usually more like 150-160g.

I think I'm pretty good at dieting on the whole. I enjoy the food I eat and those extra calories help me eat various foods I might want - fruit, chocolate, cookies, whatever. I think it's primarily the duration of my diet that's making it more difficult. I just feel a bit tired and worn out, training isn't the same, etc.

blackoutHERO wrote:I'd personally have a week where you don't worry about the diet. Don't go mental but just eat a good amount of food and get yourself feeling full again. Then get back on the cut and scratch that itch of being lean and seeing where it takes you.

Thank you - this seems like a good idea. I generally prefer to eat clean, so will probably just eat the same sorts of food when I'm bulking. Eggs and toast for breakfast and a few extra calories with each meal and that will take me to about 2800 fairly easily. I definitely don't want to go crazy as I'm likely to see my weight shift up by a kilo or so just due to water and what not when my diet changes so I'm keen to get a feel for that and make sure my estimated maintenance cals are accurate.

2000 calories is pretty low, I've done it but I'm glad I don't have to do that again. What's your rate of weight loss? At that low I would say you could fit at least one cheat meal or 'refeed' in a week. How are your cravings?

Why not have a week or two at 3000 calories then just take it down to a 300/400 calorie deficit? Also it might be worth counting the calories from your curry as it might actually work out as an extra 100-200 calories.

Hime wrote:2000 calories is pretty low, I've done it but I'm glad I don't have to do that again. What's your rate of weight loss? At that low I would say you could fit at least one cheat meal or 'refeed' in a week. How are your cravings?

Why not have a week or two at 3000 calories then just take it down to a 300/400 calorie deficit? Also it might be worth counting the calories from your curry as it might actually work out as an extra 100-200 calories.

About 0.7-0.8kg per week. I think a smaller deficit might be a good idea when I restart. Cravings have generally been ok but worse recently.

Usually I take the approach of only counting every little thing if my weight loss isn't in line with the deficit I'm hitting, which is why I haven't really bothered calculating all the calories in the curry, for example.

But yeah, I think as BOH suggested - a week at maintenance - maybe two if I feel like it, and then a smaller deficit as you suggest. Especially because as I get leaner I'm more worried about losing muscle.

Harry Bizzle wrote:

Hime wrote:2000 calories is pretty low, I've done it but I'm glad I don't have to do that again. What's your rate of weight loss? At that low I would say you could fit at least one cheat meal or 'refeed' in a week. How are your cravings?

Why not have a week or two at 3000 calories then just take it down to a 300/400 calorie deficit? Also it might be worth counting the calories from your curry as it might actually work out as an extra 100-200 calories.

About 0.7-0.8kg per week. I think a smaller deficit might be a good idea when I restart. Cravings have generally been ok but worse recently.

Usually I take the approach of only counting every little thing if my weight loss isn't in line with the deficit I'm hitting, which is why I haven't really bothered calculating all the calories in the curry, for example.

But yeah, I think as BOH suggested - a week at maintenance - maybe two if I feel like it, and then a smaller deficit as you suggest. Especially because as I get leaner I'm more worried about losing muscle.

I'm now a big believer in minimum effective dose along with a personalised diet. Just for some context I hired local body builder a couple of years ago before I got married. I hated the meals so much it was torture, those 8 weeks were hell. Half the people I follow on YouTube now we're because I was watching did eating challenges because it was all I could think about. This year I've gone from 201lbs after Christmas to 175lbs today without really thinking about it.

Ideally I think you should lose it gain weight as slowly as possible, in my opinion you're bordering on crash diet levels with those numbers.

I'm trying to get some size just now. Building strength back up but was always asked by my ex to 'not get too big' so I skipped a lot of my hypertrophy and shot for strength gains only. Now I'm gonna try add more size cause I can and hopefully it will eventually help me surpass my plateaus. I haven't set a PB in like 7 years. If I can set a new 1RM by this time next year I'll be very happy.

blackoutHERO wrote:I'm trying to get some size just now. Building strength back up but was always asked by my ex to 'not get too big' so I skipped a lot of my hypertrophy and shot for strength gains only. Now I'm gonna try add more size cause I can and hopefully it will eventually help me surpass my plateaus. I haven't set a PB in like 7 years. If I can set a new 1RM by this time next year I'll be very happy.

Any idea what programme you intend to follow? I think I'll always stay primarily strength focused as it just seems to suit me, I like that you can keep doing the big 4 and adjust your accessory work to whatever your current goals are.

I intend to jump on Starting Strength when my stuff arrives. I've been going on their website and board a lot lately and there is some really great stuff. I just struggle with their attitude towards weight and if you're not 225lb '20%' body fat, you're skinny.

Hime wrote:Any idea what programme you intend to follow? I think I'll always stay primarily strength focused as it just seems to suit me, I like that you can keep doing the big 4 and adjust your accessory work to whatever your current goals are.

I'm currently following a 5x5 with accessories just now to regain lost strength from time off. I'll follow this until I stall and re-evaluate.

Will likely follow a 'powerbuilding' style program which I'll create myself. I'm imagining something like this:




Then I'll change the bolded exercises into 4 reps for couple weeks, then 3, then 2 then 1 as push into peaking. I'd see how that goes for 16 weeks or so and re-evaluate again. I like starting new programs, but I'm still trying to figure out what I want and when I get back into properly I'll be in new city, new job etc. so I'll enjoy the flexibility of my own program. I tend to get frustrated if I miss prescribed weights and sets.

This will hopefully get me to a 220/145/270 total by this time next year. Then I'll put my focus into deadlift and try pull 300 before I'm 30 in 01/22.