My "Complete" Transformation

redtruth

New member
Well, you guys have seen the pics of my "So far" version, now I think I'm done and I'm going to start maintaining. So here's my "complete" transformation. This is a journey that never ends though!

yetanother.jpg


Before (Jan 15, 2008):
Height: 6'1" Age: 23
Weight: 195lbs
Waist: 34.5"
Body Fat Percent: 24-26%

After (June 21, 2008)
Height: 6'1" Age: 24
Weight: 165lbs
Waist: 28.5"
Body Fat Percent: 7-9%

Sorry, no oil this time, didn't feel like it!

So I lost 30 pounds and 6 inches off my waist and 17% body fat! :hurray:
 
I WANT ABS!! GRRR..and again you look GREAT!!!

Um. Wanna know the secret? Nutrition and Cardio! I barely work on my abs, but my body fat is so low that they just have to show. Everybody has "abs." When you can't see them they're covered by fat. To get to a low enough BF place most people have to eat 5-6 meals a day. Reduce starchy carbs at night. So many things. It takes a lot of knowledge and dedication! It's all about keeping your metabolism metabolizing! Thanks again!

great job, very inspiring photos accomplishing your goals makes you feel great

Thank you. I'm glad you find these photos inspiring. Yes accomplishing your goals does make you feel great, I recommend everyone set themselves goals and accomplish them to experience this for themselves! It is a great feeling. It's not everything, but it is something I think everybody should experience in their lifetime.

wow! You look awesome!! Congratulations on your great accomplishment!

Thank you, Thank you! :)
 
I agree with RebeccaG, the hat adds a hint of style. Congratulations on your amazing progress. Your thorough dedication is evident.
 
Congratulations - you do look great. And I love the hat!
Thank you! :)

I agree with RebeccaG, the hat adds a hint of style. Congratulations on your amazing progress. Your thorough dedication is evident.
Thank you! :)


Thank you! :)

You look awesome. WTG! Thanks for sharing, it is an inspiration.

Thank you! :) Knowing that I can inspire others inspires me!

Good stuff man....

Any plans to bulk at all?

Thanks. No set plan, but I'm sure eventually I will. I want to enjoy my "ripness" this summer and perhaps eventually I'll do a bulk phase. I'm not about to lose my sixpack right after finally getting it! (You have NO idea how much it's taken - in the kitchen more than anywhere else - I barely workout abs) Maybe during the winter. When I do bulk, it will be as clean as it gets though. I do not, however have plans to ever be huge.
 
I think I have a clue, lol. Getting your abs to 'pop' when you aren't genetically gifted in that way is a bitch, I fully understand.

Bulking during the winter rocks, btw.
 
Shit yea... it's the combo of the heat and the desire to look half decent without a shirt on during the warmer months that keeps me from pigging out.

Beyond those months... it's on like donkey kong.
 
Beyond those months... it's on like donkey kong.

No Donkey Kong for me! When I do set out to bulk, it will be like a 10% surplus above maintenance and just clean foods! Fat on my stomach just literally makes me too depressed.
 
"Unclean" foods do not mean automatic fat.

And my bulks don't consist of pure "dirty" foods. It consists of adequate protein and good fats to ensure proper health and building blocks. It consists of much more carbs compared to when I diet to fuel the increased work load associated with a bulk.

Plus I allow myself more cheats on top of an already huge and solid foundation.

And saying you are going to use a 10% surplus is rather premature, don't you think. The secret to an optimal bulk is eating just enough to facilitate the max amount of hypertrophy while minimizing the inevitable fat gain associated with bulking. For some that might be 10%. For others it might be 20% and so on.

In addition, a bulk is going to come with a loss of abs on the side, lol. Unless you are planning on adding 1 lb of muscle per year spinning your wheels with suboptimal calories relative to your goals...

I could be speaking out my ass considering I don't know your true goals. But if they entail much more muscle mass than you currently hold, my statements are in line.
 
Well thank you for that. Not much more muscles mass... maybe add an inch or two to my arms and an inch or two to my pecs... but I'm not as well versed in bulking as you are! All I've done in all my bodybuilding pursuits is cut. So we'll see. I'm sure I'll figure it out, and you are right, that was premature! I was speaking out of mine!
 
I simply speak up b/c gyms are full of people who make absolutely no progress in terms of hypertrophy. You've made some amazing progress and look phenomenal. Many people would be content maintaining what you have right now, don't get me wrong. If you caught the 'bug' though and want to make continual and appreciable changes, bulking right is critical.

And adding a couple of inches of muscle here and there isn't going to be accomplished with a constant fear of gaining fat.

Most people coming from your position are afraid of bulking simply b/c the fat gain. But eating too little in an effort to minimize fat gain at the expense of optimal hypertrophy given your genetics and starting point is real bad too. As I stated above, spend a few years in the gyms (maybe you have) and pay attention to how many people actually change their bodies. Granted, people who lose a lot of fat always look a lot different. I'm speaking more of people in your shoes. Men who are lean and thin.

Bulk = fat gain though. Not solely, but certainly partially.

You can't gain only muscle, no matter how clean you eat or how small the caloric deficit is. People get fooled into thinking you can erase this fact by eating so little in their bulks.

Our bodies don't work like that though. For starters there's something known as the P-ratio. In simple terms this dictates how we partition our calories. When we diet it dictates how much muscle we'll lose in relation to fat and when we bulk it dictates how much fat we'll gain in relation to muscle.

This is primarily genetic. It can be swayed slightly with training and diet but the fact remains that we are coded to partition some excess calories in fat.

Certainly eating until you pop isn't the answer either! There is a limit to how fast you can add muscle which differs from person to person. Just as I've seen people bulk by eating ridiculously small amounts of food for fear of fat gain, I've seen idiots on the oppostive end of the spectrum who think they can speed upu muscle gain by eating endless amounts of food. That too is wrong and will surely lead to an accumulatoin of much more fat than necessary.

In all cases, the best bet is to try to minimize fat gains by bulking smart. Yes, you need to eat over maintenance but given the fact that you can't fast forward muscle growth, there's no need to eat way over maintenance. You want to find the sweet spot where you're seeing some weight gain, but not gaining too much fat.

And you're right... your best bet will be to take things slow at first... get a feel for how your body responds to excess calories with appropriate training. People who are dieted down from a relatively high BF% have a tendency to put fat on more easily compared to someone who is naturally lean. So slow and steady will certainly win the race in your case.

I just wanted to squash some common preconceived notions associated with bulking.
You have to eat enough to facilitate growth is my point.

We walk on the shoulders of giants, right? I'm no giant but I do have experience which I've learned from some awesome people before me as well as my own trials... so take it for what it's worth.
 
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