A Lurker Timidly Emerges...

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

Hi,
I’ve been reading T-Nation for about a year and a half now. Thought I’d come out.

Did a bit of lifting last summer, but got sidetracked.

About a month ago I started going at it seriously after I quit smoking.

At first just with lifting and protein/creatine supplementation, and then I started really pondering and pontificating about what it is I’m eating, why I need it, and when.

Currently I’m 24 years old, 6’6", 237lbs.

I’ve yet to establish 1RM’s, but what I do normally at the gym is:
5x5x187lbs deadlift
5x5x308lbs rack pulls
4x10x77lbs bradford press
5x5x100lbs bent over narrow grip rows (to chin)
4x10x110lbs overhead halfpress
5x5x132lbs T-rows
4x10x88lbs flat bench press (sucks, I know)

I don’t do all of them at the same time, and I don’t post squat numbers cause I am quite timid to do them as I don’t have anyone to spot me, but I have done 4x10x330lbs in an hacksquat machine.

I try to alternate my program as much as I can, doing what I feel like, but usually going at it 3-4 times per week, for 60-120 minutes at a time. And I just started doing cardio on my off days (damn I hate cardio).

I took 2 pics, both of them suck since I don’t have a clue about taking physique photos, and I just have this stupid camera phone that can’t stand on its own.

Plus somehow I look even fatter than I thought I was on them. But regardless, even though I forgot the shoe, I’d say I was about 20-25% BF. Maybe 21.33401%

Taking the pics was a bit of a downer, but regardless I think it will motivate me even more to ramp up some time in the gym.

2

A view of my glass shelf

3

Sans glass shelf

4

My goal

5

[quote]nanobyte wrote:
My goal[/quote]

Welcome! Congrats on going for the big lifts. Looks like you don’t waste your time in the gym!

Sorry you forgot the shoe :>

I like your goal, in fact I like him so much, I’d like to take him home!!

6

[quote]nanobyte wrote:
My goal[/quote]

Lotsa drugs and a razor for that head and you’ll be golden.

How’re you eating?

7

[quote]Deinabolic wrote:
nanobyte wrote:
My goal

Lotsa drugs and a razor for that head and you’ll be golden.

How’re you eating?
[/quote]

My diet varies.

For breakfast I usually have about a cup and a half of oatmeal (microwaved and salted).

During the day I’ll drink a micellar casein protein shake (Micellar Edge from Iron Tek). I drink about 2 or 3 of those while I’m at work. Usually I mix in some flax seeds.

I also started eating some fruit while at work, I like strawberries so I go with those. With them, I drink some stinging nettle tea.

For dinner I’ll have either some beef or chicken with some fried veg. I buy frozen bags of broccoli as well as bags of mixed veg like carrots, swede strips, water chestnuts, baby corn, etc.

In the evening, if I’m hungry, I’ll have some Sly Stallone pudding (20gr protein, 100kcal), or a low-carb dairy product.

During workout I’ll typically drink something called “Perfect Burner”, which is basically just a bit of caffeine and alot of L-Carnitine.

In post workout, I drink AST’s micronized creatine HSC, one scoop, followed by a whey protein shake (44grams of whey protein isolate).

Supplements: Alot. I take an iron-free multivit/mineral tablet, some omega-3 (from cod liver oil), CLA, Citrus bioflavonoids, Quercetin, Milk thistle, dandelion root, along with psyllium husk pills. And I try to down some extra virgin olive oil when I feel like it.

I used to take Hydroxycut (fat burner), but I found they were giving me some anxiety in the evening so I’ve cut them.

My diet is a bit of a Frankenstein, and I must admit I don’t pay enough attention to calorie intake. I’m at odds whether to eat for muscle gain or adipose loss.

I try to follow Ori Hofmeikler’s tips from The Warrior Diet on eating alot in the evening and light during the day, protein before carb. Since that worked for a close friend of mine.

Mostly I just try to eat clean stuff.

Any tips?

8

Sounds like you need to 1) make up your mind what you want to do and then 2) track your cals for a while to get an idea of how much you’re truly eating (or not) so you can adjust from there.

At a glance, looks like you’re waaay undereating, even for fat loss.

9

[quote]Deinabolic wrote:
Sounds like you need to 1) make up your mind what you want to do and then 2) track your cals for a while to get an idea of how much you’re truly eating (or not) so you can adjust from there.

At a glance, looks like you’re waaay undereating, even for fat loss. [/quote]

Hmm. Not so sure. Perhaps I just don’t have enough of a grapple on how much I truly eat during the day. I’ll try to keep a diary or something.

Since I began little over a month ago I’ve lost about 6 and a half pounds. I don’t weigh myself all that often. In fact I’ve only done so twice this year. :stuck_out_tongue:

I don’t have any BF percentile, before or after, so I can’t say how much fat I’ve lost. But given my steady performance increase in the gym I’d say I was doing alright.

10

[quote]bjalifts wrote:
Welcome! Congrats on going for the big lifts. Looks like you don’t waste your time in the gym![/quote]

Thanks! ;D

11

[quote]Deinabolic wrote:
At a glance, looks like you’re waaay undereating, even for fat loss. [/quote]

Each of those Micell Edge drinks holds 260 kcal. That is, 16g micellar casein, 16g whey protein, 11g carbohydrates, and 5g fat.

I also forgot to mention that I take that whey protein shake before bed, the same one I take in post-workout.

One serving holds 120 kcal (2g fat, 3g carb, 22g protein, and an ok BCAA spectrum). I take twice that amount in PWO.

Also I sometimes do the lunch thing. However, the lunch hall at my job isn’t operational at the moment (we just moved) so that’s another variable.

12

Dude, you definately don’t look like you’ve lifted a single day in your life.

Normally, I think most people would recommend bulking right off the bat for someone just starting out, but I think you’ve got a lot of extra fat on you that you really need to lose…before you can even start to see any muscles starting to show (for motivation, etc)…

Anyway…like I said…you definately gotta lose that fat…and for someone just starting out, it’s not impossible to gain a bit of muscle while shedding the fat…and from the looks of it, your diet is nothing like what you posted (or at least it hasn’t been for the past year – maybe that diet thing is something new?).

13

[quote]deapee wrote:
maybe that diet thing is something new?).[/quote]
Uhm, yes, it’s new.

14

Hey, I’m working out with nanobyte, and this diet is as old as his workout, which he stated started about a month ago.

So, yeah… a year of inactivity and unhealthy lifestyle hasn’t been kind to my friend nanobyte :wink:

15

that damn shoe again

16

[quote]deapee wrote:
Dude, you definately don’t look like you’ve lifted a single day in your life.[/quote]

I’m a beginner. Does the phrase “check yourself” mean anything to you?

A slight refresher:
http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=868802

17

[quote]nanobyte wrote:
deapee wrote:
Dude, you definately don’t look like you’ve lifted a single day in your life.

I’m a beginner. Does the phrase “check yourself” mean anything to you?

A slight refresher:
http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=868802
[/quote]

pwned

18

Thanks for the refresher, although I can’t say I know exactly why you posted that…but it’s cool, I appreciate it.

19

[quote]nanobyte wrote:
Hi,
I’ve been reading T-Nation for about a year and a half now. Thought I’d come out.[/quote]

I don’t understand this. Have you been lifting for that year and a half or just reading about lifting? I don’t understand people who somehow think that action is secondary. You don’t look like you’ve lifted even two weeks in a row, less known 1 and a half years. Consistency is where you need to begin. The next step is intensity. If you can’t get those together, all else is just bullshit and a waste of time.

20

[quote]nanobyte wrote:
deapee wrote:
Dude, you definately don’t look like you’ve lifted a single day in your life.

I’m a beginner. Does the phrase “check yourself” mean anything to you?

A slight refresher:
http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=868802
[/quote]

The difference is, he didn’t claim to have been reading this site for nearly two years and THEN post a pic showing a physique that appeared to have spent no time in the gym. If you can’t get the basic concept of getting in the gym and giving it everything you have down, it doesn’t matter what specific routine you claim to be following.