[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
I like to tell my clients who compete that when you come out on the other side of a contest, NOW you can truly see the Matrix. Before that point, you’re just guessing and repeating what you’ve heard, no matter how smart you may be.
[/quote]
Never heard of this “Timberwolf” before, nice share!
Also, since we are talking about cutting, at what point do you start to get veins showing up in places other than your forearms, upper arms, and shins?
I’m talking legs, shoulders, chest, etc. I’ve been fascinated by the leaner I get seeing more and more vascularity. I am finding I am “chasing” that moreso than ab definition at the moment for how I can tell week to weak if I’m continuing to lean out.
do you guys always think “just 5 more pounds and I’ll be shredded”? I have since I started cutting months ago
In that mindset, I would think of it similar to how a very experienced long distance runner explained to me how he ran. I asked him one day, because I personally find running, walking, jogging boring as hell, outside or inside.
He explained that he doesn’t look at the whole picture/distance. First he plans to get to the stop sign at the end of the street, then the stop light at the end of the next. Then maybe down to the Dairy Queen at the very end of the street. Eventually, with this fractional thinking, he’ll have gone miles without ever really directly focusing on it.
I know that wasn’t the intent of your post - moreso, I’ll be good in 5lbs, and then you aren’t where you want to be - but its still a fitting example. Bodybuilding is definitely a marathon and viewing it as adding 2 lbs of muscle before you focus on the 10, or losing 5 lbs of fat before losing 30, that’s what will give you success in the end. Define your great goal/vision and then the small steps to get there, otherwise you risk being overwhelmed and falling off course due to frustration, lack of direction, or the realization of the time it will require.
[quote]Quasi-Tech wrote:
Never heard of this “Timberwolf” before, nice share!
Also, since we are talking about cutting, at what point do you start to get veins showing up in places other than your forearms, upper arms, and shins?
I’m talking legs, shoulders, chest, etc. I’ve been fascinated by the leaner I get seeing more and more vascularity. I am finding I am “chasing” that moreso than ab definition at the moment for how I can tell week to weak if I’m continuing to lean out.[/quote]
Vascularity I think it quite genetic as much as it is Leanness.
For me I can be quite vascular across my arms shoulders legs yet not be that lean.
So at what point did you get vascularity in your legs? And I’m talking upper legs, not lower, and estimations are fine.
I understand vascularity is genetic. I believe I have some ability to be vascular, I’m just excited for when/if I ever see veins in my upper legs, would be pretty hardcore. Veins in my abdominals would be awesome too, but I need to see all 6 first!
[quote]Quasi-Tech wrote:
So at what point did you get vascularity in your legs? And I’m talking upper legs, not lower, and estimations are fine.
I understand vascularity is genetic. I believe I have some ability to be vascular, I’m just excited for when/if I ever see veins in my upper legs, would be pretty hardcore. Veins in my abdominals would be awesome too, but I need to see all 6 first![/quote]
At my leanness in my AVI. Which IMO isnt that lean. Abs are flexed in that ive only probabky been 5-10lbs fstter than i am in my avi. My legs are always decently lean and vascular. Just very small so they won’t be as vascular as they could be. I think muscle size also helps.
Nice! Did you have a full 6 pack at that leanness? I can’t tell because your hand shadow is right over the lower abdominals.
Were the veins in your upper thigh or lower quads?
[quote]Quasi-Tech wrote:
Nice! Did you have a full 6 pack at that leanness? I can’t tell because your hand shadow is right over the lower abdominals.
Were the veins in your upper thigh or lower quads?[/quote]
Pretty much yeah even though that’s where I store most of my fat low back a little as well. Mid thigh on down. I can’t say I exam my upper thigh too much lol
[quote]Waittz wrote:
[quote]ZJStrope wrote:
[quote]Waittz wrote:
This is the most recent pic I have on my phone. Its about 2 weeks ago. Obviously the left pics are before and right are after.
@Stu thanks for the reply. A lot of gems in that post. As you can see, I have plenty left on me to keep going, maybe 5-10 more lbs if not more.
@Ryan, yes those primarily are my fears as well. At one point I was wondering if I should take 2-3 months of reverse dieting to increase my metabolic capacity so to speak and then keep pushing the fat loss or just suck it up and keep grinding it, albiet at a less efecient level. [/quote]
If I were in your shoes and wasn’t happy with my muscle mass (I’m not sure if you are or not), I’d start eating more and trying to put on muscle again at this point. You look good now and unless you had a specific reason to get down further, get bigger man! Then the next time you drop 20lbs, you’ll be shredded 
Looking good and nice work![/quote]
To put things in perscpective I am 5’7 and right now 174. A physique ideal for me would be something on the lines of Kane Sumabrat(aka Timebrwolf) down the road. I am not sure if I really need to get a whole lot bigger, of just peel off that last layer to get the ‘illusion’ i am looking for. [/quote]
If we’re thinking of the same “Timbahwolf”, that dude is shredded year round. Doubt he’s ever over a true 10%, and he might never even be that high.
Yea, Kane is in great shape, and I can actually believe he’s 100% natural. Nothing about his body appears beyond reason or unobtainable for someone who puts in the time. Don’t want to derail this into that kind of topic, just saying he’s a great “idol” or “goal phsyique” for natural bodybulders.
[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
[quote]Waittz wrote:
[quote]ZJStrope wrote:
[quote]Waittz wrote:
This is the most recent pic I have on my phone. Its about 2 weeks ago. Obviously the left pics are before and right are after.
@Stu thanks for the reply. A lot of gems in that post. As you can see, I have plenty left on me to keep going, maybe 5-10 more lbs if not more.
@Ryan, yes those primarily are my fears as well. At one point I was wondering if I should take 2-3 months of reverse dieting to increase my metabolic capacity so to speak and then keep pushing the fat loss or just suck it up and keep grinding it, albiet at a less efecient level. [/quote]
If I were in your shoes and wasn’t happy with my muscle mass (I’m not sure if you are or not), I’d start eating more and trying to put on muscle again at this point. You look good now and unless you had a specific reason to get down further, get bigger man! Then the next time you drop 20lbs, you’ll be shredded
Looking good and nice work![/quote]
To put things in perscpective I am 5’7 and right now 174. A physique ideal for me would be something on the lines of Kane Sumabrat(aka Timebrwolf) down the road. I am not sure if I really need to get a whole lot bigger, of just peel off that last layer to get the ‘illusion’ i am looking for. [/quote]
If we’re thinking of the same “Timbahwolf”, that dude is shredded year round. Doubt he’s ever over a true 10%, and he might never even be that high.[/quote]
And he eats fried chicken and doughnuts just about everyday. His instagram account is the greatest thing ever.
[quote]browndisaster wrote:
do you guys always think “just 5 more pounds and I’ll be shredded”? I have since I started cutting months ago[/quote]
LOL… This is the official mantra of the Cutter.
I was up to 237 some years back and thought FOR SURE I would look like Shamus from the WWE when I hit 200 pounds. Alright, maybe I’ll need to be 195… Hmmm, looks like its 190. Jesus Christ, 185?? Alright, seriously… 180…
Ended up competing on stage at 158. I hang around 178-180 right now and am slowly working my way back up, but yes… I’m intimately familiar with “5 more pounds”
This was the experience that GUARANTEED I would not get that fat again. I have no delusions anymore about how “jacked” I look at 220 soft ass pounds.
[quote]Quasi-Tech wrote:
So at what point did you get vascularity in your legs? And I’m talking upper legs, not lower, and estimations are fine.
I understand vascularity is genetic. I believe I have some ability to be vascular, I’m just excited for when/if I ever see veins in my upper legs, would be pretty hardcore. Veins in my abdominals would be awesome too, but I need to see all 6 first![/quote]
The answer is… Leaner than you are now.
There is no magic number that once you pass it you start getting veins here and there, and everyone will be different. Just keep sticking to the plan and they will all come out to play eventually.
It is fun to see the edge of one surface on day, and as the weeks pass it just keeps getting more and more visible. Its a great motivator and it lets you know you are on the right track really. “Lets see how long my new vein is this week”
[quote]Quasi-Tech wrote:
In that mindset, I would think of it similar to how a very experienced long distance runner explained to me how he ran. I asked him one day, because I personally find running, walking, jogging boring as hell, outside or inside.
He explained that he doesn’t look at the whole picture/distance. First he plans to get to the stop sign at the end of the street, then the stop light at the end of the next. Then maybe down to the Dairy Queen at the very end of the street. Eventually, with this fractional thinking, he’ll have gone miles without ever really directly focusing on it.
I know that wasn’t the intent of your post - moreso, I’ll be good in 5lbs, and then you aren’t where you want to be - but its still a fitting example. Bodybuilding is definitely a marathon and viewing it as adding 2 lbs of muscle before you focus on the 10, or losing 5 lbs of fat before losing 30, that’s what will give you success in the end. Define your great goal/vision and then the small steps to get there, otherwise you risk being overwhelmed and falling off course due to frustration, lack of direction, or the realization of the time it will require.[/quote]
Thanks. That was well said. It’s something good to keep reminding myself along the journey. I’m enjoying this and as long as I’m moving forward, it’s very rewarding.
Took these this morning at 173. This is me fully depleted and in front lighting cold in the morning so nothing misleading here. The ‘5 more lbs’ thing is really starting to hit home since each week i start seeing things tightening up. I thought for sure id be happy at 170 but it looks like 165 is really were a need to be…fark. My carb load is Friday so I am hopin sat morning should give me a clean look at where I am size wise.
Stu the top box is just for you 
@Lonnie I can defenatly understand where you are coming from. No way I will EVER let myself get more than 5-10 lbs above my lean weight again.
Waiitz- You’re deifnitely looking good, lean. In fact if this is you at 173, I have no doubt that sticking it out for another 5 lbs of quality weight loss (done intelligently, not just killing yourself to make the scale #s keep moving like some people get caught up in) will make a huge difference. The leaner you are, the more dramatic a visual difference losing a few lbs can make!
Lol, loving the 'Tart collection there. I hope if Biotest ever comes out with a Fini-Tart type product they consider using me in the ads 
S
Nice work man … I’d say you have made some serious progress. Here is a recent story that might serve a purpose for you.
I was 3 months into a cut, and 15 pounds down, when I caught a business trip for 2.5 weeks. I kept up my training while gone, and ate sensibly during the day, but it was NOT what I had been doing for the past 3 months. At dinner with co-workers it was basically a cheat meal every night - burgers, fries, beer … whatever I wanted (w/o going batshit crazy) … I was getting great pumps in the gym, feeling stronger, but could tell I was gaining weight.
Hadn’t weighed in the whole trip, but figured I’d “undone” the previous 3 months of dieting by the time I got home. When I walked in the house the wife said " wow, you’ve gotten bigger" … To which I replied " yeah, got freaking fat - 3 months down the drain." While I did look more full and was stronger, I assumed I’d gained at least 10 pounds ( and at 45 you don’t gain 10 pounds of muscle in 3 weeks, lol) … I waited until the next day to weigh in and was shocked to see only a four pound increase - and honestly, I think I look better than I did before my trip.
Got back on the cut train immediately, but with a much higher caloric intake than before I left (+600 cals/ day), and the weight is coming back off at the same pace it was before I went on the trip. So basically an unplanned, unexpected “diet diversion” for a couple weeks ended up providing some interesting results.
Thanks Stu. I can definitely keep this up for another 5 or so.
VelvetElvis, first off welcome to the forums. You look like you could stop a bus just by walking in front it of. I can relate to that as well. I took 2 weeks off the diet recently. 5 days a week I ate maintenance and 2 were free days where I just had 2-3 big meals of whatever I wanted just with the no binging rule. The 2-3 weeks since have been night and day, feel like I’m getting better results with less effort. In fact I haven’t done a single cardio session outside of walking my dog 1-2x a week since the break. Go figure. Then again I hardly did any cardio to begin with but I’d rather not open that can of worms lol.
[quote]Waittz wrote:
Thanks Stu. I can definitely keep this up for another 5 or so.
VelvetElvis, first off welcome to the forums. You look like you could stop a bus just by walking in front it of. I can relate to that as well. I took 2 weeks off the diet recently. 5 days a week I ate maintenance and 2 were free days where I just had 2-3 big meals of whatever I wanted just with the no binging rule. The 2-3 weeks since have been night and day, feel like I’m getting better results with less effort. In fact I haven’t done a single cardio session outside of walking my dog 1-2x a week since the break. Go figure. Then again I hardly did any cardio to begin with but I’d rather not open that can of worms lol. [/quote]
Thanx for the comps and the welcome … Much appreciated
Cardio is the devil, lol. My only cardio also consists of a “fasted” 30 minute walk with my two dogs 5 days a week … Although it seems like they do more sniffing than walking, so probably not very productive!