Skeletor Is Natty

49 yo
220 lbs
6’5"
former cardio nut. Triathlons, runner, swimmer.

I somewhat counted calories back in 2003 - 2009 and was able to lose a lot of weight. But I didn’t count macros. I did androgel from 2008ish - 2011ish. I don’t know what my numbers were while on it. My dr didn’t check, he only checked my PSA because… In 2012, I was in damn good shape. I was working out 3 times a day. Cardio in the morning, bootcamp at lunch, and then more cardio in the evening. In 2015 after the baby, I started to gain weight and my diet suffered. I realized what was going on and tried to correct it. Then in 2017 another son. Diet and regular exercise went to hell. Wife was gone all the time, so I was basically raising the boys on my own. I was too tired to workout at 5 am because I was up during the nights. At lunch I would do something, but sometimes i just slept in my car. the weight came back on.

In 2018, i knew I needed to do something. so I started doing cardio and weights. Usually i would concentrate only on one or the other and switch after so many months. The one thing that was still lacking was diet. Whataburger and taco bell are in the gym’s parking lot. So I would get lunch on the way out. if not there, McDonald’s or some other fast food place. Basically I figured I was working out and I could afford to eat the calories. But we all should know that was stupid thinking. And it is why I am so critical when I see fat guys saying their diet is in check. Is it? You may think it is, but you are wrong most likely.

So around April 2019, I saw a guy at the gym I had spoken to a few times with his shirt off. He had abs! I spoke to him and he told me it was diet. He told me he tracked macros. He would bulk and he would cut. So I took it to heart and cut out all the bullshit. no more fast food. No more dessert. Cook vegetables at home, lean protein sources, and salads for lunch. BUT, back to honesty. I started watching videos from Greg Doucette and others on Youtube. He criticized salads. I’d been eating salads for months without paying attention to the details. I then looked at my salad one day and saw without the dressing 280kcal, with the dressing 780kcal. WTF, same as a damn burger. So, I started bringing my lunch. turkey meat, chicken breast, vegetables, baked naked sweet potato, brussels sprouts, tuna, etc.

Working out intensified. I watched “I want to look like that guy”. It inspired me to lift heavier. So I forced myself to get up 2 morning a week and go to title boxing. Then 4-5 days a week at lunch I lifted wights. On Saturday morning, I rode my bike.

Prior to starting TRT, I ran ECA for a month. Then I ran it for another month. And I recently ran 3 weeks on Clen.

So, you can see the progression in the photos. the very last photo was taken right before starting TRT.

I track my weight every single day. I take a picture of my myself several times a week.

My first protocol was 140mg of Test C. Then 2 weeks in I started ghrp-2, ghrp6, somerlin for a month. Then the dr upped my dosage to 190mg. I then switched drs and the new one upped me to 200mg, anastrozole, and HCG. Last month I was reduce to 190mg and I get my bloods done on the 27 to see where I’m at. My last labs had me at 1820 (350-1000) TT. Free T 503 (47-244). I was feeling pretty F’ing good!

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Bringing the photo progress up to date.

I woke up this morning at 220.5 lbs.

I finally made it to the gym around 5pm. It was a cardio day. I’m still focused on burning the fat. However, I can’t just do cardio at the gym!

6 sets of overhead press with dumbbells.
3 sets of overhead press with easy curl bar.
30 minutes on spin bike at 129 HR.
3 sets, maybe 4 of 45lb weight. Lats, overhead presses, tricep extensions, curls. I was dying and can’t remember correctly.
30 minutes on elliptical at 129ish HR.
2 sets of 45lb weight. Lats, overhead presses, tricep extensions, curls. I was dying and can’t remember correctly.

10 minutes in spa.

I woke up this morning at 220lbs. I thought it would be higher because i ate a lot of carbs late yesterday.

The workout was
Rows on the t-bar with the brace for 4 sets working my way to 145lbs. I couldn’t go any higher because of my forearm hurting.

Then standing t-bar rows for 3 sets up to 155.

Then calves and finally legs!

I was so happy to do legs, this was my first day back since hurting my hamstring.

I woke up at 219lbs. Pissed numerous times during the night. Most likely my nightly coffee protein shake. Kids got in the bed at 3;15 am. I felt like i had been hit by a truck, everything hurt. No way to make it to the gym prior to work. Decided i would just do an hour cardio at lunch. Pretty much it.

I wanted to take a nsaid, but i have labs Friday.

217.5lbs this morning! I thought for sure i’d be heavier after eating more carbs yesterday. This is the lightest i’ve been in about 15 years. I have a goal of getting to 213lbs and it looks like it may happen soon.

Today was a push day at the gym. Decline press, wide press, normal press, all on the hammer strength machines. Heavy on the decline and wide, light on the regular. Dips and calf raises. Ending with cable exercises.

Yesterday I woke up at 219.5 lbs. The workout was incline presses and straight presses on machines. Then 50 min on elliptical machine. I meant to finish off the workout with one end barbell presses. But I had a damn meeting to get to, so shower.

Diet wasn’t so great. I had a cosmetic consult, then lab work, then gym, then work for 30 min before meeting, then phone meeting, and hurry home to meet someone who didn’t show. All that kept me from eating.

This morning I woke up at 216.5lbs. This is a new low weight for me. My lowest in the last 20 years was when I was a cardio nut doing half ironmans and I got sick with pneumonia, I dropped to either 211lbs or 201lbs? Can’t really say which. But i was still a skinny-fat back then with no muscle definition.

Nothing new, still lifting. Still eating clean. Weight around 216.5 lbs. I’ve been doing a lot of cardio to get rid of the last bit of fat on my flanks. Hard as hell to get rid of!

So, I bought a new scale and learned my previous scale is 3lbs off.

I’ve continued the journey. Only I have cut back on the cardio and I consume carbs now. My weight has been around 219 lbs for weeks.

This is me on the sled pull

I stopped AI and HCG around January 7th, my weight went up 10lbs in the following week and hasn’t budged. Must be water weight. Not doing cardio as much, but I will go back to title boxing in March. So we will see what effect that has on me. If I start to lose muscle and strength, I’ll cut it out.

The cuts are looking pretty good, the abs are not as defined as they were last fall. It’s hard to have it all. Current weight is 229lbs.

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Jesus, I never thought a home gym could compare to a dedicated gym… now i envy all those folks. And now i’m like a addict trying to find some dumbbells. I’m making due with what I have.

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What a year. Hopefully this 2021 challenge will get me to log. I have been working out over the last year. I was WFH March - July and I’m back home this month. The only thing that changed is that I backed way off the cardio. I have a dexa scan scheduled for next week, so we’ll see where I am. I just tested neg for coronavirus on the 4th. I still have congestion and headaches along with lack of energy, but I did start working out again on the 2nd.

The 2nd was

hammer strength pull-overs. 180 lb warmups, 270 lbs for a set of 12, 320 lbs for 2 sets. Then back down to 270 for a set to failure.

Leg press on the stack machine for several sets.

inner and outer hip work on the machines.

On the 3rd

Handstand holds against a wall 45 seconds x 3

Hammer strength Press 180 lbs warmup, 270 set of 12, 360 working sets

Hammer strength decline press 270 working sets

On the 4th, nothing

On the 5th

Handstand holds against the wall 45 seconds x 2

15 min elliptical on 17

15 min bike

Handstand holds x 2

On the 6th

40 minutes of squat, curl, press with 35’s mixed with single alternating arm squat, curl, press with 50

My energy still isn’t up, I get winded pretty quick.

Totally tired today. Up late last night doing cardio… I didn’t feel like doing anything today.

Handstand holds x 2 – wasn’t feeling those at all

dumbbell Shrugs 95’s to 125’s sets of 10 - 12

Seated Calf Raise 140lbs x 2 sets to failure (killing time waiting on a machine to clear)

Pec fly 220 lbs to failure x 4 sets

Decline strict sit-up to failure x 4 sets

Compex on abs and obliques for 40 minutes

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Covid still causing leftover issues. Woke up with a headache and sinus pressure. What I wanted to do was go down to a location further away and do sled pulls & weights. But I knew my throbbing head was not going to allow that.

15 minutes on knee extension.

25 minutes on the elliptical

15 minutes on lateral press-downs

Totally excited. I have my dexa scan tomorrow. And, I have a 100 lb slam ball coming Wednesday. I prefer to use a slam ball workout or a sled for my cardio. This will allow me to do a session at anytime at home! Curious if any guys use a slam ball, what size, etc. I’ve been watching videos and would like to go for a 150 lb one, but need to see how I do with the 100 first.

40 minutes

5 min walking on Treadmill

deadlifts 5 x 10 x 225lbs
deadlifts 5 x 5 x 315lbs

this took like 20 minutes to finish. Wanted to add more weight, but haven’t done these in months.

Pullups didn’t work, after 3, left elbow pain.
Hack squats didn’t work, felt like passing out.
Leg presses were a challenge, managed 3 sets of light weight.

Finished with 3 handstand holds against wall. I felt more comfortable in them today balance wise and was able to do inch presses.

Compex on quads (strength) & abs (endurance).
Compex on obliques (endurance) and lower back (explosive strength)

Hammer decline press 180 x 1 for 20
Hammer wide chest press 270 x 1, 320 x 1, 360 x2, 270 x 1
Hammer decline press 270 x 3
Hammer incline press 90 x 5
Life fitness seated dip 270 x 3 or maybe 4 - I was totally out of it at this point.
Tried to do some dips, wasn’t happening.

I know what I need to do.

Dexafit results

241.6 lbs
191.1 lbs Lean Tissue
40.8 lbs Fat Tissue
9.7 lbs BMC ?
0.56 lbs Visceral Fat - Execellent

Total Body Fat % 16.9%

Happy, I got my new toy today.

40 minutes on the elliptical - 419 cal

83 reps ball over shoulder, not sure what they are called. It’s funny because I wanted to get a 150#, I can barely handle this 100#.

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Most brutal dodge ball ever!

Really though, that’s a big goofy thing and a long way to lift it. Looks like it’ll put a hurt on. :+1:

Hammer strength pullover 90 lb x 20, 180 x 20, 270 x 10, 360 x 7, 360 x 6, 270 x 12, 270 x 9

Rear deltoid 70 lb x 15, 100 x 12, 115 x 12, 130 x 9, 145 x 7

Hip abduction 250 lb x 20, 265 x 16, 280 x 11, 295 x 9

Assisted chin -85 lbs x 11, -115 x 8

Decline situps 15, 15, 11

Compex on abs