That was the best comment I’ve ever gotten on one of my posts 😂 lol thank you. Unfortunately I’m not “tearing up the hotties”, I still have the same level of confidence I had when I was at my heaviest haha. Body dysmorphia is a bitch

I hardly worked out during that period, hence the no muscle or definition at my lightest. I just ate between 1700-1800 calories a day, drank a gallon of water, and tried to get 10,000 steps a day.

For my bulk I ate 2700 calories a day and started going to the gym 4-5 days a week doing a PPL routine.

For the cut I’ve found that I can lose weight at 2200 calories a day now and I go to the gym 5-6 days a week.

For my next bulk im going to try 3000 calories a day and see if I can maintain that without putting on too much fat.

Thank you! Abs are so difficult to get to show lol. I just want to be able to see them without flexing haha

The only Ab specific exercises I do are cable crunches and hanging leg raises. But I’m in a cut right now so they’re not necessarily growing, just finally starting to show underneath the fat

I was fat and depressed at my heaviest and skinny and depressed at my lightest. Now I’m in shape and depressed, so that probably helped my skin lol

Don’t go just based off the number, go off the symptoms. Everyone’s experience is individual. My blood test had me at 227 ng/dL which was definitely low for a 28 year old and now it’s in the 900s. But there’s some people who need higher or lower than that to feel “normal”

I just saw your post man, you look really good!! We’re definitely on very similar paths with very similar stats too. I wouldn’t say I have heaps more muscle than you though, I was pumped and flexing.

To answer your questions though, I did do a 7 month bulk from 164 to 193, yes. I’m going to aim for 205-210 lbs for my next bulk but it’s going to be daunting to see that on the scale again.

As for my traps, I don’t target them specifically but I’m sure they get some stimulation from other exercises.

Keep it up man! We got this 💪

Edited to add: you’re also much more lean than I am right now! I’m jealous haha, I’m very tired of cutting at this point but I’m almost there. Can’t wait to bulk again like you’re currently doing. Your bulking calories are definitely higher than mine though, I’m jealous!

Not a terrible suggestion honestly. Thank you.

From 213 to 164 I ate 1700-1800 calories a day. From 164-193 I ate 2700 calories a day. On my current cut I’m eating 2200 calories a day. I stick to my diet 80-90% of the time, meaning I give myself AT MOST two “cheat days” a week, but it’s usually just one. I save it for going out with friends or family. Memories over macros. But typically I’m still in a deficit for the week. My progress would definitely be faster if I completely eliminated this.

Thank you :)

I needed to read that. Thank you.

Lol thank you. Everyone says I look way younger than 28, but I wish I looked my age so people would take me more seriously in the professional world haha

I’m sure it played a role. I was in the Marine Corps for 8 years so there was probably something there, but I can easily say that I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in at my current point.

Just calorie restriction. I was eating 1700-1800 calories a day. My only exercise at that point was getting 10k steps a day. I found it hard to perform in the gym at that level of calories, so I just focused on weight loss first and worried about muscle gain later.

I wasn’t overweight when I started TRT. It was after my initial large weight loss period

It’s been good overall, definitely a noticeable boost in everyday life just because my levels were so low before. I lost weight just doing everything that I was already doing but restricting calories. Eating 2000-2200 calories a day and going to the gym 5-6 days a week following a PPL routine