MAC BODY PROGRESS STATUS UPDATE: MAY 2022 (COURSE CORRECTING)
Current Status:
SAT 28/05/2022
Bodyweight: 204.8 (197.8 – 204.8 over the course of April)
Current Thoughts: Last month, my physique began to look worse. And then, 3 weeks ago, my performance in the gym began to really be impacted. I performed poorly, and was really frustrated. I pushed on for a week. Then, I was so beat down I had to take a week off. My body needs a lot of work, but right now, I need to course correct.
Dieting, in a restrictive fashion, has caused some breakdown of the physique. I was also lax on the diet for several weeks as I was getting beat up and also had ED with one girl.
This needs to be sorted out as my physique is getting worse, and I am not really making solid progress in any direction. I think a month of increased kcal will support this end. And I will just have to re-assess in July.
MAY 2022 PICTURES
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SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISONS: START JUNE 2021 / FEB 22 / MAY 22
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Yeah I have improved from June 21 to Feb 22. I was even looking GOOD March. April I was hanging in there but starting to ebb, then I began getting signs of burn out in May and began getting beat the fuck up. The progress has not been as solid as I’d liked, despite trying my absolute ass off.
Time to LISTEN and take advice from good counsel.
NEXT STEPS: JUNE – MAINTENANCE MONTH?
Following advice from the bros in the coaching group, I am going to increase my kcal for a month to maintenance, train hard, and give my body the support in kcal it needs.
2500KCAL
Protein: 200g
Carbs: 270g
Fats: 70g
That said, I will be fasting once per week. The rationale for this is broken down below, as there is an emerging problem of loose skin and stretch marks.
I have been dieting and restricting for a while, so there may be a little weight gain for a month that will suck…...but I will stick it out and get back to a cut which is sensible, gradual and takes place over a longer duration.
CURRENT PROBLEMS
(1) Physique appears to be stagnating and deteriorating, seems like fat gain is taking place. The overall composition isn’t something I’m happy with right now. Time to course correct.
CONSIDERATIONS:
-I have been lax with diet for 3 weeks as I was really getting crushed by like 10 months of dieting.
-Training and pushing for so long I was feeling beat down.
-I have taken a week off the gym and feel better now.
NEXT STEPS
-Adjust diet: Maintenance kcal, clean diet. I will post the plan here, and I will check in daily with my status of hitting the kcal/macros.
-Training plan: I have been on the same program for 5 months, which is good. This has been supportive. I did a full body, 3 x a week program to get into the swing of things. I am now moving away from this, and am going to go with a different beginner based Upper/Lower 3 day split, which I will do for the remainder of the year. This will allow me to get a solid ass 12 months of training in and dial my body in. I will post this plan and check in daily.
(2) Stretch marks and some loose skin appearing
CONSIDERATIONS
-I have lost 52lbs, I was 197lbs at the lowest of my cut before my body started to tap out and I started getting ED.
-I knew this would come, but now I must act.
NEXT STEPS
-June: Maintenance calories. Give the body time to adjust, gain some stability.
-Loose Skin: FASTING once per week. Why? Fasting enables autophagy, which is necessary for supporting rejuvenation of skin, breakdown of excess skin, and excess protein which contributes to loose skin. Fasting once per week will support smoothing things out.
-Stretch Marks: Dermapen on damaged skin area 2 x a week.
-Stretch Marks: Research serums and topicals for healing stretch marks. Consider speaking to Dr and getting a prescription.
FINAL THOUGHTS: CONCLUSION
This week of rest was necessary.
Next week, time to heal the body with more kcal, be consistent and focused in the gym. And time to take action to address the skin problem. Fasting (autophagy, skin and excess protein breakdown) will support me, as well as dermapenning the area and applying topicals.
I will execute this plan for the month of June, provide a full update, and resume the cut from July perhaps.
Building a body obviously takes time. Right now, my body has improved a bit, yes, and my looks are better. But I am NOT HAPPY. This past month, my physique really declined. I am upset by this. It is OK, I will get over it. June will be here, and I will execute the plan, and get back to a careful and smart, well planned cut from July onwards until I am lean and happy with my physique.
ACTIONS GOING FORWARD
(1) Diet – hit macros.
(2) Follow ULU / LUL 2 Weeek alternating split for the rest of the year
(3) Damaged Skin: Dermapen where stretch marks and loose skin are emerging. Fast once a week for autophagy and to allow the body to consume skin and excess protein. Find either medication or some topical for damaged area.
(4) Re-assess in July.
MAC
