Gatorade Protein Bars

... cannot stand the taste of Gatorade or Powerade. Instead, I like.... I do well with higher protein foods vs sugary ones (silly... some easily-eaten foods like granola bars or fruit snacks in my...

...condiments, or specific stuff like gatorade, Keurig K cups, or energy...soda. Fitness based stuff like protein bars are much better on the...premade protein drinks are way better in European stores. Their bars ...are usually real low in protein, like 8-12 ...taste very good. Their premade protein shakes are really cheap and...they have a lot of protein flan as well...delicious. Europe...

... good, more is not better. Gatorade has too much for me..., dried apricots or just power bars high in carb calories and.... And I now mix whey protein and chocolate powder mix. Drink...

My son got a smoothie maker so we needed some vanilla protein powder. Kids liked the Gatorade bars. I'm really liking the Greatness PWO so I got another tub. I took a chance on the Stimul8 with AY but it's only 1mg so hopefully it's not crazy edgy. On sale Clif bars were a no brainer since we go through so many of them.

Background: I’m a guy that enjoys nature and hikes a few times a year, I’m not really too fit but I enjoy being outside. I randomly applied for a half dome permit and got lucky. I wasn’t able to sleep at all lol so I pretty much pulled an all nighter and started the hike early in the morning around 4am and got to sub dome before 9. Met a ranger who gave a few rules and pointers. Sub dome was a bit challenging but nothing crazy. When I saw the cables I was genuinely terrified, it was way scarier than any of the videos I watched on it. The steepness of the cables was no joke and it looked really intimidating. I had good hiking boots and a pair of gloves but I felt under prepared actually looking at it (I have a fear of heights so maybe that played into it) I decided to go ahead and do the cables. The worst part was the pure exhaustion - both mentally and physically and especially having to be careful of other people. I didn’t have the harness and hooks so I was just holding on to the cables, and during the ascent there was a group of 8 people all with multiple hooks on the cable slowly trying to go up and many of them seemed absolutely terrified and could barely move in any way. They slowed down everyone behind them and it was exhausting having to hold on and stay put. At this point I was very tired (I was running on very little sleep and have hiked for many hours by this point) and was barely making progress on the cables. People were also dropping random shit that they had on them which they did not keep inside their bags (someone dropped their hiking poles). I saw people struggling like crazy because they didn’t bring hiking boots? Near the top my legs were completely cramped i thought I was screwed lol but thankfully I had enough upper body strength to just haul my ass forward. I was finally able to make it to the top after what felt like forever but the adrenaline was still going crazy. I took in the views, took a few photos; but still had anxiety of the good weather shifting so I quickly started descending the cables. In my opinion, going down was way easier than going up. When I got to the bottom of the cables I was genuinely so relieved. I had a few cookies and then started making my way back down which was absolutely brutal on the legs and knees. I was able to complete the hike in around 10 hours. Overall it was a challenging and very rewarding experience and I’m glad I tried it out. The cables were definitely way more intimidating than I thought and idk if I will ever do it again lol. Based off some of the stats I read online about half dome it’s pretty safe but after seeing some of the stupid shit some people do - idk lol. What I brought: 4ish L of water, a Gatorade, 5 protein bars, few cookies, 1 lunchables, 1 chocolate bar, some berries, hiking boots, gloves (Not so) Fun Fact: if a ranger catches you doing the cables without a permit, you can get fined up to $5000 and it is a federal offense rip. submitted by /u/bottomless-dough to r/Yosemite [link] [comments]

I imagine it’s the high sugar they have, but I needed carbs and protein. Now I feel like crap 💩 submitted by /u/BBgunsandaviation to r/Protein [link] [comments]

After a month of jumping through corporate hoops here is the mock up of the menu. A few things to look at: the burrito and the sandwich will be interchangeable, they can get it in burrito or sandwich form. We will be adding a +2 for chips for the burgers and +3 for fries. The menu doesn’t correct reflect that right now. We are also bringing in uncrustables for a quick pb&j as I don’t want to worry about peanut allergies in this place. How do we feel? What changes should be made? If you golf would you be happy? Additional add ons? (Yes, we are running pork rinds as a special currently, we are waiting to put them on the menu permanently til we can find a better storage solution) submitted by /u/hahaha_trank to r/Chefit [link] [comments]

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We've been together about four years now (early 30s), having been friends for much longer. We met online through a friend, and I just gradually fell for him as we just emotionally clicked. We're medium distance, about a 7 hour drive from eachother. Everytime I visit him I get cornered by someone in his life about his lack of ambition. His well-employed friends questioning me why I'm not pushing him more since I'm so ambitious myself, and tell me about jobs they've tried to help him get that he refuses. His engaged friends asking me if I'm really happy. His father had a long conversation with me about how he's offered him any support for education and entry level positions in his industry, and my boyfriend brushed it all off. He has support, any he could ask for, and I've offered to support him as well and he just won't take it. He thanks me for caring about him each time I bring anything up, but then changes the topic. I'm having to accept he's living the exact life he is wants and it's fundementally incompatible with the life I want to build for myself. I thought my bad feelings might have been jealousy at first, as I worked full time and did school full time to earn the lucrative career I have now. Maybe I was just bitter about the wasted potential in the opportunities available to him I didn't have. I brushed this all away because we were long distance and no finances were tied so it was fine to give him space to "figure himself out". I had a wakeup call today when I was budgeting my own engagement ring because he said he wants to be together forever, but I subconsciously accepted he will never contribute to making any of these things happen. I've adjusted my 5-year plan to buying the house for us to live in by myself. I budget everything we do together, every date and dinner, so that I can cover it completely. I even had to schedule one night a week where I can talk to him on the phone or play a game with him because the only time he asks me to hang out is when he's run out of more interesting things to do. His sweet, loving words aren't matching his actions, and I'm starting to realize he isn't oblivious and he's making a choice that isn't "us" and definitely isn't "me". I'm honestly not even sure if he wants me anymore, or if my lack of self-esteem has made it easier to just keep me on the hook than breakup with me. My bar of "be kind to me" might just be in hell, and maybe just maybe now that I'm in a stable place in my life it's fair that I expect an equal partner in effort. I know what I need to do, but I'm spite of that I still love him and there's still part of me that hopes if I give him another year he'll get it together. I kind of wish I had never developed feelings for him and we could have just stayed friends forever... Then I never would have expected anything of him and that would have been fine. Dinner/lunch pictured: Fairlife protein shake, Gatorade zero and Celsius packets that I mix under the delusion of rehydrating while dehydrating. I've got too much I'm trying to keep track of and do at work and in my personal life to plan a lunch past this lol. Edit/update: Had a full real conversation as best I can over text, which I hate doing but conversations in person 7 hours away when gas starts with a 4 almost 5 feels actually insane. I've worked out firmly what I expect from the relationship, I'm giving him time to give me an answer that he's comfortable with and we'll discuss. I'm neither hopeful nor hopeless, I just try really hard not to make emotional decisions and lay all my cards on the table. It's hard to make love entirely rational but I'm trying my best. If I post an entire blooming onion soon that relationship has concluded. submitted by /u/OrangeToTheFourth to r/GirlDinnerDiaries [link] [comments]

These bars are the elite 15 that have over 20g of sugar. For reference, a KitKat has 23g of sugar (210 calories, 11g of fat, and only 2g of protein) The brands represented in this magical category are Gatorade, Anabar, and Larabar. But they have different ingredient and macro constructions to get to their 20+ grams of sugar. Anabar (6 flavors) - Higher than average calories (290 vs. ~200 avg) - Protein heavy (20g) - Highest sugar (20g+) - Low fiber (1-2g) - Rough ingredient labels that are sweetener heavy, artificial sweeteners, processed oils, and sugar alcohol Gatorade (4 flavors) - Very high calories (340+ vs. ~200 avg) - Protein heavy (20g) - Highest sugar (24-29g, more than any other protein bar) - Low fiber (0-1g) - Rough ingredient labels that are processed oils, and sweetener heavy And much different than the other 2 brands: Larabar (5 flavors) - Average calories (190-210) - Protein light and limited (3-4g) - Highest sugar (20g+ - Some fiber (4g) - Very clean ingredient labels, typically 3-5 ingredients and all natural ingredients with sugars primarily driven by Dates as the primary first ingredient across most flavors Bar List Below: Brand / Flavor Calories Protein Fat Carbs Fiber Sugar Sugar Alcohol Cholesterol Sodium Ingredient Grade Score Gatorade - Cookies and Creme 360 20 13 40 0 29 0 35 160 D Gatorade - Mint Chocolate Crunch 350 27 12 41 1 27 0 30 210 F Gatorade - Chocolate Caramel 340 20 10 40 0 26 0 35 180 F Anabar - Cookies and Cream 290 20 12 30 1 25 0 10 140 D Gatorade - Peanut Butter Chocolate 360 20 13 39 1 24 0 30 310 F Anabar - Fluff n' Butter 280 20 10 30 1 23 0 5 130 D Anabar - Campfire S'Mores 290 20 11 31 2 22 0 5 125 F Anabar - Death by Peanut Butter 280 20 9 31 1 22 0 5 120 F Anabar - Monster Cookie Crunch 290 20 11 31 2 21 0 5 160 C Anabar - Triple Chocolate Wasted 290 20 12 29 2 20 0 5 110 D Larabar - Chocolate Chip Brownie 190 4 9 26 4 20 0 0 30 A Larabar - Banana Chocolate Chip 190 4 9 26 4 20 0 0 0 A Larabar - Pineapple Upside Down Cake 180 4 7 26 4 20 0 0 0 B Larabar - Cherry Pie 200 4 8 28 4 20 0 0 0 B Larabar - Coconut Cream Pie 210 3 10 28 4 20 0 0 5 A submitted by /u/PhxJeff to r/healthyeating [link] [comments]

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Looking for a combination of subject taste, texture, and objective macros. Macros seek to be under 10g fat in a normal sized bar (~50-70g), with protein equal or exceeding carb count. The ranking scale is from 0-10, with 5 being what I would consider average for a protein bar (one of the Pure Protein bars that aren't gross).   Meal Replacement ~400 calories   10 Met-Rx Big 100 - Blueberry Cobbler Notes - 10/10, no notes. I would eat one of these every day for the rest of my life. Has a nice fruit spread on top of a mildly crunchy base, similar to cookie crunch. If I had to change anything, they could have made the coating a chocolate one.   9 Met-Rx Big 100 - Super Cookie Crunch Notes - This is was my current go-to for a meal replacement or pre-workout where I know I need some carbs. Great flavor, good texture without being over the top.   8.5 Met-Rx Big 100 - Peanut Butter Pretzel Notes - I ate so many of these over a three month period (many years ago) that I haven't eaten them again since. That said, I've memorized the experience and rank these slightly below the Cookie Crunch because the texture is a 10/10 but sometimes I'm just trying to cruise through a 30 minute lunch break without the roof of my mouth donating to the Red Cross.   8.5 Gatorade - Chocolate Caramel 8.5 Gatorade - Cookies and Creme Notes - So for both of the Gatorade bars, the flavor is pretty good but that's because there's a shit ton of sugar in here. If you're on an eating plan with strict macros and have gotten to a day where you want to get a little down and dirty without completely saying "f--- this", go hide in a back alley and slip one of these down your throat while agonizing in the Catholic guilt you're putting yourself through after. You don't even have to be Catholic; I'm not.   7 Met-Rx - Big100 Granola, Chocolate Chip Notes - *Holy shit, this is like cement. The taste is still quite good, but it's very dry and the texture is like a very stiff and stale rice krispies bar. This may be good for someone who wants to develop their jawline through chewing or is having a long morning of withdrawals from the ka-kane. I wonder if microwaving one of these will help. It needs it.   Snack Size >300 calories   10 Fulfil - Chocolate Peanut Butter Notes - I mean, this is a full-on candy bar no matter what the macros tell you. Seriously, it's that good - a 1:1 to a Snickers bar in taste and consistency (just not size). I wouldn't eat these all the time, but WOW. It's hard to believe they're not lying about what they're putting in here.   9.75 Quest Hero - Crispy Chocolate Caramel Pecan 9.75 Quest Hero - Crispy Blueberry Cobbler 9.75 Quest Overload - Cookie Commotion 9.5 Quest - Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Notes - Quest is the GOAT. They have kickass macros (most bars are under 5 net carbs), the taste is on point, and the texture in the Hero and Overload bars are a cut above the regular Quest bars. There's not enough calories in one of these to qualify for a full meal replacement. The sweeteners (it's got ALL of 'em) may cause GI problems, so the limited size may be for the best.   9.0 think! - Lemon Delight Notes - This was an unexpected delight. All of the think! products are very good, but the extra bit of lemon oil and flavor really works with the protein blend they're whipping up in the lab.   9.0 Barebells - Creamy Crisp Notes - *This one kind of confuses me. On one hand, higher carbs so you KNOW it's going to taste pretty good. I feel like the crispy texture does a lot of heavy lifting - I would be really hesitant to eat one that wasn't a crispy version. I'll have to go back and check, but it seems like it's a lot of collagen protein by the mouth feel and texture. I'll do a little more digging and circle back, but for right now it's a low 9. Amazing taste and texture, iffy macros, questionable protein.   8.75 SimplyProtein - Peanut Butter Chocolate 8.75 SimplyProtein - Dark Chocolate Almond 8.75 SimplyProtein - Lemon Coconut Notes - These may be the most controversial bars on the list if anyone else has tried them. I like them a lot, because I really appreciate the light texture which reminds me of a slightly more crunchy Rice Krispies bar. Unfortunately, the flavor is a little on the light side (which I don't necessarily mind) and these bars will fall apart quite easily. You can mush them in the wrapper and put them on some yogurt for a crunchy topping, which might be a feature instead of a bug. PB&Choc has a very slight edge over the other two which are tied.   8.5 think! - Girl Scouts Thin Mint 8.5 think! - Brownie Crunch Notes - Great stuff again from the think! crew. Minus a few points for the packaging showing Girl Scout cookies and then the bar being a... bar, which looks nothing like what is pictured. That said, The taste is pretty great and definitely hits those cookie flavor notes, but the texture is just a little off. Again, it could be from the advertising, because the think! Lemon Delight is the same consistency (but also doesn't pretend to be something it's not).   8.5 Redcon 1 MRE Bar - German Chocolate Cake Notes - This is a really solid bar, if not on the small side by volume. Redcon 1 makes some pretty high quality stuff, but I kind of wonder about the value I'm getting with some of their endorsement deals and flashy branding.   8 One - Blueberry Cobbler 8 One - Maple Glazed Doughnut Notes - The One bars hit a little different. As opposed to its Quest counterpart, the One Blueberry Cobbler is like the Arcade version compared to Simulation mode. As far as fake blueberry flavor goes (think Pop-tarts) it is very good. The Maple Glazed Doughnut is a really nice flavor to experience, away from all of the peanut butter and chocolate flavors out there. If you eat a lot of protein bars or plan to, it might be worth having a couple of these around to break up flavor fatigue. The only real negatives for me on these are the chewy nature of the bar, which is similar to the OG Quest bar.   7.5 Legendary - Chocolate Protein Sweet Roll Notes - I have a problem with foods "faking" or pretending they are things that they aren't. Zoodles. You're not noodles, you're just fun zucchini. Like a stepdad with money. The mind trickery doesn't work on me, and it makes me upset that people would be fooled by it. But, some people want to be fooled, and is what I believe this product is going for! This is not a protein bar trying to be a sweet roll, this is a protein bar for people that are desperate to eat junk food so badly that they will purchase a miniature protein bar version to feel like a version of themselves at 14 that could eat four Cinnabons and still go run an 8 minute mile. It's not great, it's not bad, you warm it up for 7 seconds in the microwave and think about the life choices you've made that have gotten you to the point where you're buying fake sweet rolls.   7.5 Munk Pack - Cookie Dough Notes - Not great, not horrible. This one is more ground up nuts than anything so the sat fat is high, and there's a distinct and lingering taste of vanilla extract.   7 Peak Protein - Almond Butter Amaretto Notes - This had a strong peanut flavor and had the texture of a crumbly Butterfinger, down to the compressed bits that stick to your teeth. Pretty decent macros, this just isn't the one. I might try a different flavor in the future to give them another shot.   6 Pure Protein - Brookie Notes - Of all the Pure Protein bars I've eaten, this was one of them. I generously give it a full point upgrade for having a two-tone color and texture between the top (chalky) and bottom (fudge cement).   5 Built Puff - Salted Caramel Notes - *This came highly recommended. Transparent chocolate outer layer, covering up room temperature Jell-O and disappointment. It's collagen protein, which is objectively pretty garbage as a protein source. Macros are pretty bad, and the texture is only slightly above a Pure Protein bar. I'd take most PP's over this.   2 Pure Protein - Birthday Cake Notes - This one had all the upside of a Pure Protein bar, and all the downside of an overactive toothpaste aftertaste. Didn't finish it, but I probably would if I were locked in a room for a day or two.   Mini-Snacks >150 calories   10 SimplyProtein - D!pped bars Chocoberry Notes - 10/10, best in class. Great macros at 100 calories, perfect for a punch of protein AND fiber. Flavor, texture, the whole package.   9 think! Minis - Girl Scouts Chocolate Peanut Butter Notes - These are great because they're 100 calories and can help you hit macros. Or, if you're really going through it late at night like I do sometimes, one of these with a glass of water or two can help put the monsters in your belly to sleep.   5 Orgain Chocolate brownie   TBD Orgain Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough   TBD Orgain Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Notes - The Chocolate brownie has a mildly chalky texture, similar to some of the Pure Protein bars. On top of that, there is a fairly strong and unpleasant aftertaste paired with bitterness. I've only eaten one of these so far. I've got three boxes. I have all of the excitement looking forward to these as I do when going to visit the dentist. If they were Pure Protein bars I would probably just throw them in the trash, and I'm not sure if that's better or worse.   If you have any suggestions, feel free to share and I'll try to add them to the list when I can! submitted by /u/NoviceFitness to r/NoviceFitness [link] [comments]

I love these Gatorade protein bars, especially the peanut butter ones 🤤 What's everyones favorite snack? submitted by /u/PlutoTheRaspberry to r/ageregressers [link] [comments]

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Which is best to consume 30-60 mins prior to a workout? I've seen others recommend a banana if in a time crunch, but would've thought it falling under a complex carb would mean it'd take a bit of time to digest and become useful. On the other hand, the Gatorade Protein bar is loaded with sugar, so it should theoretically be a fast source of energy. I'm trying to move to morning lifts and have both of these at my disposal. submitted by /u/wildly_inconsistent_ to r/naturalbodybuilding [link] [comments]

wasn’t quite sure where to post this but i’m sure some of y’all have good ideas! i love a good protein bar, i eat one every morning on my way to work and i love trying new ones, it’s my own little game lol. my problem is even if they are pretty high in protein (20ish grams) i sometimes feel like they literally do nothing, like it feels like i didn’t even eat anything. and i want to try to stay away from those massive ones like met rx or gatorade that are damn near 400 calories each. have you guys found any that actually satisfy you for at least an hour and aren’t crazy in calories? submitted by /u/sarobaizlit to r/LowCalFoodFinds [link] [comments]

My work sells these Gatorade protein bars and i was wondering if they're good for this kinda stuff? I'd post a picture but can't. It has 20g of protein and are 330 calories per bar. Any other nutrition information you want please ask submitted by /u/Maggotboi555 to r/WeightLossAdvice [link] [comments]

I was asked to create a post about this from some users. Recap- "Jim" and "Cathy" got married in June. "Cathy and my Mil we will call her "Coral" called me to ask for my husband and I to pay for their honeymoon which was $5600. Why? Bc, we could afford it. I said no, and was told I was ruining her vision of her day, and I hung up. The wedding came, with some very bumpy parts, but they did get married. Yay! Cathy berated everyone who did not give $$ or buy from her registry during the reception. We left shortly after her crying/berating everyone. I was so pissed I couldn't think straight. Not once did she say "Thank you for traveling to see this" or "Thank you for accommodating to my crazy behavior" My husband mentioned in the car on the way to the airport that Coral pulled him aside and asked if he could help fix their honeymoon situation. Since they had no backup, they were just going to go home and pout. My husband, "Tim" said sure, I'll talk to OP and we can maybe have them come down for a visit. We live near the beach, will have nice weather, and plenty to do. Coral proceeded to pull Cathy over and said "Tim and OP have invited you and Jim for a week visit! How fun is that?" Cathy then proceeded to give Tim a hug and said they would be in touch tomorrow to finalize plans. Tim said, well I need to run things by OP, as she is a teacher and has to go back to work soon. So we will let you know if that works. Coral said, "oh I'm sure OP wont mind Tim! Let me handle that." Good Lord was I mad when I heard that this was all planned even before I had heard about it. So, in the end, I thought this was a peace offering for Cathy and I to get along. Maybe I had been unfair to her. IDK. Once we got back we scheduled for them to arrive on June 25th. A week after they married. We found cheap tickets through frontier! Yay, even better, it was a direct flight! We bought a new bed, as they other was a futon. New sheets, I bought a items to put in a welcome package, toothbrushes, snacks, etc. I bought them new towels and gave them the kids bathroom. Cleaned up and down the house. The day they arrived, the first thing I heard was "Why Frontier? They are horrible OP! I will never fly with them again. Try to go with American Airlines next time" I let that go, but I could see this trip was not going to change my opinion of her. She asked what was for dinner, as she wanted to go out. Now, my daughter has celiac's disease so she can not have gluten and it makes it hard to go out. She stated "then cook her food and bring it" I chose to make a barbeque bowl instead. Everyone else loved it, besides Cathy. She didn't eat, only opened my expensive wine and poured a glass. When Tim mentioned, "That's OP's really nice wine, could you get a glass from another one?" She proceeded to pour the wine back in the bottle. THAT SHE DRANK FROM. I also found her rummaging through our pantry eating snacks since she didn't have dinner. She ate around 5 protein bars my hubby uses for weightlifting. I was told by my kids she spilt coke down our couch on accident, and wiping it with our blanket. We have nice hardwood floors, so of course they were sticky! Left coke bottles spread throughout the house, took all of the items I bought for the welcome package home, even though she didn't use them. We went to the beach, we live near the Carolina coast, so we traveled in my hubby's truck. The TWO hour drive was too much on her back, (she is a bigger girl probably around 260?) and then asked for my son to switch with her. I said No. He needs to sit in the middle of the front because he was old enough and could fit. How was she going to fit? By having both of us in the back seat with him on my lap. HA! She pouted the entire time and ate candy/snacks while smacking her mouth nosily... She then proceeded once we got to the beach, to whine about no one applying sunscreen to her. I said I was putting it on my kids first, and she could ask her husband, as my kiddos were excited to start swimming in the ocean. She apparently never did, because she developed a HORRIBLE sunburn. Now, all of us got a little sun, we were there for hours, but Cathy was obviously in pain by the time we got back to the truck. Once we got home, she took a shower, grabbed some Gatorade and went upstairs. They were leaving the next day so I mentioned to Jim, "wash anything you want, just try to shake out the sand before putting it in the washer." Well, after tending to my family, I realized Cathy was doing laundry, I didn't think twice because maybe she was uncomfortable with Jim touching her clothes? The next day as they were leaving, Jim comes to me and says, "There was a little accident in the bed" I said no problem, I was going to clean them anyways. (I thought it was her period by the way he was talking, I know how embarrassing that can be) and I would just throw away the sheets. NO, there was POOP on the duvet. Sand all over the floor, in the bathroom, and a dirty razor with pubes left in the shower. I was STEAMING PISSED. So I start scrubbing everything. Threw away the duvet, and when I was done, I went to start the laundry, only to find out she didn't shake out any sand. She washed AND dried clothes full of sand. Broke both my washer and dryer. Had to have them both replaced. She never did say thank you as well. submitted by /u/rarawhit to r/EntitledPeople [link] [comments]

My 18 year old daughter just started a new carpenter apprentice job, lots of grunt work mixed in. I want ideas for meals for her. I think she'll need lots of protein and easy to grab items/snacks to nibble on,to keep her energy up during the day. She has a small cooler, ice packs etc. How do people feel about energy drinks or bars for breakfast, or snacks during the day? So no beef,chicken,turkey,etc but she eats seafood,fish,like tuna, and eats eggs,milk. What's about Gatorade type drinks or other options for hydration, I think she will need more calories then straight water. Thanks submitted by /u/sandyskw13 to r/EatCheapAndHealthy [link] [comments]

Hello, some of you may remember me for making these kinds of posts awhile back. I have still been reading a lot and I wanted to write up another post for everyone again. As usual, this is solely for educational purposes and I hope to encourage a lot of discussion below. Something cool to note is that all of these papers were published this year! A short review on training to failure and its implications on muscle hypertrophy (muscle growth) by Schoenfeld & Grgic (2019) was recently published. Training to failure is the method of training where repetitions within a set are done until proper form in the exercise cannot be executed. This practice is actually rather common in training programmes because it is theorized that it accumulates more metabolic stress in the muscles and has higher motor unit recruitment. Metabolic stress and hypertrophy do not have a simple relationship as of now even though it is commonly thought that more metabolic stress would lead to more hypertrophy. Motor unit recruitment is how the body will activate specific motor units in order according to the load the muscles must overcome. A motor unit is defined by the muscle fibers that are stimulated by one motor neuron (a nerve, essentially). According to Henneman’s size principle, fatigue-resistant, small, weaker motor units will be recruited first and if required, larger and stronger motor units will be activated. In the context of failure, load is important because high loads (failure or not) will recruit all motor units immediately which makes the motor unit recruitment benefit of failure, null. It is important to describe what the literature generally compares training to failure against. A common alternative is a technique where the endpoint of a set is where you believe you can only do one or two more repetitions. The authors found that studies showing training to failure to be superior have some design issues. For example, Goto, Ishii, Kizuka, Takamatsu (2005) had these results but the group that did not train to failure had inter-repetition rest which does not reflect how people usually train. Normally, you would complete all your repetitions and rest once the entire set is completed. It is possible that without the inter-repetition rest, both groups would have had similar hypertrophy outcomes. There are studies where both methods result in similar hypertrophy amongst participants. Nobrega et al. (2018) had 32 participants perform either high loads or low loads to failure or not to failure in leg extensions. Quadricep cross-sectional area was similar between failure and non-failure conditions. At this point, there clearly is not enough data to infer any solid conclusions regarding training to failure. Regardless, some potential practical implications are the use of frequency and exercise selection for failure. Training to failure can be taxing on the body. Izquierdo et al. (2006) had a group training to failure twice a week for 16 weeks and they had a lower number of hormones like testosterone that would help with muscle growth. Therefore, if failure is in a training programme, it may be wise to limit its use to once a week, once every other week or at the end of a mesocycle (a programme) where you are peaking with volume. Exercise selection may also be important as failure for multi-joint movements such as the bench press or the squat may be more taxing than single-joint movements like a bicep curl or a leg extension. tl;dr: Hard to say if training to failure has any benefits over training just shy of failure. Regardless, it can be dangerous if used improperly so its implementation into a training programme must be done carefully. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — A common response to fatigue from strenuous exercise is to consume water. The body becomes dehydrated over time with intense activity and it is important to rehydrate. However, is it possible that plain water consumption may have an adverse effect on the body during/after exercise? Lau, Kato & Nosaka (2019) recently investigated the effects of water consumption on exercise-associated muscle cramps and how water compares to an oral rehydration solution (Gatorade). Previous hypotheses suggested that exercise-associated muscle cramps were related to electrolyte abnormalities (diminished minerals like sodium or potassium during exercise). Unfortunately, amongst several problems, electrolyte abnormalities would not explain such a localised manifestation (a cramp in only one muscle) rather than a systemic one and it would not explain why stretching the muscle provides relief. Modern theory proposes that it is more of a neural disorder where there is an imbalance between the golgi tendon organ and the muscle spindles. The golgi tendon organ is located at both ends of muscles and it serves to prevent over-contraction. Muscle spindles are wrapped around the muscle fibres which perform the opposite (prevents over-stretching). Despite that, it would be careless to completely eliminate electrolytes from the equation in regards to exercise-associated muscle cramps. In this study, 10 healthy men drank either water or Gatorade after downhill running in a cross-over fashion (all 10 participants would try both beverages, one beverage one week and another the next week). Blood tests would be done before, immediately after and 80 minutes after the run. To determine the intervention’s effect on cramps, electrical stimulation would be applied to calf until a cramp could be induced otherwise known as the threshold frequency. If the threshold frequency was lower, it would imply that you were more susceptible to cramps. Dehydration had no effect on cramp susceptibility. Cramp susceptibility increased with water but decreased with Gatorade. Cramp susceptibility actually decreased lower than baseline with Gatorade. This reduced cramp susceptibility is unlikely related to electrolytes because Gatorade did not actually increase electrolytes to a significant extent according to the blood tests. Gatorade did, however, have glucose which may have had an effect on cramp susceptibility. This, along with how long cramp susceptibility is increased with water, should be looked into more scrupulously in future studies. TL;DR: Water intake after exercise may actually lead to a higher chance of having exercise-associated muscle cramps when compared to Gatorade intake. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Squats are a popular lower-body exercise as it increases lower body strength, stimulates lower body hypertrophy and has good translation into the performance of important movements like jumping. There has been some doubt as to what is the optimal range of motion for a squat. Deep squats have been shown to have higher muscle activation but it is not entirely impossible that shallow squats lead to comparable strength/muscle size gains. Kubo, Ikebukuro & Yata (2019) sought out to compare the two squat variations amongst 17 healthy males. The participants were either put into a group that did deep squats (knee angle of around 140 degrees) or a group that did shallow squats (knee angle of around 90 degrees, about parallel). The groups were matched according to baseline characteristics and physical ability. Subjects were physically active but none of them followed any specific training programme within the past year. The entire programme lasted 10 weeks with a training frequency of twice a week. Two familiarization sessions were done before the 10 weeks to get used to proper squat form and to determine 1 repetition maxes (maximum load you can squat within one repetition). Each proper training session involved three sets. Participants worked up to 90% of their 1 repetition maximum for 8 repetitions for a few weeks. 5kg would be added to the load if they could complete the 8 repetitions. Outcomes measured were squat 1 repetition maxima and various muscle sizes including all the quadriceps, the hamstring muscles, hip adductors and the gluteus maximus. This study is the first to directly measure glute and hip adductor hypertrophy in response to squats. Muscle size was measured with serial MRI images which is the gold standard for muscle size measurement as it can differentiate between muscles and distinguish muscle, intramuscular fat and water. The deep squat group had greater improvements in the deep squat 1 repetition maximum, around 20% better. However, both groups improved in the shallow squat 1 repetition maximum to a similar degree. Quadricep muscles grew about the same between groups. The rectus femoris did not grow to a significant extent in either group (which is in-line with previous research). This is likely because the rectus femoris muscle is a biarticular muscle (a muscle which crosses two joints). When you ascend in the squat, the rectus femoris will try to contract to help with knee extension but it will also stretch as the hip extends. This leads to the muscle being about the same length throughout the entire movement. The hamstring muscles in both groups grew similarly. The gluteus maximus and the hip adductors hypertrophied (grew) more in the deep squat group although not by much. These results can only be applied to untrained males. TL;DR: In untrained males, deep squats may lead to better strength gains in the deep squat and may have better hypertrophy outcomes in the gluteus maximus as well as the hip adductors. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Foam rolling is the use of foam cylinders, sticks, bars or various other foam equipment for self-massage either before or after exercise in hopes to improve performance or recovery. It is thought to have effects on the thixotropy of muscles which is just another way of saying that it is able to reduce muscle stiffness. They may also help with myofascial trigger points or “knots” in your muscle but the physiology behind all of this is controversial and is a story for another day. Other potential benefits is that it can reduce muscle soreness and increase blood flow to muscles. Wiewelhove et al. (2019) developed a meta-analysis on the subject to see if foam rolling really works. A meta-analysis is the pooling of several studies together to control sampling variance and to get a better idea of the data at a population level. The analysis was bifurcated into foam rolling before exercise and foam rolling after exercise. Pre-rolling had small effects on sprint performance and flexibility and essentially no effects on strength and jump performance. Post-rolling had small effects on sprint/strength recovery and muscle pain perception. Otherwise, post-rolling had nothing to show for. While the data for foam rolling was not impressive, it is possible that foam rolling is still relevant for elite athletes. This is because very small improvements in performance are still valuable if your variation in performance is very narrow. If you are a novice, your performance is likely to be highly variable and minor improvements will not be able to manifest itself in performance. Despite all this, there are a few issues with the meta analysis. Most of the studies vary in design and how they carried out the investigations. This makes pooling the research very difficult and is known as high heterogeneity. Furthermore, since you are not able to blind study participants or investigators to foam rolling interventions, the potential for bias and placebo effects is high. Adverse effects from foam rolling should also be considered even though it is generally considered to be relatively harmless. Some populations with peripheral nerve or artery diseases may be at an increased risk for possible adverse effects from foam rolling but more research is needed. TL;DR: Foam rolling is likely not very beneficial for performance or recovery if you’re not an elite athlete. However, it may not hurt to do it anyways. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Protein is an important macronutrient that amongst many processes, facilitates muscle growth and recovery. Having healthy muscles is important for completing every day tasks and this becomes increasingly critical as we age. Sarcopenia is the gradual loss of muscle mass generally associated with aging. This is tough to combat as the anabolic response to protein decreases as we age. That is to say, old people do not respond as well as their younger counterparts to an equal amount of protein. The elderly also tend to have a poor appetite towards high protein foods like meat which is related to chewing being tougher in that demographic and various metabolic issues. Researchers have taken this issue and have proceeded to look down other avenues for protein supplementation with one of these being plant-based proteins. Berrazaga, Micard, Gueugneau & Walrand (2019) compiled a review of plant-based protein sources and how they fare against animal-based protein sources. While this study was more in the scope of older demographics, it is still relevant to younger people especially those who consume more plant-based foods. Animal proteins are generally more digestible. This may be because their protein structure are mainly alpha-helix based instead of beta-sheets (these are just different ways particles within proteins can be organized) which makes it easier for the body’s enzymes to digest. In regards to digestibility, however, heating the plant-based foods can make its proteins more accessible. Another issue with plant-based proteins is that they lack a variety of essential amino acids. An amino acid is the basic building block of proteins. There are 20 standard amino acids and 9 of them are labelled as “essential amino acids”. These are amino acids that cannot be synthesized within the human body and they can only be obtained from food. Some amino acids can even be essential earlier on in life but then become non-essential as our metabolic systems develop with age. Ideally, a protein source would be able to fulfill the requirements for all essential amino acids. When put directly against animal-based proteins, the animal protein tends to have a much higher muscle protein synthesis rate after consumption. Muscle protein synthesis is the building of muscle via protein. This is only measuring an acute response but even in more long-term studies, animal protein still outdoes plant protein. To alleviate these problems, it has been suggested to simply eat more protein. It was found that 60g of wheat protein was as good as 35g of whey protein in the context of muscle protein synthesis. Combining different plant proteins that complement each other in regards to essential amino acid content may be a solution but has yet to be studied. Some plant proteins with genetic mutations can be selectively bred in order to have better quality protein. This strategy has been shown to work in children when measuring growth rates among them. TL;DR: Plant-based proteins may not be as good as animal-based proteins due to their poor digestibility and lacking essential amino acid content. Some strategies to sidestep these issues show promise but it all needs more research especially in the context of sarcopenia. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Berrazaga, I., Micard, V., Gueugneau, M. & Walrand, S. (2019). The Role of the Anabolic Properties of Plant- versus Animal-Based Protein Sources in Supporting Muscle Mass Maintenance: A Critical Review. Nutrients. 11(8), pp. 1825. Kubo, K., Ikebukuro, T. & Yata H. (2019). Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 119(9), pp. 1933–1942. Lau, W., Kato, H. & Nosaka, K. (2019). Water intake after dehydration makes muscles more susceptible to cramp but electrolytes reverse that effect. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine. 5(1), pp. e000478. Schoenfeld, B. & Grgic, J. (2019). Does Training to Failure Maximize Muscle Hypertrophy? Strength & Conditioning Journal. 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000473. Wiewelhove, T., Döweling, A., Schneider, C., Hottenrott, L., Meyer, T., Kellmann, M., Pfeiffer, M. & Ferrauti, A. (2019). A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Foam Rolling on Performance and Recovery. Frontiers in Physiology. 10(376), pp. . submitted by /u/MirrorMageZ to r/Fitness [link] [comments]

First off, here’s a progress pic. Taken exactly 3 years apart to the day. Link to an album of all of my progress pics Also, some numbers. Lifting Start Current Weight 135lbs 165lbs Squat 115x1 390x3 Bench 75x1 265x3 (touch and go) Deadlift 95x5 425x3 (sumo with straps) These are my first lifting numbers but I started my fitness journey at 128lbs. Exactly 3 years ago today, on January 13th 2016 I was browsing r/all and stumbled upon this subreddit. It was a progress post by a redditor that went from very thin to looking like a Greek god. I remember actually looking at myself and for the first time realizing just exactly how skinny I was and that I wanted to change. I took my first ever progress picture, read the sidebar, and started the r/bodyweightfitness recommended routine that same day. Timeline: The First Few Months - I paid attention to how much I was really eating and noticed it was barely anything. That mixed in with playing soccer/running everyday was not helping. I stepped on a scale, wrote down my starting weight of 128lbs and ate some food. When I started, I was too nervous to go to an actual gym because I didn't know what I was doing and thought that I would constantly embarrass myself/be made fun of for being weak (I was very wrong). So I started with r/bodyweightfitness’ recommended routine because I could do it from home. Seriously a really good routine and I still occasionally do it when I am away from the gym for awhile and looking for a workout. (Still can’t hold a handstand though not from lack of trying haha) I definitely got stronger during this time but could not find any of my workout logs. April - Mid June 2016 - Around the beginning of April, my buddy and I joined a local gym and started up with Stronglifts 5x5. Started out at the gym weighing 135 lifting just the bar to work on form as Stronglifts recommends. I had tested my limits a bit with a trainer and found that my starting 1 rms were - Squat 115lbs Bench 75lbs I did not attempt for deadlift. I followed stronglifts until mid June and ended had made some noticeable gains. (Not sure why the photo is so low res sorry) Weight 152lbs Squat 5x5 165lbs Bench 5x5 135lbs Deadlift 1x5 225lbs (Not great form) Around this time life got in the way, I didn’t lift weights again until mid October my senior year of highschool. I did however try and do the recommended bodyweight routine every now and then but wasn’t consistent. Mid October 2016 - I started up with Stronglifts again because it was familiar. My numbers were Weight 145lbs Squat 5x5 135lbs Bench 5x5 105lbs Deadlift 1x5 155lbs Progress Pic I stayed on Stronglifts wayyyy longer than I should have or that it’s intended for but I liked it and it was quick and easy and I could do it in my school’s weightroom before going home. April - October 2017 - I switched over to the P.H.U.L routine listed in the sidebar and ran that all summer. I really liked P.H.U.L and made some pretty nice progress while running the program. Starting college, I added in another upper body day into the routine and ran that through the end of the year. I hadn’t really seen any major strength gains through this point. Weight 165lbs Squat 3x5 235 Bench 3x5 205 Deadlift 1x295 (form was not pretty) Progress Pic from the Summer 2017 Progress Pic from October 2017 November - December 2017 - I made a bad decision and ran a poorly constructed bro split for a few months. No real progress. January - April 2018 - I started nsuns. I love nsuns. I made great progress on nsuns. By the end of April I had made what felt like ridiculous progress. Weight 175lbs Squat 310 for 3 reps Bench 240 for 3 reps Deadlift 355 for 3 reps Progress Pic March 2018 May - Mid September 2018 - This past summer I went on a very long hiking/road trip with my friends and lost close to 15lbs due to lots of intense cardio and not really eating much. I lost a lot of strength and could not lift nearly as much as I used to. The rest of the summer I spent running a more standard 3 day PPL with my brother. Road trip progress pic and another. Mid September - Now - My real progress came this fall when I started up at Uni again. I made friends with the powerlifting community and made the decision to sign up for my first powerlifting meet in February. I’ve never been so motivated to lift. Starting on Monday September 17th my weight and strongest lifts were -164. Weight 164lbs Squat 300 for 3 reps Bench 225 for 4 reps Deadlift 315lbs for 3 reps I started back up on Nsuns because I had really liked it and felt like I could still make some crazy progress running the program. The only changes I have made were to change up my accessory exercises every once in awhile to target weak points in my main lifts and to add more volume to whatever lift I felt like was currently struggling. Right now I am running the Nsuns 6 day Squats variation but with a big focus on bench too. My current stats are Weight 165lbs Squat 390 for 3 reps Bench 265 for 3 reps (touch and go) Sumo Deadlift 425 for 3 reps (with straps) Pic from about a month ago. New Picture. Another. Also Legs. Diet: I have always struggled with gaining weight and eating enough food. There have been days where all I would have to eat was a piece of toast and some butter. Diet has always been the hardest part for me as I really enjoy exercise and lifting heavy things. Weight gain has been fairly slow for me because of that and I have to be really on top of things to add the weight. Because of that I’ve never really done a true cut or bulk cycle and have been slow bulking for most of the past three years. I never have really kept track of my macros before besides trying to eat a lot of protein. Because I eat at my university’s cafeterias in addition to cooking myself, it’s a little harder to track to be 100% accurate so I set ranges that I try and fall into. My current macro targets are as follows. I try and eat between 3700 - 4000 calories a day and shoot for at least 0.8gs of protein per lb. of lean body mass. I often end up eating more protein than is necessary. I also look for more complex carbs and have more carbs than fats. My diet isn’t perfect but it works for me. A typical day looks like this – Meal 1: Burrito Bowl – 70g protein 1676cal 4 servings of Rice 120x4=480 9g P 1.25 servings of chicken – 150 + 50=200 23g 1 serving Refried – 140 5g 1 Serving of Black bean – 120 4g 1 serving queso – 320 14g Cheese- 110 7g 1 serving guac - 150 Protein 4g Tortilla – 156 Protein 4g Gatorade (16oz) – 142.5 Total Meal Calories 1818.5 Meal 2: Protein Packed Rice Bowl - Protein- 40g Calories - 935 Spinach – 40 4g protein Hard boiled eggs – 108 Chicken - 150 Bacon – 37x2 maybe Black bean -120 Rice 2 scoops – 480 Gatorade (16oz) – 142.5 Meal Calories 1077.5 Cliff Protein Bar (Mint Chocolate Flavor) – Protein -20g Calories 270 Meal 3: Eggs and Toast – Protein - 40g 740cal 3 Eggs -240cal Protein -21g 2 Slices of toast -140cal Protein -5g 2 servings of peanut butter- 360cal Protein -14g Daily caloric Intake = 3906cal Daily Protein Intake = 170g Current Nsuns workout – Currently running accessories based off of a suggested set I found on r/nsuns. It's targeting arms a good amount and I have weaker arms/always wanted bigger arms. I will probably switch my accessories up pretty soon. Day 1 – Bench and Overhead Press Same as the program. Lots of Sets. Accessories - Incline Dumbbell Press 4x8-12, Seated Cable Row 4x8-12, Super Set Pull Ups 4x8-12 and Tricep Cable Push Down 4x8-12, 21s Bicep Curls (Love this one). Day 2 – Squat and Paused rep Sumo Deadlift Like most sumo pullers I am weakest off of the ground so I have incorporated pulling paused rep to help with that. I hate them though lol. Accessories - Leg Press 4x8-12, Leg Extensions 4x12 (I go light on these), and Core (Usually ab roller and planks. Sometimes hanging leg raises.) Day 3 – Paused Rep Bench and Overhead Press I switched from OHP being the main lift to paused rep bench purely because I am trying to get my bench up more for competition. Accessories - Incline Dumbbell Press 4x8-12 (sometimes), Cable Crossovers 4x12, Superset Facepulls 4x12-15 and Hammer Curls 4x8-12, Dumbbell Lateral Raises 4x8-12. Day 4 – Sumo Deadlift and Front Squats Accessories - Super set Barbell Rows 4x8-12 and Pull ups 4x6-10, Core (Usually weighted decline bench sit ups) Day 5 – Heavy Bench day and Spoto Press I used to do close-grip bench but it would aggravate my right elbow a lot and I suffered from some minor tendinitis so I stopped. I switched it to Spoto Press to work on where I normally fail on bench. Accessories - Incline Dumbbell Curls 4x8-12, Superset Facepulls 4x12-15 and Cable Overhead Tricep Pulls 4x8-12, Dumbbell Curls 4x10-12 (slow and at a lighter weight) Day 6 – Squats and Conventional Deadlift The weight is lighter and this is an easy day. I work on form and speed out of the hole on squat on this day. Accessories - Depends on time. Usually calf raises because I never target them, and Lat Pulldown, and bent over rows. Other Exercise: Recreational Soccer once or twice a week. Either a light 15 min jog or an easy 30 mins on a stationary bike 2-3 times a week. Other Measurements: All taken with no pump (taken on rest days/didn't life prior to measurement). All measurements were taken in inches. Taken on random days starting in 2017. 2-2-17 8-31-17 1-15-18 3-12-18 8-26-18 10-3-18 Today (1-3-18) Chest 36 40 41.5 42 41 41.5 42.5 Arms 13 1/3 14 14.5 15 14.5 15 15 1/3 Thigh unknown 22 23 24 23.25 24 24.5 Calf unknown 15 15 15 1/3 15 15 1/3 15.5 Weight unknown 155lbs 165lbs 170lbs 160lbs 166lbs 165lbs Chest- current 43 inches Arm current 15 1/3 inches Thigh current 24.5 Calf 15.5 Clothing Size: Shirts - I went from mostly wearing men’s x-small and smalls to a mix of mediums and larges. Pants/Shorts - I tend to wear joggers a lot because my legs are big and my waist is small so my jeans/other pants are now either real tight in the leg area or real loose in the waist department. The Future: I am planning on switching my program up and start to train heavy singles for my first meet. I also no longer have as much time as time to lift as I previously did, so I will be switching off of nsuns soon as it takes forever. I lost some weight over my winter break from school as I fell out of my eating routine, but my lifts didn’t go down which is nice. I am planning on continuing to bulk for the foreseeable future or until I hate how I look as I still have visible ab definition. Goals: Short Term - Not place last at my meet in February lol. Long term - I really want to pull a 500+ deadlift, Squat 450, and Bench over 315. This community is a great place and I am really glad that it's been here for me since the start. Edit: Forgot to mention that I also take Creatine. Also that lifting has made me really like listening to metal now. submitted by /u/Trustinguac to r/Fitness [link] [comments]

Intro: What's up fit fam! A fellow redditor with a similar body type as mine was curious about my progress. I was going to send him some before pics for comparisons, but i decided do it here as there may be more people who will find this helpful. This is my first large post like this so please forgive any formatting errors. BIO: Beginning Stats (2000): 13/130ish/5'4 http://imgur.com/rjlDhyE FreshMen Year HS (2002) 15/155/5'6 http://imgur.com/24bxbQ5 Senior Year HS (2006) : 18/140ish/5'7 http://imgur.com/mjMUuDV Current Stats (2016): 28/150/5'7 http://imgur.com/bDNiGjR Here's my fitness journey in a nutshell. Started working out around 7th grade so about 12 or 13? I was a very shy awkward Chinese kid in a predominantly white american school. I also had the mushroom haircut to top it off LoL. I was never bullied and i had the normal amount of friends. My main problem was the females. For the life of me i could just never talk to women. I knew i wasn't good looking and my skinny and soft bod didn't help my confidence. From there i bought my first Muscle & Fitness and my life changed. I always looked up to Bruce Lee so that was the physique that was ingrained in my head. The Abercrombie & Fitch look was very popular at this time. Also Brad Pitt in "Fight Club" came out around this time (damn I'm old lmao) and every girl and their grandma was talking about that fight club body. (Shout out to Brad & Angelina LoL) This inspired me to have that type of physique. Abs quickly became my main focus and by far my favorite muscle to train. So it took me about 4-5 years to attain a decent physique. Around junior to senior high school i finally had decent arms and a little 4 pack. http://imgur.com/ON43ytK My nutrition at the time was very simple. Probably the average high school kid diet with more of an emphasis on protein. Honey bunches of oats cereal, trail mix, Met-rx protein bars, turkey sandwhiches, chicken patties from school, 711 hot dogs, Wendy's, McChickens, 20 piece McNuggets, rotisserie chicken, gallons of Gatorade. All i tracked was the protein. Cals were prob around 2500-3000 over 3-4 meals a day. Current Workut Routine: Mon: Chest / Abs https://youtu.be/52u1D07Fieg (Incline Dumbbell Press 100's) Tues: Back / Legs (Squats) https://youtu.be/zexHKNGy5Zo (Deadlift 405) Wed: Abs or Active Rest = Dance (BreakDancing) / Stretching Thurs: Chest / Shoulders / Arms https://youtu.be/ENq8Qv4qp1A (225 Bench) Fri: Abs or Active Rest = Dance / Stretching http://imgur.com/Mj9SYX8 (Baby Freeze) Sat: Bodyweight Workouts / Calisthenics (pull ups, handstands, L sits) http://imgur.com/yutH8wE (Flag Pole) Sun: Abs or Active Rest = Dance / Stretch (Cheat Day) The best Ab exercises (from my experience) : Full hanging leg raises (feet touch whatever you're holding), front levers, L sit holds, dragon flags (Bruce Lee style), and Ab wheel https://youtu.be/Ja4IyrjHFVg (Standing Ab wheel) My fav exercise. Personal Records / Bulk: Bench 315 x2 / Deadlift 495 x1 / OHP 225 x1 / Squat 315 x8 : All these Pr's were hit during my last bulk at a bodyweight of (160-165) I was strong but i just felt slow and sluggish. Had no mobility and always was breathing heavily even when sitting doing nothing. I was just very unhappy. Promised myself to never go back to this weight and try to get stronger from a lower bodyweight if that's possible. I forgot to mention I'm 100% natty haha. http://imgur.com/efQM0PI (160-165) Mirror selfie http://imgur.com/Jei6cm3 (160) Incline sitting relaxed http://imgur.com/hCWdFWm (160) Bench 315 sitting relaxed http://imgur.com/B4OsFWT (165) Most muscular pose http://imgur.com/Iwl0mR7 (165) Sitting relaxed http://imgur.com/PAmx1kc Legs / Quads Current Nutrition Protocol: 3000-3500 Cals a day. I say nutrition instead of "diet" because I want people to make it a lifestyle. Any muscle you gained, gain it permanently. Any fat you lose, lose it permanently. Currently hovering around 145-150 lbs. Im very active everyday so it allows me to eat more. I literally never have an "Off" day where i do absolutely nothing. If I decide to skip gym and dance, I will usually just stretch at home. My stretch sessions can take up to an hour. Typical meal is white basmati rice with a protein...chicken thighs, beef / steak, shirmp, sausage. Goal is to get 150g of protein per day. Then fill the rest of the calories with carbs and fat. Cheat day is every Sunday. What i do is wake up and go dance or do abs at the gym on an empty stomach. Then I'll go for all you can eat sushi or Pho (noodles) somewhere. I don't track protein on Sunday. I also will have chips like Ruffles cheddar sour cream & a whole can of Blue Diamond wasabi almonds while watching football. Also other foods that i normally don't have during the week. Cals are prob the same, It's just that the foods are "dirty". It feels great not to track anything. Typical Day of 3000-3500 cals (5am) Pre-Breakfast: Black coffee or *sugar free Rockstar, Red Bull, Monster, Redline energy drink (10-20c) (6am) Breakfast: Whole eggs in coconut oil, peanut butter, 1 cup dry quick oats. Blueberries, Raisins (800c) (7am) Work: Shipping & Receiving / Loading trucks (constantly moving, good cardio LoL) (11:30am) Lunch: Chipotle steak bowl with guac (obviously) or footlong from SubWay or **(same as pwo) (800c) (3pm) Leave Work / Pre Workout: Dunkin Donuts black ice coffee or *(same as pre-breakfast, some sort of caffiene) (4pm-6pm) Workout / Train (7pm) Post Workout: **Half cup measured dry basmati rice, 10-12 oz some sort of protein in coconut oil (800c) (10pm) Dinner: **(same as post workout) (800c) Snacks: 1 serving almonds = 28 almonds, Muscle Milk shake RTD from gym, Ramen, Cereal (these vary day to day) Supplements: Absoutely drug free 100% natty. Animal Pak, Chromium, Calcium, fish oil, vitamin E, vitamin C http://imgur.com/fxUNiPY Before & Afters: http://imgur.com/jYvgwZ7 (2006) Abs http://imgur.com/iYHA0dg (2016) Abs http://imgur.com/mjhEkOF (2006) Arms http://imgur.com/zpc7RzK (2016) Arms http://imgur.com/KDnLyke (2006) http://imgur.com/ls8SSIA (2016) http://imgur.com/MVHHY7r (2006) http://imgur.com/hCWdFWm (2015) Conclusion & Things I've Learned: The journey you go on through fitness is one hell of a ride let me tell ya. My advice is once you hit your goal weight...just start a maintenance phase and make slow gains for the rest of your life. Enjoy your new body forever.... not just for the next month then back to fatness. None of this dirty bulking crap. I cringe every time people lose a lot of weight then are like ok im done! Time to eat! Just try to add maybe 100 to 200 cals over maintenance and you will improve. I think the most I've ever weighed was prob around the 160 range. You will get stronger on a very small surplus. Just be patient. I was very impatient in the beginning. I wanted abs by next week! Never mind 4 years. Just because you don't have something now... doesn't mean you won't ever have it. The only thing separating you from abs is a couple hundred ab workouts and a deficit of a couple hundred thousand calories. The only thing separating you from being a doctor is 8-10 years of Med school. Save up 100 grand 10 times and you will be a millionaire. Once you lay it out like this your vision becomes more clear. Anything is possible. This is the logic i came up with. I used to tell myself i don't have abs "yet". I don't have a driver license "yet". I don't have a girlfriend "yet". As long as i knew i would be there one day that's all that mattered. There's always a future version of yourself that is depending on your actions right now. In 2 years i will be 30. That scares the shit out of me LoL. My 30 year old self is depending on the actions i make today. Procrastination is a dream killer guys. Never put things off. DO IT NOW and you'll love yourself for it. ALL THIS WILL PAY OFF ONE DAY. If you're just starting out just remember to love the process. Focus on what you're working for while enjoying working for it. There's a quote... success is just a bunch of small victories. Increasing your PR on bench by 10 lbs. It's not that much. But knowing you have never done that much in your entire life...that's a special feeling that's hard to describe. Whatever your goal is just remember that YOU WILL get there. Probably not by tomorrow. Unlikely by next week. Maybe by next month? Who knows. Who cares. All that matters is you got 1 day closer. Closer then you were 24 hrs ago. It's inevitable as long as you keep progressing pound by pound, day by day. That moment you finally take action is a win. Progress is victory. Achievement is success! You will be there one day I promise! Edit 1: What's up fam! Wow you guys are amazing. I'm currently at work right now about to grab the Chipotle lunch meal. I sit on this thread everyday soaking up info from you guys, and to see my journey help you in any way....means the world...extremely humbling. I'm going to edit in time stamps to the typical day to make it more clear after a brief skim through comments. Also i want to add my freshmen year high school pic. I gained a lot of fat from all the extra protein calories i was consuming. I never i mentioned i had a very low self esteem. Borderline depression through my early years. Fitness literally saved my life. http://imgur.com/24bxbQ5 (2002 Freshmen Year HS 14-15) Current Supplements: Yes absoutely drug free! 100% natty haha: Animal Pak, vitamin C, vitamin D vitamin E, fish oil, chromium, calcium, melatonin http://imgur.com/fxUNiPY submitted by /u/SuperManBK to r/Fitness [link] [comments]