3 Months Progress

[Kasinova]

A lot of people have been saying that they can see a difference in my body, but I honestly couldn't see it, so I took a 3 month progress picture today.

This is how skinny I used to be, around 118lbs.

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I was at 122lbs when I started lifting 3 months ago. I'm at 140 now. My biggest mass gains have been in my calves, shoulders, and triceps. Strength-wise, it has been my shoulders, triceps, and chest. Biceps and forearms for some reason are lagging far behind everything else.

I'm pretty nervous about posting this, so try not to make fun of me too much lol, I'm a noob and I know I'm still tiny and not that muscular.

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[halfwit]

Pretty sure nobody is going to make fun of you here. I just have to say the progress in your legs alone is really quite amazing! If you're worried about arm development, I'd talk to German89. She's a meathead and has some crazy guns.





I am consistently the first poster in your threads. I'm not stalking you, I promise! I'm just a post-whore sometimes.

 

[DreDay187]

Pretty sure nobody is going to make fun of you here. I just have to say the progress in your legs alone is really quite amazing! If you're worried about arm development, I'd talk to German89. She's a meathead and has some crazy guns.





I am consistently the first poster in your threads. I'm not stalking you, I promise! I'm just a post-whore sometimes.

Is that the politically correct term for stalking nowadays??

Great progress so far and stick with it! Like Halfwit said, the progress in calves and quads/hams is amazing for 3months. Don't be nervous about muscularity, everyone has a starting point and you've put on what looks to be 18lbs of mainly lbm. Are you tracking macros and calories or doing something else.

Oh and strength wise your biceps and forearms will always lag behind chest, tris, and shoulders. The reason for this is the latter 3 are much larger muscle groups and will get stronger faster whereas the first 2 are smaller muscle groups and gains will come slower in smaller muscle groups.

 

[Kasinova]

I do have before and after pictures of my biceps, I just didn't post them because they weren't that impressive and it was kind of embarrassing. But what do I have to lose? Left is at 122lbs when I started out, right is at like 139 or so a couple weeks ago.

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I am making strength gains in my upper body, even though I know it doesn't look like I have a lot of mass up there. When I started out, I could only shoulder press 15lb dumbbells and chest press maybe 20lb. Now I'm doing 35lb dumbbell shoulder press and 45lb dumbbell chest press. I couldn't do dips when I first started out, now I do a lot of them, as they are my favorite exercise now. I also just recently started being able to do pullups, though not an impressive number.

I have no freaking clue why my calves are so yolked though. I don't even do any weighted exercises with my calves, because I go to the small gym in my apartment complex that doesn't have calf press machines. For legs all I really do is squats and leg press once or twice a week, and that's about it. Whenever I do jump rope or HIIT hill sprints or stair sprints I always run and jump on my tippy toes though, so maybe that's it? It just doesn't make sense to me that my calves look so bulky, when I work on my upper body 4x more than them.

And you're right; German has some seriously sweet guns on her! If she lived by me I'd ask her to train me, that's for damn sure.

 

[DreDay187]

I do have before and after pictures of my biceps, I just didn't post them because they weren't that impressive and it was kind of embarrassing. But what do I have to lose? Left is at 122lbs when I started out, right is at like 139 or so a couple weeks ago.

View attachment 551490

I am making strength gains in my upper body, even though I know it doesn't look like I have a lot of mass up there. When I started out, I could only shoulder press 15lb dumbbells and chest press maybe 20lb. Now I'm doing 35lb dumbbell shoulder press and 45lb dumbbell chest press. I couldn't do dips when I first started out, now I do a lot of them, as they are my favorite exercise now. I also just recently started being able to do pullups, though not an impressive number.

I have no freaking clue why my calves are so yolked though. I don't even do any weighted exercises with my calves, because I go to the small gym in my apartment complex that doesn't have calf press machines. For legs all I really do is squats and leg press once or twice a week, and that's about it. Whenever I do jump rope or HIIT hill sprints or stair sprints I always run and jump on my tippy toes though, so maybe that's it? It just doesn't make sense to me that my calves look so bulky, when I work on my upper body 4x more than them.

And you're right; German has some seriously sweet guns on her! If she lived by me I'd ask her to train me, that's for damn sure.

I'd argue bicep development is almost as pronounced and impressive as the leg development. We're typically our own worst critics and to top it off when you see yourself everyday, changes aren't as evident to you as they would be others.

Progress is progress regardless of how much or little. Pull-ups were never my strong suit and with all the weight I've been gaining on cycle I'm struggling to do 2 pull-ups .

I used to do the same thing with the tippy toes lol so maybe that's correlational data as my calves have no problem growing lol. I wouldn't worry about why they've developed faster than other body parts since there are some professionals who would kill off entire 3rd world countries for that kind of development. Bulky is not the word I'd use, muscular is a better fit and in all the pics there's ankle flexion which will obviously make the calves pop out more

 

[Kasinova]

Is that the politically correct term for stalking nowadays??

Great progress so far and stick with it! Like Halfwit said, the progress in calves and quads/hams is amazing for 3months. Don't be nervous about muscularity, everyone has a starting point and you've put on what looks to be 18lbs of mainly lbm. Are you tracking macros and calories or doing something else.

Yes, I'm tracking calories and carbs and protein and all that. I started out doing bulking/cutting cycles, but after a few mishaps I decided I will no longer do it, because I don't want to put on a lot of fat in the process. I find it far more difficult to shed the fat and go back to shrinking my stomach and eating less calories and smaller meals after getting in the habit of gorging myself. I mostly do recomp diet and occasionally will tweak it on a daily basis, doing 200-400kcal more or less depending on the exercise I've done that day and how I feel.

Just curious; some people say that 1.5-2g/lb of protein is necessary, but is it really? So far I've been consuming 1g/lb protein, and I seem to be doing fine. Wouldn't 2g/lb just convert all the excess protein to fat?

Carbs, I limit to less than 100-200g/day, and I usually choose whole grains to eat before and after the workout, and never at night. I basically cook all my meals from scratch, cooking is one of my passions, so I eat real healthy.

Oh and strength wise your biceps and forearms will always lag behind chest, tris, and shoulders. The reason for this is the latter 3 are much larger muscle groups and will get stronger faster whereas the first 2 are smaller muscle groups and gains will come slower in smaller muscle groups.

True. It just looks all fucked up and out of proportion cause my triceps are all blown out, but my forearms are still the same size as when I was a skinny little stick LOL FML...

 

[DreDay187]

Yes, I'm tracking calories and carbs and protein and all that. I started out doing bulking/cutting cycles, but after a few mishaps I decided I will no longer do it, because I don't want to put on a lot of fat in the process. I find it far more difficult to shed the fat and go back to shrinking my stomach and eating less calories and smaller meals after getting in the habit of gorging myself. I mostly do recomp diet and occasionally will tweak it on a daily basis, doing 200-400kcal more or less depending on the exercise I've done that day and how I feel.

Just curious; some people say that 1.5-2g/lb of protein is necessary, but is it really? So far I've been consuming 1g/lb protein, and I seem to be doing fine. Wouldn't 2g/lb just convert all the excess protein to fat?

Carbs, I limit to less than 100-200g/day, and I usually choose whole grains to eat before and after the workout, and never at night. I basically cook all my meals from scratch, cooking is one of my passions, so I eat real healthy.



True. It just looks all fucked up and out of proportion cause my triceps are all blown out, but my forearms are still the same size as when I was a skinny little stick LOL FML...

If you have to gorge yourself on a caloric surplus (bulk) than most likely it's due to choosing very low calorie dense foods. You could try things like peanut butter, olive oil, whole eggs, whole milk instead of low fat/skim, Etc. the density of the food plays a role in satiety. Nothing wrong with recompsnso long as you understand that to get similar results it will require more time. Instead of weeks and months you'll have to think in terms of months and years possibly. AAS can speed it up but even then it's tricky to pull off as you have to program your surplus days/periods around training and deficits around off days optimally.

Women need slightly higher protein intake than men partly due to lower testosterone levels but 1.5-2g/lb BW is overkill if you don't want to eat that much, especially for a natty. As a bare minimum .8glb BW protein will be enough to build muscle but you'll notice better results if you stick to a minimum of 1g/lb BW of protein. Dietary fats should be a minimum of .3-.4g/lb BW to help with numerous bodily processes including hormonal production, reproductive function, menstrual cycles, etc. the rest of your calories can come from any macro you prefer or any combo of macros. The difference between which you choose will be minor until you get into super low body fat levels. If you eat less than 75-100g carbs you might want to look into the keto diet or carb cycling since your carbs are already that low. And it's a myth about carbs before bed leading to fat gain. If you're in a deficit, would eating them before bed make you gain weight? No just like when you're in a calorie surplus, it's the surplus that makes you gain weight and fat not the carbs before bedtime.

Protein can be converted to fat through gluconeogenesis but the requirements for that process to actually happen in humans requires extreme circumstances like starvation. It doesn't happen just because you ate 50g more of protein per day. Dietary fat and carbs can be stored as fat but that would require an excess of calories or a thyroid condition, low p-ratio etc.

I enjoy cooking myself and trying new recipes and that way you always know what's in your food and macros but I do enjoy dining out too

 

[halfwit]

Is that the politically correct term for stalking nowadays??

Hey now!

You look like you're making fantastic progress all around Kasinova. Given the short amount of time between pictures, I'd say you're doing it right. I do strongly suggest you pick up a cheap membership at a gym if one is near you as you'll have access to much better equipment that will take longer to "outgrow". It's hard to beat the convenience of an at-home gym, but that twenty bucks a month is definitely worth it if you have access. Besides, it's always an ego boost when you catch people oogling at you...as long as it's not in the same context as what Doc has experienced imo.

 

[R9]

Amazing gains. I would definitely know you're a meathead just by looking at you.

 

[DreDay187]

Hey now!

You look like you're making fantastic progress all around Kasinova. Given the short amount of time between pictures, I'd say you're doing it right. I do strongly suggest you pick up a cheap membership at a gym if one is near you as you'll have access to much better equipment that will take longer to "outgrow". It's hard to beat the convenience of an at-home gym, but that twenty bucks a month is definitely worth it if you have access. Besides, it's always an ego boost when you catch people oogling at you...as long as it's not in the same context as what Doc has experienced imo

Had to go there didn't you lmao! Yea I guess I had it coming haha But Half is right on the money, crappy apartment gyms are extremely convenient but seriously lacking in many aspects. Get yourself a real gym membership even if its an added expense. The amount of equipment you'll have access to is so much better, finding a training partner might help keep you motivated, and if you find someone who knows what theyre doing you can get some form critique to make sure your form is on point (#1 way to help prevent injuries)

 

[halfwit]

Had to go there didn't you lmao! Yea I guess I had it coming haha But Half is right on the money, crappy apartment gyms are extremely convenient but seriously lacking in many aspects. Get yourself a real gym membership even if its an added expense. The amount of equipment you'll have access to is so much better, finding a training partner might help keep you motivated, and if you find someone who knows what theyre doing you can get some form critique to make sure your form is on point (#1 way to help prevent injuries)

Just saying that I've never been in that kind of awkward position before! Ugh, 2.5 hrs more to go before I get to blow up my arms today. Maybe I'll step away from the computer for a bit and go read some notes by the pool before I get to go. Love the sunshine, and it's only 100 degrees today.

 

[DreDay187]

Just saying that I've never been in that kind of awkward position before! Ugh, 2.5 hrs more to go before I get to blow up my arms today. Maybe I'll step away from the computer for a bit and go read some notes by the pool before I get to go. Love the sunshine, and it's only 100 degrees today.

Typing on the keyboard is forearm warm ups, didnt you know ? No pools over here though, 53degrees and downpours!

 

[Kasinova]

Hey now!

You look like you're making fantastic progress all around Kasinova. Given the short amount of time between pictures, I'd say you're doing it right. I do strongly suggest you pick up a cheap membership at a gym if one is near you as you'll have access to much better equipment that will take longer to "outgrow". It's hard to beat the convenience of an at-home gym, but that twenty bucks a month is definitely worth it if you have access. Besides, it's always an ego boost when you catch people oogling at you...as long as it's not in the same context as what Doc has experienced imo.

Thanks everybody! And the reason that I train there instead of a real gym is because I decided to get a personal trainer. The gym that he trains at is sort of on the pricey side, and I couldn't afford both him as a personal trainer AND a membership at that gym. I mean, I could have afforded both, but then I would have been struggling to pay for all the supplements and protein and any prohormones or AAS and post cycle therapy (pct) I ever planned on taking in the future. That shit adds up.

So it was either one or the other. I could either get a gym membership and potentially exercise the wrong way and injure myself or break too long and do it all wrong and barely get a pump or sweat in, or I could get a trainer to show me how to properly lift with good form and get a real pump going. Plus, I've noticed I get a way better workout and work a lot harder when he is supervising me rather than when I'm alone. It also helps me a LOT to have him as a spotter when I'm really struggling to put the next higher weight up while maxing out. That's something I can't do when I'm alone in the gym.

The gym at this place is small but pretty decent for a noob, it's strictly a weight room and they even have things that normal apartment complexes usually don't carry because of liability issues, like a squat rack and bench press.



Edit: Doc, I already do carb cycle. I pretty much go low carb when I'm cutting or if I'm taking the weekend off or something. I started out doing keto, but I've found it really isn't good for lifting, since it seems like I can always pump out a few more reps whenever I eat carbs beforehand.

 

[abusedyam]

great progress on legs, and yeah this lifestyle gets pretty expensive.. but its well worth it

 

[DreDay187]

Thanks everybody! And the reason that I train there instead of a real gym is because I decided to get a personal trainer. The gym that he trains at is sort of on the pricey side, and I couldn't afford both him as a personal trainer AND a membership at that gym. I mean, I could have afforded both, but then I would have been struggling to pay for all the supplements and protein and any prohormones or AAS and PCT I ever planned on taking in the future. That shit adds up.

So it was either one or the other. I could either get a gym membership and potentially exercise the wrong way and injure myself or break too long and do it all wrong and barely get a pump or sweat in, or I could get a trainer to show me how to properly lift with good form and get a real pump going. Plus, I've noticed I get a way better workout and work a lot harder when he is supervising me rather than when I'm alone. It also helps me a LOT to have him as a spotter when I'm really struggling to put the next higher weight up while maxing out. That's something I can't do when I'm alone in the gym.

The gym at this place is small but pretty decent for a noob, it's strictly a weight room and they even have things that normal apartment complexes usually don't carry because of liability issues, like a squat rack and bench press.



Edit: Doc, I already do carb cycle. I pretty much go low carb when I'm cutting or if I'm taking the weekend off or something. I started out doing keto, but I've found it really isn't good for lifting, since it seems like I can always pump out a few more reps whenever I eat carbs beforehand.

If it were me, I'd just do form checks online with posting up videos, read up on and practice perfect form etc. but you have to do what's best for you, understandable. Another option would be, since you've worked with this trainer and hopefully got form down pat, maybe end your sessions with him and get the gym membership now. Almost every gym should have a few ppl who know form and proper programming for training (possibly wishful thinking here lol). You could get a friend to go with you or find someone at the gym to be a workout buddy who motivates you like the trainer does. Again these are opinions and treat them as such. Do what's best for you in your situation.

Keto is great for lifting if your carb sensitive, gluten intolerant, or just want to try a new diet. Keto may just not work for you individually but a lot of ppl out there prefer it to any other type of diet. But you're right, carbs are the primary source of energy for the body (provided their in a diet) and the body will use them for fuel much more readily than dietary fat or protein. At least you've found what works for you with trial and error and have stuck with it!!

 

[GoPro]

Great progress!!! Talk to German89 like halfwit said. She knows what she is doing!!! Keep up the hard work!!

 

[mikeross1981]

you look great...

 

[stang50]

Really nice progress. I think your overall development is good, arms look pretty good and lower body change is awesome. What are your goals? Have you use aas or plan to? Please keep yourself looking feminine, it's more attractive.

 

[BeastMaster]

Damn!!

 

[Kasinova]

Really nice progress. I think your overall development is good, arms look pretty good and lower body change is awesome. What are your goals? Have you use aas or plan to? Please keep yourself looking feminine, it's more attractive.

Thanks. So far I have not used AAS. I plan to though.

Can anybody guess around what body fat percentage they think I'm at now? Given all the pictures I posted above... I'll post a midsection photo too if that helps. I'm 5'5" and 140lbs. I'm thinking I'm around 18%-20%?

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