Ruckin's low-dose GET LEAN holiday blast

[ruckin]

Howdy folks. It's been a while since I've been active here on good old Meso, which makes me upset, so to keep myself accountable and see that I get on here more, I'll be keeping this log of my fat loss and overall fitness progress for the next couple months.

I'm already several weeks (or months?) Into a (hypothetically, since this is for fictional entertainment purposes only, that is) 150 mg test c and 450 mg EQ per week blast, that I plan to end around January.

I don't have a scale at home but gym weight lately has been in the 240 lb range. Goal is to get that down to 220-225 by the first week of January. I've been hemming and hawing for weeks about whether or not I want to bother losing the rest of my excess fat or not, and I finally said fck it, I want to just get lean already and comfortably stay there indefinitely.

Not looking to get bodybuilder shredded or anything crazy, like having veins popping out of my abs and traps; just a healthy lean physique with nice defined abs.

DIET PLAN:
Breakfast: small protein meal (a couple eggs or handful of nuts, something like that)

Lunch: a lean meat salad, or eggs with veggies

Dinner: meat (or eggs - can you tell I love eggs yet?) and veggies, or a big meaty salad

Snacking: unlimited veggies whenever I want (carrots, beans, etc), and as much fruit as I want on the weekends. I love feasting on fruit, lol. It's been my replacement for binging on doughnuts and ice cream and I just love the feeling of eating a sh*t ton of fruit, enjoying it just as much as regular sugary desserts, and not having to feel guilty about it after.

TRAINING:
I generally do my own version of the Texas Method and go running on my non-lifting days. Also train BJJ and just do that whenever I'm able to make it to class - I usually end up averaging 3 times per week.

"Before" pics:



I'm already about as lean as I've ever been in my life, but I'm excited to reach that next level of being lean by anyone's standards, not just lean compared to the average fat ass American. Let's get after it!

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Holy shit everyone's coming back. First!

 

[ruckin]

Good to be back brother! I still need to get caught up on everyone's current logs here.

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Good to be back brother! I still need to get caught up on everyone's current logs here.

It was almost dead for awhile, but there's a lot going now. @theprodgicalson just came back after being away awhile. Probably not many others you'd know now besides @Brandaddy maybe. I tagged a few people a month or so ago including you and got a like from @RodgerThat, but that's it.

You been training all this time you've been away?

 

[jaymaximus]

I'm in

 

[ruckin]

It was almost dead for awhile, but there's a lot going now. @theprodgicalson just came back after being away awhile. Probably not many others you'd know now besides @Brandaddy maybe. I tagged a few people a month or so ago including you and got a like from @RodgerThat, but that's it.

You been training all this time you've been away?

Yup I've never waivered in my training consistency fortunately. And I've been running a lot more the last couple years, which has definitely interfered with my strength training a fair amount. Long term goal nowadays is just to maintain my current fitness (I run 5 miles at ~8 minutes/mile pace pretty easily), maintain low body fat (after I lose it throughout this log that is, lol), and slowly get back to the strength level I reached a couple years ago around the time we did that PL meet together.

If I can keep running 5 miles without too much effort and squat 405x10+ ATG again, and just keep that forever, I'll be really happy.

 

[ruckin]

Training today:
Jui jitsu for an hour and a half, and then conditioning/sprints for ~15 minutes after.

Diet:
Breakfast: handful of almonds
Lunch: 5 eggs and green beans
Dinner: 2 small chicken breasts and brussel sprouts
Dessert: went to town on grapes, blueberries, and some almonds.

I'm in

Welcome brother!

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Yup I've never waivered in my training consistency fortunately. And I've been running a lot more the last couple years, which has definitely interfered with my strength training a fair amount. Long term goal nowadays is just to maintain my current fitness (I run 5 miles at ~8 minutes/mile pace pretty easily), maintain low body fat (after I lose it throughout this log that is, lol), and slowly get back to the strength level I reached a couple years ago around the time we did that PL meet together.

If I can keep running 5 miles without too much effort and squat 405x10+ ATG again, and just keep that forever, I'll be really happy.

Same here, I'm consistent as always. I got leaner than I'd ever been a few months ago. Did my fifth meet last month and fattened up kinda quickly for it, so now that it's over I'm doing what you're doing. Cleaned my diet up, been doing cardio, experimenting with fasted cardio and HGH a little. Not trying to get shredded either, just decently lean and maintain my strength levels. No running though, mostly just incline treadmill at a brisk pace. Haven't squatted 405x10 yet either. Have hit a few goals this year at least.

 

[theOH]

Yup I've never waivered in my training consistency fortunately. And I've been running a lot more the last couple years, which has definitely interfered with my strength training a fair amount. Long term goal nowadays is just to maintain my current fitness (I run 5 miles at ~8 minutes/mile pace pretty easily), maintain low body fat (after I lose it throughout this log that is, lol), and slowly get back to the strength level I reached a couple years ago around the time we did that PL meet together.

If I can keep running 5 miles without too much effort and squat 405x10+ ATG again, and just keep that forever, I'll be really happy.

hi, I’m new and don’t know your history. I think the timeframe of your goals is very ambitious. I will follow your progress if you post photos.

Your diet is going to leave you hungry. How many calories are you consuming? When did you change your diet?

Running... I used to be a runner. 6+ miles 4 days a week. I used to be a cyclist. 150-200 miles a week. I used to do triathlons, all distances. I’ve done over 100 multi-sport events. I still know a lot of people from those days. Running will leave you skinny fat looking. It will make you a smaller version of yourself. You will still have excess fat. All the cardio I used to do left me skinny-fat with no definition, killed all my muscle, and bad knees. None of the runners I knew that still run look very good. None of them have defined abs. I don’t hate running, I just wish I had incorporated it differently.

I feel like your training is not focused.

If there is a way for you to do cardio and preserve your muscle, I’d do that.

 

[MisterSuperGod]

Looks like a ruckin good time. Count me in.

 

[Btcowboy]

In

 

[ruckin]

Sunday 11/17
Training: medium day (lifting)
Deadlift 295x10x3 (that's 3 sets of 10)
Press 145x10x3
ATG Squat 275x10x1
Chins --- (doing greasing the groove every day instead of my normal chins during gym sessions)
Dumbbell incline 75sx10
Shrugs 45sx30x3 (read about some of the guys having a lot of success doing this in an old thread here, so I'm trying it out for a few months)
paused decline sit ups bodyweight+25x12,3 (rest pause set)

Also went hiking up a small "mountain", which was about 6 miles round-trip.

Diet:
Breakfast: just a few baby carrots, wasn't hungry
Lunch: double bacon cheeseburger & 1 beer (went to a local burger joint with some friends so there weren't many other options)
Dinner: 7 eggs and brussel sprouts

 

[ruckin]

hi, I’m new and don’t know your history. I think the timeframe of your goals is very ambitious. I will follow your progress if you post photos

Thanks for following, good to have you brother. I like setting ambitious goals, so thank you for noticing.

Your diet is going to leave you hungry. How many calories are you consuming? When did you change your diet?

Been doing pretty much this same diet for a while now already and I've been very satisfied with it. Definitely not going to bed hungry. Pounding down tons of tasty veggies leaves me feeling awesome and full.

As for calorie count: don't really know, don't really care. I've already leaned out a good amount throughout the last few months doing this and it's been going about as well as I could possibly ask for.

Running will leave you skinny fat looking. It will make you a smaller version of yourself

False. Did you miss the part where I'm still strength training? There are plenty of guys who run a lot and are still jacked. Also, I'm not interested in being as huge and jacked as possible nowadays anyway. Being lean and healthy and still strong as fuk (compared to the typical gym rat that is. Not by internet standards) is what's most important to me.

None of the runners I knew that still run look very good. None of them have defined abs. I don’t hate running, I just wish I had incorporated it differently

Sorry to hear that about them. Sounds like they don't care about strength training or having a healthy diet.

I feel like your training is not focused

I disagree lol.

If there is a way for you to do cardio and preserve your muscle, I’d do that

That's the plan.

To clarify for everyone reading, I think my goals are fairly different than most guys on here. First of all, I actually really enjoy running, which is reason #1 I do it. Reason #2 is for long-term health, and reason #3 is (see reason #1).

Second, like I mentioned above, I'm not interested in being as big and jacked as humanly possible. If I can maintain the ability long-term to run 5+ miles easily, be strong as fuk (again, for normal people standards that is) and be overall fit, healthy, and injury-free, I'll be 100% happy and content with that.

 

[theOH]

Thanks for following, good to have you brother. I like setting ambitious goals, so thank you for noticing.


Been doing pretty much this same diet for a while now already and I've been very satisfied with it. Definitely not going to bed hungry. Pounding down tons of tasty veggies leaves me feeling awesome and full.

As for calorie count: don't really know, don't really care. I've already leaned out a good amount throughout the last few months doing this and it's been going about as well as I could possibly ask for.


False. Did you miss the part where I'm still strength training? There are plenty of guys who run a lot and are still jacked. Also, I'm not interested in being as huge and jacked as possible nowadays anyway. Being lean and healthy and still strong as fuk (compared to the typical gym rat that is. Not by internet standards) is what's most important to me.


Sorry to hear that about them. Sounds like they don't care about strength training or having a healthy diet.


I disagree lol.


That's the plan.

To clarify for everyone reading, I think my goals are fairly different than most guys on here. First of all, I actually really enjoy running, which is reason #1 I do it. Reason #2 is for long-term health, and reason #3 is (see reason #1).

Second, like I mentioned above, I'm not interested in being as big and jacked as humanly possible. If I can maintain the ability long-term to run 5+ miles easily, be strong as fuk (again, for normal people standards that is) and be overall fit, healthy, and injury-free, I'll be 100% happy and content with that.

got it, now that I understand your goals and POV.

My runner friends ONLY run.

 

[SaneDog]

Thanks for updating us man. It was a great read.

 

[ruckin]

11/18
Training:
4 mile jog first thing in the morning, chins throughout the day, and 1 hour at BJJ this evening.

Diet:
Handful of almonds for breakfast, couple handfuls of peanuts (it was a lot, probably 1000 cals worth) and baby carrots for lunch, and 8 eggs with brussel sprouts and more baby carrots for dinner.

got it, now that I understand your goals and POV.

My runner friends ONLY run.

Ah ok yeah that makes sense then. I wouldn't expect someone who only runs to have any meat on them. And even if someone did have a super low body fat who just ran, I feel like they'd just look like a skeleton.

 

[MindlessWork]

Good to see you back, ruckin. Your log is off to a great start!

 

[Mr.B66]

Ive not been around much lately , but im gonna follow along.
Going by how you look now, you should have no problem reaching your goal.

 

[$BlackBeard]

Subscribed.

Your plan is very similar to what I am wanting to do in a month or so. I'm not looking to get huge, just stronger and still be able to ride/race my bicycle and run 20mpw.

I'm a bit lighter, especially upper body. Looking to even things out with my lower body.

 

[ruckin]

Good to have you all following along. Welcome!

So it's been a crazy hectic week for me with work and I haven't been as good as I would've liked. Tuesday was good (diet/training wise) until dinner, when I went out with a customer and he just wanted to party like no tomorrow lol. I didn't go nearly as crazy as he did, but I did end up being up til 3-4 am (I'm usually asleep by 9 or 10). Dinner was good (brisket, chicken and veggies), but I drank 5 beers and just went to town eating a shit ton of mixed nuts real late.

Wednesday was tough. Running on 3-4 hours of sleep and I was literally working from wake up til I finally got to bed and didn't get in a workout (was supposed to run 5 miles), and I also ended up snacking on a ton of nuts throughout the evening. First time I missed a workout in forever, so not happy about that.

All in all it could've been worse I guess. At least everything I ate was pretty clean/healthy (except the beer) and it wasn't cookies and ice cream I binged on. Still not happy though so I'm looking forward to getting back on track to end the week and weekend right.

Today was ok, breakfast was eggs and turkey sausage, lunch was grilled salmon and salad with some fruit, and dinner was a bag of trail mix lol.

I did wake up looking pretty lean this morning (comparatively anyway) which was interesting. I was expecting to be all bloated and shitty looking after my mixed nut binges the last two days. If I wasn't trying to stay on the weight loss train right now, I'd be interested in experimenting with just feasting on nuts as much as I want and seeing if I actually gain any weight. Anyone have any thoughts on that?

Training today: "heavy" day
ATG Squat 345x11 rpe9
Press 165x10 rpe9.5
Deadlift 405x11 rpe9.5 (hook grip)
db incline bench 95sx10 rpe10
Dead hang chins 245x9 rpe9
Paused decline sit ups +30x12 (weight behind my head)
Plate Shrugs 45sx30x3