Not really a question for the naturally ripped dudes, but guys who have gotten more muscular or fitter looking than they maybe naturally would’ve been, what was it that made the difference?
I eat fairly well and gym regularly, have done for many years, but just not quite where I want to be and I’m not getting any younger now. Looking for some tips or inspiration really. Thanks all.
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Having a child. Before the birth of my son I rweight 18st having put on 3 in 5 years, where would I be when he was 5 or 10 and would I see him reach 20?
I started running then got a bike, 8 years later I’m a multiple time ironman finisher
Diet.
If you want the results, your diet has to be right.
It’s what makes all the difference.
A sub-par training regimen + perfect diet > A perfect training regimen + sub-par diet
Martial Arts changed it for me. Especially BJJ!
Not there yet but getting there.
First was literal kcal limit in order to diet off some of the weight and then I started adding more exercise (pushups, dumbells, etc.) into daily schedule. Now adding jogging/walks into schedule too more.
I have 0 motivation for this at all, it’s more like forcing myself into it in order to get it into routine and produce a permanent change. If I don’t do it, I never will change that is just a fact.
Intermittent fasting
Do more compound lifts and less isolation work. Squat, Bench, Deadlift, and Press.
Not somebody who got into physical shape but according the evolutional research it’s the food. Your body tries to maintain its general consumption so the food is where you have to start.
Martial arts, regular routine.
First and foremost is absolutely diet, though. You can work out twice a day seven days a week, it’ll mean jack shit if you stuff your body full of junk food. I know ’cause I’ve seen it in both myself and friends.
Diet. You can lift all you want, but your body needs building blocks. Nearly any guy can get big, but they don’t eat enough. Cue predictable response “But I eat a lot, and I have a fast metabolism.” YOU DON’T EAT ENOUGH. If you’re only eating when you’re hungry, you’re not eating enough. The appetite you have now serves to keep you the size you are now. If your lean, you need to eat alot. If you’re fat, cut back on the calories but increase protein intake. People think bodybuilders spend all day in the gym. In reality they spend all day at home with an alarm that goes off every two hours telling them to eat.
There are no “naturally ripped” people.
What worked the best for me was forgetting about bulking/cutting cycles. I don’t have the stress of changing my diet every X months and going through periods of hating how much/how little I eat, the stuff I’m missing, the clothes that stop looking good on me… Now I just focus on hitting my protein goals and eating around the same calories every week (if I want to gain or lose a couple kgs, I make small adjustments).
The way I set goals. Previously, if I have practiced for i.e a 10 km race I tend to stop running after the race. Now I set my goal to 70 runs per year. Has worked for several years. The goal is consistency.
Knowing how to push to your limits and fail gracefully is a game changer. A lot of your gains are in those last 1-2 reps. It doesn’t do much good if you’re doing 3-4 sets of 10 every single time. Most people don’t try and push past the number they’ve already set for themselves in their head. If you’re trying to do 10 reps, you’re going to set the weight to something you know you can push out 10 reps on.
switched cardio for weights. got strict with calorie counting. lost 4 stone, goal is 6. easy
I’ve been lifting with alot more focus for the past 9 months or so, and have seen decent progress.
However the thing that seems to have made the most difference is I’ve cut out bread on weekdays. Just replaced it with wraps for lunch instead of sandwiches & that has made a massive impact.
I see a lot of mentions about diet, and that’s a big deal on top of lifting (and I agree with compound moments), but the body also needs adequate rest/recovery after those workouts. That’s when you heal/grow.
Diet, sleep and self control.
Motivation: Heartbreak
Working out long enough to experience the mental and emotional benefits of exercising.
A desire to look good got me into the gym, but a desire to feel good is what kept me there.
Cut down sugar.
In any form, except fruits.
Helped me lose 20+ kg
As a skinny dude who now has a decent bit of size, really pushing the weight and sticking to a 6-8 rep range, contrary to the advice you’ll usually hear of “10-12” reps, really helped put on mass.
That and eating, like a lot. A good weight gain shake with peanut butter, milk, protein and oats is the literal cheat code to getting the calories in.
Finally, push pull legs is GOATED, if done right
Consistency was the game changer for me. I wasn’t really looking to get jacked or huge, I just wanted to be strong and healthy. Had no desire to obsess over calories or macros, just ate well. Wasn’t trying to constantly max my reps and weights, just made incremental progress over many years. One day, I woke up a decade later and was pretty jacked. I’ve also avoided injury doing it this way.
I turned 34. I read that, after 34, it becomes increasingly difficult to establish a fitness regimen you will be able to stick to for the rest of your life. So I wasn’t able to procrastinate any longer.
Stopping drinking was huge, nowadays I might have a beer or wine only at social events as well as no junk food during the week.
I also took up rucking as my cardio on top of my lifting program, carrying a pack with weight between 45-65lbs for 10+ km or hills absolutely shredded the fat off me.
I just put more effort into being active multiple times a day and less tv, games and browsing the internet.
I was overweight, depressed and divorced and felt like a bag of shit being hungover every weekend feeling sorry for myself.
If you’re interested check my post history and you can see what can be achieved, even as an old fuck at 49.
I was never in shape in my life. In fact, when I started working out at 27, I couldn’t even bench press the barbell. I had to use 25 pound curl bars. and yes, im a man.
Now at 36 ive got a 700 pound squat and a 360 pound bench and looking to break a deadlift state record this weekend.
The absolute biggest game changer that blew up my numbers was surrounding myself with like minded individuals.
For the longest time, I was working out at a commercial gym and I would never get stronger. Finally I made the switch to a powerlifting gym. Hype music, better quality equipment, less stringent on chalk and slamming weights. I mean this gym would be intimidating for the uninitiated. Massive people everywhere putting up ridiculously heavy weight. There are multiple people Wirth over 900 pound squats.
Once I got in there and started working out with these people, I adopted their mindset. I learned their secrets to success, and we motivated each other. It’s hard to be content with a 315 pound deadlift when the guy next to you is deadlifting 601 for 6 reps. So I pushed myself harder. An extra rep, some extra weight, advice on technique, programming advice that helped my understand programming on a deeper level.
It’s better to be a small fish in a big pond than a big fish in a small pond because you have more room to grow.
Walk 8,000 steps a day;
Drink a gallon of water;
Get into the gym and do SOMETHING 3-4x a week;
Eat 4 meals with a protein base (chicken, beef, pork, seafood, whey, etc.)
You will change quicker than you know.
So, at 40 or so, after a divorce, I went to a funeral. And other than my brothers, my more distant relatives didn’t recognize me standing there because I’d fattened up to 250 on my 5/9 frame.
So, went on weight watchers. Then joined a title boxing-gym. But the real change was when I joined a cross fit gym, and started paleo. Then we added running when some guys in our CF box started taking me to mud runs. And love it or hate it, but crossfit’s weird “team” and “you’re an athlete” culture is what really clicked into the major difference, and hiit workouts.
I’m 58 now, 180 pounds, and in the best shape of my life. I squat more than my weight and deadlifting just short of twice my weight. I run an 8 minute one mile and knock out a 5k a few times a week. (I’m starting to train for 12 mi ruck runs.)
I was a math nerd all my life, so, lol, not “naturally” anything.
Diet is 80% of getting in shape and that’s just a fact. It’s the fuel of your body.
Quit drinking
I was always thin by default, but after 40 noticed the emergence of a beer belly. This is how I reversed it without exercising (ain’t nobody with time for that). 1 Don’t drink beer alone at home. 2 Don’t eat fast food alone at home. 2 Walk to places that are within walking distance. The end. If I’m out with friends, I’ll still consume a whole pizza and several beers.
Energy in vs energy out. The law of thermodynamics is a real thing.
Figure out your TDEE, eat below it and watch the pounds fall off week by week.
I had been trying to lose weight and get in shape for over a decade before finally realizing this is the only way, it’s not so much what you eat, but how much you eat that makes all the difference
No drinking alcohol
TRT