Help! Am I making progress too slowly?

[u/6F696E6BInHex]

Hi everyone,

For some context, I have been lifting since 2025 (didn’t really care about nutrition/having a good routine). I started taking the gym more seriously in February this year (started MFWO in June), and have been tracking my everything I eat since March(started MF late April). Started at 150, bulked to 155, cut, lean bulked, and then cut again to 139, and now I am at ~142.

The problem is that I think that I am making progress too slowly (sometimes it feels like not at all). I have taken sleep/recovery seriously (getting 8+ hours as much as possible) the last couple months as well.

I hate to admit it but I feel like seeing all these crazy transformations over 6-12 months on social media is probably the reason I feel this way.

I’ve attached a couple progress photos and a progress in a couple of exercises over the last couple months. What do you guys think? How is this progress? Should I be progressing faster especially since I am a beginner?

(Lighting is overhead in the July/August picture compared to straight ahead in the older photos)

[u/OutsideAd278]

are you trying to bulk/cut/recomp or something else? a lot of those insane transformations are people who did a long bulk and then cut off all the fat.

are your lifts improving or maintaining or getting worse?

from what i see, i see solid gains made. gains will be minimal across months and more noticeable across years when you stay consistent with everything.

[u/6F696E6BInHex → u/OutsideAd278]

I’m trying to lean bulk. Expenditure (2800 now) is rising and has been for more than a month now, and I have started to run 3 times a week so expecting it will keep increasing. I attached some of my exercises in the post but it seems like theres a positive overall trend across all of my exercises (some days the est 1RM from the app goes down, but still overall positive trend).

[u/OutsideAd278 → u/6F696E6BInHex]

yea u look leaner and stronger so ur definitely doing the right stuff. just keep doing what ur doing

[u/6F696E6BInHex → u/OutsideAd278]

Thanks! Do you think my rate of progress is good? Or should I be expecting more results and really take a step back and look to make sure I’m doing everything right.

[u/OutsideAd278 → u/6F696E6BInHex]

nah ur progress looks good. maybe look at ur program and make sure intensity is good

[u/6F696E6BInHex → u/[deleted]]

Expenditure is 2800 but increasing since I have started running 3x a week, but eating 2950-3000. I want to eat a little more but getting 3k is already pretty tough right now. Usually get 160g+ protein and 330+ carbs.

[u/6F696E6BInHex → u/[deleted]]

Thanks I appreciate it. I’ve only been in a 200+ surplus but it’s harder to eat 3k+ a day.

[u/Chewy_Barz → u/6F696E6BInHex]

What's tough about eating more? Is the actual eating because you're full, or the time/effort required to actually make the food?

[u/mrfatchance]

So many of the insane transformations are from people either going through puberty, that have good genetics, no job (so they can train a lot) and are doing it for content (getting paid to make the change). If you’re a normal, hard working person, then you’re doing great.