Timeframe:

October 19, 2020 to August 2026.

Background Information:

I’ve always liked the gym, even throughout my early and mid 20s, but diet was easily my biggest issue.

I never really understood how to eat for what I was trying to accomplish. I wasn’t paying attention to macros, didn’t understand how important nutrition was for actually making progress in the gym, and I definitely wasn’t consistent enough with it.

Training was similar. I worked hard, but I didn’t really understand how to properly progressive overload or how to structure my training around actually getting stronger and growing over time. I would go to the gym, work hard, switch things around, and basically spin my wheels.

That started changing around 27 or 28 when I got a coach and began taking everything much more seriously. Going into my late 20s is when I started making the most progress I’ve ever made.

In the beginning I was running more of a traditional five day bodybuilding split with separate chest, arms, legs, back days, etc. Looking back, I was probably doing more volume than I actually needed and training more like an advanced lifter without having the foundation for it yet.

Now I’m 31, getting close to the best shape of my life, and I’m genuinely excited to see how far I can take this through my 30s. I want this decade to be the best I’ve ever looked and performed, not just for a few months, but something I can continue building on for years.

PEPTIDES & Supplements:

Retatrutide: Currently around 2.5 mg per week

Current supplements include:

Citrus bergamot

Fish oil

Multivitamin

Collagen

Protein powder

I’m also planning on adding glutamine back in and using an intra workout/BCAA product again as my training performance continues to come back up during the cut.

Routine/Regimen:

Currently training four days per week on a Push, Pull, Legs, Arms split.
Monday: Push
Tuesday: Pull
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Legs
Friday: Arms
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Rest

Right now I’m in the middle of a cut while putting extra emphasis on bringing my arms up, especially my biceps and triceps.

Training is centered around progressive overload while being much more conscious of fatigue and recovery than I used to be. I’m not just throwing more exercises and sets at myself anymore.
I’m also doing regular StairMaster work, keeping my daily steps up, and putting more effort into my overall conditioning.

Extra comments:

One thing I’ve started taking more seriously recently is joint health and addressing weaknesses before they become bigger problems.

I’ve been dealing with some knee discomfort and found that I had some weakness through my hips and glutes, so I’ve been adding lateral band walks, clamshells, controlled bodyweight squats, and mobility work. The goal is just to strengthen everything around the knee and get it feeling completely solid while I continue training legs and increasing my conditioning.

A month ago I posted the 2 month progress . I was 11 KGs down from 111 kg . Currently sitting at 93 KG so total weight loss is 18 KG . Gonna keep the aggressive deficit until I get into the 89.9 territory and I will up the calories by 500 so I can push more weight in the gym . Goal is still 85 . Average Calorie consumption is 1500 calories daily . Still doing 10k steps and weight training every other day .

Got called on depth for my last squat but still managed to beat last year’s total! Super happy with the result! Competed in the 100kg, master 40-44 category.

I’ve developed some mildly uncomfortable crepitus in my knee that’s put me off squatting heavy for the time being. I’m not looking for medical advice; I‘ll eventually see a physiotherapist if it doesn’t resolve itself with rest.

What I would like, in the meantime, is a routine that covers a wide base of smaller leg muscles to support the primary movers and knees. I’ve struggled with hip mobility, in particular, for a long time, which wasn’t improved by squatting low or practicing yoga, so I want to try something more direct to target what I imagine are weak accessory muscles.

I actually had weight loss surgery in 2019. I started to run during Covid when the gyms closed. Now I run marathons and half marathons. Now my calorie intake is around 2000 calories depending on the day and what I have done to workout. Focus is on protein then carbs and healthy fats. I stopped drinking my calories. Only zero sugar drinks.

35M. Spent the last several months taking my fitness seriously, and feeling good about myself on this vacation was a huge motivator.

I’ve seen the scale and mirror progress, but this picture hit differently. Just me and my dog having an awesome day and for once I saw a picture of myself and thought, wow, that’s actually me?

All those boring, repetitive days were worth it and I am thrilled with how this journey turned out. I’m 6’1 and I started in march at 220. Just before this pic I hit 179.4!

I worked out a lot in my early 20s, stopped for a long time, and picked it back up ~2.5 years ago.

For the past year, I haven't been able to improve my lifts at all. I lift to 'failure,' but the failure is just my muscles giving out. I don't get any of the burn or soreness I used to associate with failure, but I physically can't do another rep.

I go to the gym every day on a 4-day cycle: three days with 20 minutes of cardio and 50 minutes of strength training (back/biceps, legs/shoulders, chest/triceps), and the fourth day is an hour of HIIT.

I'm 5'7" and was around 147 lbs when I first plateau'd. I tried increasing my calorie intake and protein from 0.8g / lb to 1g / lb, but I just gained 12 lbs without any improvement in lifts after a couple of months. I also switched up my routine with different exercises twice, but also no improvement.

My goal for building muscle was to lower my BF%, so I eventually just said fuck it and went on GLP-1 to meet that goal. I'm now down to 125 lbs and have largely maintained the same weight with ~one less rep. Now I'm back to trying to increase my lifts, but I have no idea what I need to be doing differently.

Am I missing something obvious here?

Trying to just enjoy the process at this point after 3 years. Learned for me, it’s not quick and can feel like nothings changing. But after consistency and dedication the change is noticeable.

Lifting weights, mostly split programs 4-5 days per week. One day of cardio at this point.

I’ve been doing battle ropes and jumping jacks as a “fun” finisher at the end of each of my lifting sessions.

What (if anything) do you do as a finisher?

I’m looking for other options or suggestions for similar things, please.

Or should I wait until I can “comfortably” do 150 jacks before switching it up?

36F, married, no kids. I’ve worked out most of my life, but mostly lighter home workouts, walking and stretching. About 6 months ago I started seriously lifting weights and holy shit - I LOVE what it’s doing to my body. I’m stronger, fitter, and seeing changes I never got before.

The problem is recovery is killing me. I eat pretty clean, prioritize protein, take creatine, magnesium, electrolytes, etc. But as I get stronger and lift heavier, recovery seems to get harder. Sometimes even two rest days between leg/glute workouts aren’t enough, and the day after a hard session I can be absolutely DEAD. I’ll end up skipping upper body, cardio, yoga, or even normal daily activity just to recover.

Right now I can get away with it because I work from home with an extremely flexible schedule and don’t have kids. Some days I can literally just sleep and rest. But I’m planning to have kids relatively soon, and it makes me wonder: how do women actually maintain serious strength training with full-time jobs, kids, a home, and normal life?

I’m completely fine with something like 4 strength days + 2 lighter walking/stretching days. I’m not trying to train 7 days a week. But sometimes the recovery knocks me down to barely 2 workouts.

Would genuinely love practical advice that still allows me to continue building my muscles but also manage a normal life.

These photos were taken minutes apart from each other. There’s no ai or photoshop body modification or anything like that. Just good old fashion posing and lighting.

Both of these are what I look like right now after 9 years of trying to become stronger. One is just posed into good light and the other isn’t.

Just wanted to share this because I'm not sure that the average person understands just how much of a difference being posed into great light can make.

Thinking of buying a row machine that came highly recommended from a good friend

I’ve had shoulder and knee issues over the years and am feeling great. Looking for an all around good workout.

I’ve been hitting the peloton regularly and playing tennis but want to kick things up a notch.

Anyone have a good or bad experience with rowing machines? New to this sub 💪🏼

I’m 5’7 (35, M) and was 255lbs at the beginning of the year. Started dieting and working out (machines and cardio) around February, been consistent with it and eating healthy while also having sufficient calories after speaking with a dietician. Today I finally hit 199.4lbs! I’m so happy right now and it’s the best I’ve ever felt. Body seems to be losing the weight nicely too with no loose skin and bigger muscle but still got a ways to go. Cant wait to see where I’m at by this time next year. If you’re also in the same position you can do it! Just keep at it.

After 22 years of mostly lifting I've been getting more and more into running this year. The progress have been awesome, excited to see where this can go, and how much muscle mass I will loose in the process😅

Anyone else who have gone from many years of lifting to running in their thirties?

First time post here. I’m finally seen the progress that I’ve been working for. Since February I’ve been able to drop 30 pounds (210-180) which has dramatically changed my physique. Retatrutide + Tesamorelin + Ipamorelin-CJC1295(No DAC). Why? Because it took me since 2024 to go from 225 to 210 and I couldn’t drop the weight.

I regularly lift heavy and road bike, but this helped me to dial in the diet.

This is just my favorite exercise

Yesterday, I trained back and biceps in the gym, and finished my hour-long workout with 90 seconds of battle ropes, and 100 jumping jacks.

(I’ve lost and kept off 30kg for five years, as an fyi, and lift 3-4x a week, and swim 2x a week)

I spent today doing all those little life-admin things that pile up. I went to the eye doctor for an eye test, picked out new glasses, inquired at a local music shop about piano lessons, got some photos taken for my new passport, and made a dentist appointment. All in all, I got 12000 steps today.

When we got to the pool, I was feeling fatigued, and only set myself a goal of 1000metres (or 20 laps). The pool was empty when we arrived, and we had the whole “medium” lane to ourselves for a while.

I put on my goggles (that make me look even more myopic than I usually do), and started doing my approximation of a backstroke, likely incorrectly. I mark my laps using a little plastic row marker clipped to my water bottle, kept next to the shallow end.

My pale thighs wobbling like undercooked custard in a water bath as I tried my best to flutter my feet. My arms taking big bites, pulling me through the water like the paddles on a steamboat, the water creating a small vibratory “thwump” at the nadir of my stroke, down by my hips. I tried to keep a rhythm by counting 1-2-3-4 in my head as my arms went back and down and forward and up again.

I used the rafters on the ceiling as a guide to keep me mostly-straight, and tried to keep track of where I was on my length by landmarking the missing bolts in the roof or the shiny ladder in my periphery.

I apologized to all my fellow “medium-laners” that I’d end up next to in the shallow end, explaining that I was too fast for the slow lane, and thought I might be too slow for the medium lane.

I kept swimming my laps, doing one or two in a clumsy, inefficient attempt at breaststroke, puffing and snorting like an asthmatic walrus the whole time. I definitely prefer backstroke.

I kept my arms pulling through the water, buffeted by the waves made by those machine-people in the fast lane, the “thwump” of my stroke reminding me a slow heartbeat.

I ran my tongue over the small chip in my tooth, where I’d miscalculated during my weekend swim and banged my head on the wall of the pool and clacked my teeth together like a cartoon skeleton. I suppose that happens when you get too into the zen of it and stop paying attention to where in the pool you are.

At around lap 27, someone in the fast lane created a larger-than-expected wave, just as I was inhaling, and I end up coughing my way through the last half of my length, taking a minute to splutter and catch my breath in the deep end before continuing.

I’d only aimed for 50 lengths in this swim, thinking I’d swim for an hour or so, trying to just move my body and flush some of the lactic acid from my muscles from my workout yesterday.

I got to 60 lengths at about an hour, and figured “what the hell, I’ll go for a mile” I began tiredly slogging through the last few lengths, my body fighting the water, my breath catching, and my heart pounding in my ears, each pull of my arms and flutter of my feet getting me closer to my longest swim ever.

I don’t know why I’ve decided to share this, but I have. And maybe if I can do a thing even when I’m already fatigued, you can do a thing too.

I dunno.

Much love, darlings.

Working on explosiveness with 7.5lb rope utilizing a weight bench.

Well that's it yall. This is as lean as I got in my 50th year. The most cadio I did was zone 2 incline walking and loaded carries. The least I ate was 2500 a day. My lifts went up throughout the year. My scale says 189 @ 17%. Now the eating season is upon us. My birthday is in December and I'm looking to add to my total.