275 lbs to 204 lbs, 43 weeks, My Ongoing Transformation

I am 6' 2", male, 30 years old

Been struggling with my weight, physical capabilities and image for nearly a decade and finally got over the consistency hump and have been thrilled with my latest progress.

Starting weight: 275 lbs

Current weight: 204 lbs

Progress pictures: https://imgur.com/38GnagP

Strength stats (Squat / Deadlift / Bench in lbs):

Start: 165 / 245 / 145

Current: 315 / 375 / 235

Phase 1 - Raw weight loss and learning my limits, first 3 months (April 2019 through end of June 2019)

• Diet: I focused on portion and calorie control. I targeted 1800 calories (a 500 calories deficit from TDEE) and a 35/35/30 protein/fat/carb macro split. I wanted to get carbs under control while still maintaining enough energy to exercise. The deficit was rough to begin with but I wanted to be aggressive in trimming down my body fat.
• Exercise:
  
  • First 3 weeks: Nothing revolutionary here. 30 minutes of elliptical, medium resistance, focused on keeping my HR above 160. I would follow up with 3 sets of push ups (10-12 reps) and 3 sets of air squats (20 reps)
  • Remainder of Phase 1: I went with a 4 day bro split with most exercises in the RPE 6-7 range.
    • Monday: Chest and Triceps: Dumbbell Bench 3x10, Skullcrushers 3x12, Incline Benchpress 3x8, Cable Tricep Pushdown 4x15, Cable Chest Fly 3x15. Wanted to stick to basics here and create a good foundation around my very tender left shoulder (which would haunt me for the next 6 months until I was diagnosed with mild thoracic outlet syndrome).
    • Tuesday: Legs: Back Squat 5x5, RDLs 3 x10, Leg Extensions 4 x10 superset with Seated Leg Curls 4x10, Calf Raises 3x20. I knew my bench would be my weakest mainlift based on my previous failures of working out consistently but I was not prepared for how terrible my back squat would feel. I did grind through 5x5 to build strength which I was moderately successful but my set up was always random until later in my progression.
    • Wednesday: Rest
    • Thursday: Back and Biceps: Conventional Deadlifts 3x5, Cable or Landmine Rows 3x8, Lat Pulldowns 4x10, Dumbbell Bicep Curls 3x12, EZ Bar Preacher 3x8, Dumbbel Hammer Curls 3x10. Deadlifts felt too good early on, pulled my back about 6 weeks in and had to rehab with a chiropractor for 6 weeks after that. I was able to still lift lightly around the tenderness but hated I let my ego control the weight instead of logic. My biceps and lats were also grossly underdeveloped. My biceps weren't a huge focus but I knew I needed stronger lats to progress. I was majorly intimidated by pull ups and chin ups and avoided them for FAR too long because of my weight and left shoulder. I'll address this more in Phase 2.
    • Friday: Shoulders: Dumbdell Shoulder Press 3x8, Arnold Presses 3x10, Seated Face Pulls 4x12, Rear Delt Flys 3x12, Cable Lateral Raises 4x15. I was FAR too aggressive early in this phase. I cannot stress to new lifters how crucial shoulder health is to making strength progress. Not until my final month of Phase 1 did drop most of my weights so I could complete my full rep ranges. Cable lateral raises to this day I do still find incredibly valuable both functionally and aesthetically.
    • Saturday: Rest
    • Sunday: Active Recovery: This would include anything from a 30 min swim to 20 min max incline walking on treadmills to 30 min sprint on the elliptical. I was often very very sore still and wanted to create some healthy blood flow without completely taxing my body.
• Ending Phase 1 Stats:
  • Weight: 245 lbs
  • Squat / Deadlift / Bench: 205 / 285 / 170
• Overall reflection on Phase 1: What I felt I did well: Diet - I cut out booze and most processed foods, my bloating was erased and my skin health was like a 180 from the past 5 years of my life. My energy levels were also much more consistent. What I didn't do well with: ego lifting and learning form before adding weight - I wish I had spent more time watching and learning proper form and movements. I felt I left a lot of growth on the table but that's part of learning.

Phase 2: New gym, PPL and proper recovery (July 2019 to Jan 2020/Present)

• Diet: My biggest contrast to my phase dieting was staying in smaller caloric deficit (I eat around 2200 calories now) and increasing protein intake to match the 6 day PPL split I was about to undertake. My macros were (and still are) closer to 43/30/27 protein/fat/carbs. My split is pretty damn demanding on my body and I knew going into a 6 day split that without inter-week rest days, I was going to need a surplus of protein to recover properly. I focused on baked chicken, haddock, salmon, whey protein and occasionally pork as my main sources. I target around 220g a day.
• Exercise:
  • My programming is loosely based off Jeff Nippard's Push, Pull, Legs Hypertrophy Program. I find Jeff to be calm, researched and delivers great content to follow along with. My primary focus in this phase was walking a line between powerlifting and bodybuilding - so as you will see my major deviation from his program was sticking closer to a 5x5 split on my compound lifts. I also ran this program as Legs, Push, Pull, Legs, Push, Pull, Rest. I also moved to a new gym with a lot of experienced but friendly lifters that have helped me tremendously. Don't be scared to ask - 99% of people are willing to help you.
  • As an overarching theme to my split, my first three days of the split are focused on strength (65 to 85% 1RM) and my second three days are focused on speed and form (45 to 65% 1RM)
  • Legs - Monday, Strength Day & Thursday, Speed Day
    • Back Squat: Alternating between 60% 5x5 and 80% 5x3 week to week. After a lot of research, mobility work in my hips and help from folks in the gym, my set up and execution of my back squat really progressed (esp in the last 2-2.5 months). Back squats are my favorite movement with deadlifts being a close 2nd.
    • Conventional Deadlifts: On 5x5 squat weeks, I will deadlift for 3x8 at 50%. On 5x3 squat weeks, I move deadlifts to my first movement on pull days at 4x4 at 75-85%. Coupled with back squats - these two movements hit anything and everything legs.
    • Bulgarian Split Squats & Raised Heel Air Squats: Body weight only 3x10 sets on each movement, super set. By now, my hips and CNS are pretty worn so I focus clean, clean form with these two movements. These both helped isolate my stabilizers for keeping the descent of my squat in control. Raised heel = 15 lb bumper plate under your heels and your toes pointed out roughly 30 degrees.
    • Leg Extensions / Lying Leg Curls / Seated Calf Raises: Core accessory lifts for aesthetics and strength. I would do a giant super set with all three movements, 3x12 for each.
    • Speed Day Modifications: I add a 3x10 of safety squat bar good mornings as they help my squat and deadlift out of hole strength a TON. I also replace lying leg curls with 3x10 Rogue reverse hyper extensions.
  • Push: Tuesday, Strength Day & Friday, Speed Day
    • Benchpress w/ Football Bar: 4x6 or 5x3, alternating week to week. This bar worked wonders for me while I was remedying my thoracic outlet issues. It allowed me to progressively overload without creating tons of stress on my left elbow and shoulders. It also did a great job of creating a natural bar path for when I actually do barbell bench.
    • Starting Strength Lying Tricep Extensions: 4x10, Mark Rippetoe's version of this movement is insanely good for upper chest and tricep development. One of my favorites I discovered 1/2 way through Phase 2 and what a difference maker it has been.
    • High Incline Shoulder/Chest Press: 3x8, I place the bench around 60 degrees and keep the dumbbells parallel to each other. Took me a long while to overload these but once my shoulder felt 100% - I have been able to increase 5 lbs/every other week for the last 12 weeks. Highly encouraging.
    • Dips: 3 sets to failure. Still working on improving these but they seem to translate well to my bench form.
    • Double Rope Cable Tricep Pull? Downs: 4x10, a John Meadows movement, take a quick search on Youtube for his technique here. Nothing better for a tricep pump.
      
    • Cable Ez Curl Bar Reverse Grip Push Downs: 4x12, Long name but great way to hit a different angle (especially with the reverse grip) on your triceps.
    • Cable Flys: 1 Massive Drop Set (Usually around 40-50 reps), I will start with a weight that I can complete 10 reps for, drop to a weight I can complete another 10, etc.
    • Speed Day Modifications: I replace high incline shoulder presses with lighter 30 degrees 3x12 incline dumbbell press. I also do not do dips on speed days.
  • Pull: Wednesday, Strength Day & Saturday, Speed Day
    • Deadlifts: As stated in the leg portion, these ended on either pull day or leg day. When they end up on pull day, I like 4 sets of heavy triples. I find my 5th set is generally very diminished.
    • Pull Ups & Chin Ups (alternate set to set): 4x10, I am still using a blue band here so I can truly focus of slow descents and precise control. Only got confidence to start doing these 6 weeks ago but they have already reshaped my back and lats.
    • Hammersmith Low Row: 3x8, alternating reps per arm. Really enjoy these over bent over dumbbell rows. Far more isolated.
    • Lat Pulldown/Hammersmith High Row: 3x10, good plain ol' lat pulldowns I feel should be in any body building or power lifting regimen.
    • Barbell Curls: 3x8, I focus on keeping my shoulders locked and down, no shrugging.
    • Incline Lying Barbell Drag Curls: 3x12, Superset with curls. I use the same weight from barbell curls, lay chest down on an incline bench and focus on squeezing my hands pulling with my elbows. Has really helped create mass in my biceps.
    • Speed Day Modifications: I add Cable Rows with fat grip individual handles, 3x15 - awesome for grip and forearm strength too. I also add a random forearm exercise to help round out my arms.
  • Sunday: Recovery
    • Yoga, Yoga, Yoga: I don't do anything fancy but very simple movements I find on the DoYogaWithMe Youtube Channel. Absolutely critical for keeping my mobility high and form aligned.

My next steps are to cut down to 190 by April 1st for my full "1 year transformation" and hopefully get myself a set of abs for the first time in my adult life. From there, my focus for the remainder of the year is on maintaining my physique and gaining strength. I would like a 1000 lb total by September of this year.

Thanks for reading and any feedback and greatly appreciated!

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* This article was originally published here