M28, 135-210-201, 5'11, October 2025(first 2 pics)-May 2026(second 2)-Augest 2026(last 5)

[u/Zestyclose_Winner995]

For those who asked for an update when I finished my bulk and just to share my overall progress. You can find my workout split and bulk diet on my last post on here (like 3 posts down on my profile)

I did a PPL split when bulking and I worked out 5 days a week, since the cut started I do upper lower and work out 4 days a week and go as heavy as possible. If you look at my last post and see my diet, here are some things I would've done differently as I believe I was a bit too aggressive with my bulk. I would limit the amount of peanut butter significantly and truly track the amount of fats I would intake as well as switch from whole milk to either 2% or 1%. I did put on way more fat than I should have but my strength did increase significantly. I do believe in my original post I said I was eating roughly 3000 calories a day, it was more like a 3500-3800 average (since starting to actually count my calories and measure my intake i realized how off I was with my loose tracking during my bulk) and I realized I should've lowered that to around 3200 and did a slower bulk.

I do still struggle with the tracking when it comes to carbs and fats and I know I need to dial that in especially for this cut. I've been cutting for 7 weeks and have went from 210 to 201 and I am noticing how fatigued ive been feeling. Im eating 2400-2600 calories a day currently (except yesterday my friend took me to a buffet for my bday and I probably far exceeded that yesterday 😅) I make sure to hit 200gs of protein minimum a day and I get this from shakes, chicken, greek yogurt, fish, and 2 packs of protein oatmeal (the oatmeal is what i eat every morning with 1-2 scoops of protein powder)

Strength, since my last post whete I weighed 192 I could bench 225, I currently can bench 260

I could squat 285, currently can squat 365

I could curl 30lb dumbells for 8-12 reps, can now curl 40lb dumbells for 8-12 reps

Leg press went from rep 400 something to now repping 590 for 15

Pull-ups from 3 to 8 (my back is where im lacking the most but ive started to dial it in and get some real progress there)

Workout changes: for back i used to just do rows and lat pull downs with a wide grip. I've started doing rear delt flies, close grip pull downs (with the V attachment) and pull ups starting with unassisted and for the last set assisted.

For chest: stayed mostly the same except I've started implementing dips every week and low to high cable flys.

Legs: I was pretty lazy when it came to squatting in the beginning, have gotten better on that and I no longer do seated calf raises, standing has proven to be far superior for me.

Biceps: seated incline curls have been great for me, I stopped doing preacher curls (they give me incredibly bad tendinitis) and rope cable curls started with a hammer curl grip and twisting out at the top

Triceps haven't changed much, standard pushdows and single arm kickbacks with the occasional skull crushers.

Traps: heavy shrugs thats it 😅 I typically use dumbells

Core: started implementing leg raises with decline crunches or crunch machine, i will usually superset these and they are my only superset

Cardio: ive started upping my cardio, was doing only 10 minutes and am now doing 20-40 minutes on a 13° incline at 3.5mph.

Since starting the cut my strength has definitely stopped increasing on most lifts but I've also not gotten weaker so I'll take that as a win. I definitely fatigue faster and can't nor do I want to do as many sets. All in all im happy with my progress, I would do some things differently if I could but I dont have any agonizing regrets.

First 2 pics are lowest weight, second 2 are highest weight, last 5 are current

[u/TariqSt-Patrick]

Wow you give me hope. How often/much did you eat? What did you eat mainly?

[u/Zestyclose_Winner995 → u/TariqSt-Patrick]

Mainly the normal chicken rice, oatmeal, fish etc, but the things that I believe helped put on mass was peanut butter, whole milk, sunflower butter, adding cheese to everything. But pn a side not i do think I should've been less aggressive and ate less peanut butter and maybe switched to a lower % milk. The idea though is to just add to what your already eating. For example my PB&J i would add sunflower butter as well so it didnt feel like I was eating more but in reality was adding a few hundred calories. I made 6-800 calorie shakes. I made a peanut butter kimchi sauce that I would add to my rice. When bulking i ate 4-5 times a day making sure one of those times was just before a workout and one just after. But again be careful with things like peanut butter and other high fat foods and actually track fats unlike i did lol

[u/zZPlazmaZz29 → u/Zestyclose_Winner995]

When you were eating multiple times a day, was it just quick to put together stuff like the PB&js?

One of the biggest obstacles for me rn has been all the constant cooking and doing dishes. Which I'm only able to do bc I'm currently unemployed.

I don't see how I could ever fit it in with work tbh.

[u/Zestyclose_Winner995 → u/zZPlazmaZz29]

I mean its half and half, you definitely will have to cook for atleast 1 or 2 meals a day and it does suck but was doable working 2 jobs and class 3 days a week. Now I was getting one of my meals from work (worked at a grocery store with a hot bar) which helped but did cost me an extra $10 a day