/cuteboys/ - Boypussy

01 BASIC TERMINOLOGY:

This shit is waaaay too long to be posting on an imageboard. See the pastebin link at the top if you need help with anything.

02 CALORIES

>Calories

In a nutshell, energy that you get from eating things.

Things like gender, age, size and level of daily activity all affect how many calories you need to get you through the day.

Calories come in three forms: Carbohydrates, Protein, and Fat. Each of these have their own attributes.

Over-eating calories will make your body store them as fat reserves. Under-eating calories will make your body burn fat stores for energy.

Be suspicious of stuff that brags about low fat or calories: Diet Coke and Coke Zero brag about having zero calories, but that means your body gets NOTHING nutritional from it. [Source: Coca Cola site]

The exception for low calorie suspicion is water and black tea/coffee (read: no dairy, no added sugar). Since they're mostly water they're great for keeping you hydrated and making you feel less hungry.

Calories can't just disappear. Skimmed milk is lower in fat, but it compensates though quite a bit of added sugar (a carb subgroup). It's up to you to find a happy medium.

>Carbs

The primary source of energy that you get from food.

Typically the primary source of calories in a balanced diet, so should be the highest % of your macros.

Carbs can come in different forms. That's why "Dietary Fibre" and "Sugars" and "Fibre" are often listed underneath Carbs on the food label.

Carbs keep you feeling fuller for longer. This is especially true of Fibre.

Not all carbs are good. Refined carbs (which are found in potato snacks) can cause cravings which, combined with refined fats, are one of the principal causes in modern obesity.

The same goes for sugars. There's natural sugar and lots of fibre in orange fruit, but orange juice has almost non of the fibre and several teaspoons of refined sugar added to make it sweeter.

Carbs like Fibre are great for helping you poop regularly, which makes cleaning out before bottoming less of a chore.

>Protein

Vital to strengthening and repairing muscles.

In a balanced diet, it should preferably be second or joint-second on your macro-nutrient intake simply to keep fat intake lower.

Protein is the most satiating, but isn't a good source of energy.

Due to it's importance, lean whole-cuts of meat (like chicken breast) are recommended.

If you don't eat meat, it's highly recommended that you supplement protein through alternatives (like tofu or whey).

>Fats

Vital for absorbing certain nutrients and vitamins. Natural fats are good for you, and even aid in weight loss.

While found in most things and good for you in moderation, they are the primary cause of fatty stores and weight gain (especially if it's refined fat) so they should be the lowest of your macros.

Fats also come in different forms, notably saturated fats found in processed foods. Like everything else, saturated fats aren't bad for you as long as they're not consumed in excess.

Fat is the least satiating of the three main calories – it's the protein in meat that stops you feeling hungry, which is why you should eat more lean meats than fatty meats.

RECAP:

>Calories give you energy, come as Carbs, Protein and Fat.

>Carbs are your main fuel source, and also includes Fibre (should be high) and Sugars (should be low). Should be your highest calorie intake.

>Protein is the most filling and makes you strong, but isn't a great energy source. Should be your second highest calorie intake.

>Fats are vital, but are the least filling and add to your fat stores. Should be your lowest calorie intake.

03 DIET RULES AND TIPS

>The First Law of Thermodynamics

As you probably learned in school: energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be changed. Your body's energy has to come from somewhere, and that "somewhere" is calories from food.

If you don't eat enough calories, your body has to burn stored calories (i.e. fat) to keep moving and working. If you eat too many calories, your body has to store them as it can't make them "disappear."

If you definitely eat a deficit consistently, you WILL get smaller. If you eat too many calories, you WILL get bigger. Despite what some fatties argue, there's no magic or special rules for different people.

This legitimately needs emphasis, as some people seriously think that others are "just lucky" and "have a faster metabolism" so they eat whatever without getting fat, which is a crock of shit. If you're eating 100% healthy but not losing fast enough, then your portions are way too big.

A calorie is a calorie to your body. It doesn't matter if you ate 1000cals of vegetables or 1000cals of French Fries, if you don't work those thousand off you're going to stay fat because your body has to store it.

Yes you can lose weight eating only unhealthy snack food if it's carefully portioned. Is it recommended? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Done long enough you'll start to suffer from malnutrition and ailments like scurvy due to vitamin deficiency, with the added difficulty that junk food causes cravings and isn't very satiating.

>TDEE

The amount of calories you need depends highly on the exercise you're doing and what you're eating.

If you have an active job and go to the gym five times a week, you need a lot more calories than if you work a desk job and never exercise.

If you're seriously overweight or obese, you need to count calories. You got to that state by not watching what you eat, so you really need to look at what you're eating and what you're burning.

If you need help there are apps and sites for counting calories that offer recipes and meal plans. They can be a bitch if you don't grocery shop or live with your parents, but you can make it work if you really try and have some kind of budget.

If you're not massively overweight or just want to get healthier, you don't need to count calories but should still research what you eat. Knowing the difference between calories and what makes food unhealthy is an indispensable skill.

>Satiety

Another reason to eat healthier is satiety. Most healthy foods have tend to be more filling (so you don't have to eat as much), or have less calories than bad food (so you can eat bigger portions). Either way, it's often cheaper if you buy healthy stuff in bulk: you'll either eat less to feel full, or you'll spend less overall because stuffing your face with vegetables costs less than doing it with brand snacks.

A good example is rice, which has a reasonable amount of calories and is very filling. The same goes for most starchy foods that are higher in carbohydrates, like cereals (e.g. oats or wheat) – they're really filling, so you're less likely to snack between meals.

Peasants have survived for centuries simply by farming satiating crops to excess and eating portions for most meals. There's a reason gruel was popular in Western history, it's often just oats boiled in milk (which is dirt cheap, nutritious, keeps you full for a while, and can be easily flavoured with fruit). There's another reason Oliver Twist shouldn't be asking for more: it's cause he's a greedy little cunt if whole oats aren't filling him.

An average chicken breast (~170 grams) is ~300 calories, but 1 medium serving (~120g) of McDonalds' French Fries is listed at ~380 calories. If you're curious which one makes you feel more full and satiated, it's not the one that comes with a burger. [Source: Google for chicken averages, McDonalds site for data on Fries]

04 EXERCISE

>Types

For the most part, non-competitive exercise effectively comes in three flavours: cardio, HIIT and weightlifting.

Cardio, as the name implies, involves getting your heart beating fast to increase stamina and cardiovascular health. This is most competitive sports, and includes everything from running to cycling to rowing. Ideal for losing weight.

HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training, which (as it implies) is when you do very intense cardio exercises at alternating intervals.

Weightlifting, also named quite obviously, involves making certain movements to strengthen muscles and improve physique, often with added weights. This involves both isolation movements and compound movements, which doesn't necessarily require additional weight.

>Cardio

Again, things that involve getting your heart racing.

Recommended for those looking to lose weight or increase overall stamina. Harder if you're bulking: if you're trying to gain weight, cardio means taking in even more calories to compensate and hit your TDEE.

Pretty basic overall. Using cardio machines can help as it will give general figures as to how many calories you're burning per workout. That said, check attached for more on proper form.

If you're hating cardio but need to lose weight, variety is the spice of life. Try swapping out different types to keep it interesting and strengthen different muscles: cycling is less boring if you alternate with rowing.

Can't vouch for it, but "Couch to 5K" seems pretty popular so see attached. Since it involves starting basic then progressing to higher challenges (i.e. how you should be training anyway) it looks good to me.

>HIIT

Intense cardio done at alternating intervals, done similarly to sets of reps found in weightlifting (albeit without fully resting between). For example: walk for three minutes, sprint for one minute, then repeat a few times.

As the name implies, it's incredibly intense. It's the kind of exercise that you need to train up to (or at least start very basic with). There's a reason it's classed as anaerobic like weightlifting, cause it puts your body under great strain.

Mid-fifties BBC presenter Andrew Marr triggered a fucking stroke doing HIIT. It's down to the fact he ignored previous symptoms of mini-strokes, didn't mind his blood pressure despite getting old, and assumed that he could go hell-for-leather with his cardio because he jogged really often.

Despite that scare story, if you're in good health and don't go fucking mental with it when you're old and/or have health issues then you'll be fine. HIIT comes with risks in the same way you could have a heart attack doing the Tour de France if you overdid it and didn't train up properly.

Again for emphasis: don't go mental with it. It's one of those things like running a half-marathon – it sounds easy enough when you just think about it, but even with training it's much much harder in actual practice.

Probably the best way to lose weight through cardio. Provided you can keep up with it, you're going to need to burn a massive amount of energy to keep up.

I really can't emphasise this enough. Don't overdo it. Get a coach or personal trainer who can guide you through this kind of thing and set you realistic targets.

05 GYM

>Basics

The gym is a great place to do cardio or lifting.

Memberships cost money, but it's easily justified if you go a few times a week and depends on the gym. Gyms also mean an environment and professional help not available at home.

The alternative is a home gym, which costs a lot more in the short term (equipment is pricey) but less in the short term as you only pay once.

Almost all gyms have changing facilities, or at the very least lockers to store your stuff. Bring change, most require coins to lock.

I suggest taking a refillable water bottle, it's important to stay hydrated.

Take your phone/music player and some sports earphones or wireless headphones. My gym plays chart music and it's mostly awful, so I listen to Spotify stuff or my own downloaded stuff.

Keep track of what you do. Noting your achievements and targets (such as how long it took you to cycle 4km or how much you squatted) helps remind you of progress and lets you set goals.

>Other people

Anxious people: don't worry about other people. You may catch glances of others, or even steal a few yourself. It's because when you're not actively exercising you don't know where to look. Either that or they're 'mirin. Nobody really cares about your routine.

As a rule of thumb, it's 50/50 on whether or not to offer advice. If someone looks new and is fucking up badly and you definitely know what you're on about, go over and offer neutral advice. Be polite: "Excuse me, just a heads up, but you might find it easier to keep form squatting in flat shoes", not "Pfft, you squatting with running shoes, newfag? Nice form HUURRR."

If all the equipment is being used, ask if you can work between sets. This means that you do sets whenever they are resting, and most people are fine with it. If not, just ask how long they'll be and go and do something else or hang around nearby.

If you start moving or using equipment and someone comes over and says they're still using it, just apologize. Some of the nicest people I've spoken to are huge, intimidating muscleheads simply because politeness and courtesy go a long way.

Take advice as appropriate. If a personal trainer comes over and suggests something, try it. If a blatant newfag in jeans and sandals tells you to twist violently to the right when coming out of a squat, ignore the daft cunt.

If you're new, don't worry about it. EVERYONE started at the bottom, just keep at it and you'll get comfortable soon enough once it all becomes routine.

If you're seriously overweight or whatever, people might look. Ignore them, as you probably noticed people stare at you everywhere. As long as you're sincere and try your hardest, they're in the wrong so fuck them. DON'T FUCKING QUIT BECAUSE OF OTHER PEOPLE.

>Proper etiquette

I can't believe I have to type this, but there was seriously a thread on it. The gym is NOT a gay sauna or club or whatever. People go there to exercise or to change and shower. Don't masturbate in the showers, blow people in the toilets, or stand flirting and petting with your bf. It's fucking gross and people don't want to see it.

Buy gym clothes. That's a t-shirt, shorts or tracksuit bottoms, and appropriate shoes. Shoes should be either sponge based (i.e. running shoes) if you're running and doing cardio, or flat and solid based (Converse is a common brand) if you're doing weightlifting. Don't be the guy who wears fucking jeans or cargo pants.

When in doubt, ask. Gym staff are there to answer questions about form and equipment. Personal trainers can be booked to help you get started or hit targets. Other people aren't monsters, so just ask if they're using equipment or if they'd move up a little in the free-weights area.

Tidy the fuck up. Don't leave your weights and equipment out when you're not using them, someone could trip or hurt themselves and it's taking up space. Put them back in the correct place, don't be that prick who stacks the heavier weights at the top to show off, someone will probably get hurt trying to move it.

If you're a heavy sweater or doing cardio, take a towel to clean up your sweat. It's horrible when you touch someone else's leftover sweat.

Learn your terminology and mind your memes. I shouldn't have to mention this, but don't be weird: saying you're "bulking" will get you a nod of understanding, saying you're "getting swole" will rightly get you a weird look.

RECAP:

>Don't be a cunt. Be polite and sincere.

>Buy the right clothing and shoes.

>Take a water bottle and a towel, at least at first.

>Take a music player and headphones if you have them.

>Ask for help if you need it. That's why the staff are there.

>Don't be gross or a degenerate.

>Ignore other people. Help others as you see fit.

>Keep track of your progress.

05 GYM

>Basics

The gym is a great place to do cardio or lifting.

Memberships cost money, but it's easily justified if you go a few times a week and depends on the gym. Gyms also mean an environment and professional help not available at home.

The alternative is a home gym, which costs a lot more in the short term (equipment is pricey) but less in the short term as you only pay once.

Almost all gyms have changing facilities, or at the very least lockers to store your stuff. Bring change, most require coins to lock.

I suggest taking a refillable water bottle, it's important to stay hydrated.

Take your phone/music player and some sports earphones or wireless headphones. My gym plays chart music and it's mostly awful, so I listen to Spotify stuff or my own downloaded stuff.

Keep track of what you do. Noting your achievements and targets (such as how long it took you to cycle 4km or how much you squatted) helps remind you of progress and lets you set goals.

>Other people

Anxious people: don't worry about other people. You may catch glances of others, or even steal a few yourself. It's because when you're not actively exercising you don't know where to look. Either that or they're 'mirin. Nobody really cares about your routine.

As a rule of thumb, it's 50/50 on whether or not to offer advice. If someone looks new and is fucking up badly and you definitely know what you're on about, go over and offer neutral advice. Be polite: "Excuse me, just a heads up, but you might find it easier to keep form squatting in flat shoes", not "Pfft, you squatting with running shoes, newfag? Nice form HUURRR."

If all the equipment is being used, ask if you can work between sets. This means that you do sets whenever they are resting, and most people are fine with it. If not, just ask how long they'll be and go and do something else or hang around nearby.

If you start moving or using equipment and someone comes over and says they're still using it, just apologize. Some of the nicest people I've spoken to are huge, intimidating muscleheads simply because politeness and courtesy go a long way.

Take advice as appropriate. If a personal trainer comes over and suggests something, try it. If a blatant newfag in jeans and sandals tells you to twist violently to the right when coming out of a squat, ignore the daft cunt.

If you're new, don't worry about it. EVERYONE started at the bottom, just keep at it and you'll get comfortable soon enough once it all becomes routine.

If you're seriously overweight or whatever, people might look. Ignore them, as you probably noticed people stare at you everywhere. As long as you're sincere and try your hardest, they're in the wrong so fuck them. DON'T FUCKING QUIT BECAUSE OF OTHER PEOPLE.

>Proper etiquette

I can't believe I have to type this, but there was seriously a thread on it. The gym is NOT a gay sauna or club or whatever. People go there to exercise or to change and shower. Don't masturbate in the showers, blow people in the toilets, or stand flirting and petting with your bf. It's fucking gross and people don't want to see it.

Buy gym clothes. That's a t-shirt, shorts or tracksuit bottoms, and appropriate shoes. Shoes should be either sponge based (i.e. running shoes) if you're running and doing cardio, or flat and solid based (Converse is a common brand) if you're doing weightlifting. Don't be the guy who wears fucking jeans or cargo pants.

When in doubt, ask. Gym staff are there to answer questions about form and equipment. Personal trainers can be booked to help you get started or hit targets. Other people aren't monsters, so just ask if they're using equipment or if they'd move up a little in the free-weights area.

Tidy the fuck up. Don't leave your weights and equipment out when you're not using them, someone could trip or hurt themselves and it's taking up space. Put them back in the correct place, don't be that prick who stacks the heavier weights at the top to show off, someone will probably get hurt trying to move it.

If you're a heavy sweater or doing cardio, take a towel to clean up your sweat. It's horrible when you touch someone else's leftover sweat.

Learn your terminology and mind your memes. I shouldn't have to mention this, but don't be weird: saying you're "bulking" will get you a nod of understanding, saying you're "getting swole" will rightly get you a weird look.

RECAP:

>Don't be a cunt. Be polite and sincere.

>Buy the right clothing and shoes.

>Take a water bottle and a towel, at least at first.

>Take a music player and headphones if you have them.

>Ask for help if you need it. That's why the staff are there.

>Don't be gross or a degenerate.

>Ignore other people. Help others as you see fit.

>Keep track of your progress.

06 HORMONES

I'll briefly touch on this as it falls under health. I'll admit I know very little on this, but it seems I'm wiser than half of the fuckers on this board.

>Should I take hormones?

Are you a transsexual? If not, then NO.

>Why shouldn't I take hormones by myself?

As you probably realize, hormones affect your entire biological structure. The human body is amazing and resilient, but you can and will fuck up your body using them like magic candy.

You are not a doctor or medical professional. Even doctors don't diagnose and treat their own ailments beyond the flu because their personal bias could influence their diagnosis.

You shouldn't treat them as a quick solution to how you look simply because things could work out differently. If you decide you don't want it any more in three years time, it's not as simple as just stopping and going back to being a dude.

Hormones are drugs too. A morbidly-obese elderly lady does not need the same prescription as a middle-aged anorexic man. You may not need the same dosages as recommended, and you don't know that because you're not a doctor. Height, weight, age, medical history, allergies, and a dozen other factors can determine what you actually need.

>How do I know if I'm trans?

Beats me, kid, I'm just a masculine faggot. There's a big difference between wanting to be fem and wanting to actually be a chick.

Wanting to be a girl with a dick is probably just a fetish thing, because (as far as I know) trans people have to want to fully transition and crave it 24/7.

Again, I'm not qualified. Speak to a doctor or medical professional someone you can trust if you're really worried about things.

>What are the risks of hormones?

Too many to list and there's lots of conflicting studies. The most commonly raised issue is that you're at higher risks of certain cancers depending on which way you're transitioning (but that's a risk that just comes with using hormones anyway).

Again, do your research and speak to a doctor or psychiatrist or other medical professional.

>Can't I just buy hormones off the internet?

No, that is unbelievably stupid. Steve off Etsy or "Shady Company From India" is under no legal obligations or regulations to provide drugs up to a standard.

This feels like a good time to remind you that shady drug dealers have a habit of cutting miscellaneous stuff in with their product to bulk it out. You could be buying a load of placebos or nasty stuff added to make it look like more so they can up the price.

>Are there alternatives to make me more feminine?

Yes, but you'll have to read up yourself.

Your hormones can naturally be adjusted through eating certain foods, as eating less meat but drinking more alcohol and green tea can aid this.

Hopefully someone else can provide more insight on this than me. I'm not very feminine so I'm the wrong guy to ask on diets to make it more pronounced.

>Will hormones affect my fitness routine?

Yes. All I know is that it will definitely have an impact simply because of physiological differences between genders.

Things like fat and muscle distribution differ between genders, and depending on when you start hormones and what exercise you do will no doubt impact that.

Again, ask a medical professional or, if you can't afford that, maybe ask a /fit/ trans person about their experiences.

TL;DR – Speak to a fucking doctor. This is the kind of stuff that can fuck your body up and/or wreck things in your life irreparably. Even if it costs money to speak to a doctor, you're taking your life into your own hands otherwise.

07 FAQ & MISC

Just a few things that I think I've missed but don't really fit anywhere.

>"Do I need to diet AND exercise?"

Yep. Calories in and calories out is fundamental. If you sit on your fat arse and eat less chances are you'll just stop getting fatter. If you exercise and eat less, you're burning even more calories so you'll lose more.

>"What happens if I hit my TDEE but never ever exercise?"

Then you'll turn spooky skeleton. Disused muscles atrophy and waste away, so even if you eat tiny portions of really healthy food, sitting around all day every day will mean you'll slowly start to look anorexic as your muscles get smaller and your body burns fat.

>"Why else should I diet and exercise?"

Ignoring getting fitter and more appealing, a healthier lifestyle it has a positive effect on mental health too and reduces risks of chronic ailments (type two diabetes and heart disease among them) and more serious complications (cancers associated with processed meats and smoking for example).

>"How important is warming up?"

Very. Running through the motions at a milder level gets your body ready and reduces your risk of pulling something. As a rule of thumb, do a minute or so slow pace for cardio, and do 10-15 reps at half weight or just with the bar (whatever your preference is) for weights.

>"How important is resting?"

Very. If you don't rest, then your muscles can't recover and hypertrophy. This isn't just talking about sleeping enough either, you need to take a rest day every few days (or at least weekends if you're in all week). Even fitness coaches take days of work.

>"I've injured myself! How long should I rest?"

As long as you need, even if that's a week. If it's hurting a lot or if it's really stiff, REST IT. Even if you've been training for a run and you'll miss it, overdoing it and damaging yourself further could do serious harm.

If you must go back and it's just a little bit stiff, do a reset: take weight off or do lighter cardio and build back up session-by-session until you're fully healed or back up to here you were.

>"Do I need [supplement]?"

Varies from person to person, so research your needs. If you don't eat much meat you should take multivitamins, as you can only get Vitamin B12 from meat.

B12 is one of the important ones as it helps prevent stuff like anaemia and is important for CNS function (apparently).

>"I don't want to get too big! What is the risk of that if I lift?"

It's not going to happen unless you make it. Yes you will build muscle from exercise, but unless you have a high caloric and protein intake and progressively increase the weights you lift you're not going to "accidentally" end up like Schwartzenegger.

Put it this way: if you start frying eggs every Sunday breakfast, would you worry about turning into Gordon Ramsey? No, you'd never get to that level without actively trying to.

If you want a nice bum, you need to do something like squats. If your bum isn't muscle, then it's either fat (saggy and gross) or flat (boring).

>"How long until I'm fit and stop?"

Sorry to break the news, but never. You should never go back to eating four doughnuts in a sitting, nor should you ever be chugging soda and iced Mocha coffees with whipped cream and sprinkles. Treats should be treats.

The reason that around 99% of diets fail is because people get their goal body and then go back to doing whatever they want. Anyone who has worked in an office: you know that one woman who diets to fit in her bikini every summer and constantly whines about it? That's because the dumb bitch goes back to eating pizza like it's a vegetable every Autumn.

You should be eating healthier full stop. This is how people get massive when they approach middle age – it's because their eating habits stay the same past their 30s and it catches up with them because they slow down with age.

Like I said, the alternative is turning into one of those enormous people you see in scooters or being the whiny fatty in the office who can't understand why she suddenly balloons in winter months.

08 CONCLUSION

There, you (probably didn't) read the whole thing. Please use the OP as reference when some tool starts asking questions. This shit shouldn't need archiving as the board is slow as fuck anyway, so even if it rots in the catalog with no responses it'll always be here to throw at others.

As a suggestion, add your own shit to this if you can think of anything. This is cuteboys, so lots of lifestyle stuff is applicable. A Few suggestions:

* Hair removal and maintenance.

* Guides and tips on douching.

* Useful supplements and their effects.

* Tips on lonliness and depression and relationships.

* General faggy stuff.

Regardless, consider throwing it in if you know your stuff, just be prepared to defend your posts if it's contradictory or inaccurate.

Just keep those dangerous, pseudo-scientific trap inforgraphics the fuck out of here. I have no clue what a "sissy squat" is, but it sure as fuck isn't as good or effective as a normal squat. I am not a doctor, but I can tell you that popping HRT like it's cod liver oil because you think it'll make you cute will fuck your shit up.

Don't forget:

You've got it in you to be cute and/or bara. Everyone attractive started at zero.

You'll find a husband (or wife, ick) some day if you try hard enough.

You're gonna make it.

Inb4 TL;DR. Here's hoping at least one person benefits from this. Jesus Christ this took a while to type.

>>250878

I didn't even realize there was a sequel (Last Window: The Secret of Cape West) cause it has a totally different name and wasn't promoted as well. Really no surprise Cing went backrupt. Regardless, totally underrated game series.

I weigh 196lbs and I'm 5'11, so it's showing me as overweight. Every day is leg day, and pic related is me. What are the discrepancies of BMI calculations?

>>250901

BMI can't differentiate between fat and muscle, doesn't account for waist line size and the statistics are just plain stupid. It's an outdated and unreliable system

Hot pic btw, also a huge leg day person myself

>>250908

oh, it's you!

you're basically walking vitruvian man r34

>>250883

Thanks again, Admin. I had the sense to make a PasteBin link this time, so at least it can always be retried if it goes wrong again.

>>250901

>What are the discrepancies of BMI calculations?

Like Astro said, it doesn't account for muscle percentages: The Rock, for example, is class one obese for BMI because he's beefy as fuck, very low bodyfat, and really tall. It still works pretty well as a general base of measure for fat though, but you'll have to buy some medical calipers if you want a more accurate reading.

>I weigh 196lbs and I'm 5'11, so it's showing me as overweight.

1. If you're bulking and lifting then you're gonna go up in muscle and fat unless you're really accurate with macros and calories. If you're where you want for muscle gains for now then cut until you're well into normal weight, then you'll have more room to go back up when you bulk again and look more cut (provided you keep your fat macros low).

2. Maybe it's just me, but it looks like you're taking a breath and sucking in your gut a little. If you want better lewds then you should be flexing and/or tensing, not expanding your chest cavity; if you are and are using these pics as a basis, then it might be a factor in to why you think you look thinner than you are.

3. Again, like Astro said, BMI isn't very accurate. However, while you're by no means fat you're not full ottermode and entirely built of muscle either, so at least some of that has to be fat.

4. Leg work is showing. Very nice butt.

Also revealing pics since everyone else is doing it. 5ft11 and 152lbs for the curious. Hardly amazing, but I'm getting there!

>>251011

>mfw that fantastic underwear bulge

Keep up the good work!

But yeah, also with BMI readings they tend to make taller people look "fatter" while shorter people look "thinner". Anyways like I said in my last post, BMI is a 200 year old pseudo science hack

>>251109

Thanks man. Part of the reason I actually got started cause I was jelly of you, so it means a lot.

>>251380

>Part of the reason I actually got started cause I was jelly of you

Oh my.. Well I'm glad I was able to influence you (and maybe others) to get fit and healthier!

>>251494

OP may know more than I do but eat a good breakfast with plenty of carbs and protein. That's what helps me

And when you say low energy, do you just get tired out easily or do you get dizzy and uncoordinated?

>>251494

>>251645

Yeah, a filling breakfast can help a lot with energy IMO. I always microwave whole oats in milk then stir in squashed banana or raspberries: the oats are filling, the fruit is tasty, and the milk and fruit have natural sugars to help your energy levels; just make sure to mind your portions or to compensate later if you're cutting. Other than that, try drinking black tea/coffee (i.e. don't add milk or sugar) as it's only ~2cal per cup but gives you a caffeine boost and stops you feeling as hungry.

Please note that your low energy might be because you're getting far too few calories or might be a mild condition like anemia too. If you're still having problems after trying a better breakfast and caffeine, consider eating more calories (while staying under your TDEE obviously), and if that still doesn't work consider seeing a doctor to make sure everything is okay.

>>252287

Up until recently I worked in a cafe so I'm fine with the taste of black coffee. I have that Asian tolerance though so even a little caffeine really messes with my ability to focus and sleep (even if I drink it in the morning), so that's why I don't fuck with coffee often. Anyhow I don't really need any energy additives, I get enough of it from the food I eat.

>>252403

>I don't actually have breakfast, other than a smoke and coffee

There's your problem right there. Cut down on the smoking or much preferably stop altogether and start eating plentiful breakfasts. A good eating habit to have for adults is to eat big meals early in the day and small meals later in the day.

>>252403

>I don't actually have breakfast, other than a smoke and coffee.

Yeah, listen to the other anon. Smoking stops you feeling as hungry, so one reason for your tiredness could be you aren't getting enough calories because the cigarettes are getting rid of your hunger.

>But sometimes I, too, have some lazy oatmeal. :D

Well that's good! Try to make it most mornings at the very least and then you're doing better.

>And.. more calories? But I'm already gaining weight if I eat anything besides dinner. :|

It depends what you are eating though. If you aren't having three meals a day but still getting fatter then one of these is probably happening: you are eating unhealthy high-fat food too often; you are eating portions of food that are too big; or you aren't exercising enough. Either way, you need to eat healthier meals more often and burn more calories if you're still getting fat without much food.

>>252423

>even a little caffeine really messes with my ability to focus and sleep

If it's that much of a problem you could always try tea. As far as I know it's not nearly as caffeinated as coffee and if you decide you still don't need the energy there's lots of flavours in decaf. I dunno, just food for thought.

>>253209

>other than drinking wine and/or beer on the weekends

Alcohol has calories! Also lots of people drink more than they realize, so it could factor into what you're taking in.

>there's often some pretty good food for dinner

>I drink about 1-2L of water every day

>usually don't have any snacks unless we've some fruits/veggies left over.

Well these are all great. Cooking real stuff is better than just cooking frozen, pre–made bad things so you're better than most people.

>I probably am eating too much, sometimes 2 times as much as my parents.

Then try just eating the same size portions as them and see if that helps. You won't see very fast results, but provided it's not all bad food and you're eating half portions you should see results.

>But I doubt there'd be 2K+ kcals in a double serving of steak and potatoes or oven-baked chicken.

It's not just the calories but the types of calories too. Using those two as an example: the chicken is leaner and less fatty meat, the chicken will probably be a smaller cut of meat, and the chicken is being baked in a sauce rather than fried in a fatty oil like steak usually is. The steak might be full of protein too, but it has a lot more fat and is typically cooked in oil so it's a less healthy choice.

>Perhaps that'll give me enough calories.. to burn calories.

It sounds silly, but you really should get more calories when you wake up rather than later on. You don't need to, but your body can use an energy boost most when it's still waking up and haven't eaten for several hours (and you're less likely snack outside your meals if you've got the energy to keep going). If you cut back on the smoking, you might find you're more hungry in the morning too, so oatmeal will be more helpful then.

>A good thing, though, is I've learned to do squats in such a way that it doesn't hurt my knees or back, and I can feel the strain in my leg muscles, so that's good.

https://youtu.be/bs_Ej32IYgo Learn proper form! It's a long video but it's almost everything you need to know on squatting. Even if it isn't weighted, proper form will help reduce the chance of injury and maximize your gains.

>One day, I hope, I'll have a good enough ass to be groped by strangers. :)

Never hope you'll get there, know that you will. You're gonna make it. :)

>went to the doctor today

>got on scale

>137 lbs

>was 125 lbs

FUCK

I knew I've been slipping and my tummy has gotten bigger, but I didn't know I gained this much…

>>255019

>..fried steak? Is that even a thing? Are you scottish or something? :p

Most people cook steak in a frying pan with oil. Shallow frying food is still frying, dummy. Actually English, but we're not much better.Seriously Scotland, why does a pizza or Mars Bar need deep frying?

>semi-pushups

>shit muscles are shit

Don't worry about real pushups yet, they'll happen eventually. The same way negative chin-ups are recommended till you can do a few actual ones, just keep increasing your reps and lowering your angle until you get strong enough to do proper ones.

>Made it up to 17 squats

After a while consider adding weight or setting a locked target (i.e. routine requires x squats, then y press ups, etc.). Don't end up being that guy who tries 150 pushups in one set only to tear something from the fatigue.

>squats with my hips going just below the knees, but the knees not going beyond my toes.

Watch the linked video again, you're doing half-squats. If you squat all the way down until your bum touches your legs then you're working more muscles even harder. If you had to squat to poop in the woods you wouldn't do that "sit halfway" thing you'd do pic related, so why do it differently for exercise?

>so food-wise it's going well.

>I've managed to keep myself to single pieces crispbread.

Good job, food tends to be the harder aspect for most people so it's good you're doing well!

>Should I perhaps have another bowl of lazy oatmeal at noon, if I get fatigued easily, or just soldier on?

It's your call. Check the nutritional information and do a TDEE test if you're really worried about overeating. Just remember that you'll probably have to tolerate hunger sometimes if you're losing weight, and the lower you fall below your TDEE means you'll lose fat faster. That said, if it's noon and you eat the way most people do (i.e. have lunch early afternoon as their second meal) it might be worth having a coffee and soldiering through another hour or two.

>>255028

>Maybe I'm using the wrong word when I say "steak".

Not really, it's a weird one: when talking about meat, a "steak" can be a large cut of almost any kind of animal (I'm pretty sure you can even buy tuna steaks). However, if you were to go into a restaurant and ask for "steak" it would always be a beef steak fried in a pan; the fault is with me for assuming that's what you meant, sorry about that.

>I can hold the bag (or individual bottles) for extra weight, and I can lift the bag.

I don't see why that couldn't work provided it was secured in the bag, bottle(s) are filled properly, and the bag was weighted evenly. You don't want a part-filled bottle (i.e. if the water is going to swish around and move its weight then it could throw your balance), nor do you want it tumbling around your bag if you're doing push ups. Just be careful with it and consider saving for some weights (or even a gym membership) in the long term.

>I think I'd like to get to 25 or 50 or some other solid number.

Consider doing sets as well as reps if you're not already. Again, doing 50 reps in a row can be a risk for injuring yourself even if it's only your bodyweight, so maybe do 5 sets of 10 reps or something with a minute or two rest between sets.

>But that's a consideration for a later date; it's still difficult, and so still worth doing, I reckon.

Hey, there's no rush. Even if you hit 25 squats and it never tires you, there's nothing wrong with keeping it in your workout and just adding other leg exercises to compliment it.

>And I'd love to do full squats, but I don't have the balance for it, at least not yet.

>I'd rather go slowly then risk damaging myself.

You have the right mentality, don't rush things and perfect your form first. As a general squatting overview though: wear flat shoes (not sponged running shoes), put your weight on your heels, and use your butt out to keep balanced. If you simply imagine the bar on your shoulders, a good way to focus on form and your balance is to try to make it travel straight downwards. With all that said, stick to half-squats if normal squats are causing you problems or if you aren't strong enough to do a few sets of them yet.

Again, you're doing great so keep it up. :)

>>255075

>And I'm wearing grandpa slippers, because they're fuzzy and comfortable

Please know that, while I'm about to complain at you, that is obscenely cute when I picture it in my head. For the record though: flat footwear is flat sports shoes – sandals are flat, but you sure as fuck shouldn't squat in them either. If you can't afford totally flat shoes like Converse then do it barefoot, wearing slippers could be what's fucking up your balance!

>Thanks for the support, by the way.

Hey, no problem. It's nice to have a thread to visit whenever I'm avoiding housework anyway. :)

>>255094

>DISCLAIMER: You've made no mention of how chubby you are, which kind of impacts what I can suggest. Since you felt the need to mention fat reserves and say you're not skelly, I'll assume you're overweight to be safe. Sorry if you're not.

If you eat less than your TDEE, intense anaerobic exercise like weightlifting should still make you burn fat as you're putting your body under duress and burning more than you're taking in. However, if you're taking in plenty of protein and strengthening your body, chances are you're going to see much slower changes.

If you've got some chub and you start burning fat while building muscle, your weight is going to drop slower than if you just burned fat with cardio as you're taking off by one means and putting on with another. I don't see why it couldn't work, but it might be harder to do if you're not seeing results as well as, say, if you spent a couple of months burning off a whole load of fat with cutting and cardio and then started bulking and lifting.

As far as calories go: I'm pretty sure the reason people recommend bulking when lifting is to ensure you have a ton of energy and can thus maximize output and thus gains. A caloric deficit might mean you don't have as much strength for lifting, and if you're chubby then eating a surplus might just push you further into fat territory (which means working off more if you want to get thinner later).

TL;DR – A deficit and lifting will burn fat stores, but not having a low bodyfat means muscle won't be as visible. There's a reason people advice cycling between cutting and cardio then bulking and lifting. If you're happy with your body and just want to be stronger, you could probably get away with eating around your TDEE and just making sure you get plenty protein.

>>255117

It could be a number of things. Are you trying any kind of specific lifting program? I highly recommend the GreySkull LP thing (see >>250870). In a nutshell, it's about tactfully taking weight off for resets whenever you get stuck, and then working your way back up after you've rested a little for one session.

As an added note, any progress is an achievement. It helps me to think of weights as a secondary aspect: try to focus on increasing reps and sets records rather than how much you're lifting. Even if the only change is you did three sets of 5/5/5 one day then 5/5/6 the next, you're not still stuck – you're slowly getting stronger and breaking personal records, so try to smash it again next time with 5/5/7.

As for your energy levels, it could be lack of calories but it could depend heavily on your diet or your current size if you're big enough. Maybe try taking in something like a banana or protein shake shortly before a workout for an energy boost. If you are quite big, consider just doing maintenance weightlifting to keep your strength then filling the 2nd half of your workouts with some cardio until you get a little thinner. Don't forget that any additional bodyweight is still being carried by you, which means harder work all round.

>>255153

Brace for salt.

>Effectively asking How long is a piece of string?

There are no stupid questions in this thread, but holy shit you're testing that rule. This healthier living stuff is meant to be for the long run, matey, and you're asking something that depends on highly subjective factors, yet you've posted no pics and gave minimal information. Even with those, you'd have to factor tons of other shit in:

>It depends on your goal body.

>It depends on your workout.

>It depends on your progress.

>It depends on any unpredictable factors like injury.

>It depends on your diet and macros.

>It depends on your current and target weight and BMI.

>It depends on your nutritional needs.

>It can depend on your medical needs or ailments and any impact they could have.

>It depends what you even consider attractive.

>It depends if just having a better looking body will be enough to make you feel attractive.

>It depends if you'd even keep exercising to keep it that way or if you'd just backslide totally and let it go back to shit.

I know I'm being pretty shitty here, but if you'd even skimmed over the opening posts or even the relevant links you'd have probably gathered all of this on your own. If you need a comparison which will probably have no bearing on your own experiences, the pic I posted before was the result of six months half-assed cardio and two months of intense lifting, and even though I get compliments about how I look I'm still really unhappy with how my body looks.

In a nutshell, you shouldn't be lifting for purely aesthetic reasons and you shouldn't expect an end date where you just turn into a babe. That's as retarded as going to a music thread and saying "How long until I can play the piano good?"

>>255153

Just in case this isn't bait, this >>255153. Also I believe that a person's #1 workout goal shouldn't just to become more attractive for others. You should work out in order to feel better and improve yourself as an individual. Once you feel better about yourself then you can focus on things like chasing boys/girls. At least that's my personal belief.

If you think you aren't seeing any progress in your workouts, I highly suggest you get a personal trainer to guide you through. If you can't do that make friends with an experienced gym-goer and let him be your coach. You may very well be doing your workout forms wrong and a trainer/gym buddy will help you with that before you hurt yourself.

>>255188

>worrying about bait

He stated a common bad perspective and it meant fitfags like you and me could discredit it. Who cares about trolls when they inadvertently help?

And thanks for giving your imput, anon!

>>257018

>im just stupid

Stop that. Stop putting yourself down. Go back to the OP and read through the whole thread and essential links and educate yourself a little. Take your time, it doesn't have to be one sitting, just make sure you take in what you need to know.

>i want people to like me for a change

At the end of the day there's not really a wrong way to do this, but if you think it'll make people like you more beyond base attraction then you're in for a very disappointing time and odds are good you'll give up before long. Do it to be healthier, or because you want to look better, or because you're sick of eating shitty food, or because you're bored of sitting around all day. But never do it to make other people happy or to make them like you, because it'll either never be enough or you'll eventually get bored and go back to how you were.

As far as generalisations go: eat healthier most of the time, exercise hard enough to get a sweaty (cardio) or push your limits (lifting), and exercise at least three or four times a week. Do all that and you'll get noticible results in a timeframe of months. It's slow and steady, which is why ~99% of diets fail: people hit their target or get sick of slow progress and immediately quit.

I'm sorry if I came across as a cock, but you need to get the correct mindset. Again, it's like you've came to a guitar thread to ask how you learn three or four chords so you can win easy pussy. Don't be a faggot or a douche, get into it for real and do something good with yourself. Yeah you'll have bad days where you'll regress but you just pick yourself back up and try again – better that than getting thin, winning a qt or a buddy who likes how you look, then just stopping and getting flabby again.

>>257303

>>257305

You probably know all this, but I'm not to knowledgeable on cutting; I can eat quite badly sometimes, but I have to make an active effort to put on weight because of my shitty appetite. Consider looking at the nutritional info on http://ss.fitness for stuff on satiety and whatnot, it might be more helpful than I am.

>all that info

I only said I need that data from the other anon because he was asking for a timeframe on fitness. Even so, I have no idea how fast you'll lose weight, so do a TDEE and figure out what your deficit should be if you need more info. Sorry!

>I work fulltime and my job has me walking, ligting and pushing heavy things all day.

Great! Anything active helps, so you're on the right track.

>I'm trying really hard to give up candy. I've been mostly good about this.

Nothing wrong with walking before you can run. Keep cutting back until you're only having it as a treat.

>I'm going to limit myself to 1 soda a month.

You won't need it, trust me. After a few weeks without it, carbonated drinks can taste filthy. I only drink them now if I have nothing else to mix with spirits, and even then I don't crave them after.

>And a cheat day once a month for a meal

Again, on the right track. Most people reccommend a treat day once a week, but remember that every massive treat undoes your hard work, so keeping takeout to a monthly event might be better.

>The thing is I still eat a lot of grains and too much breads.

White bread can be bad in excess, but swapping to wholemeal bread is a much better alternative if you rely on sandwiches.

>In the morning I have waffles or a bagel with butternut.

Butternut = good. Bagel = meh. Waffles = bad. I find microwaving oats and milk then adding squashed fruit is very filling and low in sugar, but mind your portions if you're cutting.

>coffee with 2 small spoons of sugar

Your GDA for refined sugar is 30g (6 teaspoons), so one cup would be 33%. Consider drinking without the sugar (or cutting back), or have black tea if plain coffee is too strong.

>sadly most of the time this is a muffin or a croissant

Yeah, that bad. Try ricecakes, they're pretty filling and not too bad.

>eating a whole apple in under 15 minuets is a bit hard

Then make it a banana – full of potassium, it's natural sugars give you a small rush, and it tastes nice.

>I drink water all day

>I have a chi(ck)en wrap with a bottle of water

Water is great, chicken wrap depends heavily. If you buy it from a store and it has sauces and flavourings all over it, chances are it's making all that lean meat and vegetables unhealthy.

>My problem is I find myself hungry a lot.

The key is to find food that's more satiating. Processed branded stuff tends to be less filling and encourages cravings so you'll buy more, so consider eating more fruit and veg and stuff for snacking. Drinking more tea/coffee/water helps because they fill you up, but have very very low calorie content.

>I don't have enough time in the morning for a filling breakfast that will last long.

It's effort, but you could always prepare it the night before. Pour all your stuff into bowls or whatever so you just need to do one or two things and it's ready.

>Once I quit my job to go back to school I plan on running 3-4 days a week.

As long as you keep pushing yourself and get nice and sweaty a few times a week then you're golden.