I think overall you look better at 180. But you don't (and shouldn't) give a **** what I think. What does your GF think?

I like to hear everyone's opinion and last time I saw her I was 180 lbs I believe. Through pictures she wants me to get bigger and doesn't understand why I put myself through such stick diets. She gets annoyed because I only weigh 15 lbs more than her right now but I told her I am going to gain some weight. My goal isn't to maintain at this weight. When she sees me in person, she will prob change her mind. Pictures don't always do justice.

I didn't want to say much because it seems like everything I say is criticizing you. Which is not the case, I just have different opinions about bodyfat and progress.

Having said that, I will say

* that's over 10%. You give me a picture of you hanging out at the beach, with no shadows and no pump and you will be just another skinnyfat pencildicker

* your average caloric intake was probably 2800-2900. So you dropped 19 pounds in 12 weeks on that caloric intake??? Suspiciouscat is suspicious.


I have talked to the 2013 golden loco winner and we agree this is not sufficient for 2014 golden loco. I am sorry my friend, but you look the same as last year. Application rejected.

Back to the drawing board. I will leave you with this. At 160,
you are second as most aesthetic S&Fer of all time. Only surpassed by realbusto (jayswole is gone so he doesn't count).

I agree with quick ben. I also think getting under 10% is more of an accomplishment rather than looking optimal (and it's obviously not optimal for health). I'd love to get under 10% some day as an achievement, but would then rather maintain 10-12%.

I'm in the 'you look better at 180' camp. In any event, great work, great dedication, etc. But seriously, you cannot only be 15 pounds more than your gf. Get on that bulk train.

I wanted to hear your opinion believe it or not. While I think you flawed perception of bodyfat, I know you know the secrets of lighting and I can tell from your responses that you are being honest.

What percent do you have me at? When I have time to hit the beach I will for sure. Def not skinnyfat though haha.

I highly doubt that was the average intake, I would say around 2500 was the average. We all know I didn't spike my creatine.

All good with me my friend, I don't believe I have done enough to be accepted either. Just look at my strength, only my deadlifts have gone up- that's it. Everything else went down a lot. It's not like the golden loco is a physique show haha.

Doesn't seem like much of an accomplishment but i'll take it lol. I think my biggest accomplishments are actually deadlifting and being sub 10% bf. Being on that subject- I honestly don't know your thought process behind me being higher than 10%. Guess I have to pull a Pummi in order to achieve that.

I agree and disagree. I agree that it is more of an accomplishment but I disagree that is not optimal for health. Actually, I can't disagree with that statement because obviously it would be healthier if I maintained at 10-12%. However, I will say that I wouldn't consider my current state unhealthy because of the amount of calories I am consuming.

I've been hearing a lot of people say that, even out of this forum. Not that it matters but it is interesting. I personally think I look best at 166-168 lbs so I will prob get up there again. Not sure when though. Yes, totally agree and there is no way I will maintain 160 lbs during the summer haha.

Went to the gym and did cardio today and my preworkout meal was a glazed donut, facking delicious. Gonna goto a resturant and order some ribs then going out to the bar. Gonna be a good night. Thank god cutting is over.

If that's not sub-10%, then no one on this forum is ever getting there natty, which I guess is fine, but seems kind of mind blowing. Back definition is the most impressive thing imo.

I'll agree that I'd be pretty happy walking around at whatever the Monte equivalent of EV at 170-175, although I'm not sure I have it in me right now.

Seriously. Back is the clearest transformation in terms of bf%.

In for the slobber party. Great job man.

Agree that you look better at a higher BF, but imo this is a preferable route since it gives you plenty of wiggle room to bulk for a loooong while.

That is sub 10%, it has to be. If it's not, I have no desire to drop more weight and risk losing too much muscle mass and be sub 160 lbs which seems to be creeping too closely to women weight lol. Back definition actually surprised me after taking the photo and is also another reason why I believe I am sub 10%.

So it sounds like you like the shredded look more oppose to being thick. Go for it and why wouldn't you have it in you? Just be really strict with calories/macros then let yourself binge a bit when you are done or incorporate 1 cheat meal a week if it's not much of a problem.

Definitely agree man

Thanks bro. If anything, I feel good about people saying that because I know my body has the potential to put on a decent amount of mass while staying moderately lean. I actually do not plan to bulk for a long time because I want to stay somewhat lean while putting on some mass and concentrate on strength for the time being. I believe too much focus this past year was on how I look every week and how much I weigh. I don't want to be as crazy about macros and I want to get my strength up.

EV,

I got down to 186 on my mega cut, and the wifeacore and mamacore combined on a full court press of "anorexic" shaming (my mother is Jewish, by the way, so it was apocalyptic) that has removed my desire to ever get that low again. I'll just have to get off my ass and hopefully try for a fakebusto style slow recomp, but that sounds like a lot of work right now.

Truth be told, I'd be pretty happy being where you were when you started your cut, which means right now I am fat and should feel fat, which given I am at 197 or so right now is kind of a bad thing. Going to try to keep the protein high and calories low over the next few days, since I'll be at the beach for 9 days starting Friday after work.

I'm confused, since when do we let women dictate our actions? Couldn't you just made up some kind of bull**** excuse like you made a bet with one of your co-workers who can hit 180 lbs first? I'm actually surprised the wifeacore wouldn't be more supportive of weight loss since you obviously look leaner. That rustles my jimmies that you actually want to lose weight but aren't doing it because of family.

EV,

When your wife tells you she feels like she is banging a skeleton because she hits pelvis when she is banging you, and that subsequently affects the frequency of relations, it's time to make a change (plus I was really hungry). Me getting down to 180 would probably lead to them 5150ing me (possibly justifiable so, since I'm 6'4" and all) and I have no real desire to get that low anyway.

I guess optimally what I would do is do a quick cut down to 190-192 or something and then lift hard for 9 months doing some sort of mini lean massing and cutting cycles, but I'm going on vacation in June and July so that just isn't happening now. We'll see what the future holds.

In the wifeacore's defense, Monte looked pretty depleted. I still was super jealous of his effort and getting down low is definitely the way to go as building back up slowly really is the way to go. But building up slowly when already fat sucks.

lol wow yeah that statement is the game changer. Brutal. My buddy is the same height as you but he is younger than me, he went from 260 lbs to 175 lbs in 11 months for his first physique competition. He was so shredded he had vascularity in his quads just walking around normally. I believe the last 10 lbs he lost was decreasing his sodium intake to below 1g though. In any case, 180 lbs for your height is pretty low. Getting down to 190 lbs seems pretty solid.

I don't remember the picture, what month was this from?

Mid-August 2013. There's another pic a few weeks (?) later where I'm 192 or something and look a fair bit better. I still have terrible ab definition no matter what I do, though.

Pelvis is standard. Time for the wifeacore to get on the #leanacceptance train.

Monte, you still look absurdly skinny in your recent videos, so I'm not so sure you should give consideration to losing any more weight. Just lift heavy things and eat in moderation. Plus, the wrath of a Jewish mother is not something anybody should have to endure.

Isn't it normally the other way around?

But on a serious note, Monte is right. During coitus no chick wants to feel like she is crushing you when she is riding the swoll pole. It is not even about your comfort, it is more about you making them feel self-conscious about their weight.

QB,

You are quite correct.

POW,

That's pretty much what I'm going to do, although I'm going to try to cut down a bit of water weight before I leave for the beach on Friday. Walking around at 192 feels quite a bit better and tighter than 197, although I'm still 21% bf by the loco metric regardless.

Yeah but loco is missing some of them essential body fats, like the fatty parts of the brain responsible for accurately processing and analyzing body images, so I wouldn't sweat it.

POW,

No doubt.

EV,

So you don't have to hunt, my pic immediately post cut and one from a few months later after lean bulking can be found here. I really need to start eating better again; things got away from me during the winter for sure. I'd forgotten how regimented I was even after I finished the cut.

You looked a lot better there than your first pic. The first pic looks like you and Pummi were on the same 1k calories diet. I can see why others said you look depleted but the second one a lot better. You def should try to get back down to 190, it would be an EV approved cut.