So I thought if I'm going to have a group, I kinda need to tell people about me before they can ask questions so they know if I'm the right person to ask.. so.. all what i mention will be complete honesty, I hide nothing from no-one.

I'm ritch, I'm from the United Kingdom, 24 years old, unemployed, weight training is my passion, I've learnt a lot over the past 4-5 years through my journey.

The first thing that is important for you to know, I am NOT qualified with any certificates, any courses - and I do not want to be. I have learnt everything through experience and through credible people within the newer age of bodybuilding. One thing I will give my guarantee for is, I do not give out unsafe advice, ever. If I am not sure of something, or if you have a medical condition I always state that I might not have the answer and if I don't know the answer I am honest about it. But my knowledge is wide within weight training, nutrition etc..

Now that's out the way, a bit more about me..

I first started in 2009 I had absolutely no idea what was going on or what to do, I was the fattest I had been at that point in my life and I had to do something, anything. It was around August time in 2009 when I found out about a website called "BodyForLife" as I had no idea like I said I just thought ah okay a few people have transformed their bodies i'll try this..

It was horrible, but It worked (for a while) - I did 3 days training with weights, 3 days training cardio - in 2 months I lost 2 stone (28 lbs). I did look better for sure, I mean it wasn't the worst thing I ever did, but would I recommend it to anyone? Nope.

It wasn't entirely the programs fault, it was my fault too I got to a certain stage and became comfortable with how much weight I'd lost, I wasn't in shape but I was just 'average' - the biggest mistake in my life so far was accepting average. I kept the weight off all the way until New Years Eve, I went out drinking heavily with my friends, got really drunk, came back home, and the next morning we went to McDonalds and I got a huge order, and I mean like £30($50) for myself, through the entire day I ate this food, lol. I then went on a binge all the way until pretty much August 2011 (it always seemed to be August?!).

I gained more weight back than I ever had and NOW was at my heaviest ever, which was disappointing seeing as I put myself through hell with BodyForLife (That program as I said was to blame too, because after the 8 weeks you have a dead end, that;s it, what now? I hadn't learnt anything). That's why I blame programs and things like Weight Watchers because you don't learn, you just do.

So 2011 August, this is what I looked like.





I had an old friend who I used to be really close to, he doesn't live near me but he had become a bodybuilder after being fat too previously, he taught me everything he knew, 5-6 meals a day, eat clean,,, broccoli chicken etc.. I kept that up for about 6-7 months had decent results for sure (If I had the knowledge I had right now, the results would have been much better, though). I kept going with this, didn't count calories because I didn't know I had to, I just assumed eating clean was the way, but I was 205 lbs at my heaviest, so weight was coming off anyway.

By February 2012 this is what I looked like:



So, some progress but nothing amazing by any stretch - I am not sure of my weight in that picture, though. Anyway, there was a period after this where things got a bit meh.. not much changed for a while if I remember.

This is the closest thing I can find to the first 'real' progress of my change..



Left picture I was over 200 lbs, right picture I was down to 157 lbs, but I was far from done. This was a major thing this time, I had started to research myself at this point, I was still 'clean' eating and 5-6 meals a day but the last month or so before that second picture I had been learning, a lot. Well, the whole time really, I just didn't apply it.

I then started Intermittent Fasting, I got my macros' sorted out and I didn't limit foods and I ate 2 meals a day. I was average at this point, but I wanted much more..

That was January 2013 at this point.

So I applied everything I knew, just went all in, I trained _only_ 3 times a week, NO cardio, just barbell training (strength training with compounds like Deadlift, Squat, Bench).

By Feburary just one month had passed and I had noticed tiny differences already, probably not noticable in the picture but..



After this I kept going hardcore, and there was big big big changes month by month (from memory).

By April I could see my abs for the first time in certain lighting + angles, I was so happy



June I was looking much better..



I was down to around 145 lbs then, still I kept going.. people calling me skinny, telling me I'm taking it too far. I told them I decide when something is too far, not them.

I got down to around 140 lbs here and then decided to stop..





Now as most of you know I've started bulking, I'm back up to around 145 lbs, water weight gained mostly, but my strength has boomed and I've noticed my core..



It is getting much thicker and tighter, training my abs as I never used to before, so finally this time when I cut back down after a few months of slow bulking I'll have a much better midsection.

Right now I'm aiming to bulk until November time and then see what's up and decide on the next step. I feel in control of my life and my weight, even if I over eat, even if I under eat, I know exactly what I need to do.

I hope this inspires some, and feel free to ask anything, you guys know I love to help. Sorry for all the pictures

ritch