One year of heavy lifting and cardio progress!

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ceruleanmuse
ceruleanmuse Posts: 60 Member
I wanted to share my own progress from the past year. I started 'working out' three years ago after a lifetime of inactivity (I was an art and music kid), which was mostly running and dancing around my room. My dad had died two years prior from heart disease at 45 years old completely unexpectedly, despite the fact that he was normal weight and exercised every day at 5am for years, so I felt a push to get healthier than I was. It was mostly a way to control calories with cardio and I was undereating (have a history of anorexia).

When I met my now fiance two years ago, he introduced me to lifting weights, which I attempted to start, but couldn't fully commit to, because I was scared of gaining weight and how hungry that it made me. I went from 108lbs at 5'7" (underweight, controlled my food intake carefully) to 118lbs by lifting haphazardly and eating more. I'm not sure what changed over the past year, but my attitude towards food has changed dramatically (especially from two years to a year ago) and I now view food as a way to fuel progress, not the enemy. I have a good balance of adequate nutrition (1600-2400 calories a day, I do baby cutting and bulking cycles) with better macros (40-30-30 aiming for) and I love my protein shakes!! I also have been great about fully committing to my lifting program and doing cardio and HIITs.

Here is my progress from the past year (5'7" 118lbs to 118lbs, no weight change, so not really a dramatic change, but I can see some subtle differences!):

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Replies

  • laurie62ann
    laurie62ann Posts: 433 Member
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    Amazing!!


    You need to make your pictures smaller! We can't see all of them!
  • ceruleanmuse
    ceruleanmuse Posts: 60 Member
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    Amazing!!


    You need to make your pictures smaller! We can't see all of them!

    Haha, whoops! Still getting used to posting images. Think I just fixed it :)
  • MagnumBurrito
    MagnumBurrito Posts: 1,070 Member
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    Impressive recomp! Everything looks tighter
  • __hannah_
    __hannah_ Posts: 787 Member
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    Great work! Can see the difference even with no change in weight.
  • dwarfiegodsmack
    dwarfiegodsmack Posts: 317 Member
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    yup, you definitely look tighter.

    great job!!
  • jehavin
    jehavin Posts: 316 Member
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    Look at those abs, arms and glutes! You look great and I bet you feel so proud!!! Congrats! I, too, am at my "goal weight" but excited to see what the next year of continued lifting and cardio can change appearance wise =) Thanks for the inspiration!
  • jennagoogles13
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    You look fantastic!! Very motivational:)
  • Cerakoala
    Cerakoala Posts: 2,547 Member
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    Wow! That is so motivational and you are so cut everywhere :) Congrats to you for over coming your fear of food and living a healthier lifestyle. The results are amazing :)
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    Love it! Keep eating and growing! You're doing great.
  • riness78
    riness78 Posts: 14 Member
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    You look wonderful! So much leaner. Great job!
  • Alanakrahenbil
    Alanakrahenbil Posts: 811 Member
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    You look amazing, great job!
  • JonnyQwest
    JonnyQwest Posts: 174 Member
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    Wow, good job!
  • Chris_Pierce
    Chris_Pierce Posts: 267 Member
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    What are your cutting/bulking cycles like?
  • ceruleanmuse
    ceruleanmuse Posts: 60 Member
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    What are your cutting/bulking cycles like?

    They're basically two weeks eating at a caloric surplus and two weeks eating at a caloric deficit. I got incredibly accurate at counting my calories from anorexia so I feel that it''s been an efficient way to recomp.
  • ceruleanmuse
    ceruleanmuse Posts: 60 Member
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    Love it! Keep eating and growing! You're doing great.

    Beautiful sentiment.
  • sjbtiger
    sjbtiger Posts: 105 Member
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    Great job! I'm just about at my goal weight and look forward to seeing how my body will change as I continue to lift.
  • earthboundmisfit
    earthboundmisfit Posts: 192 Member
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    Wow! You look great. You inspire me to get back into heavy lifting.:smile:
  • karlschaeffer
    karlschaeffer Posts: 1,493 Member
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    Awesome. Thanks for sharing. Your attitude change around food is very impactful... (even though impactful may not be a real word).
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