TrialsIsHard

That was so good, thanks for sharing

I'm not sure I'd spend time doing cardio before weight training, you're using up a large proportion of your glycogen burning calories on a cross trainer that when you come to lift weights after you'll likely find you feel very drained. Really interested to see what you come up with Dave, been following your IG updates for a while now! In other news.. I hit 130kg on the deadlift right at the end of my workout last week (almost a PR), seems the strength is coming back after this long cut. What weight would you guys say it would be appropriate to use a belt? I squat ~100kg and deadlift ~110kg in training, I'm only 5'8 and have a small frame (small joints and 30" waist). I don't want to put too much stress on my lower back but really need to push the weight up to progress. Any tips/experience would be helpful.

This is the best video I've seen in a long time.

So I went out and bought some l-theanine after doing some research, I'm studying at the moment and it seems like the ideal supplement. I took two 200mg doses yesterday (both without caffeine), the first (2pm) made me feel quite blunt and a little tired - not conducive to a good days work! The second (9pm) contributed to what I'd say is the most restful sleep I've ever had. I went to sleep at 10:30pm and woke up naturally at 2am feeling like I'd had 8 hours sleep, I then woke up every hour and a half roughly as my body simply wasn't tired any more. I really was the strangest feeling. Today I took a 200mg dose in my morning coffee and I've been powering through all day, far more efficient than I've been in ages. Thought this nootropics business was a bit far fetched, but I'll definitely be purchasing some of this coffee having experienced the effects of one of the ingredients. Highly recommend.

That's interesting, never knew that L-Theanine was so effective. I'm a big coffee drinker anyway so thinking about giving this a try, where do you buy yours from? Seems like you'd need to import it from the US?

Little update from me, not been on the forum much recently as I've been super busy but here's what I've been up to. I'm now 5 weeks into my cut and am about 4.2kg (9.25lb) down, I attribute some of this to water weight from dropping my carbs. I think I'm probably losing weight a little fast as I was aiming for around 1.5lb per week so have upped my calories a little. I'm using Legion Athletics Phoenix, which claims to add an extra 0.5lb per week, which means I'm actually on target. Although I've always been sceptical of supplements claiming to help you lose weight this has definitely contributed to the most success I've ever seen in terms of body composition change. There could be an element of me sticking to my diet more as these fat burners were expensive, nothing like monetary motivation! I'd say I've got from a little over 20% body fat to around the 14% area, though this is just from looking in the mirror and taking calliper readings (no bodpod or any of that jazz). Currently taking a week off Phoenix to maintain sensitivity and the appetite suppressant component of it is definitely showing and I'm eating a bit more. Can't decide whether the effectiveness of it is due to the appetite suppressant or the 'increased basal metabolic rate', but given that I'm finally making progress I don't particularly care! Also what's the deal with this Kimera Koffee? Seems like a lot of fitness people are raving about it, seems like it's a coffee with some supplements blended in? I think maybe @isitafox uses it and could share some knowledge.

Exams done for summer, still don't feel relaxed but I'm sure it will come Crazy to think this time next year (if all goes to plan!) I'll be graduating.

Started a mini-cut a few days ago and feeling much better in myself already, it's surprising how quickly you can shed water weight- 1.2kg in 3 days. Hoping to go from around 16% to ~12%. Will be documenting progress

He just doesn't seem like the right choice for the show at all, you wouldn't let Christiano Ronaldo present the show just because he has enough money to own a lucrative car collection. I agree, this is a similar situation to the UK vs the US 'The Office'. The US one was remade initially as the UK one with a different cast and everyone hated it until the show worked out that they had to change the style to suit the characters they chose. It wasn't until a few season in when they took a different direction with it that it became good.

Having only lasted through the first 15 minutes the rest of the show may have been different.. But Chris Evans needs to stop shouting/being like an over excitable child. They have put new characters on the show and given them the task of 'acting' like the old crew which, judging by the feedback, they attempted to pull off in the most cringey and unentertaining way possible. I think they need to fire all the writers and tailor it to the people presenting. The show has to mature a long way before I'll start watching it, maybe I'll try again next series (if there is one).

Naturally.

My housemate has brought a 4 year old to our university house (without asking) for the entire bank holiday weekend. We have subsequently been banned from drinking, smoking, listening to music past 9pm, swearing, playing Call of Duty/ any other violent games, all because she doesn't want him seeing anything 'bad'. A complete lack of common sense or basic respect for the other 3 people living here.

Did you need an agenda with that? All my non-physics friends are at the beach. Sometimes I wish I did a coursework only course..

Being inside revising in this weather is not the one.

Someone decided to smash their beer bottle over our neighbours car while leaving our house party last night. Resulting in a very angry man arriving at our house demanding a new rear light cluster for his car, and nobody willing to admit that they did it. There is a small chance that it wasn't someone from the party, but even I don't believe that.

Glad you had such a good day chaps, I'd love to have joined you. Do we have lap times?

This is going to be a really cool platform for you Ali. It's a welcome change from having a 25 second interview for TV or a 'speaking part' in promotions, this definitely gives you far more scope to show your creative process and give a better insight to who you are as a person. How often are you looking to produce videos? Looking forward to seeing what you do with it.

Got interviews for both internships I applied for, against 4 people for the position I want which I think is doable.

@JD™ I wouldn't consider doing this, I'm happy with my gym/eating routine- just very interested. ps. f**k you for making me learn the ™ shortcut to be able to tag you. If you're eating zero carbs I think it's entirely possible that you could lose this amount of weight without a thermogen. I've read that losing ~1lb per week is optimal for minimising muscle loss when losing fat. You've done 42lb in 5 weeks! How are your energy levels/ sleep? Also what are your ball park body fat percentages before/after, just out of interest?

@bike_dummie That's very impressive, how much would you say the thermogen attributed to your weight loss? It sounds as if you've done a full body recomp, I hope you're documenting it! Do you intend to go back to consuming carbs after your weight loss is done? I can't imagine the body responding well going from 70/30/0 to something like 10/40/50. Congrats dude

First of all congratulations that's an amazing amount of weight to lose. Secondly, are you saying that you've lost 19kg in 5 weeks?! What are your daily macros/calorie intake? Something about those numbers doesn't seem right!

Are you running a mod stem? Might explain why things feel really strange..

Having ridden this spot fairy recently it's cool to see what you've done with it.

Those don't sound like enforceable requests either, are you supposed to call the letting agent each time someone crashes on your sofa or you bring home. After a few calls they'd ask you to stop calling as they are hardly going to say no.

Just had to argue my way into the university car park because its being used as an overflow for the Brighton stadium. F**k you, I pay £9k a year to study here so let me in without having to radio to the man in charge to see whether we're letting university students in.