Took these a few days ago...

Front relaxed:


Front Single bicep (not fully contracting the bicep):


feel my shape has gotten a bit better lately. not sure on BF%, but I'd like about another 3% decrease on it. Looking to bulk now tho, so I can cut a little sooner heading into summer to get the % as low as I'd like. I dropped just under 1stone on this 7week cut (to 11st 7), and can definitely notice it on my face, midsection and upper back... lower back I'm struggling with.

three month leanish bulk coming up! altho cardio is being upped too with my training, so hopefully it won't hinder gains too much.

Oh yeah, this was back in September... (just for comparison, sitting at 12st 5).

I'm going to be blunt here. You really do not need to go on a lean bulk. You need to bulk. You have no weight to lose.

Your self image (like most peoples) seems to be rather different from what the pictures are telling.

You can see the difference in the bicep Rich. If you are thinking about doing the triathlon, and thinking about the swim section as we have been discussing, you need to get working on those lats especially. I would also agree with Res, there is nothing of you to lean bulk with! Do a bulk if you feel comfortable with it.... will help you put some muscle on so you can build the strength you will need for your half ironman goal!!

I agree... bulk FTW

Looking HENCE in the new av! Me likey muchly

Thanks GB! Lovely as ever!

Well you definatly leaner plus you've added some size to the arms arms. You seem to hold your BF round the mid section, can I ask what your diets like (including changes you made to lose some of the mid section BF)?

definite improvements.Whats the plan from now?

Craig:
I definitely struggle at loosing the fat around the midsection, which I know is due to insulin etc... My diet has cleaned up a lot over the last 6months to mainly clean carbs (veg, brown rice, brown pasta etc) but I'm also a vegetarian, so the "replacement" meat products carry a lot of carbs compared to the actual meats, which I'm imagining is pretty crap carbs.

I always seem to look alot bigger around the midsection anyway as I'm constantly bloated... I've tried many things to combat this, but to little avail really, I feel this is mostly due to the fact that I have ibs.

I also added insulinomics and fenuplex into my supps for a few months, which did help a little.

Galtonator:
I'm bulking at present for the next few months, trying to keep as clean as possible, and trying to up the protein intake as I feel that altho I do seem to get a fair amount, I'm possibly not getting enough to allow my body to grow at it's maximum potential... this means eating/drinking around 8times per day as trying to get the massive amount of protein my body needs in 5 or so meals just plays havok with my insides!

I've taken advice from alot around here and have now started drinking more water than I have been, and trying to alkalise myself within this process.

I've got a sweet tooth, but I'm focusing on cutting pretty much all shite out of my diet and finding alternative methods of replacing that... slowly seem to be getting more a savory tooth than a sweet one, which is good!

Have you been tested for gluten intolerance (coeliac disease), two syptoms are ibs and weight that won't shift around the mid section.

I've been told that I could possibly have it, but not tested fully... just told to try and stay off the wheat etc.

I'm gonna go back to the docs next week to demand some more tests etc, and see what they say.

that third pic makes you resemble the taller dude doing the Prime Ministers confidente in Little Britain!

xRichx wrote:I've been told that I could possibly have it, but not tested fully... just told to try and stay off the wheat etc.

I'm gonna go back to the docs next week to demand some more tests etc, and see what they say.

I have it so if you get tested positive then I'll talk you though how to BB diet gluten free.

Cheers Craig!
I may actually go on a gluten free diet from now actually, just to see how I feel over the next few weeks whilst waiting for tests etc... off to sainsburys & H&B tonight for some gluten free stuff!

I've been classed as anaemic before too, which upon reading a little about it, looks like it can be linked, but I've been taking iron supplements for that for a while.

I'll go with a list of everything I know from my past experiences a diet log and a few questions and see what they say.

Gluten is not good for anyone really. Best avoided if possible imo.

My mother's anaemic, the iron supplements she was put on upset her stomach, made her feel bloated. Perhaps that could be part of the issue?

How about Guinness instead?

I'll happily take a guinness suplement...

When I was eating gluten I had really bad IBS (now gone), cronic acid reflux (now gone) and my digestion has started to improve (its much better on digestive enzymes). I also held weight round the mid section, this disapearered quickly with the removal of gluten. With the gluten free products watch out for soy, don't want to replace one issue with another, theres a thread somewhere on here where Scott explains to me the probelms with soy.

Also as you have IBS insoluable fibres such as brown rice are not a good idea (use white bastmati rice), these types of fibre will just inflame the existing problem (they brill for keeping a healthy gut healthy but not for IBS sufferers). Remember oats has gluten in it too, looks to bastmati rice, quinoa, millet, sweet potato's etc for your carbs to start with, regular potato's and gluten free pasta post workout.

Gluten is in so many things you wouldn't think of oxo cubes and crisps are two silly things I can think of, so if you diagnosed with it then be sure to check ingredients.

Thanks again Craig! will definitely note that down and read up for different sources!