u/DeludedIndian

Hi all,

I am 6’4 (193 cm), currently around 89 kg with a skinny fat physique (protruding belly) and low muscle mass. I used to be 120-123 kg back in 2019 but I lost alot of weight.

I have also been going to the gym mostly 5-6 days a week for the last 6 years.

Here is where I am stuck:

1. Plateau in lifts

I am stuck on the same dumbell press and other exercises for 2-3 years now. I was not tracking protein correctly but last week I saw how gemini can give pretty accurate estimates of protein content so I am targetting 180-200g protein.

2. Rehab from a L4-L5 disc protrusion

I had a disc protrusion 7 months ago due to basically weak core, weak glutes and a desk job. I have done rehab for 6 months and doctor has told me to return to the gym.

So far I am thinking of eating around 2500-2600 cals as I will be going to the gym 4 days a week plus my rehab work (includes ankle weights of 1kg plus heavy resistance bands for single leg raise, side leg raise etc etc).

Now, I am not sure whether to try and maintain this weight for a body recomp or cut down to 85kg? Like I said earlier I have thin arms and legs but a soft chest and a hanging tummy.

Thanks

Ao my girlfriend had surgery for AVM in 2023. She had a seizure and had the doctor recommended MRI where they discovered an unruptured AVM. I do not remember the exact size but i think it was big w nidis being around 9 cm cube.

She had her MRI post surgery sometime in 2024 when the doctor said that 2/3rd of the AVM’s volume is gone. However, yesterday and today she has had a very sharp tingling in her right leg (AVM was on the left side of the brain). She was unable to move her toes for 2-3 minutes followed by a brief pain in the left side of her brain.

Usually, she has had tinglings few and far in between but last 2 days have been brutal. She is getting an MRI tomorrow.

Can somebody give me hope and tell me this is just the treatment working?