r/gainit

Checking in after about a years worth of bulk/cut. Sort of unsure how to feel about the results, I’m for sure leaner at a similar bodyweight compared to last cut (210 before vs. 207 now), but I don’t feel like i put on much muscle in my most targeted areas, could be the dysmorphia checking in.

I didn’t really push any 1rm and focused instead on getting stronger and hitting rep PRs on previously weak lifts like incline bench, dips, and pull ups. Quite happy overall with how the physique looks after maintaining cut weight for a few weeks, definitely want to add more size to the arms in particular still.

Didn’t run any programs specifically, I just hit shoulders/arms 3x/week and used a rep goal system to progress weights. I’ve been doing quite a bit more cardio and feel better playing sports overall so a big plus there.

Due to sports and other activities I felt pretty beat up and tired in the gym, so this bulk I’ve been essentially only doing 2 sets per exercise and really dialling in the intensity.

I tired to get more angles to paint a better picture than previous posts, but the lighting and setup were awkward, legs are hard to capture. Any critiques, notes on weak points, or questions welcome. I can include training logs and what I’m running currently if interested. Also happy to discuss diet or any other factors below.

started with a PPL split for first 6 months then switched to an arnold split since i felt my arms were lagging. 3200 calories/day. eating mostly chicken thighs, salmon/sardines, eggs, rice, sweet potatoes, avocados, peanut butter, and pasta. oh and i add olive oil to everything.

Think im going to keep bulking to 175ish then cut.

Super happy with the progress after looking back at old photos

It was a long and hard journey, but I finally made it!

During the first year, I had just joined the gym, but I wasn't consistent and didn't track my calories.

In the second year, I started learning about training and gym programming. I also made sure to drink a protein shake almost every day and forced myself to eat more. Unfortunately, during the summer break I stopped training for 3 months because I lost motivation.

The third and fourth years were when I really locked in. I started taking the gym seriously, tracking my calories consistently (around 2,500 kcal/day), and making sure I hit my daily protein goal every single day. Sometimes, if I was short on protein by the end of the day, I'd even eat a can of tuna just to reach my target. I can confidently say I almost never skipped a workout, except when I was sick or had other unavoidable problems. I was training 5 times a week. By the end of the fourth year, I reached 66 kg, but I also gained a bit too much fat, so I've been on a small cut.

Right now, I'm just maintaining. I'm feeling a bit stalled, but once summer is over, I'll start bulking again but this time with a leaner bulk.

Still a long way to go, since my goal is 68kg with 15-17% body fat, but I'm happy with the progress so far.

started at 49 kg, got tired of being called sick so I started bulking and lifting weights. over the last 4 months I trained consistently with a PPL split 6 times a week. I consumed over 2,800 calories a day but protein intake wasn't always consistently enough so I gained more fat than I would have liked. I'm still far from from my goal but comparing these photos reminds me how consistency pays off. feedback is 👍

Edit: I’m 6’0” tall 🤝
I started working with a nutritionist a little over a year ago (386 days ago to be exact) to help with a decade of disordered eating. I looked like the left until I got help in 2025. Started tracking macros and eating around 2100-2700 calories. I eat basically the same thing every day and track in an app that was provided by my nutritionists clinic to make sure I’m hitting my targets.

I started lifting seriously around a year ago as well and follow a push, pull, legs split. I track my progress with FitBod which helps a ton with keeping track of my lifts making sure I am progressively overloading. I started incorporating running into my routine last month and I feel so strong (my boyfriend is a triathlete and I’m hoping to compete with him one day).

Working out used to be a punishment for me. Now, it couldn’t be more the opposite. I regret living that way for so long, but I’m really grateful to be where I am today.

Didn't have a diet in the beginning as I just ate whatever I could find, but did get my protein in. Soon learned to track macros and from then on it's been a steady goal of 3.200kcal/180g protein per day. 5 sessions a week with training to failure 2 times or more per week. All training was exclusively with machines, but has later involved more bodyweight exercises like pullups and dips. A cardio session per week has also since been adopted into my program.

The first pictures were taken the day I started working out for the first time at a gym. Have done a couple situps at home, but was never anything consistent and it would often go months before sessions.

Edit: typo

Diet is pretty simple, 3200 calories and 120g+ of protein per day. My biggest help was high calorie shakes daily, can easily add or replace 800-1000 calories. I mostly follow CBums Olympia Prep as my lifting routine. Started in Aug 2025 at 108lbs, lowest I had been in a long time. Currently sitting between 128-130 daily and still bulking for the time being, i’m taking it slow to maintain low body fat. Feel free to ask any questions. First 4 pics are current, every 2 pics after are 3 month progression pics from aug 2025-june 2026.

HELLO ^_^

24 yo, male, 5'8
110lb -> 160lb (bulk) -> 140lb (now)

I WILL TELL U HOW I WENT FROM TWINK TO TWUNK

DIET:

99% EVERYTHING I ATE I COOKED FOR MYSELF, just easy whole foods i can boil or air fry under 30 min, A lot of the time i tracked macros and prioritized protein and carbs

no fast food, alcohol, unhealthy food, just home cooked varied balance diet

BULK:
around 3000 a dayi ate a lot of pasta with cream sauces and any lean protein, every day i would eat like 1-2 pounds of meat
in retrospect i obviously overdid it but it was fun eating that much i would also get stoned a lot

CUT:
no more weed and my natural appetite returned, diet has just been comfort foods. all i eat now is Banana berries chicken Drizzilicious not much else. no more tracking just intuitively eating. maybe around 80-100g protein now and rest carbs but it's been working for me

LIFTS:

chest and arms day:

incline/decline chest press, pec fly, tricep pull downs, dips, bicep curls

shoulders back:
lat pull downs, cable pulls, back fly, shoulder presses

legs:
hack squat, leg press, leg curls, leg extension, abductors/adductors

LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. OR COMMENTS :D

Lifting since I was 14/15. Almost 18 years of consistent training behind this physique.

2023 was the lightest and most frail I'd looked since I was a teenager. Caught up in partying, lost the consistency and discipline I had. Consistency and discipline are muscles too, if you don't use them, you lose them.

Got dialed back in and stayed disciplined for about a year, rebuilding the foundation. Then I got injured, that kept me out almost two years. That was the hardest part of this stretch, watching the consistency I'd just rebuilt get interrupted again.

Recently back, about 80% currently. Still not touching squats or deadlifts, but hitting everything else with full intensity to make up for it.

Diet:
A perfect day consists of half cup oats with honey and banana before the gym. Post workout shake with collagen and greens. 3 main meals, beef around 7oz, rice fluctuates between 120g and 200g depending on where I am in my carb cycle, then protein oats and honey before bed. Not tracking exact macros but consistent with the structure. Minimum 10k steps a day is the baseline, training day or not.

Lifting:
Traditional bodybuilding split, 6 days a week in the gym, training around the injury currently. Rep ranges 6-8 on most movements. If I do do higher rep ranges, it's either a warm up, or after my main 6-8 rep sets.

TRT:
Started at 30, prescribed dose, mid 200s test level before starting. Not blasting, no peptides currently.

Consistency and discipline matter more than perfection. Rebuilding after a real setback is its own kind of progress, and that's the progress that I'm most internally proud of at the moment.

Just started posting on reddit, and surprisingly enjoying answering real questions, so happy to answer anything I left out.

I am pretty tall and have always been super skinny, around 175lbs since high school. Maybe 6 years ago I started lifting and went through periods of consistency, eventually getting up to about 190lb before struggling with substance abuse, and dropped to just over 160lb 2 years ago. I continued to struggle on and off for another year. The first picture was taken on 7/14/25 at 175lb. I got sober 9/13/25 and have stayed committed my health and gains since then.

I stick to push/pull/legs as that is what has worked for me in the past and what I’m comfortable with. I go to the gym 4-5 times a week, and play basketball 1-2 times a week as my cardio. I aim for 3500 calories a day but am not the best at tracking it. I only really track protein and try to get at least 200g / day. I’m currently 215lbs and finally hit 225 bench about a month ago which is something I have been chasing for a while! I just switched my routine to be more shoulder and lat focused.

Been bulking for the past 6 months and seeing some great results. Sticking to 3.600 kcal a day. Routine: full body 3 times a week, switching between chest, back and leg focused workouts.

Mostly doing compounds and finishing my workouts with 3 sets of isolation exercises.

Nutritional plan: 2100 calories over 4 meals (aiming for 200g protein, 50g fats, and 250g carbs optimally).
Fersure not perfect and didn’t hit ideal nutrition daily, but I was definitely more disciplined than the bulk. Protein shakes, and lower calorie protein bars were clutch for hitting the protein goal; greek yogurt, granola, fruit and honey were handy for curbing the munchies.

Workout: 4x a week (Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri) hitting main movements, secondary, and accessories. (Various cardio on off days: hiking, rowing, cycling, running, etc.) Progressive overload over a few weeks until deload, repeat, and follow with max effort attempts.

Timeline: Started cutting January 4th and still cutting till end of July (possibly August depending on what bf% is at and whether I’m still gaining muscle, and not losing it).
Bulked prior to this: started at 154 lbs and ended at 174 lbs from July 2025 to December 2025).

Hope the post is helpful; I’ve always wanted to post in this subreddit. First bulk and cut and will be my first year of consistently working out, come July (even during vacation lol).

After the cut and/or reaching the goal bf%, plan to bulk to 165 lbs and stay under 20% bf (ideally a cleaner bulk this go around haha).