9+ years here and i once almost lost it when i took pills from a friend when i was 16, but it didnt take em before looking up everything on the internet about it. Because that was my protocol with some drugs i wanted to try at this time. When i googled "methandienone" wikipedia came up with the synonyms "dianabol/ ..." and then it dawned on me. My friend was taking steroids and i almost took em too. At this moment i had my awakening, before i thought steroids is only the huge guys on the magazines and adverts. After that i noticed just how many in the gym around me are actually taking stuff, while looking worse than me as a 16 year old. Thats where i said to myself to never take shit unless a doctor tells me to. And Alpha Destiny is indeed 100% right about the facts stated in this video. I somehow did all the things right.
As a 5’10 137lb 17 year old who barely eats 2000 calories a day and fasts in the morning and then has the audacity to wonder why I’m not making gains, I appreciate this video
Video requests- Full day of eating Full day skincare Health and Fitness UA-camrs worth a follow (The ones you follow personally) Keep up the great content 👍
Yup definitely right Alex, appetite is name of the game. That’s why Greg Plitt said in one of his videos, those that start off skinny tend to have some of the most aesthetic bodies he has seen, because although they struggle with building mass, if they can achieve that, they’ll look like Greek gods due to their inclination to be lean.
As a guy that’s been underweight his whole life I can tell you hit spot on that first point. At some point I even fooled myself to think I ate alot. I actually ate a big dinner every day. My dad and his friend called me the trashcan cause I always ate everything even when they were stuffed. And I drank lots of cola so from the outside I was stuffing my face with junkfood and cola. What people didn’t know and what I tended to forget was that the single meal was basically the only meal I had during the day... And maybe once or twice a week I had an additional bag of chips or some shit. This is obviously not enough calories for a 6 foot 5 guy... Now that I train I actually have to constantly remind myself that I need to go make a meal. And I’ve gained 55 lbs in the last 3 years and I still look lean. That tells you how underweight I was... My goal this year is another 20 lbs and a cut next year.
Im the opposite lol. Constant eating and occasional big meals of 1000+ calories. And by occasional i mean once every couple days And let me tell you i am a big boy
@@Kevlaren 30% is way too high. I would do circuit training or HIIT sessions with calorie restriction until bodyfat got to below 12-13%, then continue lean bulking. It’s much better to do repeated small bouts of bulking and cutting than to put all the mass on in one go. Also, meal timing, frequency, and quality are equally important as total calories
I have a pretty big appetite. If I want to be lean I have to track my food and eat high volume low calorie meals. I wish my appetite was a bit weaker lol.
Was 75kg 25-30% bodyfat was untrained about 3 years ago. Im now 69kg at 13-15% bodyfat but i when i try to get any leaner i cannot for the life of me. I got there once (10-12% lean) and it killed me. Tbh sometimes i hate it that i cant do it but so be it. Enjoy the about 15% bodyfat looking big in clothes blocky abs.
I would agree with the lifting experience point big time. I’m not nearly as consistently lean as I used to be but it’s primarily because I have performed a lot of slow bulking to fuel my consistent strength gains.
I think this is the only channel that makes sense to me. I tried counting macros and gave that up real quick. There are so many mainstream gimmicks that are just so unnecessary. I lost fat and gained muscle just like you said by controlling my appetite with more plants and increased the intensity of my workouts. Keep up the good work!
Damn dude! Your observations are spot on. Speaking from personal experience, I was struggling with gaining weight even though I was "eating a lot", turns out I wasn't consuming enough carbs. I also tend to move around a lot. One thing you also mentioned which I can relate to is that I can eat the same exact food 3 times a day, 365 days a year without any problems, in fact, I enjoy it. I noticed my brother (fluffy guy) and other fluffy dudes I know, they'd rather lose a finger than eat the same meal twice. A few months ago I started to force feed myself and incorporate a lot more carbs, now I eat chicken & pasta 3 times a day, looking more jacked now, planning to bulk as much as possible then cut by just reducing carbs and following my normal appetite without force feeding.
Damn man. I STRUGGLE to maintain 12% BF and it's hard for me... My wife can't literally get over 22% bf without trying. I maintain 12% with a shit ton of veggies, fruits and lean protein.
Loads of veg and chicken stir fry meals and protein ice cream have helped me keep off the 100lbs I lost for good. When you have a huge appetite you need calorie dense foods but enjoyable snacks too!
My ideal body is 15% to 20% bodyfat year round... Ive been both under and over those numbers but i want tonstay within those 2 because its when i feel healthier, with the most strength and energy and not feeling heavy
Used to be 269 pounds (at 5'8) back in December, 2018. Was seriously fat (well over 30% BF). Within 2.5 years of working out at the gym for 20 hours a week (16 hours weights/4 hours cardio) and dieting, i'm down to 173 and 12.1% BF according to the handheld fat tester. Lost a shitload of fat and gained a bunch of muscle, serious body recomposition. I rival several of the roiders at my gym (except the absolutely juiced to the gills hulk monstrosities), and outlift many of them (particularly on the deadlift), even though i'm Natural. Can feel each individual ab, but they don't actually show yet due to excess skin (from being so fat before, which may be throwing off the BF % test). I've been able to keep pushing my weight lower, yet still gain strength and muscle size. Hit a PR of a 500 pound conventional deadlift beltless back in October when i was 180, and pretty confident i can hit a 515 conventional deadlift beltless now (my 495 top sets are feeling casual) at 173. The hardest part for me, is the dieting. I love to weightlift (why i do it so much), so that's not a problem at all. Dislike the cardio, but still do it. But i hate having to restrict what i eat so much, then even further lower the calorie intake when hitting a weight plateau (metabolic adaptation is a real bitch at this point). Even on a high-protein diet (more satiating), i go to bed hungry thinking "the sooner i go to sleep, the sooner i get to wake up and eat", which sucks. Using caffeine to suppress appetite too. When i first got below 175 (174.8), family came into town and i ate out at restaurants for 3 nights. Jumped from 174.8 to 183.8, gained 9 pounds in 3 days, and took me 2 weeks to work that shit back off. The struggle to lean down further is real.
This is what people don't understand. Thanks for making this video. Me being someone with who gains fat quick and has a king size appetite, suffers. Much more love than last time. 💪🏽☯️♥️
Alex you mentioned that a mostly plant based diet controls appetite and makes it easier to lose weight. For me it was the other way around since i became vegan, due to higher consumption of carbs, i gained more fat and therefore my performance was much better concluding in better faster gains. Before i became vegan i consumed a high protein high fat diet with very low carbs and was very lean year round but didn‘t really gain muscle. So for me becoming vegan had the opposite effect and i‘m very happy about it!
To me calisthenic was a game changer to stay lean. When you try ti hit weight pr your psychology force you to gain weight, while calisthenic and a calorie deficit go hand to hand
@@HooDRidEWhiteY don’t listen to what the otter guy commented that’s all hit cardio style training and isn’t optimal at all, if your going for muscle do a push pull legs split, if your training for strength or a skill do a upper lower, typically if your first starting off do your first few years doing a push pull legs, if you wanna train static skills do a upper lower because typically static skills is heavy compound movements using both ur “push” and “pull” muscles together.
I have one of the largest appetites I know of. My entire life I was the big kid. Then one year I lost ~80 lbs and had abs for the first time. Then for the past 5 years I have just ate for performance. Carbs around lifting, rough track protein, and minimize high calorie low satiating food. Now I am 205 with abs under half natty lighting. For those bigger guys I would suggest get down to a weight you never thought you could. for me it was 160@5'11.5 and then allow your self to build back up. I still naturally eat 4000 cals a day without trouble. Weekends probably nearly 6000 a day. The amount of muscle mass and training I do on a weekly basis keeps me semi lean. Truly, your info is amazing as always!
Great video Alex. I used to think it was impossible for me to gain weight. When I started tracking my intake I realized I never ate enough food. For the skinny guys, drinking liquid calories can help until you get used to eating more food. Using milk, fruits, oats, & peanut butter blended with protein powder always helps me get extra calories in.
There was a kid I knew in HS who was lean all the time, he played soccer, but even when he ate food, like mc Donald's he'd stop eating half way thru the food...which to me is a waste, hed legit go out of his way to go to McDonald's to not even eat much of it....but im sure people just thought he had a "fast metabolism"
Most people who have energy while being shredded are on gear. Zyzz and most aesthetic models are in the bandwagon of gear. Btw great content Alex. Your confidence on the Mic has improved a lot. Now I feel that I am listening brofessor similar to Eliiot Hulse but with better stuff.
Since its Ramadan, I've been fasting and I'm 21 days in. Let me say that I've gotten less fluffier (including the fact that i workout twice now, bw exercises before breaking my fast and weights after breaking it) and everything he's stated is hard facts. Reduction of appetite alongside fasting can help a lot. I eat eggs and fruit salad usually when i break my fast and its good stuff, man
“It’s usually not a 300 pounder cutting down to be shredded.” As someone who was almost 300lbs and couldn’t bench 100lbs and cut down to 190, it’s crazy that those transformations aren’t seen more.
I've been thinking about this recently. I started training about 9 months ago, and started losing weight about 18 months ago. Started skirting the line of morbidly obese. I was making great strength progress in the beginning whilst also losing weight for a while but I've noticed my strength gains plateau. I'm now roughly in the middle of a healthy weight range but I'm still in a calorie deficit so I have been considering upping my calorie intake to see if that makes a difference. Appreciate the video.
Absolutely agree on the culture helping motivation aspect, although I tried to run a marathon earlier and stopped 1/4 through because I had some stomach issues, I’m going to attempt it again in a couple of days but I decided to have a extra large pizza and beer tonight.
Damn bro Im the exact opposite of these guys and it can suck sometimes. My family is full of 6'6+ 250lb+ men. I'm 6'2, and definitely have the potential to be massive, just gotta make sure its the right kinda weight
Keep grinding man. I’m the exact same, always been fat during my childhood and the tallest. Currently 6ft 2, 210 at around 16-18%, still have never gotten proper abs 😂 it’ll happen one day!
@@Motivatorteo same bro, im 225 rn, about 22% and trying to lean out without losing too much strength. I have enough ab musculature that I think the abs will start to show for me around 18%
@@Motivatorteo same bro, im 225 rn, about 22% and trying to lean out without losing too much strength. I have enough ab musculature that I think the abs will start to show for me around 18%
Lol the first point is so relatable. Not for me but my best friend is exactly like this. Always complaining about how he doesn’t get big and he eats ‘lots’. But I watch him eat and he eats so painfully slow and has like one cheat meal a week.
He's absolutely correct. I dropped from 250 to 215 ish with hard work and dieting, but struggled at 212 for forever. I made the switch about a month ago to a more plant based diet while still being able to eat what I wanted and weighed in today at 206. It really does work, high protein, decent healthy fats, and lower cars, bump your soluble and insoluble fibers up and you WILL experience weightloss 💪
I have been trying to get under 20% bodyfat for months. It's so hard especially with the whole gym closed and my motivation for life being on a lifetime low. Some days I just don't care about the diet and on other days I can be consistent.
6' 330lbs down to 183 after 3 years. Started seeing the ab outline at 210 but even at 183 I can only barely see individual abs. As a former fatman it's a hell of a struggle to cut down to shredded as I can end up gaining 10lbs in a week pretty easily if I revert to my old eating habits. I basically have to do mini yo-yos to recomp so I'll sit at a certain weight range for roughly 2-3 months before cutting again.
I'm a pathetic eater. I admit it. I actually prefer to drink that filtered milk and Greek yogurt than a big heavy meal, especially after leaving the gym. I had the same issues in my wrestling days. After practice, food just didn't appeal to me.
As someone who is probably an early intermediate, I can attest my low appetite is the main reason staying so lean is easy. Even did a lean bulk for 8 months gaining 13 pounds and still got a lot of vascularity and clear abs. And I started out a little chubby (but I was originally skinny til my early 20s). Whether I wanna get fluffy down the road or just steadily maintain while keeping the beach look year round I’ll wait and see. (And I actually skip cardio quite a bit, don’t need it to stay lean but still tryna do it more 😅)
I'm 5'9, moderate appetite, 133.5 lbs, eat the same foods day in day out for months on end so can precisely track all caloric intakes. Being one of those metabolic mutants, I don't do regular cardio but still need 3025 cals a day to maintain this body weight (at around 9% BF). My lifting schedule isn't that crazy either: Day 1: one arm chin up negative, some triceps isolation sets Day 2: weighted dead hang on chin up bar Day 3: weighed chin up (heavy singles), some triceps isolation sets Day 4: leg day (good morning, reverse step up, pistol squat) As far as I can tell, most people at my weight don't need nearly this much cals to maintain their weight. They would probably actually get fat with this amount of foods. I love lifting but the eating part just kills me because I only consume whole foods (egg, oatmeal, pork, lard, liver ...)
hey alex, I have been watching your videos since couple of years and I notice that your oratory skills have improved significantly-Heck, sometimes I watch your videos about stuff I know already only because you can make me listen to it- What tips and recomendations would you give to those of us who want to be better speakers?
Oh yeah Part 2 for sure! I only have 2 years of lifting experience, bulking for some reason didn't work as my gains seemed to stall, so I decided to diet instead but still put in maximum effort, high protein and focus on increasing weight/reps. Only around 1400 calories per day, losing body fat for 7 weeks straight (lost about 6% fat now) but am still progressing in my lifts and gaining muscle, thus recomping. Sure some days I feel weaker probably due to cutting so I just rest an extra day but otherwise am loving the overall process. It's good to be a noob I guess. Just wanted to let other people know not to only try to maintain during a cut just give it your all.. who knows you might just gain muscle. If you don't try you never know! Keep it up Alex😄👍
i’m a classic skinny fat and this is pretty fair even If I have an all out cheat day, i’m tapping out at 4k calories and maybe even sick but of course in my mind, it feels like 8k and I don’t want to see any food for 36 hours.
So true! A small to normal sized pizza with moderates amount of cheese, ham and pepperoni has between 800-1500 calories..even when you eat ice cream afterwards you hit maybe 2000-2500 calories... My goal is to implement more plant based nutrition and also work on my refeed choices when breaking my fasts. Right now 36 hours into my fast (first since a long time)
This is so friking true! Grate video.20 years of gym and homie is on point! Only thing i do not agree with is the variation in food. He is right but IF you actuslly know the calories of the different meals you can mix but almost no one does and it takes time and effort to build a librery of this similar im calories meals and noobs dont have the milage yet.
Hey guys, I just made a video on my personal transformation which is a TRUE hard gainers struggle. In the video I address the struggle of eating as well. Went from 98lbs to 152lbs.
As a 14y lifter who is recomping - it is so disheartening seeing your strength goals drift further and further away. I’ve had to modify my training to combat this loss by getting in AT LEAST 30 good sets (20 compound, 10 isolation) per muscle group per weak. These sets often are taken to 1 RIR or failure with a 2-3x frequency just to keep up with where I was maybe two weeks ago. I’ve gotta make sure my cardio is as low intensity as possible and ensure my sleep is on point. I’ve gotta make sure my tempo is spot on in my lifts (it’s so easy lifting more with next to no eccentric) This is ontop of all the exercises I do to ensure shoulder stability and longevity in the gym. That being said...I look better than I ever have and that comes first. My 315 bench comes second, and will become easier to achieve if I only gain 5lb away from my ideal weight.
Always struggle to gain, just lean bulked from about 68-85kg lifting for 4 years. Interestingly I eat the same shit every day, porridge, sandwiches fruit vegetables. My dinner is similar most nights (I'm a student so this helps me bulk cook). Can't believe I never made this observation before --> I'm definitely going to have more varied meals on my next bulk.
I know i say this a lot, but weight training can bridge the gap for people that wanna get good as calisthenics while they’re bulking. Specific variations of pull ups like lat pulldowns, rows. I get dramatically stronger at weighted pull ups in terms of both absolute load and weight added. I hit a 180 lb chin up at 205 lbs. When I cut down, I find that weighted calisthenics maintains the worst out of any lift. Maybe that’s the exception, but not the rule. I’ll need to experiment to give a definitive answer, but I’m going to make a video I think
Yeaaaahhhhh. Next video: Benefits of bulking up & people miring the size🤷🏽♂️💪🏽💪🏽. Lean 6’3” guy with abs trying to get swole 😁. Thanks Alex for the content
I went mostly whole foods plant based. I have a meat pie (Google it) every couple of weeks and barbecue every couple of months. But 95% of my meals have no added oil, no meat, fish, eggs or dairy. Results: No more angina Blood pressure normal Resting pulse now 51 Lost 26 pounds (without hunger) And still gaining strength.
If one guy is lean gaining for a period of time, say 0.5-1 lb per week for 2 months, and his weighted pullups 1RM remains the same, would you consider that as an improvement in strength?
Seriously, if I didn't set alarms I would just forget to eat. Last summer I took a week off from any diet or training, some days I literally only ate my breakfast, a small snack in the middle of the day and a decently sized dinner. At tops, it was less than 1500 calories. And I then realized that was still more than what I ate before I started eating. Hunger itself for me doesn't feel like anything more than a mild discomfort I can easily ignore, and laziness can easily overpower it.
As someone who at lowest was 130 at 6ft I can definitely say appetite control is a big factor. I COULD eat anything and be fine because I wasn't at all always eating the kitchen(and I played alot of basketball for cardio) I was fine. Shoot some days Id be fine skippin breakfast and lunch lol
Being a fat older guy coming into the army and being around alot of young and lean guys it opened my eyes to alot of the facts your stating hear. They're not super human they're buring around 2500 to 3000 calories a day and not big eaters to begin with.
I'd consider myself pretty lean and you are spot on about most of these observations lol I eat the same things walk daily and I don't usually have much of an appetite. I also don't eat any junk food/desserts
I'd have to agree I'm 6'2 and when I started I weighed 135 lbs. I bulked up to 170 over a 6 month period and as soon as I started my cut phase all the weight melted off and the abs are showing pretty well now.
Yea I was 5’9 125lbs 18 years old eating 1700 cals with “crazy” abs. Two years later sitting at 180-185lbs still have decent abs I think. But I had to eat to the verge of vomiting 3500-4000 cals a day everyday. I’m never hungry Edit: Maybe it is cuz I eat the same 5-6 meals everyday for 2 years
I feel like Cardio should be one of the big keys to successful strength training. Thinking about Cardio as way to lose weight is all backwards, you do cardio to increase your nutrition. Your weekly training is limited by MRV, how much does Cardio impact your MRV? Not nearly as much as the equivalent calories burned in Lifting. So, even if you do "theoretically" use up some MRV with Cardio, the improvement to Nutrition should more than compensate and improve overall MRV on your entire weekly lifting program. Also, doing cardio while feeding is one of the best ways to force nutrition into your joints and muscles. Fasted Cardio is the worst thing ever, but take a Protein Shake with an easy Bike Ride the day after Squats and your legs should feel amazing.
He just described me am currently 11 percent body fat ripped abs bicep vain and everything. And sometimes I don't eat until 12pm and am not hungry 150 5ft8
I'm 36 yr old male, 6 feet tall and 160 lbs. I eat less than 1500 calories a day on average. 2 or sometimes 3 days of the week I'll get a little closer to 2000 but I just don't have an appetite. I eat mostly protein, carbs, and fiber. I'm on a pretty low fat diet, generally speaking
Solution to people who wanna suppress video games: Video games! A good game will have me feeling like skipping a meal and I don’t even feel hungry lol (just gotta make sure to keep it under control and do other similar activities to make you forget about your appetite)
I stay lean on 3400 calories a day and I’m only 5’8 170lbs. I track and eat the same thing everyday, like a dog. But I’m a roofer too and probably walk on average 17,000 steps a day!
I dont even cut anymore. Just lean bulk all year and cardio everyday. Getting bigger and stronger while gaining minimal fat. If I was to cut it would probs take 8-12 weeks max and it would only be for vanity/Aesthetic reasons although imo I look better lean. Lean but not shredded, feel like i'm the healthiest and in my best shape. Thanks Alex for getting me into cardio everyday :)
I'm 285 and look very similar to AlphaDestny but not as lean without putting much thought into eating or lifting. I have a gut and my body has a hard time doing compound movements from doing isolated machine movements all the time. I could learn from him how to make my body work together as a unit.
I was a skinny fat teen, worked at McDonald's, worked out at school but no huge gains and then covid hit. I stopped working, stopped school, and I stopped eating. I'd have maybe 2 meals a day and could go all day not eating. I simply forgot I was hungry. I lost 20 pounds and got to 135. Now though, I've been forcing myself to eat 5 protein meals a day, and eat with very good nutrition and with plenty of calories and have been gaining pretty well (around 140 now, still lean) I actually got down to 8.5 body fat at one point (forgetting to eat but still eating healthy foods so basically I was cutting pretty hard unknowingly). I'd say it's still a struggle, but I'd much rather start off lean than to loose all the weight and then start gaining muscle.
I related mostly to the cardio point, when i was working in kindergarden i would walk around check on all the kids and make sure everyone was having fun and if anyone needed it i would comfort them. I lost 15 pounds or so by doing that without changing my diet rutine, ive gained back about 2 of those pounds. And i know i gotta do shit along side lifting for me i am mostly as strong as i wanna be, ofc i wanna be stronger however id rather keep my strenght and get leaner so i look more crediable due to having a degree in the field and how you look will determine if people will hire you.
For all my ectomorphs out there heres a tip: make shakes! I suffer from having smaller joints/ rib cage so its hard to pack on as much mass as people with bigger bones but 600-1k calorie shakes have upped my weight and lifts❤
As a true natural for 10+ years this guy is spot on most of the time. All the young true naturals should follow this guy.
10+ years too, I agree.
Ok alex
9+ years here and i once almost lost it when i took pills from a friend when i was 16, but it didnt take em before looking up everything on the internet about it. Because that was my protocol with some drugs i wanted to try at this time. When i googled "methandienone" wikipedia came up with the synonyms "dianabol/ ..." and then it dawned on me. My friend was taking steroids and i almost took em too. At this moment i had my awakening, before i thought steroids is only the huge guys on the magazines and adverts. After that i noticed just how many in the gym around me are actually taking stuff, while looking worse than me as a 16 year old. Thats where i said to myself to never take shit unless a doctor tells me to.
And Alpha Destiny is indeed 100% right about the facts stated in this video. I somehow did all the things right.
10+ years here as well and I'm in agreement.
Facts
As a 5’10 137lb 17 year old who barely eats 2000 calories a day and fasts in the morning and then has the audacity to wonder why I’m not making gains, I appreciate this video
Cause and effect homie. Now it's time to make the best gains of your life, you got this!!
I was in your shoes until college dining halls. Chocolate milk, pizza, etc. put lots on my frame
Just for reference I’m 6 foot two, and was able to get up to 185 from 155 my first year of college cop. 185 was definitely bear mode for me though
@@thedistordedbadger 185 is bear mode for you at 6’2? Damn
@@thedistordedbadger I’m 6’3 and when I was 185 I looked like I was starving lol
Video requests-
Full day of eating
Full day skincare
Health and Fitness UA-camrs worth a follow (The ones you follow personally)
Keep up the great content 👍
Yes he needs to do a full day of eating!!!
Skin care is the whole food plant based diet.
I would love to see a full day of eating
FULL DAY OF EATING i need this
specially the skin care, Alex's skin is on point
Yup definitely right Alex, appetite is name of the game. That’s why Greg Plitt said in one of his videos, those that start off skinny tend to have some of the most aesthetic bodies he has seen, because although they struggle with building mass, if they can achieve that, they’ll look like Greek gods due to their inclination to be lean.
Greg Plitt was so ahead of his time. Definitely seen this happen many times!
@@AlexLeonidas absolutely was man, on the mt Rushmore of fitness
As a guy that’s been underweight his whole life I can tell you hit spot on that first point. At some point I even fooled myself to think I ate alot. I actually ate a big dinner every day. My dad and his friend called me the trashcan cause I always ate everything even when they were stuffed. And I drank lots of cola so from the outside I was stuffing my face with junkfood and cola. What people didn’t know and what I tended to forget was that the single meal was basically the only meal I had during the day... And maybe once or twice a week I had an additional bag of chips or some shit.
This is obviously not enough calories for a 6 foot 5 guy... Now that I train I actually have to constantly remind myself that I need to go make a meal. And I’ve gained 55 lbs in the last 3 years and I still look lean. That tells you how underweight I was... My goal this year is another 20 lbs and a cut next year.
Im the opposite lol. Constant eating and occasional big meals of 1000+ calories. And by occasional i mean once every couple days And let me tell you i am a big boy
Careful you don’t become type 2 diabetic with all that overeating. Speaking from experience here
@@immers2410 is it any risk if I stay below 30% bodyfat?
@@Kevlaren 30% is way too high. I would do circuit training or HIIT sessions with calorie restriction until bodyfat got to below 12-13%, then continue lean bulking. It’s much better to do repeated small bouts of bulking and cutting than to put all the mass on in one go.
Also, meal timing, frequency, and quality are equally important as total calories
Bump on that The Bioneer collab. Loving the latest content.
He has collabed with The Bioneer or do you mean they might?
I have a pretty big appetite. If I want to be lean I have to track my food and eat high volume low calorie meals.
I wish my appetite was a bit weaker lol.
I feel you. I'm always thinking about food.
Was 75kg 25-30% bodyfat was untrained about 3 years ago. Im now 69kg at 13-15% bodyfat but i when i try to get any leaner i cannot for the life of me. I got there once (10-12% lean) and it killed me. Tbh sometimes i hate it that i cant do it but so be it. Enjoy the about 15% bodyfat looking big in clothes blocky abs.
@@ammandotcom do you track calories while dieting?
@@loadedtherapy yea i do.
lol same. i go to sleep looking forward to my next meal.
I would agree with the lifting experience point big time. I’m not nearly as consistently lean as I used to be but it’s primarily because I have performed a lot of slow bulking to fuel my consistent strength gains.
I think this is the only channel that makes sense to me. I tried counting macros and gave that up real quick. There are so many mainstream gimmicks that are just so unnecessary. I lost fat and gained muscle just like you said by controlling my appetite with more plants and increased the intensity of my workouts. Keep up the good work!
Damn dude! Your observations are spot on. Speaking from personal experience, I was struggling with gaining weight even though I was "eating a lot", turns out I wasn't consuming enough carbs. I also tend to move around a lot.
One thing you also mentioned which I can relate to is that I can eat the same exact food 3 times a day, 365 days a year without any problems, in fact, I enjoy it. I noticed my brother (fluffy guy) and other fluffy dudes I know, they'd rather lose a finger than eat the same meal twice.
A few months ago I started to force feed myself and incorporate a lot more carbs, now I eat chicken & pasta 3 times a day, looking more jacked now, planning to bulk as much as possible then cut by just reducing carbs and following my normal appetite without force feeding.
Damn man. I STRUGGLE to maintain 12% BF and it's hard for me... My wife can't literally get over 22% bf without trying.
I maintain 12% with a shit ton of veggies, fruits and lean protein.
Check out these videos!
ua-cam.com/video/IwT7BDfYRWE/v-deo.html&t
ua-cam.com/video/pZqAAeA-7mI/v-deo.html&t
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Lol I'm not even trying to eat clean I just eat everything I want and I'm still skinny
@@averagecalisthenicsguy1504 ur in a deficit then
@@averagecalisthenicsguy1504 one of those examples who are chronic undereater who does not know it yet.
@@Waferwafermagiccracker idk man my friend said I'm eating alot comparing to them and they still gain more weight than I am
5:05 brings memories back to the legendary buffet video with phil haha
Yeaaaaaah we at the boofay rite nao
whatchu got over der
chYickennn
Loads of veg and chicken stir fry meals and protein ice cream have helped me keep off the 100lbs I lost for good. When you have a huge appetite you need calorie dense foods but enjoyable snacks too!
My ideal body is 15% to 20% bodyfat year round... Ive been both under and over those numbers but i want tonstay within those 2 because its when i feel healthier, with the most strength and energy and not feeling heavy
Bear Mode ftw!
@@AlexLeonidas learnt from the best 💪
Used to be 269 pounds (at 5'8) back in December, 2018. Was seriously fat (well over 30% BF). Within 2.5 years of working out at the gym for 20 hours a week (16 hours weights/4 hours cardio) and dieting, i'm down to 173 and 12.1% BF according to the handheld fat tester. Lost a shitload of fat and gained a bunch of muscle, serious body recomposition. I rival several of the roiders at my gym (except the absolutely juiced to the gills hulk monstrosities), and outlift many of them (particularly on the deadlift), even though i'm Natural. Can feel each individual ab, but they don't actually show yet due to excess skin (from being so fat before, which may be throwing off the BF % test).
I've been able to keep pushing my weight lower, yet still gain strength and muscle size. Hit a PR of a 500 pound conventional deadlift beltless back in October when i was 180, and pretty confident i can hit a 515 conventional deadlift beltless now (my 495 top sets are feeling casual) at 173.
The hardest part for me, is the dieting. I love to weightlift (why i do it so much), so that's not a problem at all. Dislike the cardio, but still do it. But i hate having to restrict what i eat so much, then even further lower the calorie intake when hitting a weight plateau (metabolic adaptation is a real bitch at this point). Even on a high-protein diet (more satiating), i go to bed hungry thinking "the sooner i go to sleep, the sooner i get to wake up and eat", which sucks. Using caffeine to suppress appetite too. When i first got below 175 (174.8), family came into town and i ate out at restaurants for 3 nights. Jumped from 174.8 to 183.8, gained 9 pounds in 3 days, and took me 2 weeks to work that shit back off. The struggle to lean down further is real.
This is what people don't understand. Thanks for making this video. Me being someone with who gains fat quick and has a king size appetite, suffers. Much more love than last time. 💪🏽☯️♥️
Alex you mentioned that a mostly plant based diet controls appetite and makes it easier to lose weight. For me it was the other way around since i became vegan, due to higher consumption of carbs, i gained more fat and therefore my performance was much better concluding in better faster gains. Before i became vegan i consumed a high protein high fat diet with very low carbs and was very lean year round but didn‘t really gain muscle. So for me becoming vegan had the opposite effect and i‘m very happy about it!
Love the content!
*GENERAL KENOBI*
Alex, Pin his comment so that he always has the high ground
In 2018 I was 6’1 and 130lbs, now I am 152 lbs but still need to get stronger. Needed this video, thanks AD!
Alex sporting that Ralph Lauren Polo like a second skin...Swole Lauren baby!
You mean Ralph Lauren Swolo
The tim dillon look
To me calisthenic was a game changer to stay lean. When you try ti hit weight pr your psychology force you to gain weight, while calisthenic and a calorie deficit go hand to hand
Can you suggest a routine?
@@HooDRidEWhiteY check out thatsgood money or broly gainz for caisthenics
@@HooDRidEWhiteY don’t listen to what the otter guy commented that’s all hit cardio style training and isn’t optimal at all, if your going for muscle do a push pull legs split, if your training for strength or a skill do a upper lower, typically if your first starting off do your first few years doing a push pull legs, if you wanna train static skills do a upper lower because typically static skills is heavy compound movements using both ur “push” and “pull” muscles together.
Love the videos my man, really great natty role model
Honored to help, and thank you Nicholas!
I have one of the largest appetites I know of. My entire life I was the big kid. Then one year I lost ~80 lbs and had abs for the first time. Then for the past 5 years I have just ate for performance. Carbs around lifting, rough track protein, and minimize high calorie low satiating food. Now I am 205 with abs under half natty lighting. For those bigger guys I would suggest get down to a weight you never thought you could. for me it was 160@5'11.5 and then allow your self to build back up. I still naturally eat 4000 cals a day without trouble. Weekends probably nearly 6000 a day. The amount of muscle mass and training I do on a weekly basis keeps me semi lean. Truly, your info is amazing as always!
Great video Alex. I used to think it was impossible for me to gain weight. When I started tracking my intake I realized I never ate enough food. For the skinny guys, drinking liquid calories can help until you get used to eating more food. Using milk, fruits, oats, & peanut butter blended with protein powder always helps me get extra calories in.
I agree actually 100%... have your staples and stick to them and swap them out for better staples as you gain knowledge and your needs change.
There was a kid I knew in HS who was lean all the time, he played soccer, but even when he ate food, like mc Donald's he'd stop eating half way thru the food...which to me is a waste, hed legit go out of his way to go to McDonald's to not even eat much of it....but im sure people just thought he had a "fast metabolism"
Most people who have energy while being shredded are on gear. Zyzz and most aesthetic models are in the bandwagon of gear. Btw great content Alex. Your confidence on the Mic has improved a lot. Now I feel that I am listening brofessor similar to Eliiot Hulse but with better stuff.
Today was the first day I decided to get leaner and I so happened to get this vid recommended. Love your content Alex.
frequent cardio is a must for me, 3 times a week otherwise nothing happens, and that is while I am tracking my calories in a deficit
If you can yes do a part two for this video
Since its Ramadan, I've been fasting and I'm 21 days in. Let me say that I've gotten less fluffier (including the fact that i workout twice now, bw exercises before breaking my fast and weights after breaking it) and everything he's stated is hard facts. Reduction of appetite alongside fasting can help a lot. I eat eggs and fruit salad usually when i break my fast and its good stuff, man
“It’s usually not a 300 pounder cutting down to be shredded.” As someone who was almost 300lbs and couldn’t bench 100lbs and cut down to 190, it’s crazy that those transformations aren’t seen more.
I've been thinking about this recently. I started training about 9 months ago, and started losing weight about 18 months ago. Started skirting the line of morbidly obese.
I was making great strength progress in the beginning whilst also losing weight for a while but I've noticed my strength gains plateau.
I'm now roughly in the middle of a healthy weight range but I'm still in a calorie deficit so I have been considering upping my calorie intake to see if that makes a difference.
Appreciate the video.
I would love to see a video of channels that you would recommend that people may not know about or not part of the mainstream fitness scene.
Absolutely agree on the culture helping motivation aspect, although I tried to run a marathon earlier and stopped 1/4 through because I had some stomach issues, I’m going to attempt it again in a couple of days but I decided to have a extra large pizza and beer tonight.
Damn bro Im the exact opposite of these guys and it can suck sometimes. My family is full of 6'6+ 250lb+ men. I'm 6'2, and definitely have the potential to be massive, just gotta make sure its the right kinda weight
Keep grinding man. I’m the exact same, always been fat during my childhood and the tallest. Currently 6ft 2, 210 at around 16-18%, still have never gotten proper abs 😂 it’ll happen one day!
@@Motivatorteo same bro, im 225 rn, about 22% and trying to lean out without losing too much strength. I have enough ab musculature that I think the abs will start to show for me around 18%
@@Motivatorteo same bro, im 225 rn, about 22% and trying to lean out without losing too much strength. I have enough ab musculature that I think the abs will start to show for me around 18%
Elite natural incoming!!
@@AlexLeonidas 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Great topic. Great points. I just want to say thank you for consistently making videos. It helps. Keeps me in the game. Cheers.
Lol the first point is so relatable. Not for me but my best friend is exactly like this. Always complaining about how he doesn’t get big and he eats ‘lots’. But I watch him eat and he eats so painfully slow and has like one cheat meal a week.
We NEED a PART 2
He's absolutely correct. I dropped from 250 to 215 ish with hard work and dieting, but struggled at 212 for forever. I made the switch about a month ago to a more plant based diet while still being able to eat what I wanted and weighed in today at 206. It really does work, high protein, decent healthy fats, and lower cars, bump your soluble and insoluble fibers up and you WILL experience weightloss 💪
I have been trying to get under 20% bodyfat for months. It's so hard especially with the whole gym closed and my motivation for life being on a lifetime low. Some days I just don't care about the diet and on other days I can be consistent.
6' 330lbs down to 183 after 3 years. Started seeing the ab outline at 210 but even at 183 I can only barely see individual abs. As a former fatman it's a hell of a struggle to cut down to shredded as I can end up gaining 10lbs in a week pretty easily if I revert to my old eating habits. I basically have to do mini yo-yos to recomp so I'll sit at a certain weight range for roughly 2-3 months before cutting again.
Im so pumped to see alex training lower body again, did you already figure out a way to overload the trap bar?
Oh yessss, bought some 100lb plates which should arrive soon. Gonna get strong with the low handles.
@@AlexLeonidas that's awesome! Looking forward to the training vids!
Alex this video on point. It is exactly my thoughts on the subject.
I'm a pathetic eater. I admit it. I actually prefer to drink that filtered milk and Greek yogurt than a big heavy meal, especially after leaving the gym.
I had the same issues in my wrestling days. After practice, food just didn't appeal to me.
We do want a part two btw :)
As someone who is probably an early intermediate, I can attest my low appetite is the main reason staying so lean is easy. Even did a lean bulk for 8 months gaining 13 pounds and still got a lot of vascularity and clear abs. And I started out a little chubby (but I was originally skinny til my early 20s). Whether I wanna get fluffy down the road or just steadily maintain while keeping the beach look year round I’ll wait and see. (And I actually skip cardio quite a bit, don’t need it to stay lean but still tryna do it more 😅)
It’s true. I struggle to eat and have no appetite plus very fast metabolism and high fatigue tolerance. Not a good recipe to even maintain 80kg BW.
Could you do a pre lifting stretch series? I’d love some chest stretches
Great video, Alex. We can tell your knowledge expands much further than lifting!
This guy is the most underrated fitness guru in youtube..
I'm 5'9, moderate appetite, 133.5 lbs, eat the same foods day in day out for months on end so can precisely track all caloric intakes. Being one of those metabolic mutants, I don't do regular cardio but still need 3025 cals a day to maintain this body weight (at around 9% BF).
My lifting schedule isn't that crazy either:
Day 1: one arm chin up negative, some triceps isolation sets
Day 2: weighted dead hang on chin up bar
Day 3: weighed chin up (heavy singles), some triceps isolation sets
Day 4: leg day (good morning, reverse step up, pistol squat)
As far as I can tell, most people at my weight don't need nearly this much cals to maintain their weight. They would probably actually get fat with this amount of foods. I love lifting but the eating part just kills me because I only consume whole foods (egg, oatmeal, pork, lard, liver ...)
Do a part 2. This was really good
Great content. Thanks Alex. Long time suscriber here
Awesome content and valuable information since - thank you for that.
hey alex, I have been watching your videos since couple of years and I notice that your oratory skills have improved significantly-Heck, sometimes I watch your videos about stuff I know already only because you can make me listen to it- What tips and recomendations would you give to those of us who want to be better speakers?
I've never felt so personally attacked lmao. But forreal tho theres a lot of truth here. I just subbed.
True my apetite is super huge I can easily eat upto 5k calories without a hiccup I am 6.2ft 100kg since i was just 12 year old I am 22 now
I find that when I'm bulking or maintaince I have little to no apetite but when I'm cutting I'm constantly hungry
Oh yeah Part 2 for sure! I only have 2 years of lifting experience, bulking for some reason didn't work as my gains seemed to stall, so I decided to diet instead but still put in maximum effort, high protein and focus on increasing weight/reps. Only around 1400 calories per day, losing body fat for 7 weeks straight (lost about 6% fat now) but am still progressing in my lifts and gaining muscle, thus recomping. Sure some days I feel weaker probably due to cutting so I just rest an extra day but otherwise am loving the overall process. It's good to be a noob I guess. Just wanted to let other people know not to only try to maintain during a cut just give it your all.. who knows you might just gain muscle. If you don't try you never know! Keep it up Alex😄👍
i’m a classic skinny fat and this is pretty fair
even If I have an all out cheat day, i’m tapping out at 4k calories and maybe even sick
but of course in my mind, it feels like 8k and I don’t want to see any food for 36 hours.
So true! A small to normal sized pizza with moderates amount of cheese, ham and pepperoni has between 800-1500 calories..even when you eat ice cream afterwards you hit maybe 2000-2500 calories...
My goal is to implement more plant based nutrition and also work on my refeed choices when breaking my fasts.
Right now 36 hours into my fast (first since a long time)
This is so friking true! Grate video.20 years of gym and homie is on point! Only thing i do not agree with is the variation in food. He is right but IF you actuslly know the calories of the different meals you can mix but almost no one does and it takes time and effort to build a librery of this similar im calories meals and noobs dont have the milage yet.
As a past skinny guy with garbage appetite i agree, he speaks straight facts
Hey guys, I just made a video on my personal transformation which is a TRUE hard gainers struggle. In the video I address the struggle of eating as well. Went from 98lbs to 152lbs.
As a 14y lifter who is recomping - it is so disheartening seeing your strength goals drift further and further away. I’ve had to modify my training to combat this loss by getting in AT LEAST 30 good sets (20 compound, 10 isolation) per muscle group per weak. These sets often are taken to 1 RIR or failure with a 2-3x frequency just to keep up with where I was maybe two weeks ago. I’ve gotta make sure my cardio is as low intensity as possible and ensure my sleep is on point. I’ve gotta make sure my tempo is spot on in my lifts (it’s so easy lifting more with next to no eccentric) This is ontop of all the exercises I do to ensure shoulder stability and longevity in the gym. That being said...I look better than I ever have and that comes first. My 315 bench comes second, and will become easier to achieve if I only gain 5lb away from my ideal weight.
Always struggle to gain, just lean bulked from about 68-85kg lifting for 4 years. Interestingly I eat the same shit every day, porridge, sandwiches fruit vegetables. My dinner is similar most nights (I'm a student so this helps me bulk cook). Can't believe I never made this observation before --> I'm definitely going to have more varied meals on my next bulk.
I have a big appetite and was 300 lbs at 16, I dropped down to 180 but If I didn't keep myself in check, my body always gravitated towards 225-250.
I know i say this a lot, but weight training can bridge the gap for people that wanna get good as calisthenics while they’re bulking. Specific variations of pull ups like lat pulldowns, rows.
I get dramatically stronger at weighted pull ups in terms of both absolute load and weight added. I hit a 180 lb chin up at 205 lbs.
When I cut down, I find that weighted calisthenics maintains the worst out of any lift. Maybe that’s the exception, but not the rule. I’ll need to experiment to give a definitive answer, but I’m going to make a video I think
naturally skinny, normally eat one meal a day. eating more is very difficult. i have zero appetite
Great video as always!
Yeaaaahhhhh. Next video: Benefits of bulking up & people miring the size🤷🏽♂️💪🏽💪🏽. Lean 6’3” guy with abs trying to get swole 😁. Thanks Alex for the content
I went mostly whole foods plant based.
I have a meat pie (Google it) every couple of weeks and barbecue every couple of months.
But 95% of my meals have no added oil, no meat, fish, eggs or dairy.
Results:
No more angina
Blood pressure normal
Resting pulse now 51
Lost 26 pounds (without hunger)
And still gaining strength.
4:58 Yeeaaahhhhhhhh we at the buffet right now
Im eating pork is that beneficial for bulking up ?!?
If one guy is lean gaining for a period of time, say 0.5-1 lb per week for 2 months, and his weighted pullups 1RM remains the same, would you consider that as an improvement in strength?
Seriously, if I didn't set alarms I would just forget to eat. Last summer I took a week off from any diet or training, some days I literally only ate my breakfast, a small snack in the middle of the day and a decently sized dinner. At tops, it was less than 1500 calories. And I then realized that was still more than what I ate before I started eating. Hunger itself for me doesn't feel like anything more than a mild discomfort I can easily ignore, and laziness can easily overpower it.
As someone who at lowest was 130 at 6ft I can definitely say appetite control is a big factor. I COULD eat anything and be fine because I wasn't at all always eating the kitchen(and I played alot of basketball for cardio) I was fine. Shoot some days Id be fine skippin breakfast and lunch lol
Being a fat older guy coming into the army and being around alot of young and lean guys it opened my eyes to alot of the facts your stating hear. They're not super human they're buring around 2500 to 3000 calories a day and not big eaters to begin with.
Hey alex, do you think reverse lunges and trap bar deadlifts are a good combo?
It's a killer combo for sure. I used to do a lot of that.
I'd consider myself pretty lean and you are spot on about most of these observations lol I eat the same things walk daily and I don't usually have much of an appetite. I also don't eat any junk food/desserts
I'd have to agree I'm 6'2 and when I started I weighed 135 lbs. I bulked up to 170 over a 6 month period and as soon as I started my cut phase all the weight melted off and the abs are showing pretty well now.
For me it's not that I under ate (to an extent), I also ate terrible food like sweets more often than not
Yea I was 5’9 125lbs 18 years old eating 1700 cals with “crazy” abs. Two years later sitting at 180-185lbs still have decent abs I think. But I had to eat to the verge of vomiting 3500-4000 cals a day everyday. I’m never hungry
Edit: Maybe it is cuz I eat the same 5-6 meals everyday for 2 years
I feel like Cardio should be one of the big keys to successful strength training.
Thinking about Cardio as way to lose weight is all backwards, you do cardio to increase your nutrition.
Your weekly training is limited by MRV, how much does Cardio impact your MRV? Not nearly as much as the equivalent calories burned in Lifting. So, even if you do "theoretically" use up some MRV with Cardio, the improvement to Nutrition should more than compensate and improve overall MRV on your entire weekly lifting program. Also, doing cardio while feeding is one of the best ways to force nutrition into your joints and muscles. Fasted Cardio is the worst thing ever, but take a Protein Shake with an easy Bike Ride the day after Squats and your legs should feel amazing.
its true.. I do 2 days in the gym full body and 2 days strict bodyweight and the gains are crazy
He just described me am currently 11 percent body fat ripped abs bicep vain and everything. And sometimes I don't eat until 12pm and am not hungry 150 5ft8
I'm 36 yr old male, 6 feet tall and 160 lbs. I eat less than 1500 calories a day on average. 2 or sometimes 3 days of the week I'll get a little closer to 2000 but I just don't have an appetite.
I eat mostly protein, carbs, and fiber. I'm on a pretty low fat diet, generally speaking
Solution to people who wanna suppress video games: Video games! A good game will have me feeling like skipping a meal and I don’t even feel hungry lol (just gotta make sure to keep it under control and do other similar activities to make you forget about your appetite)
OMG PLEASE MAKE A PART 2
In my experience, people who are very lean or lean in general don’t even track what they eat and have very little understanding of dieting in general.
Exactly what I've seen too
I stay lean on 3400 calories a day and I’m only 5’8 170lbs. I track and eat the same thing everyday, like a dog. But I’m a roofer too and probably walk on average 17,000 steps a day!
yeah when I tracked, I noticed I got very fat but when stopped tracking and just used my natural appetite I leaned out quite quickly
I dont even cut anymore. Just lean bulk all year and cardio everyday. Getting bigger and stronger while gaining minimal fat. If I was to cut it would probs take 8-12 weeks max and it would only be for vanity/Aesthetic reasons although imo I look better lean. Lean but not shredded, feel like i'm the healthiest and in my best shape. Thanks Alex for getting me into cardio everyday :)
Quality infos ass always 💚
2:32 I could eat 5 big meals in a day pretty easy if I wanted, unless you mean something like 4100 calories each meal
I'm 285 and look very similar to AlphaDestny but not as lean without putting much thought into eating or lifting. I have a gut and my body has a hard time doing compound movements from doing isolated machine movements all the time. I could learn from him how to make my body work together as a unit.
Hi I’m new and I love you’re content.
Just wanted to ask, Do you have a video on how to set up for the bench press etc ??
I was a skinny fat teen, worked at McDonald's, worked out at school but no huge gains and then covid hit. I stopped working, stopped school, and I stopped eating. I'd have maybe 2 meals a day and could go all day not eating. I simply forgot I was hungry. I lost 20 pounds and got to 135. Now though, I've been forcing myself to eat 5 protein meals a day, and eat with very good nutrition and with plenty of calories and have been gaining pretty well (around 140 now, still lean) I actually got down to 8.5 body fat at one point (forgetting to eat but still eating healthy foods so basically I was cutting pretty hard unknowingly). I'd say it's still a struggle, but I'd much rather start off lean than to loose all the weight and then start gaining muscle.
Yo, we checkin in at teh Buffet!
I related mostly to the cardio point, when i was working in kindergarden i would walk around check on all the kids and make sure everyone was having fun and if anyone needed it i would comfort them. I lost 15 pounds or so by doing that without changing my diet rutine, ive gained back about 2 of those pounds. And i know i gotta do shit along side lifting for me i am mostly as strong as i wanna be, ofc i wanna be stronger however id rather keep my strenght and get leaner so i look more crediable due to having a degree in the field and how you look will determine if people will hire you.
For all my ectomorphs out there heres a tip: make shakes! I suffer from having smaller joints/ rib cage so its hard to pack on as much mass as people with bigger bones but 600-1k calorie shakes have upped my weight and lifts❤