#inspiremetolift

[absolute-drive]

inspiremetolift reblogged your photo and added:

Lolol yo soy beast mode. I want that shirt.

Currently sold out at http://www.iambeastmode.com/

[inspiremetolift]

Lean vs. Bulk: A little Self Reflection

So I'm looking at the picture I just posted and I'm looking at another semi-naked selfie I took about a year ago. Both are under my what I look like tab so the interesting thing about this is I know I have gained a ton of weight since last year. I'd say I was just under 140 last year and I was leaner, you can see more definition in my stomach and arms. Now I weigh around 154. The pic of me that I just posted clearly shows that. Here is the thing, I gained that weight over the course of last summer when I was studying abroad, dealing with my sisters wedding and moving down to DC. It was a very stressful time and I was not keeping track of my weight or doing nearly as much cardio as I was when picture one was taken.

So usually "bulking" is when people actively gain weight in the form of muscle and eat more while lifting heavier simultaneously. I gained the weight first, then started lifting again and here is the thing. I'm not only EXTREMELY stronger than I was a year ago, I am faster too. I don't do that much cardio. That's going to change the second it gets warmer out because I need to be hitting the miles hard before OCS. But doing explosive cardio training, heavy lifting, and a ton of calisthenics daily has apparently put me in a very very different body position then I was a year ago. 

It is very interesting to me how much I have stressed over my weight. Even when the first leaner selfie was taken I didn't have body confidence, I wanted to be slimmer. Now I do have a desire to be leaner and I'm trying to cut 5-10 pounds now before OCS, but I think the leanness will work itself out when I up my running. 

This is a lot of rambling I'm sorry BUT THE POINT IS. I love my body as bulky as it is now. I'm hard on myself in both stages but I'm a fucking beast right now. Literally stronger than I have ever been. I mean I can do 50 push ups without stopping, I've never been able to do that before! So I love my bulky mass and I'm getting my eating habits in control for as much of a physical well-being aspect as an aesthetics one. 

This was a breakthrough and you better believe I'll be posting a ton more selfies because honestly I love my bod for what it does, regardless of how it looks.