Status Update
I've just passed the three-week mark of my fitness journey, and I'm pleased to share some encouraging results. Altogether, I've lost approximately 6 pounds of fat while gaining about 1 pound of muscle. This body recomposition progress indicates that my approach is starting to yield the desired results, particularly in the last week and a half.
Strength Progress
Since beginning on February 4-5, I've seen notable improvements across all major lift categories. All exercises are performed as 3 sets of 8 repetitions:
Most Significant Gains:
Bench Press: Increased from 135 to 175 pounds (+40 pounds)
Leg Press: Improved from 480 to 540 pounds (+60 pounds)
Military Press: Advanced from 85 to 105 pounds (+20 pounds)
Bent Over Row: Progressed from 155 to 185/195 pounds (+30-40 pounds)
Moderate Improvements:
Incline Bench Press: Increased from 135 to 145 pounds (+10 pounds)
Bicep Curl: Improved from 27.5 to 30 pounds (+2.5 pounds)
Triceps: Seeing similar moderate increases across various exercises
What's particularly encouraging is the quality of these lifts. For example, when I started with incline bench at 135 pounds, I was failing early on the last set. Now I can consistently complete all 3 sets of 8 reps at 145 pounds.
Nutrition Breakthrough
Perhaps most importantly, I feel like I've finally dialed in the numbers for effective weight loss. The majority of my fat loss occurred in the last week and a half, which coincides with my improved understanding of my nutritional needs. By calculating my Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), I've been able to establish appropriate targets for my macros and calories.
This more precise tracking has been important for creating the caloric deficit necessary for fat loss, while still supporting muscle maintenance and growth.
Looking Ahead
As I move into my fourth week, I'll continue refining my nutrition and training approach based on these positive outcomes. The data suggests I'm on the right track with my current balance of strength training and dietary management. I'll maintain careful tracking of both my body composition changes and strength metrics to ensure continued progress.
To further optimize my nutrition, I've developing a personalized meal planning app. This tool takes inputs including age, gender, current weight, target weight, and dietary preferences (paleo, keto, etc.) to calculate BMR, TDEE, and target daily calories. It then generates a comprehensive meal plan with best practices and specific example meals tailored to these parameters.
Currently, the app focuses on point-in-time meal planning, but I envision expanding its functionality to track progress and eventually map out a complete 12-week progression plan covering both nutrition and training protocols. While the expanded tracking and long-term planning features remain future development goals, I'm excited to start using and refining the current version based on my own needs and experiences.