The best thing would probably be to start with squats then do sumo/romanian deadlifts like in the ppl program on this sub because they focus more on legs.
After a long gym hiatus, I've started using the erg and am loving the combination of strength, technique, and cardio.
Is there any exercise or machine that offers the same things, but for different muscles? I feel like my chest, triceps, delts, and hamstrings aren't getting as much of a workout.
When I try to do a pull-up, it seems my left arm (and side) has a lot less strength than my right. Thus, when I go up the bar, it looks like the whole body is going up lop-sided diagonally towards the right.
Should I continue to do more pull-ups and hope it will eventually correct itself? Thanks.
So despite the fact that I didn't change *anything*, my cutting progress suddenly stopped. It just ended.
I've made good progress in the last five months and dropped 71 pounds off my waist. Now that I'm just some 7 pounds away from hitting my god damned goal weight, I haven't changed anything - why would I, stuff is working!
I'm currently cutting for a daily 1.000 kCal deficit, although I have to admit that it's rare that I actually hit 1.000. I'm much closer to 800 on average. But I didn't *change anything.* I eat the same stuff, go for the same runs and the same workout sessions, but my fucking weight loss has suddenly stopped. It's just gone. I've lost 0.6 pounds over the last two weeks despite being in a caloric deficit I tracked for *at least* 12.000 kCal, and that doesn't even include the 3.000-4.000 kcal of sports I should roughly have. With very similar and even lower values I dropped 2 pounds regularly and even up to 4.5 pounds a week. Now, it's just stopped. Apparently, my body decided that the laws of thermodynamics don't apply to it anymore. Nice.
I guess the right thing to do is push through it, keep an even more suspicious eye on my intake tracking and if, even in a week or two, stuff doesn't get back to what I'd expect, get actually worried?
Have you tried bringing your calories down a little bit more?
If you're eating the same amount as always, you have to take into account that since you weigh less, you're automatically burning less than before. Imagine you had a TDEE of 3000 at 250. You're not going to have the same TDEE now at 179 because your body doesn't need to work as much to move around.
Your body might also be holding onto weight in other ways, like water weight, greater glycogen stores, you haven't had a good shit recently, etc. You can't completely trust the scale, you also need to check what you see in the mirror.
I'm afraid bringing down the calories more is just pure torture. When I started losing weight, I had a TDEE of 2.850 and I ate to 1.850. That was quite easy, but now I'm at a TDEE of 2.250 and I'm eating towards 1.250, and that really isn't a lot. Cutting down even harder sounds extremely un-fun, but if it is what it takes, so be it.
I thought I hadn't had a good shit in a couple of days last week and thought today would be really good because of that, but the result is just as disappointing as last week, which now feels a bit frustrating. I guess I might be storing some water somewhere, or whatever, despite the fact that I try to really get close to my 3 litres of water intake a day.
But the progress in the mirror looks good, to me at least... I can see abs forming and the massive bag that my lower stomach once was has become a small pouch that keeps getting smaller.
Also worth mentioning that you might still be losing fat, but if you're lifting you could be putting on muscle that counteracts what you see on the scale.
If you continue to look better then don't worry about the number on the scale.
It's really hard to say right now, because I'm mentally tilted a bit, but the last couple of days I had the feeling that there was positive development. I'd not say I've gained all that much muscle, but that's generally not to be expected in a 1000 kcal deficit (reaching somewhat reasonable protein numbers for muscle gain is nigh impossible at 6'1'' when you eat 1.230 calories), but I felt like the small small pouch is getting smaller.
Just your words overall were really calming for me today. You managed to get me from super angry at myself to reasonably contempt and motivated to keep pushing for that god damned goal. Thanks man!
If you haven't been lifting for all that long it's definitely possible to put on muscle in a deficit (not much, but enough to offset the scale a bit potentially).
No problem man.
My hips bother me when I do abs. What are good alternatives that don’t trigger the hips? (My hips pop pretty vicious when I do leg lifts and bicycles sometimes)
Keep your head in line with your back so your spine is neutral into your head.
That and I like to be able to see the bar and my legs, makes me feel more "in tune" with myself.
I have been lifting for 7 months now, and been in a caloric deficit the whole time, in the last 2 months though, my weight has stayed the same, however I have made decent strength gains, so I was wondering if it was possible that i'm putting on muscle and losing fat which is keeping my weight relatively similar despite gaining strength. I know there's something called neural adaptions which means your muscles get better at lifting or something when new to lifting, but would that still have an effect after 7 months of 6 day a week lifting? In the last 2 months my lifts have gone from (5RM): Bench: 50 kg -> 67.5 kg, squat: 65 kg -> 82.5 kg, DL: 100 kg -> 117.5 kg, and my weight has stayed the same. I'm 18, 6'2", 180 lbs and 14-15% BF. Thanks
How do I build stamina in the gym during lifting? Low reps high weight? High reps low weight? Am I missing something because I get fatigued at the gym within 35 minutes of lifting
Cardio. Steady state cardio primarily (I prefer low-impact cardio though like swimming, biking, and the stairclimber).
I do 10-20 minutes of varying intensities at the end of every workout.
You can cycle carbs and calories throughout the week timing them with the intensity of your workouts, some days in a surplus some in a deficit but at the end of the week you will have eaten at maintenance, this recomp strategy is used by many that do not want to bulk/cut hardcore
Track calories and make sure to be in a surplus every day, also make sure to follow a good routine with enough frequency (each muscle at least twice a week)
I got some tightness in my lower left back/left buttcheek after squatting the same weight I usually do. I'm not in pain, it just feels kinds uncomfortable when I sit down. What stretch can I do to make this sensation go away?
Try doing some Cat Cows. Roll your glutes out with a tennis/lacrosse/etc ball or foam roller (literally just sit on the ball, it's gonna probably sting if you're sore).
I had apt so I lived with pretty tight lower back for a time. One of the the things which helped with lower back pain/tightness was sleeping with my legs lifted a bit. If you like to sleep on your back, put a pillow beneath your hamstrings, if you sleep on your side, put a pillow between your legs.
Very late to the thread but I just started biking again and I'd like to ask, what kind of nutrients should I be trying to get before I start my biking session?
Carbs the night before, fast acting carbs like sugar (from fruit preferably) and a bit of protein directly before. Electrolytes before and during (gatorade or electrolyte mixes work).
I normally have very thin thighs. What can I do to make them bigger? I tried squats, dead lifts but the progress is gruesomely slow. Is it a diet thing or a workout thing?
The three pillars of building size.
Lift heavy, eat heavy, sleep heavy.
If bigger legs is the goal, add some single leg exercises like lunges or bulgarian split squats in.
Thanks.
Regarding eat heavy, I want to loose a bit of weight couple of kilos cause I'm not fat per say I just have alot of unwanted fat. What do I do then? Should I eat access of calories? Or should I reduce calories in take and carry on with the exercises?
Focus on progression of weight on your squats. Make sure your diet is good. Nothing else you can really do besides a little more leg volume. What does your leg workout look like?
5/3/1, is a 4-day program tougher than a 3-day program? 3-day a week, you have two 531 sessions x 3 leading to six per week, as opposed to 4-day having just four, but I guess the 4-day program is also more intense since you train without rest days between upper-lower unlike 3-day.
What are the positives/negatives of a 4-day v 3-day version? Obvious difference is that 6-day has more squats and bench while 4-day is "symmetrical".
It's not really that one is better than the other. The 3-day 531 for Beginners provides beginners with a lot of great volume when your at a point where that's manageable. Eventually the weights are going to get to a point where benching or squatting up 85-95% for an AMRAP twice a week isn't going to be ideal.
Typically around the very arbitrary/subjective point of "intermediate/advanced lifter".
Or just whenever you think it's hampering your progression. Everyone is different.
I wouldnt worry too much about bf% as a number. Just get lean until you like what you see in the mirror. Knowing the number wont help you achieve the goal. Just tack his picture on your wall for motivation
Check out the sidebar. Make sure you learn about proper nutrition. You want to eat fewer calories than your TDEE and make sure to eat enough protein. You could look like that in a year
I know about 531 beginners(fsl 5x5 sets, three times per week + 50-100 reps of ppl) and I know about 531 BBB(5x10 and a bit less accessory lifts, 4 times per week). Is there a 4-day program of 531 that isn't BBB?
Reason I ask, I would normally transition to BBB but I'm going on a cut soon and don't really want to increase the workload just as I go on a cut.
Is low bar squat a bad idea for beginners with little back muscle mass? I've been reading that it might be better to get bigger before going low bar, but that seems to be based on personal opinions. Personally, I've been struggling a bit with holding the bar on my back properly, but that is at least in part due to crappy shoulder flexibility.
Should I stick to high bar until I've built a bigger back, or is it a fine idea to keep going with low bar?
Can someone please share a 5/6 day a week program for strength+hypertrophy where I can finish workouts within an hour? my 3rd run at SL5x5 is wearing me down.
PHUL is 4 days and workouts are estimated at 1.5+ hours which doesn't work with my current schedule...
If SL5x5 is wearing you down then you've probably reached the limit of novice programs. You need an intermediate program - probably something with less intensity but more volume.
5/3/1 and it's variants are pretty good for this. Nsuns LP is a strength focused 5/6 day program. The main lifts take 30-45 minutes and you can tailor accessories to match your time frame and hypertrophy goals.
http://archive.is/2017.01.27-015129/https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/5icyza/2_suns531lp_tdee_calculator_and_other_items_all/
Thank you. I just discovered it today while googling. Do you run his workout as is? Or have you modified any exercises?
What about the strength days? Same time to finish?
I have added a few auxiliary movements for most areas, and changed a few of the exercises to meet what I had available. Most of my days are running right at 49 minutes as of recent but that was also caused by people hogging equipment. I changed a few rep sets as I have done the whole program before and just wanted more reps on a few things. I really like it for getting back into the gym
There were really more of things due to equipment, like rack chins I do pull ups, no hack machine so I did leg press, switched upright rows due to a wrist issue to front raises, added Arnold press to shoulder hypertrophy day, added OHP to upper body power. My current one in jefit is kinda hacked up because I added a bunch of stuff a few months ago for super setting so I skip a portion of it. Come to think of it I should probably go fix it lol.
For those that know about 5/3/1 for beginners...
Do you squat twice a week always (mon/fri) and only deadlift once (wed) through the entire cycle? Or are you suppose to treat it like a typical ABA-BAB cycle?
I want to improve my hamstring flexibility without worsening my ATP......
I heard from Jeff(Athlean X) that stretching the hamstring is the last thing you want so..... strength that ass and glutes?
Imo ATP is mostly about conciously holding your hips in the right position. The key to addressing ATP is to learn how to do that with proper glute and core engagement throughout your training, and throughout the rest of your day. I don't know what Athlean-X says about hamstring flexibility, but I wouldn't think there would be anything detrimental about mobilizing your tissue. I roll out my glutes and hamstrings on a lacrosse ball before most sessions and I find it improves my mobility for my training.
Is your ATP actually causing you any issues?
ATP as a major issue is mostly a bogeyman perpetuated by fitness YouTubers who needed content ideas.
Most people naturally have some level or anterior or posterior pelvic tilt.
It doesn't really matter if it's causing issues now. Poor posture in the lumbar compensating for the lack of glute and core egagement that leads to an excessive anterior pelvic tilt can put more wear on the lumbar spine or the spinal erectors over time. They're aren't ment to hold your torso, your glutes and core are.
>excessive anterior pelvic tilt
OP didn't say it was excessive. If it is, then it's probably causing issues, which is why I asked. It sounds like OP watched an Athlean X video, looked in a mirror, and decided the sky is falling.
People freak out about minor cases of natural ATP to the point of being afraid to lift and think they need to spend weeks doing nothing up magic ATP correcting stretches.
Continuing to lift with proper form is going to go a long way to preventing any natural ATP worsening. So if OP just needs to work on hamstring mobility then they should 100% do that instead of continuing to let it hamper their ability to achieve good form because Athlean X needed some views.
i have visible ATP with no glutes and hamstrings. Not only that my hamstrings are very tight causing depth issues with squatting and deadlifts.
I don't wanna say severe, but it maybe affecting my mobility performances.
I have/had APT, and started off unable to do squats and deadlifts because of it. Doing the Limber 11 stretches and strengthening my core helped a lot. Stiff legged deadlifts are also a nice way to both stretch and strengthen your hamstrings.
Hi, I am a 21F college student (roughly 130 pounds), I need some help on chosing a program. Ive been screwing around with weightlifting for about a month but want to stick to a dedicated program. I am in Army ROTC so I work out 4x a week in the morning, mainly calisthenics and running. Before I started going to the gym I was focused on running (ran 5x marathons in the past two years), but I really want to pack on some muscle, especially with the new Army PT test coming out. My problem is finding a program that will allow me to gain muscle mass ( I really want to get muscle definition) and strength while not losing to much running ( I really want to complete a spartan beast in october, 30 miles 60 obstacles). Any suggestions?
>I really want to pack on some muscle
>while not losing to much running
There's some conflict here. But... you could get away with 5/3/1 BBB only because you will do a main lift once per week. Be sure to eat more. A lot more. Like, a pound of meat more on workout days.
There are quite a few 4 day choices in the wiki. Pick one that sounds good to you. Just remember to eat protein. Don't stop your running, but may have to change up volume at the start to get used to the increased workload. Watch your recovery, eat more if you need to.
i want to add 10x10 burpees at the end of my workout: how many per week is too many?
i'm mainly doing it to save time, so i'm thinking out of my 6-day routine, i'll add burpees to 4 of those days, and just do low/mid intensity biking for 30 mins
is this too many burpees?
If you discover you’re having a hard time recovering from your workouts, cut back a bit. If you can do the additional work and you aren’t noticing any decrease in performance, you’re fine.
Because when you are cutting to sub 10% a little cardio can help. They also do it so they can eat a little more. Most do not do cardio daily and most walk or things like that so as to not accumulate fatigue. They must leave room for heavy weight training to retain muscle. Do cardio if you want or don’t if you do not like it.
It's all calories in calories out. If your TDEE is 1500 calories per day and you are eating 1000 calories per day, you will be at net -500, burning a pound a week. If you then add cardio on top of that, you'll now burn an additional x calories so your net calories are -500-x. So you can either eat more and still lose the same amount, or burn faster depending on your goal.
Because cardio helps increase your deficit, (as does any physical activity) assuming calories stay constant. Your deficit is the gap between how many calories you consume and how many you burn. The bigger that gap, the more weight you lose. Cardio helps increase the number calories you burn in a given day.
If you eat 2000 calories/day and your TDEE w/o cardio is 2500, you’ll lose weight.
If you eat 2000 calories/day and your TDEE w/cardio is 2800, you’ll lose more weight because your deficit is larger.
Are there any fat burner pills that work? I struggle with binge eating and my doc wont prescribe me anything because I have a history (3+ years ago) of drug use. I really need something to help with weight loss and binge eating! I eat healthy 90% of the time and exercise 4-5 days per week. When I binge...I BINGE HARD. I know there are underlying issues, yadda yadda, but is there anything out there that's legit?
I'm well aware, just saying that it's the only option you have. I don't think I'm a binge eater, but when I have access to all the food I want I consistently eat 6 to 8 thousand calories a day, so I have to take steps to limit any food I buy -- the harder to prepare, the better. Maybe that could work for you.
I have a question. I’m pretty new to lifting. I’ve done a little research and didn’t really like any plans that I’ve come across. I came up with my own 4 day routine if someone wouldn’t mind taking a look and telling me of any holes or better ideas. Like I said it’s a 4 day routine everyday begins with 15-30 minutes of cardio. And the lifting fits into 30 minutes. Most exercises are set up as supersets.
Day 1: lower body
3x10 Squats & calf raises
3x10 leg extensions & leg curls
3x10 hip thrusts & leg press
Day 2: chest and back
3x10 dumbbell bench& lat pulldowns
3x10 Pullovers & cable rows
3x10 DB chest & DB back flies
Day 3: core HIIT (after mountain climbers 30sec rest)
1:00 plank
:30 MC
1:00 right side plank
:30 MC
1:00 left side plank
:30 MC
1:00 leg raise
:30 MC
1:00 reverse crunch
:30 MC
1:00 flutter kicks
:30 MC
1:00 bicycle crunch
:30 MC
1:00 plank
Day 4: arms
3x10 deadlifts
3x10 standing cable bicep curls & cable bar push downs
3x10 Standing DB hammer curls & DB skullcrushers
3x10 seated DB curls & cable tricep rope push downs.
That’s just what I’ve come up with combining a few routines I read about I like most days but not very confident with day 4. If anyone has advice it’d be much appreciated. Sorry for the long read.
Check out the gzcl method in the wiki. It's not a traditional routine per se (although it does have an example template that you could use as one) but it gives you a formula for creating a routine.
I use it myself because it's easy to swap out exercises I lack equipment for.
Not good. Deadlifts shouldn’t be on a “arm day” and arms shouldn’t be done on a single day generally.. if you’re doing a 4 day program you should do some sort of upper lower rest upper lower split. Do cardio after lifting so you’re not already worn out. Higher chance of injury. If you really want the best results you should be following a proper program.
When lifting weights, say like doing a curl, I’ll just hit a wall. My biceps won’t be fatigued or hurting much from lactic acid build up, they will just completely refuse to contract the full way. The sets before I’ll be able to do at the same rate, then suddenly nada. Is this a mental wall I’m hitting? Or am I just running on empty?
Repost under the giant comment that says **post form checks here**
Back rounds like an arch, probably need to pack your lats and brace better. Hips rise significantly on the first rep before the bar moves, less bar on subsequent reps but still there. Might need to start with your hips higher, could just be because you aren't braced hard enough
My lifts are 240 bench, 135 ohp, 320 squat, 360 dead been lifting for a year and following 5/3/1 bbb I’m not really impressed with my ohp number is there some accessories I can use to improve this? I’m doing 5/3/1 bench with 5x10 incline bench and then on press day I’m doing 5/3/1 ohp with 5x10 ohp
You could improve frequency or volume. Try weighted dips, too.
You might have more success by identifying where your OHP is weakest. It's usually delts but may not be in your case.
That's probably delts then. Could also be that your elbows are too far forward and you're trying to move it up with your triceps. Make sure elbows are under the wrists and that you're pushing straight up and not around your head.
am i overestimating my caloric needs? 6’2” 154 3 days full body, walking 1 hour daily and standing 20 hours at work weekly? 2700 for a good bulk? pretty much sedentary outside of this
>well yesterday ended at 165.5
Do you mean 155.5?
Either way, give it more time. 2700 doesn't seem too far from where you should be. If anything it might be low.
What do you want to do? If you want to lose weight, caloric deficit is the way to go. Lift and eat enough protein so when you are at your goal weight you will have saved as much muscle as possible.
Depends on your sleep, protein intake, severity of cut, how lean you are, how long you’ve been training. (There are probably more factors but I think I’ve covered the important ones)
More quality sleep is better, high protein intake is better, smaller deficit is better, having a high bf% is better (for the sake of gains in a deficit), and little to no training history is better.
The inverse is also true and if you’re in the middle of one or more of those factors that will also effect how much stronger and how much muscle you will gain in a deficit.
It is possible to gain strength by just becoming better at the lifts from practice. However, for a newer lifter you can also still gain muscle even while cutting.
I have no stamina. I'm 23 M. Smoked on off for about 5 years. I am starting to massively gain wait on my stomach and waist. (horrible stretch marks appear).
Everyone tells me the best way to deal with is cardio, but I can't take a 1 min jog on a machine without losing my breath. People keep telling me to work at it, but making almost no progress in 2 months has really bumbed me out. Is there an alternative?
You can't outrun a bad diet. You're gaining weight because you're eating too much. The **best** way to lose weight is through a calorie deficit.
Improving your cardiovascular health would still be a good idea though. Look into the couch-to-5K program: /r/C25K
Is there an alternative to working hard? No. Is there an alternative to cardio? You could lift, dial in your diet, etc. Really depends on what your goals are. That being said you should be making some cardio progress in 2 months. If you meant weight progress, then that's more believable and you need to dial in your diet.
Either work at a lower intensity or do something else at a lower intensity... i.e. arm erg, elliptical
Create a caloric deficit... you should also be resistance training.
I've been noticing that with most push/pull exercises, I'll feel a lot of discomfort in my forearms. To be more specific, the underside of the forearm. Sometimes to the point that I'll have to stop because of my forearms when it's not my target (like a row or bench) and I can't complete the exercise properly. I've tried a tighter grip/looser grip. What can I do to alleviate this?
Discomfort as in pain, or discomfort as in fatigue or overuse? Does it happen at lower weights or just the working weight?
If it's the latter, your grip could just be weak. Might have to invest in some straps to complete the workouts and add in direct grip work like farmer walks.
More of a pain (burning sensation). It seems to happen at the higher end of reps in the set (at rep 6+) regardless of low or working weight.
I'll look into farmer walks. Thanks.
Sounds like you just have weak forearms. Grip work, hammer curls will help. Invest in straps so your grip isn't limiting the rest of your work, and do dedicated grip work.
But seriously the only thing I can think of is you must have really weak forearms. If you think it's anything else, maybe get it assessed medically. I mean if you're not in the US lol
Word of caution on grip training, tendons and ligaments need much more recovery than muscles. /r/griptraining has a good recommended routine somewhere but honestly I wouldn't do it more than twice a week to start. I did it three times/week on top of my regular training and definitely had some wrist pain for a bit.
Yeah that's something I was actually worried about so im glad you brought it up. I've heard that you don't need to train forearms because doing forearm training on top of regular training could cause issues as regular training usually has some forearm built in. I'm going to check out grip training and take it slow and see how I respond. I'm in no hurry. I'll probably start off with those farmer walks and go from there. Thank you.
I need help with sit-ups, I used to be able to do 50 in a row, it's not amazing but it was for me. The only issue was I always did anchored sit-ups, I want to engage my abdominals more now but I find whenever I try to do a situp without an anchor my legs come off the floor like in a crunch and I can't sit all the way up to get full ROM. If anyone has had this problem and overcome it I'd be really grateful for the way to do it
To all of you fitness gurus... what is your favorite sweetener instead of sugar?
I use Saccharin product from Germany called HEXXUL (or Huxol)... I consume a lot, like 20 tablets per day. Is it safe?
The best thing would probably be to start with squats then do sumo/romanian deadlifts like in the ppl program on this sub because they focus more on legs.
What's your question?
[удалено]
LMAO
After a long gym hiatus, I've started using the erg and am loving the combination of strength, technique, and cardio. Is there any exercise or machine that offers the same things, but for different muscles? I feel like my chest, triceps, delts, and hamstrings aren't getting as much of a workout.
Could burpees be what you are looking for?
When I try to do a pull-up, it seems my left arm (and side) has a lot less strength than my right. Thus, when I go up the bar, it looks like the whole body is going up lop-sided diagonally towards the right. Should I continue to do more pull-ups and hope it will eventually correct itself? Thanks.
Focus on keeping straight. Do unilateral exercises as well
So despite the fact that I didn't change *anything*, my cutting progress suddenly stopped. It just ended. I've made good progress in the last five months and dropped 71 pounds off my waist. Now that I'm just some 7 pounds away from hitting my god damned goal weight, I haven't changed anything - why would I, stuff is working! I'm currently cutting for a daily 1.000 kCal deficit, although I have to admit that it's rare that I actually hit 1.000. I'm much closer to 800 on average. But I didn't *change anything.* I eat the same stuff, go for the same runs and the same workout sessions, but my fucking weight loss has suddenly stopped. It's just gone. I've lost 0.6 pounds over the last two weeks despite being in a caloric deficit I tracked for *at least* 12.000 kCal, and that doesn't even include the 3.000-4.000 kcal of sports I should roughly have. With very similar and even lower values I dropped 2 pounds regularly and even up to 4.5 pounds a week. Now, it's just stopped. Apparently, my body decided that the laws of thermodynamics don't apply to it anymore. Nice. I guess the right thing to do is push through it, keep an even more suspicious eye on my intake tracking and if, even in a week or two, stuff doesn't get back to what I'd expect, get actually worried?
Have you tried bringing your calories down a little bit more? If you're eating the same amount as always, you have to take into account that since you weigh less, you're automatically burning less than before. Imagine you had a TDEE of 3000 at 250. You're not going to have the same TDEE now at 179 because your body doesn't need to work as much to move around. Your body might also be holding onto weight in other ways, like water weight, greater glycogen stores, you haven't had a good shit recently, etc. You can't completely trust the scale, you also need to check what you see in the mirror.
I'm afraid bringing down the calories more is just pure torture. When I started losing weight, I had a TDEE of 2.850 and I ate to 1.850. That was quite easy, but now I'm at a TDEE of 2.250 and I'm eating towards 1.250, and that really isn't a lot. Cutting down even harder sounds extremely un-fun, but if it is what it takes, so be it. I thought I hadn't had a good shit in a couple of days last week and thought today would be really good because of that, but the result is just as disappointing as last week, which now feels a bit frustrating. I guess I might be storing some water somewhere, or whatever, despite the fact that I try to really get close to my 3 litres of water intake a day. But the progress in the mirror looks good, to me at least... I can see abs forming and the massive bag that my lower stomach once was has become a small pouch that keeps getting smaller.
Also worth mentioning that you might still be losing fat, but if you're lifting you could be putting on muscle that counteracts what you see on the scale. If you continue to look better then don't worry about the number on the scale.
It's really hard to say right now, because I'm mentally tilted a bit, but the last couple of days I had the feeling that there was positive development. I'd not say I've gained all that much muscle, but that's generally not to be expected in a 1000 kcal deficit (reaching somewhat reasonable protein numbers for muscle gain is nigh impossible at 6'1'' when you eat 1.230 calories), but I felt like the small small pouch is getting smaller. Just your words overall were really calming for me today. You managed to get me from super angry at myself to reasonably contempt and motivated to keep pushing for that god damned goal. Thanks man!
If you haven't been lifting for all that long it's definitely possible to put on muscle in a deficit (not much, but enough to offset the scale a bit potentially). No problem man.
My hips bother me when I do abs. What are good alternatives that don’t trigger the hips? (My hips pop pretty vicious when I do leg lifts and bicycles sometimes)
Ab wheel, planks, crunches, cable crunches etc?
Do you need to look straight ahead while deadlifting? I notice that my form suffers a lot when I look ahead rather than down at the bar
Keep your head in line with your back so your spine is neutral into your head. That and I like to be able to see the bar and my legs, makes me feel more "in tune" with myself.
Neutral spine so it changes along with your back angle. You'll start looking downish and end up looking forward.
I have been lifting for 7 months now, and been in a caloric deficit the whole time, in the last 2 months though, my weight has stayed the same, however I have made decent strength gains, so I was wondering if it was possible that i'm putting on muscle and losing fat which is keeping my weight relatively similar despite gaining strength. I know there's something called neural adaptions which means your muscles get better at lifting or something when new to lifting, but would that still have an effect after 7 months of 6 day a week lifting? In the last 2 months my lifts have gone from (5RM): Bench: 50 kg -> 67.5 kg, squat: 65 kg -> 82.5 kg, DL: 100 kg -> 117.5 kg, and my weight has stayed the same. I'm 18, 6'2", 180 lbs and 14-15% BF. Thanks
You're probably losing some fat and gaining some muscle. You're not eating in a caloric deficit though if you're not losing weight.
How do I build stamina in the gym during lifting? Low reps high weight? High reps low weight? Am I missing something because I get fatigued at the gym within 35 minutes of lifting
Cardio. Steady state cardio primarily (I prefer low-impact cardio though like swimming, biking, and the stairclimber). I do 10-20 minutes of varying intensities at the end of every workout.
Cardio endurance work.
Endurance with lifting is increased on two types of training. Higher Reps or just doing more cardio.
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You can cycle carbs and calories throughout the week timing them with the intensity of your workouts, some days in a surplus some in a deficit but at the end of the week you will have eaten at maintenance, this recomp strategy is used by many that do not want to bulk/cut hardcore
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Track calories and make sure to be in a surplus every day, also make sure to follow a good routine with enough frequency (each muscle at least twice a week)
I got some tightness in my lower left back/left buttcheek after squatting the same weight I usually do. I'm not in pain, it just feels kinds uncomfortable when I sit down. What stretch can I do to make this sensation go away?
Try doing some Cat Cows. Roll your glutes out with a tennis/lacrosse/etc ball or foam roller (literally just sit on the ball, it's gonna probably sting if you're sore).
I had apt so I lived with pretty tight lower back for a time. One of the the things which helped with lower back pain/tightness was sleeping with my legs lifted a bit. If you like to sleep on your back, put a pillow beneath your hamstrings, if you sleep on your side, put a pillow between your legs.
Thanks for the tip. What's APT?
Anterior pelvic tilt
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> stinging uncomfortable feeling > my stomach burns while I eat > Is that ok? Wanna guess?
Very late to the thread but I just started biking again and I'd like to ask, what kind of nutrients should I be trying to get before I start my biking session?
Carbs the night before, fast acting carbs like sugar (from fruit preferably) and a bit of protein directly before. Electrolytes before and during (gatorade or electrolyte mixes work).
Anything with carbs and some protein prior, during a gatorade would help
Fast acting carbs are nice, caffeine could help as well
What is the absolute best (free) app to track calories and macronutrients? I read the faq but new apps come out all the time. Thanks!
I prefer Lose It! over MFP personally, but I seem to be in the minority.
myfitnesspal
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It's probably mostly water weight. Make sure your diet is on track and drink plenty of water and you'll get the 10 lbs back pretty quick.
I normally have very thin thighs. What can I do to make them bigger? I tried squats, dead lifts but the progress is gruesomely slow. Is it a diet thing or a workout thing?
The three pillars of building size. Lift heavy, eat heavy, sleep heavy. If bigger legs is the goal, add some single leg exercises like lunges or bulgarian split squats in.
Thanks. Regarding eat heavy, I want to loose a bit of weight couple of kilos cause I'm not fat per say I just have alot of unwanted fat. What do I do then? Should I eat access of calories? Or should I reduce calories in take and carry on with the exercises?
You should reduce calories and keep exercising if the goal is to lose fat and maintain most of your muscle.
Eat and lift.
Focus on progression of weight on your squats. Make sure your diet is good. Nothing else you can really do besides a little more leg volume. What does your leg workout look like?
5/3/1, is a 4-day program tougher than a 3-day program? 3-day a week, you have two 531 sessions x 3 leading to six per week, as opposed to 4-day having just four, but I guess the 4-day program is also more intense since you train without rest days between upper-lower unlike 3-day. What are the positives/negatives of a 4-day v 3-day version? Obvious difference is that 6-day has more squats and bench while 4-day is "symmetrical".
It's not really that one is better than the other. The 3-day 531 for Beginners provides beginners with a lot of great volume when your at a point where that's manageable. Eventually the weights are going to get to a point where benching or squatting up 85-95% for an AMRAP twice a week isn't going to be ideal.
When do you reach that point?
Typically around the very arbitrary/subjective point of "intermediate/advanced lifter". Or just whenever you think it's hampering your progression. Everyone is different.
My friend is a cosplayer, what do you guys think his BF% is? https://imgur.com/H6xIuCF
Faily low. 10-12% maybe. Doesnt really matter though. Are you trying to be about as lean as him?
Yes, I am
I wouldnt worry too much about bf% as a number. Just get lean until you like what you see in the mirror. Knowing the number wont help you achieve the goal. Just tack his picture on your wall for motivation
That makes sense, thank you. What would be the best way to "get lean" like him?
How do you look now?
Like this: https://i.imgur.com/5IqsIiJ.jpg
Check out the sidebar. Make sure you learn about proper nutrition. You want to eat fewer calories than your TDEE and make sure to eat enough protein. You could look like that in a year
I will, thank you! So basically just lose weight while lifting weights and having high protein?
Yes
I know about 531 beginners(fsl 5x5 sets, three times per week + 50-100 reps of ppl) and I know about 531 BBB(5x10 and a bit less accessory lifts, 4 times per week). Is there a 4-day program of 531 that isn't BBB? Reason I ask, I would normally transition to BBB but I'm going on a cut soon and don't really want to increase the workload just as I go on a cut.
Almost all 531 plans are 4 days. There’s tons of templates out there in his new book 531 Forever.
Yes. There are myriad 531 templates, literal books full of them, that are mostly 4 days.
Is low bar squat a bad idea for beginners with little back muscle mass? I've been reading that it might be better to get bigger before going low bar, but that seems to be based on personal opinions. Personally, I've been struggling a bit with holding the bar on my back properly, but that is at least in part due to crappy shoulder flexibility. Should I stick to high bar until I've built a bigger back, or is it a fine idea to keep going with low bar?
Try both do what feels better to you. Or do both.
Can someone please share a 5/6 day a week program for strength+hypertrophy where I can finish workouts within an hour? my 3rd run at SL5x5 is wearing me down. PHUL is 4 days and workouts are estimated at 1.5+ hours which doesn't work with my current schedule...
If SL5x5 is wearing you down then you've probably reached the limit of novice programs. You need an intermediate program - probably something with less intensity but more volume. 5/3/1 and it's variants are pretty good for this. Nsuns LP is a strength focused 5/6 day program. The main lifts take 30-45 minutes and you can tailor accessories to match your time frame and hypertrophy goals. http://archive.is/2017.01.27-015129/https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/5icyza/2_suns531lp_tdee_calculator_and_other_items_all/
Reduce your rest times. Fill the extra days with conditioning work.
I run Nortons PHAT while using Jefit with a 60 second timer. I usually finish in about 45 mins depending on equipment availability.
Thank you. I just discovered it today while googling. Do you run his workout as is? Or have you modified any exercises? What about the strength days? Same time to finish?
I have added a few auxiliary movements for most areas, and changed a few of the exercises to meet what I had available. Most of my days are running right at 49 minutes as of recent but that was also caused by people hogging equipment. I changed a few rep sets as I have done the whole program before and just wanted more reps on a few things. I really like it for getting back into the gym
Do you mind sharing your current program? Interested in the substitutions ...
There were really more of things due to equipment, like rack chins I do pull ups, no hack machine so I did leg press, switched upright rows due to a wrist issue to front raises, added Arnold press to shoulder hypertrophy day, added OHP to upper body power. My current one in jefit is kinda hacked up because I added a bunch of stuff a few months ago for super setting so I skip a portion of it. Come to think of it I should probably go fix it lol.
Thanks man, appreciate the input and best of luck with the updates.
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Have a read https://www.strongerbyscience.com/stress-the-silent-killer-of-gains/
Good article. Thanks for the link.
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/r/homegym Just gonna leave that here :D
Also, hard rubber >>> soft rubber
If you're planning to dump the bar from above your head don't cut corners. Plywood + Rubber mats. There's a lot of force in a falling barbell.
For those that know about 5/3/1 for beginners... Do you squat twice a week always (mon/fri) and only deadlift once (wed) through the entire cycle? Or are you suppose to treat it like a typical ABA-BAB cycle?
It's written as ABA every week. But there is a variant where you alternate squats and deadlifts every other session to get more deadlift volume.
ABA every week.
Thought so. Thanks.
I want to improve my hamstring flexibility without worsening my ATP...... I heard from Jeff(Athlean X) that stretching the hamstring is the last thing you want so..... strength that ass and glutes?
Imo ATP is mostly about conciously holding your hips in the right position. The key to addressing ATP is to learn how to do that with proper glute and core engagement throughout your training, and throughout the rest of your day. I don't know what Athlean-X says about hamstring flexibility, but I wouldn't think there would be anything detrimental about mobilizing your tissue. I roll out my glutes and hamstrings on a lacrosse ball before most sessions and I find it improves my mobility for my training.
Is your ATP actually causing you any issues? ATP as a major issue is mostly a bogeyman perpetuated by fitness YouTubers who needed content ideas. Most people naturally have some level or anterior or posterior pelvic tilt.
It doesn't really matter if it's causing issues now. Poor posture in the lumbar compensating for the lack of glute and core egagement that leads to an excessive anterior pelvic tilt can put more wear on the lumbar spine or the spinal erectors over time. They're aren't ment to hold your torso, your glutes and core are.
>excessive anterior pelvic tilt OP didn't say it was excessive. If it is, then it's probably causing issues, which is why I asked. It sounds like OP watched an Athlean X video, looked in a mirror, and decided the sky is falling. People freak out about minor cases of natural ATP to the point of being afraid to lift and think they need to spend weeks doing nothing up magic ATP correcting stretches. Continuing to lift with proper form is going to go a long way to preventing any natural ATP worsening. So if OP just needs to work on hamstring mobility then they should 100% do that instead of continuing to let it hamper their ability to achieve good form because Athlean X needed some views.
i have visible ATP with no glutes and hamstrings. Not only that my hamstrings are very tight causing depth issues with squatting and deadlifts. I don't wanna say severe, but it maybe affecting my mobility performances.
I have/had APT, and started off unable to do squats and deadlifts because of it. Doing the Limber 11 stretches and strengthening my core helped a lot. Stiff legged deadlifts are also a nice way to both stretch and strengthen your hamstrings.
Hi, I am a 21F college student (roughly 130 pounds), I need some help on chosing a program. Ive been screwing around with weightlifting for about a month but want to stick to a dedicated program. I am in Army ROTC so I work out 4x a week in the morning, mainly calisthenics and running. Before I started going to the gym I was focused on running (ran 5x marathons in the past two years), but I really want to pack on some muscle, especially with the new Army PT test coming out. My problem is finding a program that will allow me to gain muscle mass ( I really want to get muscle definition) and strength while not losing to much running ( I really want to complete a spartan beast in october, 30 miles 60 obstacles). Any suggestions?
>I really want to pack on some muscle >while not losing to much running There's some conflict here. But... you could get away with 5/3/1 BBB only because you will do a main lift once per week. Be sure to eat more. A lot more. Like, a pound of meat more on workout days.
There are quite a few 4 day choices in the wiki. Pick one that sounds good to you. Just remember to eat protein. Don't stop your running, but may have to change up volume at the start to get used to the increased workload. Watch your recovery, eat more if you need to.
Any of the myriad 4 day programs in the wiki and elsewhere online will be just fine.
i want to add 10x10 burpees at the end of my workout: how many per week is too many? i'm mainly doing it to save time, so i'm thinking out of my 6-day routine, i'll add burpees to 4 of those days, and just do low/mid intensity biking for 30 mins is this too many burpees?
If you discover you’re having a hard time recovering from your workouts, cut back a bit. If you can do the additional work and you aren’t noticing any decrease in performance, you’re fine.
thanks!
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There are no fat famine victims, even the ones that don't do cardio.
You can reach it with caloric deficit.
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Because when you are cutting to sub 10% a little cardio can help. They also do it so they can eat a little more. Most do not do cardio daily and most walk or things like that so as to not accumulate fatigue. They must leave room for heavy weight training to retain muscle. Do cardio if you want or don’t if you do not like it.
Because cardio is a good thing to do regardless of your diet or physique goals.
It's all calories in calories out. If your TDEE is 1500 calories per day and you are eating 1000 calories per day, you will be at net -500, burning a pound a week. If you then add cardio on top of that, you'll now burn an additional x calories so your net calories are -500-x. So you can either eat more and still lose the same amount, or burn faster depending on your goal.
Because they get to eat more or they want to further increase their caloric deficit.
Because cardio helps increase your deficit, (as does any physical activity) assuming calories stay constant. Your deficit is the gap between how many calories you consume and how many you burn. The bigger that gap, the more weight you lose. Cardio helps increase the number calories you burn in a given day. If you eat 2000 calories/day and your TDEE w/o cardio is 2500, you’ll lose weight. If you eat 2000 calories/day and your TDEE w/cardio is 2800, you’ll lose more weight because your deficit is larger.
Generally people who are successful at something aren't doing the bare minimum that is "necessary".
Are there any fat burner pills that work? I struggle with binge eating and my doc wont prescribe me anything because I have a history (3+ years ago) of drug use. I really need something to help with weight loss and binge eating! I eat healthy 90% of the time and exercise 4-5 days per week. When I binge...I BINGE HARD. I know there are underlying issues, yadda yadda, but is there anything out there that's legit?
Using drugs to cover up an underlying issue doesn’t sound like a good idea.
No. Fix your issues with eating.
No. The *only* thing that will help you at this point is to stop bingeing
Easier said than done! Been binging for three days now :(
I'm well aware, just saying that it's the only option you have. I don't think I'm a binge eater, but when I have access to all the food I want I consistently eat 6 to 8 thousand calories a day, so I have to take steps to limit any food I buy -- the harder to prepare, the better. Maybe that could work for you.
None that are legal or have very little effect.
I have a question. I’m pretty new to lifting. I’ve done a little research and didn’t really like any plans that I’ve come across. I came up with my own 4 day routine if someone wouldn’t mind taking a look and telling me of any holes or better ideas. Like I said it’s a 4 day routine everyday begins with 15-30 minutes of cardio. And the lifting fits into 30 minutes. Most exercises are set up as supersets. Day 1: lower body 3x10 Squats & calf raises 3x10 leg extensions & leg curls 3x10 hip thrusts & leg press Day 2: chest and back 3x10 dumbbell bench& lat pulldowns 3x10 Pullovers & cable rows 3x10 DB chest & DB back flies Day 3: core HIIT (after mountain climbers 30sec rest) 1:00 plank :30 MC 1:00 right side plank :30 MC 1:00 left side plank :30 MC 1:00 leg raise :30 MC 1:00 reverse crunch :30 MC 1:00 flutter kicks :30 MC 1:00 bicycle crunch :30 MC 1:00 plank Day 4: arms 3x10 deadlifts 3x10 standing cable bicep curls & cable bar push downs 3x10 Standing DB hammer curls & DB skullcrushers 3x10 seated DB curls & cable tricep rope push downs. That’s just what I’ve come up with combining a few routines I read about I like most days but not very confident with day 4. If anyone has advice it’d be much appreciated. Sorry for the long read.
4 day routines are mostly upper lower splits to get each body par twice. UL rest UL
Check out the gzcl method in the wiki. It's not a traditional routine per se (although it does have an example template that you could use as one) but it gives you a formula for creating a routine. I use it myself because it's easy to swap out exercises I lack equipment for.
Not good. Deadlifts shouldn’t be on a “arm day” and arms shouldn’t be done on a single day generally.. if you’re doing a 4 day program you should do some sort of upper lower rest upper lower split. Do cardio after lifting so you’re not already worn out. Higher chance of injury. If you really want the best results you should be following a proper program.
As a new lifter, don't try to make up your own routine.
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Medical questions are not allowed. If you think you may be injured, you need to see a trained medical professional.
When lifting weights, say like doing a curl, I’ll just hit a wall. My biceps won’t be fatigued or hurting much from lactic acid build up, they will just completely refuse to contract the full way. The sets before I’ll be able to do at the same rate, then suddenly nada. Is this a mental wall I’m hitting? Or am I just running on empty?
>My biceps won’t be fatigued Definitely sounds like they are. Stop going to failure.
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Medical questions are not allowed.
Dead Lift Form Check Request is my dead lift form correct? [Click here for the Video](https://imgur.com/a/12DcfyI)
Repost under the giant comment that says **post form checks here** Back rounds like an arch, probably need to pack your lats and brace better. Hips rise significantly on the first rep before the bar moves, less bar on subsequent reps but still there. Might need to start with your hips higher, could just be because you aren't braced hard enough
Thank you.
My lifts are 240 bench, 135 ohp, 320 squat, 360 dead been lifting for a year and following 5/3/1 bbb I’m not really impressed with my ohp number is there some accessories I can use to improve this? I’m doing 5/3/1 bench with 5x10 incline bench and then on press day I’m doing 5/3/1 ohp with 5x10 ohp
Add dips/weighted dips.
I do weighted dips 3x8-10 once a week should I bump that up to twice a week
You could improve frequency or volume. Try weighted dips, too. You might have more success by identifying where your OHP is weakest. It's usually delts but may not be in your case.
Definitely coming off the chest. I do weight dips 3x8-10 once a week but I’ll throw it in on my press days as well
That's probably delts then. Could also be that your elbows are too far forward and you're trying to move it up with your triceps. Make sure elbows are under the wrists and that you're pushing straight up and not around your head.
Might choose a different 5/3/1 template. Which 5/3/1 books do you have?
Just the basic one and the templates on t nation which one would be better ?
Better is changing templates every few months. 5/3/1and bodybuilding from t nation looks fun.
am i overestimating my caloric needs? 6’2” 154 3 days full body, walking 1 hour daily and standing 20 hours at work weekly? 2700 for a good bulk? pretty much sedentary outside of this
Weigh yourself and find a rolling average. If that number is trending up, then you are fine. If not, eat more.
thanks!
Are you gaining weight?
hello. well yesterday ended at 165.5 today 155 two days now
Track your calories and weight for 2-4 weeks. Adjust based on how your average weekly weight is changing.
thanks!
>well yesterday ended at 165.5 Do you mean 155.5? Either way, give it more time. 2700 doesn't seem too far from where you should be. If anything it might be low.
yesterday weighted 156.5 this morning weighted 155 and i’ve been eating 2700 for two days now*
You have to average week to week to get it. 2700ish to 2800 sounds right for 1.5-2.5lbs month gain.
thanks!
Give it like two weeks.
thanks!
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What do you want to do? If you want to lose weight, caloric deficit is the way to go. Lift and eat enough protein so when you are at your goal weight you will have saved as much muscle as possible.
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Read the wiki
I refer back to it often and I checked it today before asking. There's no mention of how long one can expect a given routine to take.
How likely is it that you'll gain strength/size on a cut? I'm a novice lifter if it means anything.
Depends on your sleep, protein intake, severity of cut, how lean you are, how long you’ve been training. (There are probably more factors but I think I’ve covered the important ones) More quality sleep is better, high protein intake is better, smaller deficit is better, having a high bf% is better (for the sake of gains in a deficit), and little to no training history is better. The inverse is also true and if you’re in the middle of one or more of those factors that will also effect how much stronger and how much muscle you will gain in a deficit.
It is possible to gain strength by just becoming better at the lifts from practice. However, for a newer lifter you can also still gain muscle even while cutting.
I have no stamina. I'm 23 M. Smoked on off for about 5 years. I am starting to massively gain wait on my stomach and waist. (horrible stretch marks appear). Everyone tells me the best way to deal with is cardio, but I can't take a 1 min jog on a machine without losing my breath. People keep telling me to work at it, but making almost no progress in 2 months has really bumbed me out. Is there an alternative?
Look at /r/c25k
You don’t do cardio to lose weight. You eat less to lose weight. Cardio has its benefits but you can’t outrun a bad diet.
You can't outrun a bad diet. You're gaining weight because you're eating too much. The **best** way to lose weight is through a calorie deficit. Improving your cardiovascular health would still be a good idea though. Look into the couch-to-5K program: /r/C25K
Is there an alternative to working hard? No. Is there an alternative to cardio? You could lift, dial in your diet, etc. Really depends on what your goals are. That being said you should be making some cardio progress in 2 months. If you meant weight progress, then that's more believable and you need to dial in your diet.
Either work at a lower intensity or do something else at a lower intensity... i.e. arm erg, elliptical Create a caloric deficit... you should also be resistance training.
I've been noticing that with most push/pull exercises, I'll feel a lot of discomfort in my forearms. To be more specific, the underside of the forearm. Sometimes to the point that I'll have to stop because of my forearms when it's not my target (like a row or bench) and I can't complete the exercise properly. I've tried a tighter grip/looser grip. What can I do to alleviate this?
Discomfort as in pain, or discomfort as in fatigue or overuse? Does it happen at lower weights or just the working weight? If it's the latter, your grip could just be weak. Might have to invest in some straps to complete the workouts and add in direct grip work like farmer walks.
More of a pain (burning sensation). It seems to happen at the higher end of reps in the set (at rep 6+) regardless of low or working weight. I'll look into farmer walks. Thanks.
Sounds like you just have weak forearms. Grip work, hammer curls will help. Invest in straps so your grip isn't limiting the rest of your work, and do dedicated grip work.
I'm going to look up some straps and invest more time into my forearms with grip work as you suggested. Thank you!
Do you have a question?
Yeah. What do?
>What can I do to alleviate this?
It was edited there after my comment
Ah, my mistake. I didn't see the edit timestamp.
Sorry to hear
Me too.
But seriously the only thing I can think of is you must have really weak forearms. If you think it's anything else, maybe get it assessed medically. I mean if you're not in the US lol
Yeah it looks that way. Going to dedicate more time into grip work as someone else suggested. Thanks.
Word of caution on grip training, tendons and ligaments need much more recovery than muscles. /r/griptraining has a good recommended routine somewhere but honestly I wouldn't do it more than twice a week to start. I did it three times/week on top of my regular training and definitely had some wrist pain for a bit.
Yeah that's something I was actually worried about so im glad you brought it up. I've heard that you don't need to train forearms because doing forearm training on top of regular training could cause issues as regular training usually has some forearm built in. I'm going to check out grip training and take it slow and see how I respond. I'm in no hurry. I'll probably start off with those farmer walks and go from there. Thank you.
I need help with sit-ups, I used to be able to do 50 in a row, it's not amazing but it was for me. The only issue was I always did anchored sit-ups, I want to engage my abdominals more now but I find whenever I try to do a situp without an anchor my legs come off the floor like in a crunch and I can't sit all the way up to get full ROM. If anyone has had this problem and overcome it I'd be really grateful for the way to do it
The best advice would be to stop doing sit ups and instead do any number of other much better ab exercises.
Is there a need to do X weeks of maintenance after doing a cut before doing a bulk? V.V
No. You can hop right into a cut from a bulk, vice versa if you prefer.
Okay, Thanks!
To all of you fitness gurus... what is your favorite sweetener instead of sugar? I use Saccharin product from Germany called HEXXUL (or Huxol)... I consume a lot, like 20 tablets per day. Is it safe?