> be me, 6'0
>used to be 280 lbs
>been stuck at 220 for like a year, lowest was 215 haven't weighed myself in a while because scared
>finally check
>still 220
>not as bad as I thought but feel bloated, gross, sad
>Some girls actually started finding me hot at 220
>still want to improve, want to be proud of myself

> 1 week ago, refocused
>pray asking forgiveness for disrespecting my body
>stop random snacking because I don’t want to log it and disappoint myself
>measuring meals, weighing everything, ~2000 cals a day (2700 maintenance)
>170g protein daily, tons of spinach, peppers, lean meat
>creatine daily, plus zinc/magnesium/p5p fish oil stack
>lifting again for the first time since high school
>spam stair machine 20 min sessions sweating like a pig

> gym is comfy af
>old gymbro holds the door open for me, says "have a good workout"
>everyone either doesn't care or is genuinely friendly
>kind of annoyed at a few pajeets who do 2 lat pulldowns and then sit on their phones for 6 minutes
>whatever, plenty of other machines
>actually have better form than most from high school lifting class and tiktok (lol)

> no weight change yet, still 220
>but feel way better
>less bloated
>see my muscles swelling up, especially arms and shoulders
>confidence growing
>motivated to keep going
>want to recomp, get down to 200 without looking withered or flabby

> picrel: 1 week into cut efforts
Still fat (damn love handles and starvation Irish genetics) and it's only a week, but finally feel hope again
Lock in, we’re gonna make it bros