9 Weeks Out - Progress Doesn't Always Show on the Scale
This week felt good.
Training felt good.
I got all my workouts in.
I finished every scheduled cardio session.
Overall, prep is still moving in the right direction.
The biggest challenge this week wasn't training.
It was moving.
Current Status
Division
- Men's Physique
- Classic Physique
Weeks Out
9
Current Weight
210.8 lbs
Starting Weight
216.4 lbs
Weekly Change
+2.3 lbs
Phase
Prep
Weekly Check-In Photos
Front
Side
Back
What Changed This Week?
Most of this week was spent moving into my new apartment.
Between loading the car, unpacking, and driving back and forth, I ended up getting a lot more activity than I normally do.
The hard part was food.
I didn't really have a home base to cook or meal prep, so I had to eat out more than I wanted to just to stay on schedule.
I still hit my calories and protein every day, but I definitely had to estimate a few meals more than I'd normally be comfortable with.
I also had one beer to celebrate finally getting moved in.
Normally I wouldn't even think about having one this close to a show, but I also knew one beer wasn't going to ruin prep.
I just treated it like anything else I eat.
I accounted for the calories, bumped my protein up a little, pulled some carbs out to make room for it, and moved on.
That'll be the last one until after the show.
Another big change this week was switching gyms.
I've trained at commercial gyms, apartment gyms, and just about everything in between.
You can absolutely make progress anywhere.
But I also think the environment matters.
When I'm surrounded by people taking training seriously, I naturally push a little harder.
I'm more focused.
I enjoy training more.
At this point in prep, I'll take any extra motivation I can get.
This Week's StageLab Recommendation
Recommendation
Hold current nutrition and cardio.
This week was interesting.
The scale really didn't move.
After seeing that, I honestly expected another cardio increase.
Instead, StageLab recommended holding everything exactly where it is.
The photos showed noticeable improvements compared to last week, even though my weight stayed about the same.
The thinking is that I probably lost fat this week, but other factors were keeping the scale from showing it.
That made sense to me.
It's a good reminder that the scale is only one piece of the picture.
My Thoughts
I'll admit I was a little surprised when I stepped on the scale.
After how active this week was, I expected it to be lower.
At the same time, I could still see changes in the mirror.
The photos looked better.
My waist looked a little tighter.
Overall, I think I looked leaner.
Weeks like this are a good reminder not to obsess over a single number.
If I had only looked at the scale, I probably would've thought I didn't make any progress.
Looking at everything together tells a different story.
For now, I'm happy to leave the plan exactly where it is and see what happens next week.
Current Plan
Calories
2725 kcal
Protein
227 g
Carbs
283 g
Fat
76 g
Cardio
4 x 25 min
What Happens Next
The move is finally behind me.
That means getting back to a normal routine.
Meal prep should be easier again.
Training should be more consistent.
Now it's just about putting together another good week and seeing if the scale catches up to what the photos are already showing.
Current Snapshot
Weight: 210.8 lbs
Starting Weight: 216.4 lbs
Weeks Out: 9
Phase: Prep
Current Recommendation: Hold current nutrition and cardio.
Current Focus: Get settled into the new routine and continue improving conditioning.
Next Update
Prep Files #11 - 8 Weeks Out