When I first came to Tashkent and started working at a learning center, I used to have a one-meal-a-day diet, which was quite hard to get used to first after a 3-meals-a-day lifestyle.
I simply didn't have a chance to eat when I was hungry throughout the day. When I had the chance, I didn't have an appetite.
Then I started losing weight. One meal a day was something typical after a year or two.
Yet that affected my whole energy and of course body. After several "Are you eating something?" comments made by my granny whenever I went back home to Fergana, I decided to gain some muscle.
I had done sports before, but it was just martial arts. I had no idea about how to properly lift weights. So in November 17th, 2024 I started attending the gym with a trainer.
Interestingly, I didn't know Russian, but the only trainer available in the morning at 6 was a Russian man.
For three months till Ramadan, I worked with him. He was very supportive and guided me on what to eat and how to feel my muscle while lifting instead of relying on joints or just skeleton.
At the same time, I bought a number of online courses on how to make a proper meal plan and plan my workouts.
First I was counting the days, but then I stopped because it became a habit. Now if I miss my workout, it starts feeling odd already as it is a lifestyle now.
What's great about it is that it gives me an opportunity to check my pain tolerance. "Can I do more" is always a question when you are commanding your hands to push the rope further in the last rep.
Initially, I was 61 or 62 kilograms. Now I weigh around 71 kilos. Perhaps for 6 months, excluding Ramadan since I stopped at that time, it is not a big result, but I have gained primarily muscle instead of just water or fat. As you know, gaining meat is hard. Quite hard.
To successfully gain muscle, I learnt three things are important: proper meal plan (not just supplements), short, but intense workout, and good sleep, the latter being a frequent problem with me, though :(
Oh, one more thing: genetics is also a key factor ;)
After Ramadan, I bought 1Fit subscription. Previously, I was radically against Push30 and 1Fit because I thought they would not build a routine for an individual, which, I still believe, is crucial for consistent attendance.
Then sport became my life. So I decided to go with it. Variety is the spice of life :))
Oh yeah, I'm 100% natty. I only use L-arginine and citruline consistently before my workouts for better blood circulation.
I also take multivitamins and zinc as well as omega 3. I think I need to add magnesium separately to this list as recently I started to have blister lips for no obvious reason. Something is lacking.
My protein and gainer are on my shelves just in case I miss some of my meals. I don't take them regularly. I hate their taste.
Most importantly, no longer scrawny anymore. No longer hearing those "Don't work too much. You're getting thinner" comments by my caring family members. Whatever I wear sort of suits me well, too, now :))
Yeah, that's all. Yes you, do sports.
@temursolief #sport #lifting
Why is subtracting often more effective than adding?
