aryanmogga
Iron
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2024
- Posts
- 4
- Reputation
- 25
Introduction
I used to be the overweight kid who spent most of his time behind a screen. Socializing was never my strong suit, and in high school, I barely talked to anyone. I became that weird kid everyone either ignored or mocked. My appearance was a direct reflection of my unhealthy habits and lack of resilience to pursue anything positive in my life. The constant bullying from my friends was relentless. While they might have been joking, I knew there was truth behind their words.
By 2020, when lockdowns hit, I realized I had to make a change. I had reached my full height of 6'3", but at 235 pounds, it was all fat. There wasn’t an ounce of muscle on my body. I decided to enter a caloric deficit, eating around 1,500 calories a day, and started losing about 2 pounds a week. Within nine months, I went from being overweight to a complete skinny twink. At the bottom of my cut, I weighed 145 pounds with arms barely measuring 12 inches. I could hardly bench 95 pounds, and while I had lost the fat, I felt weak and deflated.
For the next two years, I remained stuck at that same weight. But in 2022, after graduating high school, things started to shift. I was working my first job and began lifting consistently with my father, who introduced me to the gym. The mornings we spent working out together became the foundation of my transformation.
Now, after two years of consistent lifting, I've built a solid physique. Scroll down to see the progress pictures if you're here for that. But if you’re interested in the journey and how I did it and what made the biggest impact, keep reading. I'll break it all down.
Diet
The most crucial factor in my transformation was starvemaxxing. I started eating around 1,500 calories a day, which was about 1,000 calories below my maintenance level. This had me losing weight at a consistent rate of 2 pounds per week. If you’re serious about looksmaxxing, getting lean is by far the most important step. It made the biggest impact on my face. There's a huge difference in appearance when you're carrying less fat. Unless you have severe physical deformities, it's hard to look ugly when you're at a low body fat percentage.
While this approach helped me shed the weight, there are definitely things I would do differently if I could go back. First, I would focus on eating cleaner and avoiding highly processed foods. These processed foods often cause acne and skin flare-ups, which can really hinder your progress if you're trying to improve your looks.
I prioritize a high-protein diet. High protein not only keeps you fuller for longer, but it also helps you retain muscle mass, even when you're in a caloric deficit. It’s a lot easier to consume 1,500 calories of cookies and ice cream than it is to eat 1,500 calories of chicken breast and broccoli. The latter will keep you feeling satisfied and help preserve muscle. If I had aimed to hit 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, I probably could’ve avoided much of the muscle loss I experienced during the cut.
Training
I started lifting weights around mid-2022, but like many beginners, I was wasting time with high-rep nonsense, not pushing my sets to failure, or even close to it. To put it bluntly, I was training like a pussy. If you’re serious about building mass, don’t listen to these weak beta types who swear by hypertrophy training with light weights and endless reps. The key to building an impressive physique is to get strong as fuck.
Yes, you should incorporate isolation exercises like lateral raises, bicep curls, and tricep pushdowns to bring up specific body parts, but even with those movements, you should be lifting hard and heavy. Stick to lower rep ranges like 4-7 and push for progress week after week. The most crucial aspect, especially for natural lifters, is to spend the majority of your time lifting during a lean bulk. I know everyone wants to look lean year-round, but that’s not realistic if your goal is to build a solid, muscular physique.
You’ll often hear people say that women prefer a smaller, athletic physique. While it’s true that most women aren’t looking for a 240-pound mass monster ready for a bodybuilding stage, I can almost guarantee that the average woman would prefer someone with a physique like David Laid over the typical calisthenics guy.
Below are the lifts and measurements I’ve achieved in two years.
These numbers were reached by following the routine I still use to this day:
PUSH DAY
PULL DAY
LEG DAY
Squat: 4x4-7
Hamstring Curl: 4x5-10
Leg Extension: 4x5-10
Calf Raises: 6x5-10
You’ll notice the volume is relatively low. I stick to 4 sets per exercise and aim for 2 exercises per body part, which puts me at around 16 sets per week. Realistically, I could get away with even less volume, but I recover well from this routine. However, it’s important to note that every single set is taken to complete muscular failure. If you’re new to the gym, cut this volume in half. Milk the gains you can get from doing less and avoid burning out too soon.
Regardless, if you eat properly and train hard with the routine above, you will make progress, no questions asked.
Grooming
One of the biggest factors in my glow-up was learning how to properly take care of myself. Bro, get out of bed, stop jacking off, and take a damn shower. It sounds simple, but the basics are often the most overlooked, and I was guilty of it too. I used to smell like absolute shit. Like sweat and dried cum. So for the love of God, shower every day.
In terms of hair, I found that shampooing twice a week works best for me, but everyone’s different. I recommend using Native products because they’re made with natural ingredients and work well for most people. Now, let’s talk about beards. I see so many young guys walking around with patchy, nappy beards. If you can’t grow a full beard yet, shave it off. Trust me, you’ll look a million times better clean-shaven than trying to hold onto something that isn’t there yet. In the meantime, you can use minoxidil and start derma rolling to help develop your beard growth over time.
Fragrance is another game-changer. You never want to be caught smelling bad. Smell is one of the biggest turn-offs, and it can completely kill any attraction someone might have for you. I’ll give you an example: I went on a date with this girl I met at the gym. She was really attractive, but the moment she stepped into my truck, all I could smell was cat litter. Instantly, whatever attraction I had went out the window. I guarantee women will have the same reaction if you smell like sweat or worse.
At the end of the day, it’s all about the details. Every little thing you do to improve your appearance and hygiene adds up. A bunch of small wins can make a huge difference in the long run.
Fashion
You need to elevate your style, bro. Stop buying trashy, overly designed clothes and go for something more timeless. As cringy as it may sound, the old money aesthetic is one of the best looks you can aim for. Start building a wardrobe with classic, high-quality pieces that will last forever. If you choose to embrace this look, do not cheap out. Cheap pieces are easy to spot, and you’ll end up looking like a poser.
Avoid clothing with big brand logos plastered across them. Instead, stick to earthy, neutral colors like black, brown, navy, grey, white, and green. These tones can be mixed and matched in almost any combination and still look good.
Fit is key. One of the most important aspects of dressing well is wearing clothes that accentuate your best features. I personally wear clothes that fit snug in the arms and chest, which highlights the physique I’ve built. Clothes should enhance your physique, not hide it.
Follow these simple steps, and you’ll be looking much better in no time.
Slays
I was a virgin until I turned 18, when I met my first girlfriend in 2022, shortly after I started lifting. I eventually lost my virginity to her, and we were together for about a year and a half before I broke up with her for various reasons. After the breakup, a friend encouraged me to create a Tinder account.
I started getting incredible results, around 150 matches. I ended up hooking up with three girls from the app with little to no effort, all thanks to my improved appearance. It’s wild how much you can get away with on these platforms if you find yourself in the top 10% of men.
The first of the three had sent me a bunch of photos and in the middle of the stack, there was a photo of her standing in the mirror essentially nude. I said I would tear that shit up and she dropped the addy. I picked her up and I fucked her in the back of my truck behind some church. I had her absolutely screaming.
The second was a girl who had a kid, she had sent her kid away to a baby sitter so I could come over one night. In the first hour of me being there I was fucking her throat. I must've fucked her for 2 hours, or around that, and I didn't even cum. The funny thing is I find it hard to cum from penetration, and the women I sleep with get super self conscious about that. They end up almost going crazy of it, they start thinking that they're ugly and will basically bend the knee to anything that you ask.
Progress Photos in Order
This was me in 2020 before losing the weight. Literal fucking potato head.
My physique before I had started lifting weight. 6'3 here and 235 pounds
This is what I looked like after cutting down
I had been lifting in this photo for about a month, was way too confident. That shirt is supposed to be a compression shirt.
This photo was taken about 3 months ago. This is one of the photos I used on my Tinder.
Another photo on the profile, taken a little bit ago. Was a little bit smaller here as is evident.
Current day physique with the same brand and size of compression as the other pic. Face a little puffier, on the bulk
Conclusion
Going through this journey has been the most life-changing experience of my life. The way people treat me now compared to how they used to is a night-and-day difference. It’s a harsh reality that in this world, your appearance often dictates your success, the quality of the people around you, and the opportunities that come your way.
I used to be the overweight kid who spent most of his time behind a screen. Socializing was never my strong suit, and in high school, I barely talked to anyone. I became that weird kid everyone either ignored or mocked. My appearance was a direct reflection of my unhealthy habits and lack of resilience to pursue anything positive in my life. The constant bullying from my friends was relentless. While they might have been joking, I knew there was truth behind their words.
By 2020, when lockdowns hit, I realized I had to make a change. I had reached my full height of 6'3", but at 235 pounds, it was all fat. There wasn’t an ounce of muscle on my body. I decided to enter a caloric deficit, eating around 1,500 calories a day, and started losing about 2 pounds a week. Within nine months, I went from being overweight to a complete skinny twink. At the bottom of my cut, I weighed 145 pounds with arms barely measuring 12 inches. I could hardly bench 95 pounds, and while I had lost the fat, I felt weak and deflated.
For the next two years, I remained stuck at that same weight. But in 2022, after graduating high school, things started to shift. I was working my first job and began lifting consistently with my father, who introduced me to the gym. The mornings we spent working out together became the foundation of my transformation.
Now, after two years of consistent lifting, I've built a solid physique. Scroll down to see the progress pictures if you're here for that. But if you’re interested in the journey and how I did it and what made the biggest impact, keep reading. I'll break it all down.
Diet
The most crucial factor in my transformation was starvemaxxing. I started eating around 1,500 calories a day, which was about 1,000 calories below my maintenance level. This had me losing weight at a consistent rate of 2 pounds per week. If you’re serious about looksmaxxing, getting lean is by far the most important step. It made the biggest impact on my face. There's a huge difference in appearance when you're carrying less fat. Unless you have severe physical deformities, it's hard to look ugly when you're at a low body fat percentage.
While this approach helped me shed the weight, there are definitely things I would do differently if I could go back. First, I would focus on eating cleaner and avoiding highly processed foods. These processed foods often cause acne and skin flare-ups, which can really hinder your progress if you're trying to improve your looks.
I prioritize a high-protein diet. High protein not only keeps you fuller for longer, but it also helps you retain muscle mass, even when you're in a caloric deficit. It’s a lot easier to consume 1,500 calories of cookies and ice cream than it is to eat 1,500 calories of chicken breast and broccoli. The latter will keep you feeling satisfied and help preserve muscle. If I had aimed to hit 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, I probably could’ve avoided much of the muscle loss I experienced during the cut.
Training
I started lifting weights around mid-2022, but like many beginners, I was wasting time with high-rep nonsense, not pushing my sets to failure, or even close to it. To put it bluntly, I was training like a pussy. If you’re serious about building mass, don’t listen to these weak beta types who swear by hypertrophy training with light weights and endless reps. The key to building an impressive physique is to get strong as fuck.
Yes, you should incorporate isolation exercises like lateral raises, bicep curls, and tricep pushdowns to bring up specific body parts, but even with those movements, you should be lifting hard and heavy. Stick to lower rep ranges like 4-7 and push for progress week after week. The most crucial aspect, especially for natural lifters, is to spend the majority of your time lifting during a lean bulk. I know everyone wants to look lean year-round, but that’s not realistic if your goal is to build a solid, muscular physique.
You’ll often hear people say that women prefer a smaller, athletic physique. While it’s true that most women aren’t looking for a 240-pound mass monster ready for a bodybuilding stage, I can almost guarantee that the average woman would prefer someone with a physique like David Laid over the typical calisthenics guy.
Below are the lifts and measurements I’ve achieved in two years.
- Bench: 315 lbs
- Squat: 385 lbs
- Deadlift: 505 lbs
- Biceps: 16.5 inches
These numbers were reached by following the routine I still use to this day:
PUSH DAY
- Bench Press: 4x4-7
- Incline Dumbbell Press: 4x4-7
- Overhead Tricep Extension: 4x5-10
- Tricep Pushdown: 4x5-10
- Side Lateral Raises: 6x5-10
PULL DAY
- Lat Pulldown: 4x4-7
- Hammer Strength Row: 4x4-7
- Preacher Curl: 8x5-10
- Rear Delt Fly: 4x5-10
LEG DAY
Squat: 4x4-7
Hamstring Curl: 4x5-10
Leg Extension: 4x5-10
Calf Raises: 6x5-10
You’ll notice the volume is relatively low. I stick to 4 sets per exercise and aim for 2 exercises per body part, which puts me at around 16 sets per week. Realistically, I could get away with even less volume, but I recover well from this routine. However, it’s important to note that every single set is taken to complete muscular failure. If you’re new to the gym, cut this volume in half. Milk the gains you can get from doing less and avoid burning out too soon.
Regardless, if you eat properly and train hard with the routine above, you will make progress, no questions asked.
Grooming
One of the biggest factors in my glow-up was learning how to properly take care of myself. Bro, get out of bed, stop jacking off, and take a damn shower. It sounds simple, but the basics are often the most overlooked, and I was guilty of it too. I used to smell like absolute shit. Like sweat and dried cum. So for the love of God, shower every day.
In terms of hair, I found that shampooing twice a week works best for me, but everyone’s different. I recommend using Native products because they’re made with natural ingredients and work well for most people. Now, let’s talk about beards. I see so many young guys walking around with patchy, nappy beards. If you can’t grow a full beard yet, shave it off. Trust me, you’ll look a million times better clean-shaven than trying to hold onto something that isn’t there yet. In the meantime, you can use minoxidil and start derma rolling to help develop your beard growth over time.
Fragrance is another game-changer. You never want to be caught smelling bad. Smell is one of the biggest turn-offs, and it can completely kill any attraction someone might have for you. I’ll give you an example: I went on a date with this girl I met at the gym. She was really attractive, but the moment she stepped into my truck, all I could smell was cat litter. Instantly, whatever attraction I had went out the window. I guarantee women will have the same reaction if you smell like sweat or worse.
At the end of the day, it’s all about the details. Every little thing you do to improve your appearance and hygiene adds up. A bunch of small wins can make a huge difference in the long run.
Fashion
You need to elevate your style, bro. Stop buying trashy, overly designed clothes and go for something more timeless. As cringy as it may sound, the old money aesthetic is one of the best looks you can aim for. Start building a wardrobe with classic, high-quality pieces that will last forever. If you choose to embrace this look, do not cheap out. Cheap pieces are easy to spot, and you’ll end up looking like a poser.
Avoid clothing with big brand logos plastered across them. Instead, stick to earthy, neutral colors like black, brown, navy, grey, white, and green. These tones can be mixed and matched in almost any combination and still look good.
Fit is key. One of the most important aspects of dressing well is wearing clothes that accentuate your best features. I personally wear clothes that fit snug in the arms and chest, which highlights the physique I’ve built. Clothes should enhance your physique, not hide it.
Follow these simple steps, and you’ll be looking much better in no time.
Slays
I was a virgin until I turned 18, when I met my first girlfriend in 2022, shortly after I started lifting. I eventually lost my virginity to her, and we were together for about a year and a half before I broke up with her for various reasons. After the breakup, a friend encouraged me to create a Tinder account.
I started getting incredible results, around 150 matches. I ended up hooking up with three girls from the app with little to no effort, all thanks to my improved appearance. It’s wild how much you can get away with on these platforms if you find yourself in the top 10% of men.
The first of the three had sent me a bunch of photos and in the middle of the stack, there was a photo of her standing in the mirror essentially nude. I said I would tear that shit up and she dropped the addy. I picked her up and I fucked her in the back of my truck behind some church. I had her absolutely screaming.
The second was a girl who had a kid, she had sent her kid away to a baby sitter so I could come over one night. In the first hour of me being there I was fucking her throat. I must've fucked her for 2 hours, or around that, and I didn't even cum. The funny thing is I find it hard to cum from penetration, and the women I sleep with get super self conscious about that. They end up almost going crazy of it, they start thinking that they're ugly and will basically bend the knee to anything that you ask.
Progress Photos in Order
Conclusion
Going through this journey has been the most life-changing experience of my life. The way people treat me now compared to how they used to is a night-and-day difference. It’s a harsh reality that in this world, your appearance often dictates your success, the quality of the people around you, and the opportunities that come your way.
