2023 DBZeta Fitness Challenge

[FeatsofPower]

Dudes, I'm lifting like once every 6-8 days right now. It actually seems to be working. I've heard that maintaining muscle requires 1/3 of the effort of growing muscle as well. It seems totally possible to lift only 4 times a month and hit each body part only once a month and still maintain your size. Possibly gain muscle as well even with such a limited regiment. Interesting times coming.

 

[SSJ2]

It's definitely true. I've been doing that for most of this summer due to a lack of time and not wanting to be sore so I can play golf. I've at the very least maintained most of my muscle mass, definitely gained muscle in my legs.

 

[Sovran Nila]

This is the final week of the entire six month challenge. Unfortunately, I didn't reach a low enough body fat percentage to showcase an extraordinary transformation. I personally visually see the muscle mass gained, and strength has grown considerably.

However, fitness will not conclude. I purchased something called the Jaquish Biomedical X3 Elite. I will endure another six month fitness challenge, and this time to compare how this device fares versus traditional resistance training. It's definitely intriguing.

 

[FeatsofPower]

This is the final week of the entire six month challenge. Unfortunately, I didn't reach a low enough body fat percentage to showcase an extraordinary transformation. I personally visually see the muscle mass gained, and strength has grown considerably.

As you start to get in better shape you have to be more precise with your preparation. Once you start tracking everything you eat, your steps and so on, then you can make it to the next level. It sucks but welcome to the fitness world brother, you made it!

 

[Sovran Nila]

Six month challenge is complete. It was brutal, yet extremely rewarding.

On Monday, I will endure a seven day water fast combined with HIIT cardio, and then followed by a seven day dry fast. It should lean me out for an adequate photo.

 

[FeatsofPower]

Six month challenge is complete. It was brutal, yet extremely rewarding.

On Monday, I will endure a seven day water fast combined with HIIT cardio, and then followed by a seven day dry fast. It should lean me out for an adequate photo.

What’s your height and weight. All that fasting isn’t fun nor is it all that helpful. The game is about fat loss, I’d just start tracking my calories and ease into the deficit. It’s not a race, enjoy the process!

 

[Sovran Nila]

What’s your height and weight. All that fasting isn’t fun nor is it all that helpful. The game is about fat loss, I’d just start tracking my calories and ease into the deficit. It’s not a race, enjoy the process!

6'7" and 220 lb currently. Fasting is about resiliency and autophagy. I do it because I must in order to progress. I have a protocol in place for after the fasts because I refuse to cease training at this point. I've achieved so much and I don't want to lose it, so momentum will be kept. My grip strength is in the 140's with the grip strength tester, and I am literally the best version of myself at this point.

 

[FeatsofPower]

Why lose more weight? Shouldn’t you be trying to put on muscle? You are light enough for your height for sure, we are the same weight and I’m a foot shorter

 

[Sovran Nila]

The aim is to incinerate body fat. I'm not concerned with overall body weight.

 

[FeatsofPower]

The aim is to incinerate body fat. I'm not concerned with overall body weight.

Fasting won’t do that, moderate deficit with low intensity cardio and high intensity weight lifting is the way bro. You have to reduce the suffering it’s all about adherence. The rebound effect is dangerous.

 

[Sovran Nila]

Fasting won’t do that, moderate deficit with low intensity cardio and high intensity weight lifting is the way bro. You have to reduce the suffering it’s all about adherence. The rebound effect is dangerous.

I'm an expert faster, as I've been experimenting with my body since 2017. Unless you've tested it thoroughly for yourself and confirm what works and what doesn't through personal experience, it's all bullshit. Fasting incinerates fat once you're fat adapted. There is no rebound effect and I monitor my blood. My protocols are sound.

 

[FeatsofPower]

I'm an expert faster, as I've been experimenting with my body since 2017. Unless you've tested it thoroughly for yourself and confirm what works and what doesn't through personal experience, it's all bullshit. Fasting incinerates fat once you're fat adapted. There is no rebound effect and I monitor my blood. My protocols are sound.

Fasting isn't the best for muscle growth though. Are you just trying to be skinny and not really worried about muscle?

 

[Sovran Nila]

Fasting isn't the best for muscle growth though. Are you just trying to be skinny and not really worried about muscle?

Are you speaking from personal experience, or based on information you've read? I'm experimenting to find out what the actual truth is. That was the purpose of this entire fitness challenge.

 

[FeatsofPower]

Are you speaking from personal experience, or based on information you've read? I'm experimenting to find out what the actual truth is. That was the purpose of this entire fitness challenge.

No bodybuilder in the world is fasting to get jakked. For one, to consume the proper amount of protein you need 1 gram per pound. Protein can only be consumed and absorbed at a certain amount every 3-4 hours.

So going days without getting protein will make you lose muscle, so will intermittent fasting done excessively.

Fasting is a tool that can be helpful but the best is to eat at a caloric deficit and create a bigger deficit by doing low intensity cardio that doesn’t send your appetite through the roof while doing resistance training.

Peter Attia has spoken about how long fasts have disrupted his muscularity.

Fasting just makes staying in a deficit easier. Do it the right way, the hard way, teach yourself some real discipline, don’t take the easy way out. Make good food choices and track your calories and macros. Also you should post some pics or PM me so I can see your composition. Your numbers are way off 6’7 220 is very small. You need to start lifting yesterday if you want the body you dream of. Just my two cents. Let me guide you to victory here you Already are doing so good I can get you to the next level.

 

[Warmmedown]

My understanding is fasting for too big a window encourages your body to increase the ratio of fat to muscle, because fat is a better long-term energy source and it thinks you're in environment where food is hard to come by.

Seems his personal goal isn't to get as big as possible and he's happy at what's a normal, healthy weight for his height. If so, good for him.

 

[Sovran Nila]

No bodybuilder in the world is fasting to get jakked. For one, to consume the proper amount of protein you need 1 gram per pound. Protein can only be consumed and absorbed at a certain amount every 3-4 hours.

So going days without getting protein will make you lose muscle, so will intermittent fasting done excessively.

Fasting is a tool that can be helpful but the best is to eat at a caloric deficit and create a bigger deficit by doing low intensity cardio that doesn’t send your appetite through the roof while doing resistance training.

Peter Attia has spoken about how long fasts have disrupted his muscularity.

Fasting just makes staying in a deficit easier. Do it the right way, the hard way, teach yourself some real discipline, don’t take the easy way out. Make good food choices and track your calories and macros. Also you should post some pics or PM me so I can see your composition. Your numbers are way off 6’7 220 is very small. You need to start lifting yesterday if you want the body you dream of. Just my two cents. Let me guide you to victory here you Already are doing so good I can get you to the next level.

This entire challenge's premise was to find out which information is true and which is false. I built muscle during the challenge, and I became stronger. It wasn't at the pace that I believed it would be, though. From my own experience, muscle protein synthesis occurs in the same fashion whether I ate one meal a day, or multiple. No supplements were taken, as the intention was to only grow from exogenous food. I've experimented with water fasting, and dry fasting. I still retained full strength, and continued to improve during the absence of exogenous food. Muscle built on a low carb, high protein diet doesn't look as voluminous as a high carb diet, however, the strength is there.

I do not intend to take supplements moving forward. I do not intend to change the way I eat, and the way I incorporate fasting. I do intend to continue training, though.

Since the original challenge was completed, I've pivoted to a different form of resistance training. It's not the same as typical weight lifting, as it incorporates variable resistance training through the form of bands. I've been using the system for over a month now, and I realize the benefits over traditional weight lifting. It fatigues the muscles in a different form, and to a further degree. I only realized the benefits after experiencing traditional weight lifting, and then this system. The degree of fatigue forces a different "muscle pump." I believe that this system warrants the asking price.

X3 Bar Elite Home Gym

Build muscle faster with the X3 Bar Elite home gym. X3 uses variable resistance to drive tremendous strength gains without damaging joints.

www.jaquishbiomedical.com

I've been able to push more reps with every passing training session. The partial reps of variable distances is what helps stimulate further muscle growth than what I experienced with traditional weight lifting. I'm currently on the third band for some of the movements.

It's basically an intense HIIT circuit. One set of reps for the muscle groups for the current training session to absolute fatigue, where the band cannot be moved even one inch. If done correctly, heart rate will be high, airflow will be high, muscle fatigue maxed out, and completely drenched in sweat.

 

[Sovran Nila]

The challenge that became a lifestyle. I'm nearing two years of consistency with training. Social media has skewed what is perceived as possible, with 99.9% of users taking PED's and turning what would naturally take 3 years of consistent training into 6 month gains.

I will train forever, eating only whole foods, and will never adhere to PED's or even supplements like creatine. I want to find out what is possible, truly possible, only through training and exogenous food. My daily meal has been 2-3 lb of beef consistently, as well. The protein macros are between 170-250g.

In June, I began rucking. Rucking is walking with weights. I purchased a 40 lb weighted vest and began rucking with 20 lb. I progressed through the weight quickly, and remained with 40 lb for about a month until I became displeased with the plateau. I sought out and purchased a weighted vest that holds up to 120 lb. Over the course of about 5 months of rucking, I eventually achieved rucking with 120 lb successfully. I haven't rucked in about a month because the risk is too great in falling on snow and ice. If I fall with 120 lb extra, I'm not getting back up.

I purchased a portable treadmill, however, it's made for midgets and rucking on a treadmill is not the same as rucking on the physical ground. My stride and physical presence outreaches what the treadmill was designed for, and it's not even the same experience. So, I will have to wait until spring to start rucking again.

I'm still hovering around ~225 lb, however, my physical composition is drastically different than when I started training. I still have plenty of fat to cover the definition, so I don't look like a superhero yet.

The next modality that I'm interested in is called Rope Flow. I'm waiting for my order from Australia of high quality ropes to arrive still. I'll begin Rope Flow in the spring when I begin rucking again. I have some pictures somewhere, and i'll try to find them to share with you guys. It's wild reflecting on my experience working up to 120 lb.

 

[Sovran Nila]

I tried out another zero drop shoe in 2024.
The total weight of the vest comes out to ~123 lb.
What my fridge looked like most of the time.