I dropped down to 130lbs from 145 due to work start and facing fears in life - I am not making excuses this is reality I could not eat enough without vomiting so I lowered my intake. I am still happy with my body at this moment, over the coming years my goal is to reach 170 lbs and end up at the same leanness I am now. My gym routine has been messed up by work but I get to go at least once a week and hit as much as I can and burn the muscles. Once I start uni and settle in I will continue my bulk.

End of Zyzz routine results

(140lbs - not tensed - straight backed)

Finished 6 week zyzz routine, great gains, might not be noticable in picture - I have been ill past few days and lost a bit of weight maybe the reason. Now plan to move onto Layne Norton's PHAT routine.

Long overdue update - December starting strength and January zyzz routine.

Long overdue update. I finished the starting aesthetics routine and switched to starting strength for one month - I saw great strength gains (doubled nearly all of my lifts).

Now I am on my second week of the Zyzz routine.

Here are current progress pictures (my bulk stalled but I have restarted it in the new year)

 (This was done cold - not post workout like all other photo's but with straight back like others -136 lbs)

(This was cold as well but tensing and leaning forward slightly - 136 lbs)

Week five and six 17/11/2011 - holiday gains

I was abroad for these weeks and unfortunately ran out of weight gainer, whilst abroad I continued my routine in the hotel gym however there was no barbell and therefore was somewhat restricted but I improvised as best I could. Also I did not take Creatine whilst I was away.

[My body in week 6 - tensing - stayed at 133 lbs this week, I put this down to running out of weight gainer]

Because I was forced to adapt my routine to suit the available equipment I cannot update my lifts but I will do so for this coming week in the next update.

I need to purchase new weight gainer, whilst I found ISO 2 to be very good as it really was delicious and seemingly effective, I also wonder if there is any other gainer that would be better for me to maximize my gains. I have done some research and it seems Optimum nutrition Serious Mass would be a good option although reports of it's poor mix ability have put me off a bit (people saying it needs to be blended and a shaker will not suffice). In addition to this I need to buy a new set/pair of dumbells as the ones I currently have can hold no more than 16kg. Opinions and suggestions are welcome.

Cheers.

Week four - 31/10/2011 - Starting Aesthetics progress

Apologies for the delayed update this week. This week I believe I have achieved significant progress. Continuing the starting aesthetics routine (Week 2 of this routine) and my diet I have seen real improvements in my lifts and some gains.

[My body in week 4 - 133 lbs (slowly but surely the extra calories I'm taking in daily are working)]

My lifts are as follows:

Barbell bench press - 40kg (5 reps - 35kg on 2nd and 3rd sets)

Squat - 30kg (5 reps)

Dips (weighted when able) - 10 reps (8 on the final set) - no weight 

Tuesday -

Pull ups (weighted when able) 5 reps (no weights but will add them next week in a backpack as I have no weight belt)

Pendlay rows - 30kg (5 reps)

Leg curls - Weight "5" on the machine (10 slow reps - I have found this increases the intensity of the exercise and the resulting burn)

Thursday -

Military / overhead press - 30 kg (5 reps - 25kg on the 2nd and 3rd set)

Squat - 30kg (5 reps) - (last week I was actually lifting 20kg not 30, my mistake)

Dumbell bench press - 16 kg (8-10 reps - could not complete 2nd or 3rd set as my chest was literally dead, not sure why... attempted 14's but I just I physically couldn't lift the weights up and by the end my chest was shaking and burning. Feelsgoodman.)

Saturday -

Deadlift - 40kg

Dumbell rows - 16kg (10 reps - 14kg for 2nd set and 3rd set)

Chinups (weighted when able) - 8 (first set) 8 (second set) 5 (third set)

Week three - 24/10/2011 - Starting aesthetics routine progress

My first week of the "starting aesthetics" routine has been good (I have not felt the positive muscle burn that I did when on the zyzz routine, although this could be down to several factors). I have focused on achieving the right form for the exercises before I put the weights at my full limit, now that I have this sorted I shall be upping the weights this coming week.

[My body in Week 3 - 130 lbs (only 1 lb gain despite diet and 2x daily weight gainer shakes]

My lifts are as follows:

Barbell bench press - 30kg (5 reps)

Squat - 20kg (5 reps)

Dips (weighted when able) - 10 reps (8 on the final set) - no weight

Tuesday -

Pull ups (weighted when able) - [Foolishly did as chinups] 8 reps (1st set) 3 reps (2nd set) 3 reps (3rd set) - no weight

Pendlay rows - 20kg (5 reps)

Leg curls - Weight "4" on the machine

Thursday -

Military / overhead press - 20 kg (5 reps)

Squat - 30kg (5 reps)

Dumbell bench press - 14 kg (8-10 reps)

Saturday -

Deadlift - 30kg

Dumbell rows - 14kg (10 reps)

Chinups (weighted when able) - 8 (first set) 8 (second set) 5 (third set)

Week two - 17/10/2011 - Switch to compound and solid diet

For the last week I have been following Zyzz's routine however after several recommendations from friends (who gym) and forum members (thanks to KJSpencer and RW2) I have decided to switch my routine a 5 day split - isolation exercise based routine to a 4 day split - compound exercise based routine that is based off  of the popular Starting Strength routine (which I have been told is more suited to beginners than 5 day splits with focus on isolation exercises).

This is week 2 progress picture (following isolation 5 day split routine with disorganized diet - I hope to see greater gains next week with this week's changes in routine and diet):

[My body in week 2 -129 lbs]

The new routine I am following is called Starting Aesthetics, the workout is illustrated through a picture that has spread around forums and /fit/ section of 4chan -

As shown in the picture the routine is as follows:

Monday - 

Barbell bench press

Squat

Dips (weighted when able)

Tuesday -

Pull ups (weighted when able)

Pendlay rows

Leg curls

Thursday -

Military / overhead press

Squat

Dumbell bench press

Saturday -

Deadlift

Dumbell rows

Chinups (weighted when able)

The routine includes the essential compound exercises, therefore I believe it shall be an effective workout, although if anyone disagrees with this please let me know as the advice is welcome.

Diet:

This week I have also mapped out a solid diet (last week my diet was disorganized and I was not taking more than 1 weight gainer shake a day) based on many templates I have found throughout forums. My hope is that the diet will allow me to put on quality muscle without raising my body fat percentage.

Daily Diet -

Breakfast (9-12) - Fat free Greek yoghurt and nuts/fruit + Weight gainer or Whey protein shake.

Snack - (1-2) - Fresh fruit, tomatoes/cucumber/carrots and a cup of green tea

Lunch - (3-4) (Protein) Lean Meat, eggs, poultry or fish (Chicken, tuna, salmon, sardines, steak) + salad 

(or veggies)

Snack - (5-6) - Whole meal pitta bread with some meat (chicken or ham slices) and a cup of green tea

[Gym or if rest day cardio and abs]

Dinner - (6-8) Meat - Lean Beef, chicken (chicken is always lean!) etc with whole wheat/whole grain pasta and vegetables + Weight gainer or Whey protein shake.

In addition, this week I have begun the loading phase of Creatine (15g a day) which I am taking with grape juice.

I enjoyed the zyzz routine and it definitely burnt the muscles, because of this I hope that after 8 weeks or so of Starting aesthetics compound routine (when my muscles are better prepared) that I will go back onto his routine.

Cheers.

P.S - today a friend of mine stated how skinny I was looking...motivation = OVER 9000