Final Update 01/01/2014
Last update 01 Jan 2014
Progress Summary:
It's been my worst year ever in my life but there are some positives - and to be honest, thank the gods for training and keeping a focus on my fitness and body comp goals. They were a constant during what has been a crap year all round in work and life.
I will never allow anyone to knock my training as it's kept me sane during some scary insane shit this year.
First 6 months made some amazing progress.
Managed to gain over a kg of lean mass and lose over 0.5kg of fat (a side bonus). Don't expect that to happen again!
Also managed to up my kcals to over 1800 per day average while doing that and was on track to hit 2000kcals, with high carbs every day.
Second six months were somewhat derailed, although to my credit I kept training and tracking through some obviously bad times
. Losing my father was the hardest thing and it has taken me ages to regroup on eating enough although I got back to training hard.
Downside of Aug-Dec: struggling to get back to kcal daily levels although I have done so just in the last week so yay me. This despite my worse Xmas ever. It's onward and upward from here. Come at me foodz.
Body comp results have stalled I think and it makes sense. But that is OK. Start over from wherever I am at with my DEXA this month
Upside: Despite all the crap, I've added 5kg to my bench (despite my short but lanky stature) and 15kg to my deadlift and all the signs are I can add another 5-10kg to my deadlift very soon. Yay deadlifts!
Also, I have started squatting again and am getting WAY below parallel these days. Still on baby weights but coach is making me focus on form, technique and conquering my fear of being all the way down there with a weight on my back. I wouldn't have it any other way. No rush, want to get this right. Just happy to be squatting and not feeling like a total dufus.
I can squat!
But I would rather just deadlift every day ... hmmm...maybe I will
So good strength gains but no real sign of body comp gainz ... maybe I'm a Carnot Engine ....
GOALS STOCKTAKE
So at the start of the year I had set (as per OP)
Goals 2013
1. Gain more LBM (slow and steady, as lean a gain as is sensible)
- All over obviously but with a focus on my (skinny) fat legs and non existent shoulders
- Get to 18% BF by end of year (to maintain thereafter maybe)
- Keep working on that samba toosh. Not sure why, but hell, why not?
- Gained over 1kg LBM to June 13 and lost over 0.5kg BF.
- I've gained 2cm on thighs and on my back and a bit on my arms too. Hopefully not fatty boombada
- Got down to 19.7% BF by June 13. Next checkpoing in early-mid Jan DEXA.
- Samba toosh is a work still in progress but progress has been made. Glutes much stronger but glute med strength will be a focus for 2014 as it's clearly my weak link there.
2. Improve strength and set my own PBs at my own pace
- 3 figure DL PBs ... want my 100kg in January and then see after that
- BW bench (I hate bench but my trainer wants to aim for that...meh, ok )
- Got 115kg EASY in Dec 13 (@ 46.5kg BW) and on track to break 120kg in early 2014. God, I love deadlifts.
- I also had set a 45kg bench PB as a goal. I got 46kg @ 47kg BW close enough to BW for me... bench is hard for orangutans
- stay injury free and start squatting again and just see how I go with that
- no new injuries this year, lol and squatting has begun in earnest. I now squat way below parallel for the first time ever. Happily working on technique and conquering my fear of collapse
- fix remaining biomechanical issue with left shoulder so I can press again
- Scapula has gained strength this year but remains an issue. Might never really be able to fix it 100% unfortunately. But KBs still seem to be my best way to improve it. Overhead pressing with dbs or bb don't seem to help much but am still including them.
3. Regain and maintain cardio fitness (also helps with asthma)
- LOL I think I've lost it but I seem to have maintained my cardio fitness rather well despite the extreme lack of cardio this year. I miss cardio stuff though ...
4. Impove KB skills - no comp ambitions but like to train for them.
- Competed in April 2013 for biathlon @10kg with a great result. Great for a first comp (most people don't finish apparently lol).
- Massive improvement in snatch technique and jerks this year, especially in last two months. Left side still weaker but that's everyone's issue so no big.
I am also now the proud owner of lifting shoes and a belt ... wtf????? 
Not sure when I'll start using the belt. Haven't needed one yet.
Strong core is strong !!
Stats as of 01/01/2013
Weight: 45.2kg
BF%: ~ 21% based on 18 Aug 12 DEXA scan
Body comp results (nb: a bit dehydrated this morning at weigh in so I'm guessing I'm probably really around 46.7kg, given weekly averages over recent weeks).
In reality, I've gained about 1.5kg in the past year
SLOWEST BULK IN HISTORY. I take after my father ... I'd have to eat my BW in food to gain weight, even when not training
lolz
Signing off now.
Will start a new thread soon with new goals for 2014
