Four lifting days, thirty days of protein, and a tape measure

2026-10-08 02:53

I decided to track two things this month and ignore everything else: protein grams and whether I actually got under the bar four times that week. Sunday nights I write a couple lines — how the top set felt, how I slept, whether hunger was loud or quiet.

Thirty days later: my squat top set went from a grindy 3 to a clean 4 at the same weight. Bodyweight is down about 2.5 lbs, which I half-trust since my weigh-in timing is sloppy. Waist tape is down half an inch, and that I believe.

The surprise was sleep. Two nights under 6 hours and my appetite the next day was a completely different animal — no bargaining, no willpower, just hunger with a megaphone. That's the lever I'm watching now instead of the number.

No shortcuts in the picture for me right now, just heavy things and a lot of chicken. If strength holds and the tape creeps down, I'll take that trade every month.

Anyone else find their hunger tracks sleep way harder than it tracks food choices?

2026-10-12 01:04

Nice work. What protein target did you use, and did bodyweight/calories stay flat?

That’s the variable I’d want before crediting protein over just better squat practice. I log similar: four lifts, ~1.6 g/kg protein, 7h sleep, and my top set only felt easier after I standardized rest (3 min) and warm-up.

Did you keep the same rest, spotter, and bar for that top set? Also curious whether “quiet” hunger days lined up with higher protein or just higher total intake.

2026-10-19 04:08

Curious whether the tape moved before or after the bar. I log navel, 2 inches below navel, and mid-thigh every Sunday, and last month my waist dropped about 0.75 in before my squat reps actually moved.

Sleep was the only thing that lined up with the good weeks. Did your hunger notes match the 4/4 weeks, or was that random?

Also, what’s your cost per 30g protein looking like? I’ve been comparing bulk tubs vs ready-to-drink because shipping times have been all over the place.