DEXA scan longitudinal data — 12 month update

Incredible work. A few observations from someone who geeks out on this stuff:

Your visceral fat went from 187 to 54 in² — that's a 71% reduction and honestly that's where the real health transformation lives. Subcutaneous fat is cosmetic; visceral fat is what's driving metabolic disease.

The lean mass story is actually better than the headline suggests. At 312 lbs, a good portion of that "lean mass" was water retention, glycogen stores, and connective tissue that was only there to support a 312-lb frame. Functional lean mass (actual contractile muscle tissue) loss was probably closer to 12-15 lbs, which is very reasonable for 101 lbs total lost.

What does your lifting program look like now?

This is one of the best documented journeys I've seen on here. Saving this thread.

Quick question — what was your caloric intake like? Were you tracking or just eating to appetite?

Thanks both. To answer:

Lifting: I do a basic upper/lower split 4 days per week. Nothing fancy — compound movements, progressive overload, 3x8-12 rep ranges. Bench, rows, overhead press, squats, RDLs, pull-ups (assisted at first, now bodyweight for 3x6).

Calories: I tracked loosely for the first 3 months, was averaging around 1,500-1,700/day which was a significant deficit from my estimated TDEE of ~2,800. After month 3 I stopped tracking and just ate to appetite, which naturally settled around 1,800-2,000. Currently eating about 2,100 as I'm prioritizing protein for lean mass retention. Protein target is 160g/day minimum.

This is incredibly motivating. I'm 3 weeks in at 289 and feeling discouraged because I've only lost 4 lbs. Seeing your month-by-month makes me realize I need to zoom out and think long term.