Just about the time that I decided to leave my diet alone and ride out the last few weeks of this blast phase (24 week), 2 things happened:
My weight started to climb after it had been stable for over 4 weeks.
I found this strength surge after being a bit stagnant over the last ... yes ... 4 weeks.
I can't explain it other than to say that I may have simply just been stressing over it and when I decided not to push for arbitrary numbers that really don't mean much, the numbers starting climbing. The fact that I can't explain it would usually bother me but in this case, I'm just glad that as I shelved the number focus, they started progressing again.
I only have 2 weeks left but obviously, I want to maximize that time and not let off the gas until it is time to do so. I will also be getting another DEXA scan in 2 weeks to compare lean body mass and body fat percentage now vs. 12 weeks ago when I ended the dieting phase and started exclusively into the muscle gaining phase. I admit that I am a little anxious because even though DEXA is one of the more accurate methods for analyzing body composition, there is still a +/- error margin and I just would prefer that the numbers match the visual over the last 12 weeks to kind of validate my efforts. I know that in the end, the DEXA doesn't matter much because what truly matters is the visual and the visual changes have been dramatic. Still, I would be lying if I said that I didn't care what the DEXA said or I simply wouldn't bother wasting the time to even get the DEXA scan done.
My weight now is at 228 and I feel this is not an odd fluctuation but an accurate scale weight for me. Whether it holds this week is to be seen but I feel it likely will. Still, it is unlikely to get to 230 in a week-and-a-half and that is fine. I am just happy to see myself that much closer to the 230-mark without having to force it.
Just an idea of the progress I am still making after 22 weeks:
I went in yesterday to train chest and decided to push weights to see what I could move. The last 2 times I did an exercise for chest I got 10 reps and then about 3 weeks later I only got 8. I hadn't done this exercise in 4 weeks and ended up staying with this same weight for all 3 sets getting 15, 12 and 9. I find that to be an incredibly good progression especially so late in this growth cycle. This is just one of the examples of my strength still continuing to climb on almost all exercises.
I feel that my condition continues to hold and that even with this most recent increase in scale weight, I am still holding the same body fat percentage as I have the entire 12-week phase since adding roughly 10 pounds of scale weight. The pictures that I take every 4 weeks back this up and the last set of pictures I take in 2 weeks should also confirm this - along with the DEXA scan results, as well.
On a side note, I have been contemplating starting to do one-to-one personal training now that I am living in the city again after so many years of not having this option. I would train people out of Titan Gym in Fort Lauderdale and Miami Iron Gym in Miami, as well. I am taking this week to decide if this is what I am going to do and checking on things as far as scheduling, liability, what the going rates are for trainers in the area, etc. I am, however, strongly leaning towards doing this starting in a few weeks. I have always enjoyed doing online work but one of the negatives that I have complained about for a very long time is that I get very little face-to-face interaction while working at home and I miss it quite a bit.
I will be honest and admit that I am not looking forward to backing off to TRT for 8-10 weeks simply because I feel great and by all indications, I am very healthy. Still, my plan has worked quite well for the last 24 weeks so I am going to stick to the plan and I anticipate this next phase allowing me to heal small aches and pains that have popped up during the last 24 weeks.
I will then go into the last 24-week blast prior to 2020 where I hope to prep for the stage but this time stay healthy like I have for the last 6 months.