Hey you can find me as Nik27s on Instagram where I want you to look over my progress so far and give me feedback on the way with comments here or there!

I gave a lot of info about myself on my 9month transformation picture but I would still like to summarize! 

I count calories and did a dirty bulk my first 3 month - I thought its good to gain 0,5-1kg per week and didnt realize i dirtybulked and I just looked at calories as a number instead of protein, fats, carbs.. I would like to think that my protein was a bit low and fats way too high especially unhealthy fats since I worked at a fastfood place at weekends and thought I had to eat my calories (even if its bad foods)

After that I started cutting for basicually my last 6month - Id like to think I did a body recomp since I still get newbie gains but lost a lot of fat (about 10-12kg) while building numbers on lifts (almost exclusivly on legs tho)

I eat very clean now, cheating maybe once or twice every 12 weeks.

I will start a leanbulk now and will go back to a normal cutting diet without crashing calories or something in february/march and hope to get to around 10% bodyfat then! I really want that aesthetic look and I just hate my wide hips and the love handles so thats what I need to change in my mind.

Now, here is the progress I got over this 9month! I really hope to get amazing results like my idol David Laid after I trained for 2/3+ years!

https://gyazo.com/2d163d8c743edd6099720199dd3c3c31 

@Nik27s Great transformation man, you've made so many gains so far!!

Obviously dirty bulking isn't the best way to go, haha, but it looks like you leaned up quite a bit after your dirty bulk and did manage to build a solid amount of muscle while you were at it! Your recomp sounds like an awesome success, gaining strength and losing fat. Newbie gains are a wonderful thing!!

So you've been on your fitness journey for 9 months total, right? And only 3 months of that was bulking? I'd suggest to make the best gains possible, you take the next YEAR to stay in a lean bulk phase. You'll see good gains in 6 months, but to REALLY make the most of your newbie gains while they are still hanging around a little bit, stay in that surplus and just make it a 250-500 calorie surplus so you don't gain tons of fat again.

Unless you're going to be doing photoshoots or competing or something, I don't think you really need to cut as often as you are, not yet anyway. Give your body a prolonged period of time to build muscle.

Also.. yes, if you are planning to stay natural, maybe don't expect the same results as David Laid. You will make amazing gains in 2-3 years with proper training and nutrition, and it's fine to have people like him as idols, I just don't want you getting discouraged if you don't see the exact same results while staying natural.

Definitely let the work ethic keep you motivated and inspired though! Keep up the good work!