Checking for Understanding: Moving to BBM Templates

I’ve watched a lot of BBM Videos, listened to some podcasts and read through Beginner I and Hypertropy I templates; I’d like to confirm that I’m on the right track for next steps.

Background:
At the end of November 2019, I was 209lbs and 30%+ body fat wearing 36" waist pants that were tight, but not sitting on my true waist. Through habit change, caloric restriction and regular exercise (some LISS and light HIIT), I reduced my weight to 177lbs and was wearing 32" waist pants by mid-Feb 2020. I held there for a month. I’ve gotten very good at measuring and logging my food.

I restarted SSLP (I’ve started it a few times in the last 15 years), stopped HIIT and extra LISS and increased my calorie budget in May 2020; I added 50lbs to my press, 75lbs to my bench and 100lbs to my Deadlift and Squat. I went from 0 strict dead-hang pull-ups to 5 sets of 5 across while my BW increased to 192lbs and I still fit in my 32" pants.

However, my waist - as measured with BBM’s instructions - is sitting at 39" and SSLP isn’t producing the results it was. I have no desire to become a competitive lifter. I want to be as healthy as possible, extend life as long as possible and still be as strong as possible within the other two parameters.

Therefore
It seems that I should start running Hypertrophy I and reduce my calorie budget with the goal of hitting and maintaining a 37" waist.

Seem right?

Yep, though I would aim for ~34-35" on your waist as measured per our instructions.

Yeah, I noticed that typo after submitting. Thanks.

37" is recommended here:
https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog…ove-my-health/

and suggested in the footnote here:
https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog…ist-correctly/

Maybe these articles deserve updating if 35" is the ‘official’ recommendation?

Yes, this is the cut point where we see a significant increase in adiposity based chronic disease during screening.

We are not making any official recommendation for the gen pop for screening purposes, but we wouldn’t want to see someone live on that cutoff either.