Cutting on TRT

[aln24]

I've started taking 175mg Test E per week, split into 50mg dosages every other day.

How fast can I lose weight without risking muscle loss? Usually 1% of your bodyweight (in kg) lost per week is said to be safe for naturals. I can imagine having stable testosterone levels the entire time might help with muscle retention and push that number up a bit.

I'm 5'10", in the low 190s and around 20% bodyfat. My goal is to drop down to 165lbs and then start bulking. Is that achievable until December?

 

[Deadp007]

Drastic, but body through chemistry* would make it more attainable.
TRT with a glp-1a is probably the safest (vs clen, t3, or DNP).
*maybe "body through pharmacology" is more precise.

 

[bigMoJo]

If your diet is on point. The TRT will likely help maintain/build muscle during a calorie deficit, assuming you are training adequately. You're getting a little help from the TRT for building muscle & losing fat, but the full effects of that dosage take a few months to affect noticeable changes. But, it's going to come down to the way you diet if you want to get there by December.

 

[lukiss96]

Test 150-200mg vs natural is no comparison. I used to cut naturally with healthy T levels and then on a cruise of various dosages, but even 200mg makes it so much easier. It's enhancement dose for almost all (except "outliers" who should inject more frequently than once per week and retest their levels...)

Here's the list of advantages in my experience:
+not feeling flat like a natural on a cut
+strength retention is great unlike natty it used to go down and I felt weaker, not anymore
+weight doesn't drop too much, but I lose body fat just fine. Natty I felt bad cutting after a bulk cuz I thought I gained more lean muscle than that

Of course there are downsides too:
-accept some side effects (most get them, it's just that they ignore them or pretend to not feel them)
-feeling heavy, as I have lots of lean body mass I feel heavy even on a cut
-being dependent on something vs natural
-possibility to ruin your health if you ignore side effects like blood pressure for example. (You would be surprised how many blast and cruiser types don't check their BP or do bloods, they just think everything is going to be okay)

 

[Excel.exe]

-feeling heavy, as I have lots of lean body mass I feel heavy even on a cut

Does it affect your sleep?

 

[lukiss96]

Does it affect your sleep?

I think I'm used to it, I have a special pillow at home (if I can call it that). Somewhere else I sleep I find traps to interfere and I need to find some comfortable sleeping position. I didn't even thought about it until you asked.

 

[aln24]

+weight doesn't drop too much, but I lose body fat just fine. Natty I felt bad cutting after a bulk cuz I thought I gained more lean muscle than that

Is it better to see how your physique changes and act accordingly instead of aiming for a goal weight?

 

[lukiss96]

Is it better to see how your physique changes and act accordingly instead of aiming for a goal weight?

Depends, I used to want and chase size and now I need to lose good amount of weight in hope to avoid blood pressure medications. Body doesn't care, mass is mass.

To answer your question, in general yes. It's best to take measurements, mirror and use camera to track progress. Once you know your weight where you look good, you can use that number as a goal. On TRT you won't gain endless amount of muscle, there will be a dead end where you either increase your dose to a cruise levels or run mini cycle year round. You might run in to problems like I did, over time.

 

[bjjgear]

I've started taking 175mg Test E per week, split into 50mg dosages every other day.

How fast can I lose weight without risking muscle loss? Usually 1% of your bodyweight (in kg) lost per week is said to be safe for naturals. I can imagine having stable testosterone levels the entire time might help with muscle retention and push that number up a bit.

I'm 5'10", in the low 190s and around 20% bodyfat. My goal is to drop down to 165lbs and then start bulking. Is that achievable until December?

That means you have 16 weeks to lose 25 pounds. 1.5 lbs per week is doable but you'll just need that much of a calorie deficit. The TRT dose you're on will help you retain your muscle if you keep lifting. I recommend calorie cycling. Pick 2 days a week where you're in a 1000 calorie deficit, 1 day a week where you're at maintenance, and then the other 4 days you're at a 500 calorie deficit. See where the first month takes you and go from there.