Lurker turned member

[Ambitiouslabrat]

Hello everyone,

I have been lurking this forum for months doing my research.

I started my journey 3 years ago at around 255lbs around 45%bf or higher.

I’m now 200 at around 22% bf ( yes I know I’m still fat ) I’m 5”8. Age is 34

Hoping to get to around 15% before I start anything but just wanted to introduce myself for when the time comes and I am more active here.

I do have a question though, I know I should get my body fat down more before I start any PED’s but I’ve been stalled for awhile while on a pretty decent cut (400 calories deficit)

Would going on Sports TRT say 200/mg a week of TRT be beneficial to expedite this fat loss? Or should I just keep cardio and lifting ( losing strength has been pretty depressing lately and is taking a lot of wind out of my sails) I’m not interested in DNP or cadarine T3 etc at least for the time being.

Thanks

 

[BCBuilder]

Anecdotally I'd avoid adding any goodies until you can see your abs peeking through, dealing with estrogen issues isn't fun, and mentally knowing your on gear but looking like shit isn't the healthiest. Accept that your strength will diminish as you diet, and understand that your prioritizing progress rather than temporary aesthetics.

Besides. Intensity grows muscle, not weights, a muscle doesn't have any idea if you're lifting 225 on bench or not it just knows if you're putting necessary stress on the muscle fibres, prioritize maintaining form and lifting with high intensity, regardless of losing strength

 

[Ambitiouslabrat]

Anecdotally I'd avoid adding any goodies until you can see your abs peeking through, dealing with estrogen issues isn't fun, and mentally knowing your on gear but looking like shit isn't the healthiest. Accept that your strength will diminish as you diet, and understand that your prioritizing progress rather than temporary aesthetics.

Besides. Intensity grows muscle, not weights, a muscle doesn't have any idea if you're lifting 225 on bench or not it just knows if you're putting necessary stress on the muscle fibres, prioritize maintaining form and lifting with high intensity, regardless of losing strength

Yeah I’m trying, just stalling is getting frustrating. I might go back to maintenance for a couple weeks and start the cut over to see if I can reset my metabolism

But estrogen sides are the exact reason I wanna stay away until I get my bf% lower.

I bought some ostarine I never used to try and preserve my muscle as I’m pretty muscular for a chubby dude after three years of lifting but without a test base it seems worthless and after more research I’d prolly rather use test/var instead maybe test/primo with var towards the end

Hoping to use Primo to keep my estrogen in check and avoid an AI if possible.

 

[BCBuilder]

Yeah I’m trying, just stalling is getting frustrating. I might go back to maintenance for a couple weeks and start the cut over to see if I can reset my metabolism

But estrogen sides are the exact reason I wanna stay away until I get my bf% lower.

I bought some ostarine I never used to try and preserve my muscle as I’m pretty muscular for a chubby dude after three years of lifting but without a test base it seems worthless and after more research I’d prolly rather use test/var instead maybe test/primo with var towards the end

Hoping to use Primo to keep my estrogen in check and avoid an AI if possible.

Get my fitness pal, log every single thing that enters your body, down to the cream in your coffee, stick to a calorie number for 4 weeks, check the mirror, check the weekly trend on the scale, adjust from there. Don't yo-yo yourself, and don't get too attached to what your scale says, look at what the mirror is telling you. Other than that, consistency consistency consistency

 

[Ambitiouslabrat]

Get my fitness pal, log every single thing that enters your body, down to the cream in your coffee, stick to a calorie number for 4 weeks, check the mirror, check the weekly trend on the scale, adjust from there. Don't yo-yo yourself, and don't get too attached to what your scale says, look at what the mirror is telling you. Other than that, consistency consistency consistency

I do all of this. I’ve lost 55lbs. I had many months where my physique changed but my weight did not.

At this point I care about BF and BF% not weight.

 

[Ambitiouslabrat]

Get my fitness pal, log every single thing that enters your body, down to the cream in your coffee, stick to a calorie number for 4 weeks, check the mirror, check the weekly trend on the scale, adjust from there. Don't yo-yo yourself, and don't get too attached to what your scale says, look at what the mirror is telling you. Other than that, consistency consistency consistency

I do all of this. I’ve lost 55lbs. I had many months where my physique changed but my weight did not.

At this point I care about BF and BF not weight.

I appreciate the help, I just feel I’m stalled. Maybe it’s just because the leaner I get the harder it is to lose.

 

[MR_Midas]

Hello everyone,

I have been lurking this forum for months doing my research.

I started my journey 3 years ago at around 255lbs around 45%bf or higher.

I’m now 200 at around 22% bf ( yes I know I’m still fat ) I’m 5”8. Age is 34

Hoping to get to around 15% before I start anything but just wanted to introduce myself for when the time comes and I am more active here.

I do have a question though, I know I should get my body fat down more before I start any PED’s but I’ve been stalled for awhile while on a pretty decent cut (400 calories deficit)

Would going on Sports TRT say 200/mg a week of TRT be beneficial to expedite this fat loss? Or should I just keep cardio and lifting ( losing strength has been pretty depressing lately and is taking a lot of wind out of my sails) I’m not interested in DNP or cadarine T3 etc at least for the time being.

Thanks

Welcome to the forum. Of course drugs will help you, but I think that the right combination of nutrition, cardio and training will give you your desired result.

 

[MR_Midas]

Anecdotally I'd avoid adding any goodies until you can see your abs peeking through, dealing with estrogen issues isn't fun, and mentally knowing your on gear but looking like shit isn't the healthiest. Accept that your strength will diminish as you diet, and understand that your prioritizing progress rather than temporary aesthetics.

Besides. Intensity grows muscle, not weights, a muscle doesn't have any idea if you're lifting 225 on bench or not it just knows if you're putting necessary stress on the muscle fibres, prioritize maintaining form and lifting with high intensity, regardless of losing strength

True words, but sometimes people want a quick result and taking drugs immediately comes to mind. But they forget that you still need to take tests, monitor your health.

 

[Ambitiouslabrat]

True words, but sometimes people want a quick result and taking drugs immediately comes to mind. But they forget that you still need to take tests, monitor your health.

I agree with this, I have been working for 3 years at this. I lift 4 times a week cardio 3-4 times a week and eat 1600 calories a day. Cardio days I might eat 1900.

I’m not the guy who was fat and just wants to Willy nilly hop on the sauce. I was just asking if at the age of 34 if TRT would help lose the weight as having lower test would make this journey harder.

I’ve already ran all my lipids which are all in range, I haven’t tested my hormones besides thyroid yet because I was going to run them to get my baseline prior to starting my cycle whenever that is which was at 15% BF.

This is my natural transformation to date, I worked very hard so far

 

[MR_Midas]

I agree with this, I have been working for 3 years at this. I lift 4 times a week cardio 3-4 times a week and eat 1600 calories a day. Cardio days I might eat 1900.

I’m not the guy who was fat and just wants to Willy nilly hop on the sauce. I was just asking if at the age of 34 if TRT would help lose the weight as having lower test would make this journey harder.

I’ve already ran all my lipids which are all in range, I haven’t tested my hormones besides thyroid yet because I was going to run them to get my baseline prior to starting my cycle whenever that is which was at 15% BF.

This is my natural transformation to date, I worked very hard so far

Great progress, well done. keep it up. Somehow there are not enough kcal in your diet, as it seems to me.

 

[Ambitiouslabrat]

This is why I almost thought I need to reset my metabolism

Wondering if I’ve been in a deficit for too long

I’m no expert yet but I feel in this range the weight should be peeling off

For cardio I was biking 30 miles a week but now that it’s winter I row for 45 minutes a time 3 times a week while fasted.

I’m also IF. I eat between 5:00PM and 10:00PM on weekdays

Weekends I do eat a bit earlier

 

[MR_Midas]

It seems to me that this is a big deficit for you, and when there is a big deficit, the body will be stressed. I do not think that more than 500 kcal deficiencies should be kept per day.

 

[Rickt]

Well you sure are getting plenty of advice. I think what you are saying and your goals and what you are doing may be in conflict. I would recomend things a little different to the guys before me. But between you all I'm sure you will get to your final destination. Too many cooks spoil the broth.
That is the part im not clear on. Where is it that you will say I've done it. I'm thinking 225 pounds at 10%. But I'm just guessing. You descide and then the how to get there becomes clear.
You have some of the best guys here in your corner as it is. So I will say hi. Welcome. And good on you for chatting. Not just listening and vanishing. But listening and debating.

 

[Ambitiouslabrat]

Well you sure are getting plenty of advice. I think what you are saying and your goals and what you are doing may be in conflict. I would recomend things a little different to the guys before me. But between you all I'm sure you will get to your final destination. Too many cooks spoil the broth.
That is the part im not clear on. Where is it that you will say I've done it. I'm thinking 225 pounds at 10%. But I'm just guessing. You descide and then the how to get there becomes clear.
You have some of the best guys here in your corner as it is. So I will say hi. Welcome. And good on you for chatting. Not just listening and vanishing. But listening and debating.

Thanks for the welcome. Yeah after 3 years I think I’m just getting impatient.

225 @ 10% would be a great goal.

I don’t even know what I’m capable of as I’ve never been in a surplus my entire time lifting I have never been able to bulk.

The first year and a half I ate at maintenance for a recomp. Once the weight stopped coming off I started my deficit.

I shoot for 400 calories a day for my deficit, I don’t count calories burned lifting just cardio so it’s entirely possible my deficit is too high putting my body in stress and causing me to not lose.

I’ll try and up my calories 100-200/day and see if this helps. I’m in no way an expert yet, according to my ( cheap scans) my basic daily burn rate is about 2,000

TIL, I wanna go on my first cycle but I need to lose 7% body fat first. Struggling to get from mid low 20’s to 15%

Have lost probably close to 25% BF so far if not more.

 

[Rickt]

Thanks for the welcome. Yeah after 3 years I think I’m just getting impatient.

225 @ 10% would be a great goal.

I don’t even know what I’m capable of as I’ve never been in a surplus my entire time lifting I have never been able to bulk.

The first year and a half I ate at maintenance for a recomp. Once the weight stopped coming off I started my deficit.

I shoot for 400 calories a day for my deficit, I don’t count calories burned lifting just cardio so it’s entirely possible my deficit is too high putting my body in stress and causing me to not lose.

I’ll try and up my calories 100-200/day and see if this helps. I’m in no way an expert yet, according to my ( cheap scans) my basic daily burn rate is about 2,000

TIL, I wanna go on my first cycle but I need to lose 7% body fat first. Struggling to get from mid low 20’s to 15%

Have lost probably close to 25% BF so far if not more.

Ok. There is no golden rule for anything. Powerlifter dont go on a cycle only when they are at 10%.
World's strongestman contestants most likely never come off cycle. They just cycle heavy and soft. They don't just go on cycle at 10%.
It is a fantastic guideline for bodybuilders. Imagine wanting to be a pro body builder and you started to bulk at 30% and started a cycle at 40%. Dale the whale right.
Now you see the point to this rule that is more a place to start if you are new.
Now this is intro. So not really where i or anyone else wants to discuss how better to strategize getting to your goal. There are a million ways to the top of a mountain. Decide at the bottom and it is alright to deviate as you go. Just keep that mountain top in sight.
Now. Pick the weight and body fat you want to finnish at.
Me I'm 5 foot 9. I'm 248 pounds 15% on a good day. I would like to be 8% at 268 pounds. Same as markus rhul in the 2002 olympia.
So what next?

 

[lukiss96]

I would like to be 8% at 268 pounds. Same as markus rhul in the 2002 olympia.

One day Rick, one day...

 

[MR_Midas]

Thanks for the welcome. Yeah after 3 years I think I’m just getting impatient.

225 @ 10% would be a great goal.

I don’t even know what I’m capable of as I’ve never been in a surplus my entire time lifting I have never been able to bulk.

The first year and a half I ate at maintenance for a recomp. Once the weight stopped coming off I started my deficit.

I shoot for 400 calories a day for my deficit, I don’t count calories burned lifting just cardio so it’s entirely possible my deficit is too high putting my body in stress and causing me to not lose.

I’ll try and up my calories 100-200/day and see if this helps. I’m in no way an expert yet, according to my ( cheap scans) my basic daily burn rate is about 2,000

TIL, I wanna go on my first cycle but I need to lose 7% body fat first. Struggling to get from mid low 20’s to 15%

Have lost probably close to 25% BF so far if not more.

I wish you to achieve the goal that you set before. by yourself