Reta/ Var for cutting 22% bf > 15%

[adrenalytic]

PEDs are not necessary to lose fat. TRT levels of testosterone (high normal) with a diet is all that is needed. Take more than that, and adding more compounds, is just going to lead to side effects and worsened BP / bloodwork if you’re much over 15% bf. Cutting is a mind fuck because you flatten out first so you actually look worse for the first weeks. But when you start to lean out more (youll still be flat most of the time) you will appear more muscular given the lower BF. We are ALL fatter than we think.

You forgot to add "with the exception of tren"

I kid (sorta).

 

[RockyP]

I’d just like to add that I’ve made all of these mistakes before and hope my comments can help others not do that (they prob won’t - the temptation to add PEDs is very strong). It took me a long time to realize that what everyone had always said was true. Gotta get lean / in shape first and then play with the drugs. It’s night and day difference in terms of efficacy and side effects. I’m currently leaner / in better shape than I’ve been in decades. Running stuff like Tren / Anadrol. Blood pressure is normal. Bloodwork totally
Norma other than low HDL. This would not be the case if I had high bf / was over eating, etc. high food, low cardio, and high gear don’t mix. When you’re in shape your body can handle / use the compounds far more effectively, and as you get super lean you can (in the short term) ramp dosages of things like orals etc for enhanced aesthetics and performance. There will never be any getting around the HDL obliteration but all the other metrics are controllable with your lifestyle and ancillaries. But using these compounds at higher bf levels is just pissing in the wind. More bloat. More aromatization. Worse lipids. Worse BP, etc

 

[jboogie83]

PEDs are not necessary to lose fat. TRT levels of testosterone (high normal) with a diet is all that is needed. Take more than that, and adding more compounds, is just going to lead to side effects and worsened BP / bloodwork if you’re much over 15% bf. Cutting is a mind fuck because you flatten out first so you actually look worse for the first weeks. But when you start to lean out more (youll still be flat most of the time) you will appear more muscular given the lower BF. We are ALL fatter than we think.

I'm very aware that PEDs aren't necessary for losing, I'm no stranger to that. I'm now realizing the trt will probably cover me in terms of lean mass protection (Var is unnecessary), but the Reta is helpful with my binge eating. It's also helping, in terms of recomp, how and where I'm losing fat (mostly midsection, which has always been a problem for me).

 

[RockyP]

I'm very aware that PEDs aren't necessary for losing, I'm no stranger to that. I'm now realizing the trt will probably cover me in terms of lean mass protection (Var is unnecessary), but the Reta is helpful with my binge eating. It's also helping, in terms of recomp, how and where I'm losing fat (mostly midsection, which has always been a problem for me).

Yea of course Reta / GLP-1 is critical. Life changing compounds.

 

[just some dude]

i know not everyone is like this but for me the more i got into peds the less i got into lifestyle, nutrition, and training. honestly if i could go back i would focus on optimization as a whole, yes that includes hormones but optimization, not abuse of the compound, as long as you respect these compounds, the doses, and everything thats a base under them, you’ll be good.

congrats on the progress brother, before you posted pics we all imagined something way different; with your current base it will be way easier / faster to get abs than you think if you just stay consistent

 

[RockyP]

i know not everyone is like this but for me the more i got into peds the less i got into lifestyle, nutrition, and training. honestly if i could go back i would focus on optimization as a whole, yes that includes hormones but optimization, not abuse of the compound, as long as you respect these compounds, the doses, and everything thats a base under them, you’ll be good.

congrats on the progress brother, before you posted pics we all imagined something way different; with your current base it will be way easier / faster to get abs than you think if you just stay consistent

This is one of the drawbacks. The PEDs are powerful and effective. They can become a crutch for some. What’s worse, when people start using them they attribute everything to the impact of PEDs. Great workout? Gotta be the drugs. Bad workout? Not enough drugs. People forget that the diet training and rest / recovery is still always the most important thing. I’ve proven this to myself by experimenting with preworkout orals in a deficit. I got better workouts the day after eating sushi and getting a good night sleep without using the orals compared to a depleted day while taking them.

 

[xrayphoton13]

the important stuff i remember about the book is can go below 1500 calories for aggresive cutting, no more than 4 or 6 weeks.

refeeds, refeeds, carb cycling.

what you need for cutting other than refeeds the book dosent tell you about; tracking avg weekly weight and calories.

weight must go down by 0.5-1% of total bw every week. it dosent matter if u eat 2500 calories for this or 1500 calories. you must achieve atleast this speed of weight loss and you're dropping maximum amount of fat possible with least muscle loss.

I forgot to mention the other tool I find extremely helpful for this is MacroFactor. You just log your weight and all your meals and it constantly adjusts each week to tell you your TDEE and how many calories to eat each day the next week to stay on track with your weight loss goals and speed. You can have your calories the same all week or budget them so you have some days with higher or lower calories, and you can pick macro percentages. It also logs all your micronutrients to make sure you get them all. It's like $80 a year but I've been using several years now and the combination of that, RFL, and tirzepatide got me from 300 lb fat ass to 160 lbs 10%bf in shape in like a year or so. I really was able to turn my life around with the tools that are readily available these days to anyone. And I did all that natty. Didn't find out until after that my natural test level was 235ng/dl so then I started trt

 

[jboogie83]

i know not everyone is like this but for me the more i got into peds the less i got into lifestyle, nutrition, and training. honestly if i could go back i would focus on optimization as a whole, yes that includes hormones but optimization, not abuse of the compound, as long as you respect these compounds, the doses, and everything thats a base under them, you’ll be good.

congrats on the progress brother, before you posted pics we all imagined something way different; with your current base it will be way easier / faster to get abs than you think if you just stay consistent

Yes, brother! I agree 100%.. I didn't even consider adding compounds until I became confident in my abilities around nutrition, training, and overall recovery. I definitely still go overboard and over train all the time, but I think that's just part of loving the gym.

 

[jboogie83]

I forgot to mention the other tool I find extremely helpful for this is MacroFactor. You just log your weight and all your meals and it constantly adjusts each week to tell you your TDEE and how many calories to eat each day the next week to stay on track with your weight loss goals and speed. You can have your calories the same all week or budget them so you have some days with higher or lower calories, and you can pick macro percentages. It also logs all your micronutrients to make sure you get them all. It's like $80 a year but I've been using several years now and the combination of that, RFL, and tirzepatide got me from 300 lb fat ass to 160 lbs 10%bf in shape in like a year or so. I really was able to turn my life around with the tools that are readily available these days to anyone. And I did all that natty. Didn't find out until after that my natural test level was 235ng/dl so then I started trt

That's some really amazing progress!

I track everything I eat, have done so for 3 years now. I've also prepped ALL meals during that period, minus a couple weekend days here and there. I'm a firm believer in tracking everything, but I also know that is really individual. My wife cannot track her food or she spirals and overeats.. I'm the opposite.