
Originally Posted by
austinite
# 7. Have Realistic Expectations
I'm a big fan of setting the bar high, or "shooting for the moon" with your goals. But I'm a bigger fan of being realistic. You've probably heard it a million times. You'll gain 20 to 30 lbs of muscle from your cycle. This is far from the truth. Muscle is very hard to attain, and even harder to retain. So yes, if you're eating in a decent surplus over TDEE, you'll likely gain 20+ lbs. But that's not nearly all muscle. This is a combination of muscle, fat and lots of water. This is why folks say "I lost my gains" post cycle. Well, you're shedding all the water out and you're left with some fat and muscle. With fat taking up a lot more area than muscle, you'll have plenty of that, too.
Think about it, if I actually gained 20 lbs per cycle... and I've been cycling for 17 years, I'd be a 700+ lbs man that's all muscle. Not so realistic, is it? So be humble, be patient and be realistic. These pro's do not get where they are in a year or two. It take years upon years and tons of steroids and food to get there. These guys are living the lifestyle every second of the day. They log their food intake, sleeping patterns, etc... If it was easy, everyone would be a pro bodybuilder. Obviously that's not the case.
If you run your 12 week cycle, assuming your diet is in check and on point, you should be very proud of yourself if you managed to attain 5 to 6 lbs of solid muscle. Doesn't sound like much, does it? Well, that's the reality. You'll likely gain 20 lbs, shed about 8 to 10 lbs of water, and you're left with 5 to 6 lbs of muscle and some fat. Water is a huge misleading effect. Weigh yourself before you go to bed, then weigh yourself in the morning. You'll notice that you're lighter in the morning. You can lose anywhere from 1 to 5 lbs overnight. When you sleep, you perspire and exhale several pounds of water. Crazy huh? It's true. This is why photoshoots are done in the mornings many times, because that's when you're the leanest.
Got it? Be realistic so you can avoid disappointment.
Have a powerful day.
~ Austinite