First cycle after weight loss

**Complete novice** · 06-02-2016, 08:40 AM

I've recently lost 3.5 stone through diet and weights. I am now 220lb and around 18-20%bf, I want to keep stripping the fat off but also want to gain a bit of muscle.

I have lost muscle and strength whilst stripping the fat and think I'm at the point in life I'm ready for my first cycle (37 years old).

I have lost the weight by sticking to an extremely strict 1800 cal a day diet, which has now become a way of life and I'd prefer to keep dieting at the very least until I get the body I'm looking for, before I start making adjustments.

I was thinking of using test E 1 X 250 mg shot Monday and Thursday.

I train 4,5 days a week as heavy as I can go.

Would this cycle be ok for me? I know I won't get massive from my first cycle but I want more of a cover model body, over a bodybuilder (no offence) I've always been a big lad, but I just want to be lean and athletic looking, more than big and bulky that I've been the rest of my life.

**KINGKONG** · 06-02-2016, 12:49 PM

500mg is a great start for a first cycle but it sounds like the first thing you need to look into is diet the test won't do much for you except make you stronger without a proper diet and 1800 cal isn't gonna cut it..do some serious reasearch into a bodybuilding diet before you start the cycle and already be transistioned into that kinda eating pattern before starting test..

**musclestack** · 06-02-2016, 01:13 PM

Congrats on the weight loss, OP! You've come a long way. I would suggest you spend a little more time cutting down to around 14-15% bodyfat before cycling. There is an increase in probability of estrogen-related sides when cycling at a higher body fat. Honestly, this shouldn't take longer than a few more months if you really hit it hard. In the meantime, you can procure your gear and study up a bit more on AAS. If I had your exact goals myself, I would actually cut down lower than that before starting, say, about 12%.

With your goals in mind, what would serve you best (after cutting to a respectable body fat), is a lean bulk. If you're prone to gaining fat, I would eat at 300-500 calories above maintenance and adjust from there. Cutting fat and building muscle at the same time is extremely difficult to do, so I would stay away from that route. The good news is, if you keep your diet in check, you shouldn't gain much fat while on your lean bulk.

**Complete novice** · 06-02-2016, 01:17 PM

Hi thanks for the response, I am cutting fat hence the low calories.

Currently having

230g pro
90g carbs
50g fat

I eat every 3 hours, gluten free, mainly chicken, fish, veg, almonds, the diet has lost me 3.5 stone in 4 months.

Do I need to take in less calories whilst on test to carry on losing fat? My diet is a bodybuilding diet, just low calorie so I lose fat, not sure what I need to change?

**Complete novice** · 06-02-2016, 01:25 PM

Thank you for the response, to be honest, that is why I started losing the weight in the first place, I didn't want to have estrogen issues. I have trained for over 15 years but always been big, I put on weight easy but I have to be extreme to lose it. The diet has become a way of life and I pretty much eat the same thing every day.

I was diagnosed with low testosterone and instead of having the treatment I changed my life style, diet, training and stress levels. I feel much better about myself but a long way of how I want to feel if you know what I mean.

I feel like I am at the point where I can't do much more naturally, hence considering the testosterone .

i know what you mean about losing more body fat though.

**stanman** · 06-02-2016, 01:38 PM

You are pretty much in the same scenario as me, I have gone from over 30% BF to around 20% now, I have been doing 1 hour of cardio daily (Fast walking) and have seen results daily, currently around 89 kg, I suggest you add this at least 6 days a week, until you get to around 12% bf, then do your cycle, that's what i'm planning and hopefully with be ready by 1st August.
Get your bodyfat down first, if you are around 12% when you cycle you can keep below 14% with good training and nutrition.

**Complete novice** · 06-02-2016, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by stanman

You are pretty much in the same scenario as me, I have gone from over 30% BF to around 20% now, I have been doing 1 hour of cardio daily (Fast walking) and have seen results daily, currently around 89 kg, I suggest you add this at least 6 days a week, until you get to around 12% bf, then do your cycle, that's what i'm planning and hopefully with be ready by 1st August.
Get your bodyfat down first, if you are around 12% when you cycle you can keep below 14% with good training and nutrition.

Thanks for the reply

I have lost the weight with no cardio at all, I know I should have done some and it would have sped up the process even more.

I have a dodgy knee, so cardio has always been a nightmare due to knee flairing up its better to walk on now it's dropped the weight but I Can feel the pain after 5 mins of jogging so I need another form of cardio.

I have a heavy punch bag so was going to do interval training on that 30/30 hard/rest times 10 rounds each day. It's murder on the shoulders but if it's going to make the difference I should get on it.

Do you guys think it will have the same effect as long incline walks?

**Cody95** · 06-02-2016, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by Complete novice

I've recently lost 3.5 stone through diet and weights. I am now 220lb and around 18-20%bf, I want to keep stripping the fat off but also want to gain a bit of muscle.

I have lost muscle and strength whilst stripping the fat and think I'm at the point in life I'm ready for my first cycle (37 years old).

I have lost the weight by sticking to an extremely strict 1800 cal a day diet, which has now become a way of life and I'd prefer to keep dieting at the very least until I get the body I'm looking for, before I start making adjustments.

I was thinking of using test E 1 X 250 mg shot Monday and Thursday.

I train 4,5 days a week as heavy as I can go.

Would this cycle be ok for me? I know I won't get massive from my first cycle but I want more of a cover model body, over a bodybuilder (no offence) I've always been a big lad, but I just want to be lean and athletic looking, more than big and bulky that I've been the rest of my life.

You need to drop your bf a bit more before you cycle. Be around 13%.