Please review my first cycle

[JohnnyV85]

Hey guys. I should be getting started on my first cycle within the next week or two (awaiting delivery) and I wanted to post it up to be reviewed. Hopefully if everything looks good I can get started quickly.

Here are my stats:
33 years old
6'3"
227 lbs
19% body fat

Body comp was measured using DexaScan on 10/27/18. I wish I wouldve done this way sooner, I realized I was overestimating my TDEE and overeating big time. So for the last month I cleaned up my diet and eating at a 500 daily caloric deficit. I went back 3 days ago for another 3D body scan and it looks like Ive shed some bodyfat.

My primary goal for this first cycle is to get through it successfully with no hiccups. Its intended to be a learning experience and to see how my body responds to 500mg of Test E per week for 12 weeks. At the same time, Id like to drop my body fat as close to 10% as possible without losing any muscle...ideally maybe even gain a few pounds. Im not sure how realistic or attainable that is (or what my physique will look like) being that this is my first cycle and its just Test. I want to get lean but definitely NOT skinny.

So here is the cycle itself:

Bloodwork 1 week prior, 6 weeks in and after PCT
500mg Test E for 12 weeks
hCG @ 250iu 2x weekly
Aromasin @ 12.5mg EOD (from day 2 up until PCT starts)

I had read one of the guys here talk about cranking up the hCG toward the end of the cycle...or through PCT...dont remember exactly, but if anyone can chime in on that Id appreciate it.

Standard PCT
Clomid @ 75/50/50/50 & Nolvadex @ 40/20/20/20
**again, Im unclear on whether running hCG during PCT and at higher iu than on cycle. Im leaning toward running it, but any feedback is great.**


As far as my diet goes...
Ive calculated my macros as follows...

LBM=174lbs
TDEE= 174x15 = 2610 cal

2610cal-500cal= 2110cal

PROTEIN= 1.3g x 174 = 226g
FAT= 50g
CARBS= 189g

So heres my question regarding my diet. Keeping in mind that besides getting through this cycle successfully, my objective is to drop fat to 10% at the same time as putting on however much muscle is possible, what adjustments would I need to make to my macros to achieve that? Or am I being too ambitious with that goal for Test only?

All feedback is welcome and much appreciated!!

[Stalker3060]

Why use your first cycle to cut?
If your 500cal deficit is working out for you won't it be a better use of gear to lose weight natrually, prime for a cycle then clean/lean bulk as big as you want?
Seems like you figured out the how
Without the why

[JohnnyV85]

Why use your first cycle to cut?
If your 500cal deficit is working out for you won't it be a better use of gear to lose weight natrually, prime for a cycle then clean/lean bulk as big as you want?
Seems like you figured out the how
Without the why

I gotta do a first cycle sometime. Plus, you cant tell me that cutting on cycle and cutting natty is gonna be the same. The way I see it, after this first cycle I'll be ready for a lean bulk.

[GearHeaded]

of course you can run your first cycle while cutting.
I'm a fan of running gear while bulking .. also while cutting , while doing a mini cut, while doing a contest prep, while doing a strength phase, during times of over training, during times of recovery . heck I'm even a fan of running gear for long weekends away with the wifey.

[GearHeaded]

if you look at natural 'pro' bodybuilders (yes there does exist such a thing believe it or not) their average stage weight is about 155 pounds.
if you look at an enhanced pro bodybuilder, their average stage weight is about 255 pounds.

now look at both of these guys.. the natty is just as ripped and lean as the enhanced guy. yet there is 100 pounds of weight difference.
the reason for this difference is because it is IMPOSSIBLE to hold on to a great deal of muscle while cutting naturally.
the natural pro guys prove this, they can all get lean, but they all shrivel up to aids patients in the process.

This is why Arnold and a lot of the early pros ONLY ran cycles during their contest prep phase. because cutting was the most important time to be enhanced so you don't lose muscle (and if you do it right , may even gain muscle).

so, Johnny I think your fine using your fist cycle as a cut.

however, shooting for 2.5+ pounds of weight loss per week to get down to 10% body fat in 12 weeks is a bit ambitious when your only running 500mg of test (you don't got any DNP planned do you?)

[JohnnyV85]

if you look at natural 'pro' bodybuilders (yes there does exist such a thing believe it or not) their average stage weight is about 155 pounds.
if you look at an enhanced pro bodybuilder, their average stage weight is about 255 pounds.

now look at both of these guys.. the natty is just as ripped and lean as the enhanced guy. yet there is 100 pounds of weight difference.
the reason for this difference is because it is IMPOSSIBLE to hold on to a great deal of muscle while cutting naturally.
the natural pro guys prove this, they can all get lean, but they all shrivel up to aids patients in the process.

This is why Arnold and a lot of the early pros ONLY ran cycles during their contest prep phase. because cutting was the most important time to be enhanced so you don't lose muscle (and if you do it right , may even gain muscle).

so, Johnny I think your fine using your fist cycle as a cut.

however, shooting for 2.5+ pounds of weight loss per week to get down to 10% body fat in 12 weeks is a bit ambitious when your only running 500mg of test (you don't got any DNP planned do you?)

Negative on the DNP at this point. Just want to lean out and hold on to as much muscle as possible.
As far as my macros, am I wrong for feeling those numbers are for "natural Johnny"... and "juicy Johnny" should have different macros?
Since Ill be recovering much faster shouldnt my protein intake increase some? Will a 500 cal deficit yield the same fat loss off cycle vs on cycle?

[Arcânn]

I plan on running my first cycle as a cut as well. Hell, I plan on only running cycles for the purpose of cutting. I'm not a fan of the idea of struggling to hold on to muscles that I can't keep naturally. I'm not planning any competitions or anything, I just wanna be bigger/leaner than the average natty gym rat.

It is worth noting that your first cycle is supposedly when you get your most gains so if you're planning on getting HUGE one day, MAYBE you're better off bulking instead of cutting for a first cycle, but either way, in the long term, it's not going to stop you from reaching your goals if you cut for your first cycle.

[JohnnyV85]

I plan on running my first cycle as a cut as well. Hell, I plan on only running cycles for the purpose of cutting. I'm not a fan of the idea of struggling to hold on to muscles that I can't keep naturally. I'm not planning any competitions or anything, I just wanna be bigger/leaner than the average natty gym rat.

It is worth noting that your first cycle is supposedly when you get your most gains so if you're planning on getting HUGE one day, MAYBE you're better off bulking instead of cutting for a first cycle, but either way, in the long term, it's not going to stop you from reaching your goals if you cut for your first cycle.

Right on. Yeah Im not really looking to get huge lol. Just a little bigger than most. A better payout for all the hard work and dedication in the gym and kitchen. I think the end goal here is to end up at 220ish @ 9% bf. But then again Im not even sure what that will look like so Im gonna play it by ear and take it one cycle at a time.

[Obs]

Right on. Yeah Im not really looking to get huge lol. Just a little bigger than most. A better payout for all the hard work and dedication in the gym and kitchen. I think the end goal here is to end up at 220ish @ 9% bf. But then again Im not even sure what that will look like so Im gonna play it by ear and take it one cycle at a time.

When you get there it wont be enough.
Everyone will tell you how good you look. People will all treat you differently and women will have a nervous or a lingering gaze.

Buuuuut you will look in the mirror and see the same guy and feel disgusted. You will never want to stop and you probably wont.

At 230 you will cry out to God and ask him why you aren't 250!?

Then you will kick your dog and want to have sex with people.

[JohnnyV85]

Then you will kick your dog and want to have sex with people.

Thats too funny. Im picturing that in my head... poor dog lol

[HoldMyBeer]

Just realize, your first cycle you will have high expectations (usually unrealistic even if in a calorie surplus). You will be even further from those expectations if you're cutting the whole time.
I did that for my first cycle. Same weight at the end of it, but that's because I think I recomped and gained as much muscle as I lost fat. But if you're starting at 19% body fat you won't look like you had imagined.
Nothing wrong w it, but I've seen plenty of threads claiming bunk gear because they saw such little gains from what they were expecting when they were cutting the whole time.

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

[JohnnyV85]

Just realize, your first cycle you will have high expectations (usually unrealistic even if in a calorie surplus). You will be even further from those expectations if you're cutting the whole time.
I did that for my first cycle. Same weight at the end of it, but that's because I think I recomped and gained as much muscle as I lost fat. But if you're starting at 19% body fat you won't look like you had imagined.
Nothing wrong w it, but I've seen plenty of threads claiming bunk gear because they saw such little gains from what they were expecting when they were cutting the whole time.

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

Yeah I can understand what youre saying. Progress is progress. In 1 month I've noticed a difference just by sticking to my macros, and thats before starting my cycle so I gotta imagine progress will be a little better while on cycle.

I guess I wont be kicking any dogs anytime soon lol