14 month progress.

**Meloncap78** · 10-25-2014, 10:18 AM

I have been nothing but frustrated the past year because I always feel as if I am not making progress. My lifts have all progressed quite a bit. I went on a bulk for 3 months beginning of June this year. I was eating at 4k all food weighed and measured. I put a little over 10 pounds on in that time and progressed in the gym but also got very very bloated. I started a cut almost 6 weeks ago and lost 10 pounds the first week and haven't lost anymore since. I am eating at 2300 all weighed (i weigh everything). I only eat clean and never have a cheat day). I had a 7 point caliper teat done before my cut and it was 17.5% and I jist had another and it reads the same. I don't get it. I know 100% that I am not eating more that 2300 a day and my job is active. I am in the gym 5 days a week with a standard push pull routine. Here is a pic from August 2013 and one from this morning. I see terrible progress almost as I jave been just sotting on the couch for a year. First pic is last year. Been lifting 2 years serious now and just started my first test e cycle on thursday. I know I will get flamed for that lol.

**PistolPete33** · 10-25-2014, 10:27 AM

You've def. made progress esp in your chest/shoulders. If you're really looking to cut then you will again have to switch up your diet and add in extra cardio. Post in the diet section for the diet Gorus to comment. It is a marathon and not a sprint. What intensity are you working out at in the gym?

**Meloncap78** · 10-25-2014, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by PistolPete33

You've def. made progress esp in your chest/shoulders. If you're really looking to cut then you will again have to switch up your diet and add in extra cardio. Post in the diet section for the diet Gorus to comment. It is a marathon and not a sprint. What intensity are you working out at in the gym?

Thanks man. I just don't see it for some reason. My chest looks more narrow to me in the second pic. My intensity is definitely up there in the gym but perhaps my routine is too stale. There obviously has to be something I need to change and soon. I don't want my first cycle to be a waste (would love to add some serious lean mass). I have bumped my calories back up to maintenance and instantly my waist bloated with the extra carbs lol. Either my hips are naturally wide or my upper body has some serious broadening to do. I know the gear isn't magical but I want to create the beat environment to grow. Hopefully it will give me that 18 year old stamina that I missed out on while playing video games through my teens and 20's.

**Gaspaco** · 10-26-2014, 12:44 AM

Hey man!

Agree with pistol!

Progress was made, when I am cutting first of all I add 20-30min low intensity cardio post workout.

This year I tried to add postw cardio during bulk and it works great!

**Meloncap78** · 10-26-2014, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Gaspaco

Hey man!

Agree with pistol!

Progress was made, when I am cutting first of all I add 20-30min low intensity cardio post workout.

This year I tried to add postw cardio during bulk and it works great!

Thanks man. This damn fat around the waist can really ruin a shape lol. I guess I am going to have to add some cardio in during this cycle. I probably should have waited to cycle but curiosity got the best of me and now I am committed. Is it possible to eat above maintenance while on and drop some fat with cardio? The water gain from the added carbs really adds to the waist as well. Hopefully my AI doesn't allow this to happen or some kind of ridiculous proportions while cycling as I am already very prone to it lol.

**swolehead** · 10-26-2014, 12:12 PM

personaly I manage to get bigger and leaner every cycle so I'd say yes other would say no but the only way to know is if you try it for yourself. on a first cycle doing everything right you won't be upset even if you keep the same amount of body fat and gain muscle in correlation to eachother you bodyfat percentage will be lower becausenof the increased lean body mass. as for the ai I'm not sure I've never had to use one but if your worried about bloat watch your sodium intake as well as taking in lots of water

**< <Samson> >** · 10-26-2014, 10:41 PM

I hate being a dick < Well, sometimes

I can't even see a diff

Are you on gear? Your results is what I seen in myself for years before getting on.

**Meloncap78** · 10-27-2014, 05:00 AM

Originally Posted by < <Samson> >

I hate being a dick < Well, sometimes

I can't even see a diff

Are you on gear? Your results is what I seen in myself for years before getting on.

Just started my first cycle. After many months of eating like a horse at 4k (all weighed and measured foods) all the while progressing in my lifts and then cutting because I was so bloated only to realize it was all waterweight and then I was back to my prebulk weight in a week I decided it was time. I assume your experience was similar. Today is my second pin. I bumped my calories up to a few hundred above maintenance. If I don't get results now IDK....

**zempey** · 10-27-2014, 05:56 AM

I personally would cut back some carbs, add in a ton of veggies (uncooked), and do post workout cardio. You can also try a switch up your routine to a higher volume quicker pace to burn calories and flood the muscles with blood. If your goal is to get that leaner v taper, then you will have to shed body fat, the test will help do that while building muscle. I started my last cycle about 260 @ 15-18%bf and dropped to about 10-12%bf at 242 at my peak. I wanted to shed as much fat as I could while building muscle and it worked quite well for me. I was doing a 5x15 routine and pushing hard and keeping my heart rate up, I also did cardio after every workout, I would come in and do 1.5 hours on one of my off days too. Be careful with carbs, it looks like you are sensitive too them judging by your waist line and trouble losing it. I ate almost all my complex carbs early in the day and bumped up my protein and fats later in the day. Keep at it, you need to keep trying new things to see what works for you, not everyone responds the same to training styles and diets.

**< <Samson> >** · 10-27-2014, 10:10 AM

That is pretty much how my experience went 4 sure

Stay on the low side of test, watch you're 2e & eat dry. - I mean very dry

Doing this for a year along with slowly adding more gear just changed my complete physique

**deerparkwater** · 11-04-2014, 10:10 PM

no offense but you look more than 17.5% BF... have you noticed any E2 issues with juicing at that body fat?

**Meloncap78** · 11-05-2014, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by deerparkwater

no offense but you look more than 17.5% BF... have you noticed any E2 issues with juicing at that body fat?

Dont know yet, Im coming up on the end of my second week (4 pins in). I hope this cycle doesn't turn out to be a sad dissappointment rather than a big change for me. This is my first one.