Picture and Info (Advice and comments sought)

**StevePJC** · 07-29-2003, 10:22 AM

Picture isn't for the faint of heart. I posted this in the Steroid Question forum but I think that might have been a mistake. So here goes.

Hello, noob here.

Brief history of my situation. I was considered a heavy user of gas by friends from about 1992 to 1996 when I had a mild heart attack and was forced to stop. I haven't stepped foot into a gym since. When I went off I was 305 pounds and thick as can be. I'm now the exact opposite. 305 pounds and soft as can be. I dropped down to 240 pounds and over the years put the weight back on but in the wrong way. Soft as can be.

My doctor has seen fit, after blood work, to perscribe me a topical gel that is made at a local compounding pharmacy called Testosterone Carbopol 20% 200mg/ml per dose. Now I have done several searches over Google and here and have found nothing with this name. Is this nothing but AndroGel ?

I was hoping some folks current on today's stuff could tell me what if anything I can gain from this. Since I started last month, I have combined this with the atkins diet, and plenty of walking and have dropped from 345 down to 305. I do VERY light weights just to see if I have anything left. I don't see it.

When I was on before I had no structure to what I was doing which led to my downfall. To give you an example I recall doing 1850mg of Decca for 4 weeks. People thought I was crazy. I didn't know what I was doing. After reading some on these forums I am starting to believe them that it was crazy. Anyway enough of this. I have attached a photo taken a few minutes ago. Yes I've hiked up my shorts a tad to spare everyone the horror of staring at my gut. Wish I could hide the man boobs but if I want an honest answer I better let the world see.

Any advice or comments from people who know what they are doing would help.

**palme** · 07-29-2003, 10:54 AM

Dont be afraid to add more weight on the bar, it will help bringing down you bf.
The atkins diet could be dangerus if you use it for to long. Just eat clean.

**sigrabbit** · 07-29-2003, 11:09 AM

Why don't you simply lower carbs some and do some light cardio for 45-60 minutes everyday. I would suggest consulting your doc before you start to hit the weights heavy, but lifting should be incorporated in some respect to help you lose weight.

**StevePJC** · 07-29-2003, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by sigrabbit

Why don't you simply lower carbs some and do some light cardio for 45-60 minutes everyday. I would suggest consulting your doc before you start to hit the weights heavy, but lifting should be incorporated in some respect to help you lose weight.

On the Atkins my carb intake is at 30g a day. I walk 4 miles a day around the neighborhood and an hour at night on a stairmaster. I think thats how I've dropped about 40 pounds over the last month. I'm hitting heavy on the cardio because I'm flat disgusted with how I've let myself go. My doc thinks I'm ok on Atkins for 90 days. I'm planning on atleast another 30.

As far as going back on AS again. My doc seems to think that with 200mg of this testosterone carbopol per day I'll actually be able to make some gains if I go back to training regurlaly. She says that this in no way is meant to build me back up again but to help make me feel like I'm 29 instead of 79. I'm moving to Japan August 12 with my wife and last I understood AS was pretty damned hard to get over there. Since I'll be living on a military base I dont think it would be wise for me to try and ship it in either. The gym facilities over there are supposed to be top notch. I can only hope.

**BDTR** · 07-29-2003, 11:44 AM

Save the money you were gonna spend on gear and shoot swolecat an email at [email protected] www.gotswole.com. I think you'd do tremendously well on his program with the right dedication.

**lilbull** · 07-29-2003, 01:53 PM

I agree. Talk to swolecat about a program. He's very helpful and knows what he's talking about. consult your physician before doing any heavy lifting or intense cardio because you wouldn't want to put a tremendous strain on your heart. How is your condition now?

**pumpseeker** · 07-29-2003, 01:55 PM

Bro, you are right on with the cardio and low carb diet (if you drop carbs below 100, make sure to carb up at 200-300grams for 1 or 2 days a week though). And I'd definitly be hitting the weights, 5 days a week in a fsat paced speed (resting 30-60 secs between sets.) You should have no problem dropping your BF down to whatever you want. As long as you stay consistent with it for the next year, cheating only occasionally from your diet, I see you at 200-220 (that's losing 2 pounds a week, a safe and reasonable target.)

Look at Lee Priest! Brother bulks up in the off season from 200 to 275 on his "big as a cow" diet! Then, he sheds the fat right off and drops his BW back down to 200! Now, he does 4 hours of cardio a day to do this and diets his ass off. I met him a few weeks ago at a show in VA. He was fat as hell, weighing around 265, I think he said. But as soon as he decides to get cut, he transforms into a lean, ripped bodybuilder with a killer set of abs. All it takes is dedication...make it your top priority, let nothing come between you and your goal and do it. Don't stop until you meet your target weight. Good luck.

**bermich** · 07-29-2003, 02:05 PM

What about the SUBWAY DIET. Jarrad lost a lot of weight that way.

**redrock** · 07-29-2003, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by bermich

What about the SUBWAY DIET. Jarrad lost a lot of weight that way.

The key word is WEIGHT, not bodyfat. I think too many overweight or obese people crash diet and lose the weight only to gain it all back. I've done it myself. If the plan from day one was to change your body image and concentrate on getting LEAN, things would go a lot better in my opinion and the results would not be temporary.

It is a much slower process, but more rewarding in the end. REDROCK

**gundam675** · 07-29-2003, 05:13 PM

i think diet, cardio and a good otc fat burner or NYC/ECA could help out. i dont really like atkins, people tell m,e the low carbs make them perform horribly in the gym !

**StevePJC** · 07-29-2003, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by gundam675

i think diet, cardio and a good otc fat burner or NYC/ECA could help out. i dont really like atkins, people tell m,e the low carbs make them perform horribly in the gym !

Now by ECA do you mean something with ephedra? My doc has STRONGLY advised against anything with ephedra. Event though the heart attack I had was mild there is still irregularities. Now if ECA does not mean ephedra than forgot everything I said and dismiss it as mindless dribble. LoL

**StevePJC** · 07-29-2003, 05:40 PM

Only pro I ever met was Gary Strydom. Actually trained with him once at Coffee's Gym in Atlanta. That was a kick. I've been really strict with the carbs. I use those keto styicks to make sure I'm doing ok and burning fat. You think going up to 100 calories a day wouldn't hurt with one cheat day? Damn! I LIKE this. I dunno. I have to be careful with the cardio because I get chest pains from time to time. Have had myself checked and have been told it's because of having a mild attack at 22 damaged my heart a bit. Been told as long as I dont try to run a marathon I should have no problems later in life.

Buddy of mine says under my "insulation" I still have retained alot of my gains from before. I just dont see it. When I look at myself I see a sorry sad sack of goo. I'm almost glad of this because it is a driving factor.

**StevePJC** · 07-29-2003, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by bdtr

Save the money you were gonna spend on gear and shoot swolecat an email at [email protected] www.gotswole.com. I think you'd do tremendously well on his program with the right dedication.

I just sent him an email. Thank you for the referal.

**StevePJC** · 07-29-2003, 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by lilbull

I agree. Talk to swolecat about a program. He's very helpful and knows what he's talking about. consult your physician before doing any heavy lifting or intense cardio because you wouldn't want to put a tremendous strain on your heart. How is your condition now?

Well I have a flutter from time to time when I do something strenuous. Kind of takes my breath away for a second and goes away. I get pains as well. I have my heart looked at about twice a year and damage is minimal but I shouldn't go out and try to run a marathon.

Joints are a different story. Elbows get sore very easily but tend to losen up as well as my knees.

My physician reccomended to me that I start getting back into shape or be dead by 40. (29 now) She reccomended the walking in the mornings and the stairmaster at night if I could stand it. I just have to stop from time to time when my chest gets pain.

The more pounds I drop the less strain on the rest of me. I just wish I would have listened to people when I was gassing.