42yo noob, in many senses, here to ask for a sanity check. Yes I’ve read many of the excellent write-ups, anecdotal stories, and a whole slew of really bad ideas. I’m also not young enough to believe that just because I can search Google, the forums, and actually read, that I “get” it. And finally, I understand how frustrating it is to deal with a clueless noob for the millionth time, and I have genuinely tried to be as informed as possible before posting this, but my apologies in advance for some of the dumber things I will likely write, as well as gratitude to whomever may actually bother dealing with this. :-)
First, the basics.
- 42 years old, male
- Height: 5’11” (180cm)
- Weight: 200lbs (91kg)
- Body Fat: Approx. 19.0% according to my Withings/Nokia scale
- Experience: No steroid experience; have been training with a personal trainer for 7 months, eating clean, etc.
Before I get to the cycle I think I want to try (which I would appreciate any feedback on), I need to write a bit more about myself due to the fact that I’m not your run-of-the-mill case, or so I think.
I’ve been relatively active for most of my adult life, hiking in the mountains, snowboarding, biking, what not. However, not in a “serious” athletic way, and I’ve been relatively overweight for my entire adult life (250lbs/113kg) and had simply come to accept that as “the way I am”.
Due to a number of incidents I decided that yes I could change, and yes I would change, and it wasn’t going to be a fad diet or a temporary quick loss. More of a lifestyle change to stay healthier and, to be honest, look better.
For my diet I did all the research and was honestly blown away at how much I DIDN’T understand about proper diet. It took a little bit of time, but I got disciplined enough to do a 1,500kcal diet cutting carbs and getting proteins. Trial and error with what I liked, what would keep me full etc., but amazingly the pounds just started coming off... like magic. Shortly thereafter I was actually seeing changes in the mirror, and that was nice, but then I realized that a lot of my body was fat, and shedding it would leave me with a not very flattering mediocre build with flappy skin.
More research and it became obvious that I didn’t want to be doing cardio work in the gym, but rather weight training. It made more sense for the long term, and honestly, I hate cardio. Pumping weights is more fun for me, so that was good. The one great thing about being a middle aged guy is that I’m flat headed enough to realize that if I can pay for professional help, it would pay itself back, so I got a personal trainer, who has been tremendously valuable in helping me shortcut noob mistakes and keeping me in the right direction.
7 months later, I love what I see. I’ve shed 50lbs, I’m seeing muscle definition I never knew I had (OK, I probably didn’t have it before starting my gym membership), I’m many clothes sizes smaller, I enjoy wearing tight fitting T-shirts that show off my body, the exact opposite of what I would do when I was 250lbs.
I haven’t had an issue with motivation getting to the gym. I’m a business owner, which makes my schedule a bit crazy, but I still manage to get in 2 to 3 times a week for a decent hour of pumping weights.
However. The weight-loss/diet thing is a bit stickier. I’ve been stuck at my current weight for nearly 8 weeks now, and it’s getting to me. My body fat is stuck at 19.0% so I know it isn’t lean mass gains, and I know exactly where it’s coming from; my abdominal and lower back have this very irritating ring of fat that just doesn’t want to go away. That’s what you get for bad lifestyle habits for a quarter of a century.
Normally I would say just keep pumping, eventually I will break through the plateau, it’s only been 7 months, as long as my diet and exercise and resting cycles are good, so just keep natural, blah blah blah. The problem is it’s really really REALLY getting to me, in a very negative way. The harder I try the more I’m thinking about food, the more it’s consuming my mind, and just gnawing away at me.
After contemplating this way, that way, no this way again and going back and forth, I’ve decided I want to try Anavar to cut through some of this. I’m not a serious body builder and I haven’t been hitting the gym that long yet so I know it sounds (and probably is a bit) crazy, but it’s where I’ve gotten. I understand that my BF is a bit high still to be considering steroids, but I’m hoping that the cutting properties of Anavar, combined with the fact that it doesn’t aromatize (high BF I understand is an issue here) would actually be beneficial. Again, I need a sanity check.
I’ve tested my blood and I’m happy to say that I’m very healthy. My blood pressure is on the lower end. I also understand the importance of a long ester testosterone supplement, and have a friend who is a practicing nurse that has agreed to help me learn how to poke myself. I’m not financially pressed so I’m not going to try and get “cheap” by skipping on something. That said, here is my plan.
Testosterone Enanthate 250mg/week, Wk1-10
Anavar 30mg/day, Wk 7-12
(AI) Arimidex 0.5mg/day, Wk 1-10
(Liver) Silymarin (Milk Thistle)
(PCT) Clomid 50mg/day, 4 weeks, starting 14 days after last Testosterone Enanthate
That said, I’m still murky about a few things, and have questions.
For example, should I be running 250mg Testosterone once a week, or twice a week at 500mg? I’m not trying to get bulk, but my understanding is that I may as well since I’ll be needing some testosterone regardless of my intention.
Another thing is, should I be waiting this long for the Anavar (6 weeks straight Testosterone) if my main intention is cutting? Which ties into the next question, should I even be bothering with Anavar at first, or just doing a straight Testosterone cycle? (Perhaps running the 6 wks of Test first would be a good indicator as to whether or not I can/should continue on with the Anavar?)
If I go with the Anavar, do I take a single dose daily, or split it into 10mg 3 times a day? With the Arimidex, some say 0.5mg/day, others every other day. Does it make sense to go everyday as a “precaution if you can afford it” (since my body fat is over 16%) or would there be a negative impact here?
My PCT plan in straight Clomid 50mg, and I see contradicting opinions on HCG. (Side note: HCG is a bit hard to source where I live, so if it’s a “nice if you can have it, but not a serious issue” then skipping it may be an option, but if it makes a world’s difference, I’ll find a source.) Should I add Nolvadex or is Clomid alone sufficient?
Am I ape shit crazy to even be considering a cycle? And finally, should I remain on the 1,500kcal diet or should I bring it up closer to 2,000kcal around TDEE?
“Stay natural” is a legitimate option if the cycle makes no sense, although I admit I’m going to need to find some serious motivation in other forms if that’s the case. (Self-esteem is starting to take a serious hit here; I know it sounds stupid but it’s kind of a big deal for me.)
Any input appreciated!
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Originally Posted by Igusa0420
