# a second opinion



## Beastly (Dec 18, 2014)

gentlemen: 

  I have been involved in bodybuilding, athletics, and personal training for over half my life. Up until recently, I haven't seriously considered "aggressive supplementation", if you want to call it that, but I am not getting any younger (31) and ivealways been a somewhat of a hard gainer. I have been back in the gym for the past 3 months and have managed to gain 20 lbs of natural lean muscle through hard work but the little nagging injuries are becoming more prevalent with age. However, as always, no amount of dieting, training knowledge, and time in the gym can get me to break through that plateau and continue to gain lean weight...Yes, I have been through this many times and yes I can manage through hard work to gain an additional five lbs if everything in my life is perfect, but the next week I look at the scale and for ****s sake, I'm back down five pounds...It's like my body rejects it (of course it doesn't help to have IBS flare up from time to time)...but shit the amount of knowledge I pout into my periodized training programs and diets should yield more results, plain and simple. In fact, it doesn't matter what I do in the gym, if I work hard my weight will go up to that same certain point and then my body cuts me off and says no more for you. Sorry, but I just want my lean weight to increase a mere 10-15 lbs (from 165-180) and I don't think this is unreasonable haha
All this has me thinking I should consider medical intervention ahaha, but I have a lot of anxiety over making sure it's done right and safe, it is my first foray into this world after-all. As you might imagine I have a lot of questions and want to take the safest route possible while getting modest results. Its not like I am currently a bodybuilder in competition, so going balls out with a crazy stack might be overkill, but I need to get lean mass, weight, and hardness moving in the right direction again. If this is something some of the more experienced and learned folks on here would be willing to provide some scientifically backed insight on, that would be great. If that's the case, I will post actual questions later. Cheers!


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## deadlift666 (Dec 18, 2014)

A reasonable beginner cycle would be test E at 500mg/week for 12 weeks or so. 

I'm not exactly sure what your post is asking. Are you asking for a cycle layout?


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## Beefcake (Dec 18, 2014)

Welcome to the board.  To get bigger eat more!!!!  More food=more protein.


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## Beefcake (Dec 18, 2014)

Probably wants a cycle layout including PCT and a source to get it.  Like every newbie does.  lol


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## PillarofBalance (Dec 18, 2014)

I think you are under stating the impact of IBS you are experiencing.  That is a cause of malnutrition. It can be extremely difficult for you to get in the amount of food you need to reach your goals.

So you might consider adjusting your goals. Instead of being as big as you would like maybe that isn't possible so consider just focusing on getting stronger or super shredded.

AAS will help you put weight on but as soon as you come off kiss those gains goodbye.

Another option is stop talking about gaining lean weight and just try to gain weight. Some poptarts aren't going to kill you. And if you keep training intensity high you shouldn't get very fat.


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## Beefcake (Dec 18, 2014)

He has Irritable Bowel Syndrome??  I missed that in his post.  lol


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## jennerrator (Dec 18, 2014)

PillarofBalance said:


> *AAS will help you put weight on but as soon as you come off kiss those gains goodbye.*



This!!!! This is something that's such a big part of using gear...it's not talked about enough. This is the main thing people need to consider besides the health risks. Is it worth it for me to put my body through this...just to lose most and in some cases all (for those that only rely on aas) of what I worked for????????


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## snake (Dec 18, 2014)

Have you considered having some blood work done? Not to sound like a commercial but it could be your "T". If that's the case and you have a good Doctor, you're concern about being safe and doing it right can take a back seat. Not to imply that TRT is without it's risks, but they can be lower than going it alone.

Let me say at 31, you still should have some game left in you. Maybe the gains will not come like they did at 21 but jumping on the AAS wagon may not be required for your goals.

POB is painfully correct; you're gains will ebb and flow with your use. Maybe find that base look you like before jumping in.


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## snake (Dec 18, 2014)

Jenner said:


> This!!!! This is something that's such a big part of using gear...it's not talked about enough. This is the main thing people need to consider besides the health risks. Is it worth it for me to put my body through this...just to lose most and in some cases all (for those that only rely on aas) of what I worked for????????



Ok, If Jenn and I agree on something it has to be factual.


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## jennerrator (Dec 18, 2014)

snake said:


> Ok, If Jenn and I agree on something it has to be factual.



we are just smart cookies


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## TriniJuice (Dec 18, 2014)

Let me take the chase to welcome you to the forum:

Welcome to the forum;
A fish isn't swimming unless it moving....


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## deejeff442 (Dec 18, 2014)

Seems to me just another guy who thinks he eats enough and dont.then thinks aas will make up for it.plus adding alot of muscle also includes adding fat  .as far as i am concerned there is no way to stack on muscle with out adding fat to the process.thats why its called a mass cycle then a cut cycle


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## Beastly (Dec 18, 2014)

snake said:


> Ok, If Jenn and I agree on something it has to be factual.



Thanks for your reply. Of course I know that losing gains once coming off is something I should be aware of, but do you seriously lose almost all mass gains during off-cycle? I always that there would still be at least, say, 30% of accumulated growth to build on, should your training and diet stay dedicated? If people are losing 80-100% of their growth and strength gains off-cycle, then why would anyone, except a competing bodybuilder/strongman put their body through it?

I don't think it's my T. If it was I wouldn't have been able to gain 20lbs in 7 weeks, au natural.


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## Beastly (Dec 18, 2014)

deadlift666 said:


> A reasonable beginner cycle would be test E at 500mg/week for 12 weeks or so.
> 
> I'm not exactly sure what your post is asking. Are you asking for a cycle layout?



No, i'm not looking for a layout at this point. Getting a layout isn't really the challenging part, it's more about whether I am someone who can benefit from this, given the health implications.


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## Beastly (Dec 18, 2014)

PillarofBalance said:


> I think you are under stating the impact of IBS you are experiencing.  That is a cause of malnutrition. It can be extremely difficult for you to get in the amount of food you need to reach your goals.
> 
> So you might consider adjusting your goals. Instead of being as big as you would like maybe that isn't possible so consider just focusing on getting stronger or super shredded.
> 
> ...



I agree, IBS has always been a major sticking point with me. It's hard to gain weight past a certain point with it, as you sometimes find you lose a lot of your calories in the washroom. I have been better about managing this lately, though, so I am hopeful I can gain at least a bit more weight. 

As far as just focusing on getting stronger is concerned. I may have to go that route, but getting stronger is a tall order for someone who's weight isn't going up and who has plateaued in the gym.


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## Zombie Killer (Dec 19, 2014)

how often does your weight fluctuate. just noticed in your first post that you say that you can get your weight up to a certain point. Can you keep it there ? you also said that you just got back to the gym 3 months ago. How often do you fluctuate in your gym dedication ? My personal opinion is that if you are struggling right now to maintain any size and a good weight lifting routine that it would not be best to start taking anything.


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