I've been lifting heavy since last November and recently competed in my 1st bikini competition. Judges said I had great presence and athletic muscle tone (muscled quads), but I need more conditioning in the back of my lower half (glute-ham tie-in of course). I am 44, 5'3" and was 125 at my leanest point during competition and still had stubborn fat pockets on the backs of my upper thighs. Fat was not visible until I walked on stage and got the "dread" slight jiggle. I wasn't surprised but I was doing cardio daily 60m for the last 2-3 weeks of prep (24 weeks) and my upper body was in danger of losing muscle. Yes, my upper body and quads looked great as did my back (got down to 16% bf thru hydrostatic water test), but upper thighs looked like I was still 8 weeks out. I was so weak I could barely work out and had trouble sleeping. Eating chicken, sweet potatoes, spinach, everything "clean." Before peak week, I was lifting 6 days a week, cardio 6 days a week and I still couldn't get my lower half to lean out. Used topical thermogenics, thigh wraps, yohimbe HCL, you name it. Barely budged although I gained a good amount muscle between January and November of this year (heaviest at lean bulk was 137lbs, up from 121lbs when I started training at 24-25%% bf).
I did the competition anyway because I wanted to get the jitters out and everyone was really encouraging but it took a lot out of me. I don't recover very well at all. After a lower body workout, I'm sore 4-5 days overlapping with the next workout. I also suffer from high estrogen levels (low T) so I've been on HRT since March, at first taking 100mg of Test orally (natural compound) until my most recent doc switched me to 0.1ml injectable because he said the orals are bad for my liver. Was able to recover better and not be so sore and tired after a workout and libido got better! Monthly depression post-ovulation also lifted a bit (1st 2 weeks of my cycle, I'm hella strong and happy, but 2nd half, I am near suicidal). Since I started with the injectable, that depression and horrible PMS has gone away.
I need to gain a lot more muscle mass in my shoulders and those "banana roll" areas, barring just getting liposuction and having the damn shaky pockets sucked out lol but then I'll have scarring. My trainer said we'll have a longer prep next go-round (26 weeks vs. 24) to get those final bits of fat off but I don't think they're going to go easily. My trainer said to get my hormones checked out since I'm also on 200mg of progesterone (prescribed due to lack of sleep and night sweats which have greatly improved but I've read that most of the progesterone disappears in my liver anyway). Not sure where to go from here - stick with the program and try a change in diet (trainer does NOT like keto) by going lower carb or consider anavar 10mg to start. I believe the key is to build a lot of muscle in the glutes and hammies but my recovery is still limiting how much volume I can do in a day.
Does anyone have experience with PRESCRIBED var? I'm so afraid of not actually getting var and getting something else entirely. I already have enough issues controlling my estrogen (I also take a DIM supplement) so I don't want to go too far in the other direction. Should I be looking at another solution to address the stubborn fat? Btw, trainer is anti-HIIT for me because of my age and impingement issues in one of my hips and knees. So we stuck with LISS. I sense I will always have a bigger bottom - I am definitely an endomorph so I need to whittle down my lower while enlarging my upper half.
Thanks for any advice.
I did the competition anyway because I wanted to get the jitters out and everyone was really encouraging but it took a lot out of me. I don't recover very well at all. After a lower body workout, I'm sore 4-5 days overlapping with the next workout. I also suffer from high estrogen levels (low T) so I've been on HRT since March, at first taking 100mg of Test orally (natural compound) until my most recent doc switched me to 0.1ml injectable because he said the orals are bad for my liver. Was able to recover better and not be so sore and tired after a workout and libido got better! Monthly depression post-ovulation also lifted a bit (1st 2 weeks of my cycle, I'm hella strong and happy, but 2nd half, I am near suicidal). Since I started with the injectable, that depression and horrible PMS has gone away.
I need to gain a lot more muscle mass in my shoulders and those "banana roll" areas, barring just getting liposuction and having the damn shaky pockets sucked out lol but then I'll have scarring. My trainer said we'll have a longer prep next go-round (26 weeks vs. 24) to get those final bits of fat off but I don't think they're going to go easily. My trainer said to get my hormones checked out since I'm also on 200mg of progesterone (prescribed due to lack of sleep and night sweats which have greatly improved but I've read that most of the progesterone disappears in my liver anyway). Not sure where to go from here - stick with the program and try a change in diet (trainer does NOT like keto) by going lower carb or consider anavar 10mg to start. I believe the key is to build a lot of muscle in the glutes and hammies but my recovery is still limiting how much volume I can do in a day.
Does anyone have experience with PRESCRIBED var? I'm so afraid of not actually getting var and getting something else entirely. I already have enough issues controlling my estrogen (I also take a DIM supplement) so I don't want to go too far in the other direction. Should I be looking at another solution to address the stubborn fat? Btw, trainer is anti-HIIT for me because of my age and impingement issues in one of my hips and knees. So we stuck with LISS. I sense I will always have a bigger bottom - I am definitely an endomorph so I need to whittle down my lower while enlarging my upper half.
Thanks for any advice.
).
