First cycle help test and anavr

If you want my opinion, then 99% of a 'diet' is down to mindset....

My year is mapped out for me, I know when I need to be lean and when I can eat with freedom and bulk....

When I am approaching 'cut time' - I assess my physique and work out how many weeks I will need to be ripped... let's say for example 12 weeks.

So I take my event, work back 12 weeks from that date and my cut date is set.... the weeks leading up to that date is all about adjusting my mindset and preparing my game face.

I'll text family and friends, tell them I'll be going off-radar from social events etc - I'll buy my supps, AAS and food in advance wherever possible - and come cut day, it's game on.

So you pretty much summed up why you have only made slow progress in your above post where I have highlighted.

It's not about knowledge, or something I have that you don't - it's purely mindset.

If I'm going to do something, I do not GO WITH THE FLOW - I get shit done!

Simple as that really.

And let's face it... if you're dabbling in AAS, risking your health, spending copious amounts of money on drugs and ancillaries, not to mention food, gym fees and supps - why the fuck would you just 'go with the flow'?

It's a no-brainer for me.

Man Ben!! You doing F the F around brother!! If I've never seen any other posts by you, this post alone tells me that you are a man that bases your life around this lifestyle. Correct me if I'd be wrong. Not so many of us are the fortunate or I'd even suppose that dedicated. As I'd agree, a "go with the flow" attitude is no way to get shit done, I'd also say that some, probably many, of us CANT dedicate that kind of time amongst other things to reach the level your at. Oh how I'd love to, but I got three reasons looking at me for their next meal everyday as to why my time is divided. You are a hell of a teacher and your advise is much appreciated here. Just remember that some of us that have chose this lifestyle buying AAS, supps, food n stuff like that simply can't give everything it takes to reach the top. I don't beleive in using that as an excuse though. As for me, when I find the time I give it everything I have whether it's in the gym, dedication to eating right, being responsble with my AAS use, you name it. Just from this thread alone, OP has Damn near an entire layout from you and others as to how to get to where he is trying to go!! That's why I love this place!:)
 
First off, let me congratulate you for all that you've done.... I know I'm a Brit, but I know only too well what you guys have been doing, the shit you've seen and the trauma you've endured.... so hats off man. Respect.

Now back to the subject.

It comes down to a simple equation. Calories in v Calories out.

Everyone has a TDEE figure (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) if you don't know yours yet. Find it out.
Use the Harris-Benedict formula (google it)

If you CONSISTENTLY keep calories IN below your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) you will lose weight... drop too low and your metabolism will grind to a halt (which is why all these fad juice diets fail so miserably) - because as soon as they revert to a normal diet, back on goes the weight.

What you choose to have in those allotted calories is entirely up to you.

ie: TDEE = 2800 calories

Client 1 consumes 20 bags of potato chips a day coming in at 2600 kcals - he does this every day - he loses weight.
Client 2 consumes 20 salads a day coming in at 3200 kcals - he does this daily - he gains weight.

Yes of course, Client 2 is getting a much higher nutritional value in his meals - but he is getting a surplus of calories and if done consistently he will add weight. Client 1 is getting pretty much zero nutritional value and his hair, skin, teeth etc will suffer in time - but he will lose weight.

So with regard to my own personal cutting - before my cut date I assess my physique, find out my TDEE, set my calorific deficit (harshness depending on urgency) and it's game on. I meet that total pretty much every day, give or take the odd rice cake here or there. Yes, of course it's hard, dieting done properly isn't supposed to be easy - but I have the end goal in sight and I don't accept failure.

If it's leg day I up my carbs a touch and lower fats, and if it's a rest day I'll drop carbs (fuel) right down and raise fats. The total calorific intake never changes. I'll then take photos every 2 weeks, and reassess my progress, adjust if necessary.

Hope that helps.

With regard to supps (for cutting) - I add in caffeine tablets (1 AM, 1 PM), ECGc capsules and EFA's.
Nothing else is needed. The diet, training and AAS will do the work.

I change my training a bit. I will drop the compound heavy lifts from 4 weeks out and replace with more volume, and only add in cardio as and when required.

Muscle preservation when cutting is key, so I don't overdo the cardio, I'd rather give myself a few weeks longer and let the calorie deficit do the work.

It goes without saying that protein must remain high during the cut, I get 80-90% of my protein from whole foods, and only supplement what I haven't got from them.

I'm sure others will chime in with differences of opinion, but this works for me, it has done for many years.
Everyone is a PT and prep coach these days it seems! :nono:

Thanks for the kind words BigBen.. I'll keep it short about the Army. Some of the stuff may have sucked of course and war was hell, it changed me for sure and was hard to cope with. But I will say now that I've moved past all the horrible memories that I can now remember so many fond ones from being deployed too, just times of having fun with buddies or fucked up situations we would laugh at. I try to look at it all now with a fair attitude... The shit that went down wasn't fair to anyone and I lost so many good friends in Mosul it was tough, but I learned sulking and being depressed about it wasn't going to make anything better or change what happened. And now being retired I get lots of time to focus on this lifestyle!

And back to the topic, I have been reading about the TDEE and deficit stuff. I had actually bought a fitbit 2 months ago and I started dropping weight much more once I did. Reason being is it sets a generic BMR based of height weight age and BF for your calorie allowance, but then the tracker records all your movements for the day like stairs climed, steps taking, active minutes and most importantly every exercise session including weights. So once I started basing my calories out on the device I noticed that everyday my needed intake changes, one day I may have done two cardio sessions plus weights but then the next day only one cardio session and no weights, and then how much walking around or running around I did with my kids. So knowing what I'm at everyday is helping a lot and now with that I am dropping about 1.5-2 pounds a week.

As for the foods used well cutting, there will be better results if you avoid things like dairy and lots of fruit right? I mean if I eat 2000 cal based on a 40/40/20 split would that yield the same loss as something based with a lower carb and higher fat? And also timing most of my carb intake around the morning and post workout is best correct? I eat lots of fruits for the vitamins and potassium honestly, I feel like I will fall short on nutrients with cutting most fruit out but I will have to try and make up for that in veggies I guess, there's a good amount of potassium in broccoli and asparagus. That leads me to this question.... well on AAS shouldn't we avoid the extra iron in food? Like dark green veggies and red meat? I had read some where that the iron raises your hematocrit. My current level was 40.1 on my last labs but that was with a shabby diet, chances are in could be a little higher right now with so many greens if I am right. I wanted to remain on the lower side so I don't need to worry much in cycle.

I'm till in the pickle of blood work, I've been searching non-stop and there is no private labs here that just do blood work only... everything needs to be ordered by a doctor in NY it seems. I don't want to cycle without getting labs as I really don't want to fuck myself up so I may end up having to talk to my doctor.

Thanks for the help again man, I'm basing my plan off your advice.
 
Man Ben!! You doing F the F around brother!! If I've never seen any other posts by you, this post alone tells me that you are a man that bases your life around this lifestyle. Correct me if I'd be wrong. Not so many of us are the fortunate or I'd even suppose that dedicated. As I'd agree, a "go with the flow" attitude is no way to get shit done, I'd also say that some, probably many, of us CANT dedicate that kind of time amongst other things to reach the level your at. Oh how I'd love to, but I got three reasons looking at me for their next meal everyday as to why my time is divided. You are a hell of a teacher and your advise is much appreciated here. Just remember that some of us that have chose this lifestyle buying AAS, supps, food n stuff like that simply can't give everything it takes to reach the top. I don't beleive in using that as an excuse though. As for me, when I find the time I give it everything I have whether it's in the gym, dedication to eating right, being responsble with my AAS use, you name it. Just from this thread alone, OP has Damn near an entire layout from you and others as to how to get to where he is trying to go!! That's why I love this place!:)

I'm nowhere near the top brother, and never will be - and I have a wife and a 7yr old girl relying on me too....

Plus I run a full time a job and 2 businesses... so please don't hit me with the 'I wish I had time' cliche. That won't work with me.

You make time. Simple as that.
 
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I'm nowhere near the top brother, and never will be - and I have a wife and a 7yr old girl relying on me too....

Plus I run a full time a job and 2 businesses... so please don't hit me with the 'I wish I had time' cliche. That won't work with me.

You make time. Simple as that.
Yup!! Gotcha. I knew you would have something for me:)
Pretty amazing anyways! Your dedication is inspiring bro
 
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