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[Sindre]

I am training for my first figure competition on November 1. I have been having a lot of trouble shedding the last 10 pounds to my goal weight. I have been EXTREMELY tired over the last week and yesterday I caved and had a complete melt down from the diet. I felt so good, but now I am on the rebound with water retention. I also started using test prop two days ago and I think that may be contributing to the swelling. I am so smoothed out today. I am wondering if any of you ladies has any advice for me with this test prop. I took 50 ml on Friday and plan on taking the next dose on Tuesday or Wednesday this week. I am desperate to cut out the last bit of fat that I need to get rid of. I have been doing cardio for 50 minutes twice a day every day with a 3 on 1 off lifting routine and a 900 calorie per day diet. I was losing about 5 pounds a week until this last week. I think my metabolism stalled and I needed a re-boot. Anyway, I have noticed that since I started the test prop on Friday, both of my mandibular lymph nodes (behind my ears) are painful and swollen. Could there be any corellation and if so, is it normal? I know that I have really laid out a lot of questions. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Sindre

 

[Sindre]

Bump!

 

[supergirl]

First of all.. did you mean that you did 50mg? Not 50ml?...

at 900 calories, your body is in starvation mode and you will hold weight rather than lose it. Pre-contest I was consuming around 1200-1700 calories and cycling my carbs..

Test prop will shock your system for sure; especially as a woman. Yes you can get a bit of a flu feeling from it.. Also, test will build muscle and you may hold water. Every woman's body responds differently to aas. Even though prop is pretty anabolic, it is still test.
25mg every other day or every 3rd day is a better dosage imo, but then again I am a bit more conservative with dosages as I steer away from negative sides and virilization as much as I can.

Hope this helps a bit

best of luck to you
Supes

 

[DADAWG]

welcome and listen to SG

 

[Dreaded Pirate Roberts]

I hate to say it but it has been too long sense I worked with someone that was dialing in for a competition. Super Girl is going to be better suited to help you. add 1 cup of oat meal to your morning meal to get your energy levels back up to burn. Make sure you supplementing patisium and increase Diatary Fiber. This will help alot. Good luck in the competition. Welcome to the board

 

[Minnesota Muscle]

I hate to say it but it has been too long sense I worked with someone that was dialing in for a competition. Super Girl is going to be better suited to help you. add 1 cup of oat meal to your morning meal to get your energy levels back up to burn. Make sure you supplementing patisium and increase Diatary Fiber. This will help alot. Good luck in the competition. Welcome to the board

You know I have been wondering if I shouldn't add a something like oatmeal or Kashi to my diet to get my energy levels back up. What I have noticed is that I feel tremendously better when I carb up and I remainn in ketosis as well. I find that I get a better energy boost from Kashi Go Lean and it has fewer carbs than oatmeal with more protein. Go figure. Thanks for the advice, I may try that like twice a week instead of once a week. Thank you!

 

[Minnesota Muscle]

First of all.. did you mean that you did 50mg? Not 50ml?...

at 900 calories, your body is in starvation mode and you will hold weight rather than lose it. Pre-contest I was consuming around 1200-1700 calories and cycling my carbs..

Test prop will shock your system for sure; especially as a woman. Yes you can get a bit of a flu feeling from it.. Also, test will build muscle and you may hold water. Every woman's body responds differently to aas. Even though prop is pretty anabolic, it is still test.
25mg every other day or every 3rd day is a better dosage imo, but then again I am a bit more conservative with dosages as I steer away from negative sides and virilization as much as I can.

Hope this helps a bit


best of luck to you
Supes

This helps a lot. Since the first dose of, yes, 50 mg (I got confused-I blame lack of food) we have started 25 mg on Friday and Tuesday. That seems to work well. I still get a little flu like symptoms on the day of, but they are generally gone the next day. I have not had any androgenic side effects. I have noticed muscle gain along with a harder physique. My upper body is coming in nicely now. I have a definite energy and strengh increase on the test. I am able to train harder and last longer on the cardio. I feel great. I think I will do alright in the competition. It will definitely be good experience. If I weren't getting married next year, I would compete again in the spring. But, I have been waiting for this wedding for a long time and at least I will look great in my wedding gown! Anyway, one side effect I am really hating is my breast tenderness and the menstrual like cramps. I think I have been ovulating the last couple of days and it is more painful than before. Although, I am still on the recovery from that stupid depo shot. Which I would never recommend to anyone, by the way. Thanks for your information. I hope to talk with you more as my cycle continues. By the way, we plan on my last dose being next week Friday on the 24th, which is 8 days before the contest. Any thoughts on that? I have rambled enough now. Thanks again!

Sindre

 

[Minnesota Muscle]

Thanks to everyone for the welcome and the information!

 

[Sindre]

This helps a lot. Since the first dose of, yes, 50 mg (I got confused-I blame lack of food) we have started 25 mg on Friday and Tuesday. That seems to work well. I still get a little flu like symptoms on the day of, but they are generally gone the next day. I have not had any androgenic side effects. I have noticed muscle gain along with a harder physique. My upper body is coming in nicely now. I have a definite energy and strengh increase on the test. I am able to train harder and last longer on the cardio. I feel great. I think I will do alright in the competition. It will definitely be good experience. If I weren't getting married next year, I would compete again in the spring. But, I have been waiting for this wedding for a long time and at least I will look great in my wedding gown! Anyway, one side effect I am really hating is my breast tenderness and the menstrual like cramps. I think I have been ovulating the last couple of days and it is more painful than before. Although, I am still on the recovery from that stupid depo shot. Which I would never recommend to anyone, by the way. Thanks for your information. I hope to talk with you more as my cycle continues. By the way, we plan on my last dose being next week Friday on the 24th, which is 8 days before the contest. Any thoughts on that? I have rambled enough now. Thanks again!

Sindre

Yeah, this is my post. The Mr. didn't sign out when he was done. He doesn't use this as often as I, so I just assume that I am still signed in when I get on here. Sorry for any confusion.

 

[supergirl]

Anyway, one side effect I am really hating is my breast tenderness and the menstrual like cramps. I think I have been ovulating the last couple of days and it is more painful than before. Although, I am still on the recovery from that stupid depo shot. Which I would never recommend to anyone, by the way.

hmmm.. usually test will give lighter periods.. perhaps as you said, you are still recovering from the depo shot.. That was the worst mistake I also ever made!! Took so long to rebalance myself from that.

By the way, we plan on my last dose being next week Friday on the 24th, which is 8 days before the contest. Any thoughts on that?

Well, my thoughts on pre-contest usually is not to change a damn thing.. your body should be pretty dimed in 2 weeks out and then consisitency is the key however when it comes to test and women, everyone reacts differently.. you may stop the test and drop water.. OR you may stop the test and have a rebound and gain water.. It is hard to to gauge which is why most competitors don't trial and error pre-contest but rather off season... You learn to do all the experimenting OFF season so that when it comes to your show, you are on track knowing what, how, when and why.. so unfortunetly I don't know how your body will react to stopping the test 8 days out.. IMO if you are doing well and seeing the results you like, I personally would continue right through the show and stop after.. OR if you decide to stop, watch your body closely and have a diruetic on hand in case you need to pull off water the day before or of your show...
I like to play it safe with the philosophy that if something is working, keep doing it through the show.. why stop and chance screwing up.. It is your decision as to how you think your body will respond.

supes

 

[Sindre]

hmmm.. usually test will give lighter periods.. perhaps as you said, you are still recovering from the depo shot.. That was the worst mistake I also ever made!! Took so long to rebalance myself from that.

I have no bleeding anymore since starting the test. The cramps have decreased today along with the breast tenderness. I hate depo!

 

[Sindre]

Well, my thoughts on pre-contest usually is not to change a damn thing.. your body should be pretty dimed in 2 weeks out and then consisitency is the key however when it comes to test and women, everyone reacts differently.. you may stop the test and drop water.. OR you may stop the test and have a rebound and gain water.. It is hard to to gauge which is why most competitors don't trial and error pre-contest but rather off season... You learn to do all the experimenting OFF season so that when it comes to your show, you are on track knowing what, how, when and why.. so unfortunetly I don't know how your body will react to stopping the test 8 days out.. IMO if you are doing well and seeing the results you like, I personally would continue right through the show and stop after.. OR if you decide to stop, watch your body closely and have a diruetic on hand in case you need to pull off water the day before or of your show...
I like to play it safe with the philosophy that if something is working, keep doing it through the show.. why stop and chance screwing up.. It is your decision as to how you think your body will respond.

supes

I think that agree with you. I am seeing definite positive results and the water is minimal at this point. I plan to start aldactone, 25 mg x 1 with taraxatone next Wednesday increasing to x 2 Aldactone on Thursday and x1 on Saturday morning. Each day will carry a single dose of taraxatone with the aldactone except for Saturday. Do you think that would interact negatively with the test? I am really concerned about feeling like crap if I stop the test 8 days out. I would hate to feel shitty and tired and bloated on the day of the contest. I think that my body is reacting very well to it now that it has grown accustomed to the test. I love what it has done for me. I also agree with you about the trial and error part being done on the off season. I started dieting late and needed an extra push. I am slightly ashamed to say that the test was started out of desperation. I will know now for my next contest the right and wrong way to go about contest prep.

You have been so helpful and you really seem very knowledgable. You have my undying gratitude.

 

[sean usmc]

supergirl is on point.....wow..

 

[CaptainAwesome]

at 900 calories, your body is in starvation mode and you will hold weight rather than lose it.

i dont really understand the starvation mode concept. i know i have never taken it to a competitive level but it just seems to me that if you dont eat you lose weight. nobody on survivor is getting fat. of course, you dont want to lose muscle either so there needs to be a happy balance.

 

[supergirl]

i dont really understand the starvation mode concept. i know i have never taken it to a competitive level but it just seems to me that if you dont eat you lose weight. nobody on survivor is getting fat. of course, you dont want to lose muscle either so there needs to be a happy balance.

basically if you don't eat, your body will "hold" onto the calories you consume rather than "burn" them.. The reason being is that when you go awhile without eating, your body doesn't know when it will get fuel again so it stores.. If you eat consistently, your body gets into a routine; knowing when it will get its next meal so it will burn calories for energy rather than store them for reserves