What do you do once you reach your goal?

[enzo321]

Wasn't sure what section in the forum I would put this, but like the title says...

So when you reach your goal physique/desired weight what do you do? Do you just stop?

I'm curious because my goal physique is fairly easy to obtain once I begin cycling, but I see some of you big guys on here coming in at 6,3 and 260+ lbs. What the fuck do you guys do?

I pretty much just want to get to 240lbs @ 7% bodyfat.

 

[enzo321]

Just a side question, but also how do you know it's time to begin a cycle?

I've been contemplating a cycle, but the only thing that deters me is the possibility of ruining my health. Not entirely sure if I want to marry the needle.
Right now I'm 20, 5,10 and 200lbs with around 18-20% bodyfat.

 

[halfwit]

I'll let you know when I get there.

Pretty sure body dysmorphia prevents us from ever fully reaching our goals as there will always be something to change. 7% body fat isn't something you can just "stop" once you've gotten there either. I've yet to meet anyone that gets to sub-10% and can remain there without a lot of hard work and constant diet monitoring.

My .02c

 

[enzo321]

I'll let you know when I get there.

Pretty sure body dysmorphia prevents us from ever fully reaching our goals as there will always be something to change. 7% body fat isn't something you can just "stop" once you've gotten there either. I've yet to meet anyone that gets to sub-10% and can remain there without a lot of hard work and constant diet monitoring.

My .02c

Well it's not a weight I would maintain - just a goal that I can claim. You know when I'm old I can be like "Yup, I did that". I've been sub 10% without drugs, and it's not a fun thing - destroyed my sex drive and general hormonal health for a few weeks.

 

[Epic Ed]

Set a new goal. You are never stagnant. You're either getting better or allowing yourself to get worse.

 

[comrade00]

in bodybuilding you never reach your goal because you will create new goals each time a goal is reached...if that makes sense

 

[Epic Ed]

Just a side question, but also how do you know it's time to begin a cycle?

I've been contemplating a cycle, but the only thing that deters me is the possibility of ruining my health. Not entirely sure if I want to marry the needle.
Right now I'm 20, 5,10 and 200lbs with around 18-20% bodyfat.

Go by the time on = time off rule. If you just ran a 12 week cycle gve your body 12 weeks to recover before doing another cycle. That adivce, of course, is for anyone wanting to give their HPT axis time to recover and get natty test production back to normal. At age 20 that should be a priority for you.

 

[jets]

My goal is to be at 205 and 8% bodyfat which is about a year more of work. I know once I get there I wont stop hitting the gym and be content. I'm going to want to keep growing and get to my next goal at that time. In my opinion in, bodybuilding there is no end, you just keep growing, everyone wants to be the best!

 

[halfwit]

Well it's not a weight I would maintain - just a goal that I can claim. You know when I'm old I can be like "Yup, I did that". I've been sub 10% without drugs, and it's not a fun thing - destroyed my sex drive and general hormonal health for a few weeks.

I've been at 8% body fat before and while I didn't wreck my body getting there, it was a lot of hard work. The problem is that you'll always find something that needs to be "fixed" with our bodies. I can't really answer your question on cycling as it's a very personal and individualistic question with just as many possible personal reasons. Many start cycling as a "shortcut" to reach their goals, which usually blows up in their faces as they're not ready or have unrealistic goals for what AAS can do for them. Health is pretty easy to maintain outside the possibility of wrecking your HPTA; which wasn't an issue for me as mine was hosed before I started.

 

[enzo321]

Go by the time on = time off rule. If you just ran a 12 week cycle gve your body 12 weeks to recover before doing another cycle. That adivce, of course, is for anyone wanting to give their HPT axis time to recover and get natty test production back to normal. At age 20 that should be a priority for you.

Not time in a literal since; time as in - When do you know it's time to take that next leap, and start using the big boy supplements.

 

[ryan640]

Once you perfect one body part you will notice another part lacking its a vicious never ending cycle but that's why we love this sport

 

[enzo321]

I've been at 8% body fat before and while I didn't wreck my body getting there, it was a lot of hard work. The problem is that you'll always find something that needs to be "fixed" with our bodies. I can't really answer your question on cycling as it's a very personal and individualistic question with just as many possible personal reasons. Many start cycling as a "shortcut" to reach their goals, which usually blows up in their faces as they're not ready or have unrealistic goals for what AAS can do for them. Health is pretty easy to maintain outside the possibility of wrecking your HPTA; which wasn't an issue for me as mine was hosed before I started.

Gotcha. I've just been debating for over a year with myself, and for some reason there's a part of that once to get on AAS as what I want to achieve isn't possible without it; but then there's a part of that's like "Well you made it this far do you really need them"?

My main reason is to look like a white Terry Crew, and I've lost a substantial amount of fat.

I was 281lbs at my heaviest(that's recorded), and I got all the way down to 165lbs(lightest that was recorded) trying to rid myself of that belly pouch in the lower abs. Pretty sure it's loose skin and I'm SOL unless I get surgery, which is one of the main reasons I also want to try AAS. I refuse surgery as I don't want a huge ass scar, but I can refill it with one of two things fat, or muscle - and obviously I don't want it to be fat...

 

[letsgetyolked]

Haha, I literally just signed in to ask a similar question on a thread.

 

[Epic Ed]

Not time in a literal since; time as in - When do you know it's time to take that next leap, and start using the big boy supplements.

Ah. Got ya. Being an older guy I probably have a different perspective on that guideline than someone younger might offer. Part of the decision needs to be based on body physiology and the other part based on personal maturity. Unless you are getting PAID for physically performing in athletics at a high level I don't think anyone should start running AAS until they are at least 23-25. Any reason other than a lucrative athletic career is just a case of being impatient. I think a guy will really benefit in the long run by getting 4-6 years of solid strength training under his belt and pushing the limits of his natural muscle building capacity before considering the AAS route. Even then, you'd be hard pressed to argue that 4-6 years of training has really given an individual enough time to really reach full natural potential but by then you've at least had an opportunity to dial in a good lifting protocol and dial in some solid diet concepts.

Secondly, there's the maturity factor. Running gear can affect people in strange ways. I believe the younger and more invincible a guy believes he is the more likely he is to act like an asshole and perhaps make some really bad choices while on cycle about judging the affects of sides on his health, or judging the affects of AAS on his behaviors and attitudes.

 

[halfwit]

Gotcha. I've just been debating for over a year with myself, and for some reason there's a part of that once to get on AAS as what I want to achieve isn't possible without it; but then there's a part of that's like "Well you made it this far do you really need them"?

My main reason is to look like a white Terry Crew, and I've lost a substantial amount of fat.

I was 281lbs at my heaviest(that's recorded), and I got all the way down to 165lbs(lightest that was recorded) trying to rid myself of that belly pouch in the lower abs. Pretty sure it's loose skin and I'm SOL unless I get surgery, which is one of the main reasons I also want to try AAS. I refuse surgery as I don't want a huge ass scar, but I can refill it with one of two things fat, or muscle - and obviously I don't want it to be fat...

I think you know the answer to your question then: Not yet. Once you get to the point where you can no longer progress, maybe that's when you can take a step back and reevaluate things once again. Loose skin unfortunately isn't something that AAS will necessarily help with either as most of the skin is likely in your abdominal region, which should tighten up a bit more over time unless you're 40+ and the elasticity of your skin has started to decline. I do however agree with you in that adding muscle will not only help you to reach your goals, but to maintain them.

Terry Crews most certainly has a physique worth aspiring for. Just remember that you still need to dedicate the time and effort to proper nutrition and exercise to reach that goal. I do certainly wish you the best of luck in reaching that goal.

 

[enzo321]

Ah. Got ya. Being an older guy I probably have a different perspective on that guideline than someone younger might offer. Part of the decision needs to be based on body physiology and the other part based on personal maturity. Unless you are getting PAID for physically performing in athletics at a high level I don't think anyone should start running AAS until they are at least 23-25. Any reason other than a lucrative athletic career is just a case of being impatient. I think a guy will really benefit in the long run by getting 4-6 years of solid strength training under his belt and pushing the limits of his natural muscle building capacity before considering the AAS route. Even then, you'd be hard pressed to argue that 4-6 years of training has really given an individual enough time to really reach full natural potential but by then you've at least had an opportunity to dial in a good lifting protocol and dial in some solid diet concepts.

Secondly, there's the maturity factor. Running gear can affect people in strange ways. I believe the younger and more invincible a guy believes he is the more likely he is to act like an asshole and perhaps make some really bad choices while on cycle about judging the affects of sides on his health, or judging the affects of AAS on his behaviors and attitudes.

Yeah, I've used the same logic when conversing with myself about taking em. The 2nd issue isn't one I would realistically face as I'm a pretty vanilla person. I don't drink, smoke, or consume any drug outside of your average caffeine consumption. Me making dumb decisions doesn't seem to plausible. I guess the only real deterrent for me is gyno and male pattern baldness. Being married to the needle isn't so much of an issue as I was suppose to be married to my inhaler.

I think it's partially due to impatience, but I think I will take the leap forward in the next coming months. My brain tells me wait five years, but my ego says you can do a lot in five years if you do decide to stay on cycle. I think it's because I see AAS as a life long commitment - not something you do once and never do again.

 

[bushleaguechew]

Yeah, I've used the same logic when conversing with myself about taking em. The 2nd issue isn't one I would realistically face as I'm a pretty vanilla person. I don't drink, smoke, or consume any drug outside of your average caffeine consumption. Me making dumb decisions doesn't seem to plausible. I guess the only real deterrent for me is gyno and male pattern baldness. Being married to the needle isn't so much of an issue as I was suppose to be married to my inhaler.

I think it's partially due to impatience, but I think I will take the leap forward in the next coming months. My brain tells me wait five years, but my ego says you can do a lot in five years if you do decide to stay on cycle. I think it's because I see AAS as a life long commitment - not something you do once and never do again.

I've thought about that as well. (Staying on aas for life)

Who's to say you won't change your mind in a few years? Priorities change, things happen. I know things I said I would do/wouldn't do have turned out not to be true as I've aged.

Edit: My current plan is to properly post until I have kids and don't have to worry about a failed HTPA preventing that. Then it's hello testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)

 

[notdorianyates]

I'll let you know when I get there.

Pretty sure body dysmorphia prevents us from ever fully reaching our goals as there will always be something to change. 7% body fat isn't something you can just "stop" once you've gotten there either. I've yet to meet anyone that gets to sub-10% and can remain there without a lot of hard work and constant diet monitoring.

My .02c

I'm gonna take that 2c and double it (4 right?) - I reckon you have hit it square in the head here, at least in my case and two of my main workout buddies. Body dismorphia is a massive drive to just keep us going, looking in the mirror one day and thinking 'gees I'm smaller than 6 months ago' whilst one week later I am feeling pumped and huge. BUT what a fantastic, if inadvertent way of addressing it, out of all the ways on the 21st century people deal with dismorphia, lifting and pro actively, positively and painstakingly altering your physical form has to be the most remarkably impressive manifestations of body dismorphia.

That might be just under 2cents value, but it's early over here ;~)

 

[Mad- scientist]

Honestly to do or not to do steroids is something that has a million different answers that should be considered age, health, mental stability, physical fitness level, determination, research, ect... Honestly though me personally what made me realize I want to continue down the path of taking them after stopping for a year and a half was that I was really loosing my ability to stay motivated when I knew the best shape I could attain naturally was not even close to where I wanted to be. I got complements all the time because I was in great shape but even those compliments made my anger grow as I would just think of physiques like Nassar, and jay cutler , and phill heat ect... And realize that these people complimenting me had no idea what was lurking around on the pro stages and top NPC stages.

I really started to get pissed off no matter how good of shape I got in and I swear it made me depressed and was effecting the quality of my life. I felt I was loosing precious time every day. And so I eventually got to the point where I realized anything bad no matter how bad that came about from my decision to continue down the road of using steroids was worth it. Because I could put those feelings to rest. And know that I tried my hardest to attain my goal. I think you need to wait tell you are at least at the age of 23 or 24. At least if you decide you don't want to use steroids at that age your close to done growing.

 

[notdorianyates]

Honestly to do or not to do steroids is something that has a million different answers that should be considered age, health, mental stability, physical fitness level, determination, research, ect... Honestly though me personally what made me realize I want to continue down the path of taking them after stopping for a year and a half was that I was really loosing my ability to stay motivated when I knew the best shape I could attain naturally was not even close to where I wanted to be. I got complements all the time because I was in great shape but even those compliments made my anger grow as I would just think of physiques like Nassar, and jay cutler , and phill heat ect... And realize that these people complimenting me had no idea what was lurking around on the pro stages and top NPC stages.

I really started to get pissed off no matter how good of shape I got in and I swear it made me depressed and was effecting the quality of my life. I felt I was loosing precious time every day. And so I eventually got to the point where I realized anything bad no matter how bad that came about from my decision to continue down the road of using steroids was worth it. Because I could put those feelings to rest. And know that I tried my hardest to attain my goal. I think you need to wait tell you are at least at the age of 23 or 24. At least if you decide you don't want to use steroids at that age your close to done growing.

Really honest post mate, lot of resonance.