CCS's body recompositioning journal

[CCS]

I do wonder if the Epistane is helping me recover at all. I'm so sore, I am going to skip tonights workout and just do tricepts tomorrow. Maybe I'll do 20 minutes of light cycling tonight to relieve lactic acid in my legs.

In order to put on 2 pounds of muscle in a week, I need to eat an extra 7000 calories, assuming I don't put on any fat. Actually that is not true, because a pound of muscle is only 20% protein, and at most 50% water. Burning a pound of fat definitely takes the full 3500 calories, since fat tissue is only 20% water. But I'm probably upping my calories burned each day by 500 in the gym, plus more outside of the gym. So I probably have to eat 2000 extra calories per day. I doubt I'm doing that. Maybe I'm so sore because I'm not eating enough. I probably should be eating 4500 calories. I get enough protein, but not enough carbs. If I'm awake 16 hours, I need to eat 500 calories every two hours for a total of 9 meals per day. I'm definitely not doing that yet.

 

[CCS]

and the Epistane powder (10mg + maybe 300mg of maltodextrin) tastes like cool aid.

 

[CCS]

Abstract: I just realized that in order to have a chance at building muscle, I need 4000 cal/day @ 25% protein to build 2 pounds of muscle per week, and 3300 cal/day @ 25% protein per day to build 1 pounds of muscle per week. This is based on mass balances and calorie estimates.



Suppose I, a 5'8" male, need 2100 calories per day just to maintain myself if I'm sedentary. Working out twice per day probably increases base caloric demads 30%, to 2800 calories per day. Each of my 40 minute workouts probably burns 500 calories. Then 2 pounds per week of muscle is 50% water, so 500g x 6 calories per gram = 3000 calories, so add 500 calories per day, to get 4300 calories. Lean muscle has fat in it. Red beaf with the fat cut off has about 45% fat, some between the muscle strands, some in the cell membranes. Finally, if I can get in 7 meals a day, that is 600 calories per meal. My oatmeal is 300 calories per big bowl, so I need to add fruits, fish, vegies, and nuts. Building those cell walls requires essential fatty acids. Coco nut, cocoa, yogart, sesame, flax, and sunflower should do the trick.

Protein: assume FDA is right that I need 15% protein to maintain. So 300 cal of protein = 75g, = 80g later when I'm bigger. To grow 2 pounds of muscle, I need 300g extra of protein. That is if it all turns to muscle, and not sugar. So I need 50g extra per day, plus insurance. Let's say 225g per day, which is generous, at 1.5g x 150 pounds. That is 900 calories / 4300 calories = about 22% protein. So I probably only need 1 can of mackerel, and my whey and cheeze and oats and yogart should do the rest.

so I'm really sore, and I think it is because I'm just not eating enough. So I should not be putting down the Epistane yet. Glad I figured this out after just two days, instead of later. It is mathematically impossible to grow if I don't eat a lot more.

 

[Harie]

so I'm really sore, and I think it is because I'm just not eating enough.

Of course you're sore. You're a beginner lifter, and your body isn't not used to lifting weights at the volume you're doing. Eating definitely helps recovery though.

 

[The Gardener]

I can't believe what I'm reading.

 

[CCS]

I can't believe what I'm reading.

oh well. believe it. no side effects yet, that I can see anyway.

 

[joseph49853]

I can't believe what I'm reading.

I believe a lot of 'health' advice in this thread, and others *cough* steroid thread *cough*, will be regretted some day. Most people never see themselves as getting (older) old and facing consequences. Cause and effect. As they say, don't try this at home kids.

I can't believe what I'm reading.

 

[Harie]

I believe a lot of 'health' advice in this thread, and others *cough* steroid thread *cough*, will be regretted some day. Most people never see themselves as getting (older) old and facing consequences. Cause and effect. As they say, don't try this at home kids.

What advice do you think will be regretted some day? The only thing I think CCS may regret is that he used "gear" (quotes because it's not real gear) so early in his lifting career. He will never see his natural genetic potential.

But since he has decided to go this route, why shouldn't those that have knowledge on exercise, eating & gear try to help him? I don't subscribe to the train of thought that DocJ has where he withholds knowledge when he disagrees with what people are doing. I'd rather help someone out, even though I disagree with that they're doing, than see them get hurt or killed because I withheld my knowledge of the subject.

Besides, Epistane is hardly true hard core gear. The cycle is 3 weeks, so it's not very hard on the liver, & CCS is using cycle support too...Plus a decent PCT. Much, much better than lots of newb AAS users that haven't a clue about PCT & liver support.

 

[Harie]

Harie what are the affects of this steroid?? does it ruin hair like stanazol and dianabol?

Possible Sides are just like any other steroid: Acne, hair loss, prostate problems, testicular atrophy, gyno, high blood pressure, poor cholesterol profile etc.

 

[CCS]

why exactly won't I see my natural potential? Because Epistane will desensitize my muscles to androgens?

 

[Harie]

why exactly won't I see my natural potential? Because Epistane will desensitize my muscles to androgens?

That's 1 theory out there...AAS virgin androgen receptors seeing the greatest gains and such. And after coming off gear, you don't get as good of gains as you once did naturally.

IMO, it's a myriad of things besides the above.

1. You are on gear even though you are a beginner
2. You didn't/don't know how to eat properly
3. You didn't/don't know what exercises to perform to grow
4. Your connective tissues are still at NEWB levels, which can not support the added muscle
5. Instead of learning to train properly and eat properly, you resorted to "AAS" to boost your gains quickly.

All these things combined together are why.

Ok, so on cycle, lets say you gain 10lbs of pure muscle. Your connective tissues aren't strong enough to support this added 10lbs of muscle that you gained in 3 weeks. You weren't dedicated enough to gain said 10lbs of muscle naturally, so you have no clue how to eat or train to support said added muscle = bye bye 10lbs of muscle.

Unless these areas area addressed, I see the beginnings of an AAS abuser. You gained 10lbs in 3 weeks, but lose 7lbs, 8lbs, or all of it in 2 months because of the above...So you do another cycle and gain 15lbs of muscle...Which in a few months, you lose most of because of the above, so you do another cycle. And repeat, repeat, repeat. All the while needing ever increasing amts of gear to gain weight.


My point is, you could have gained a good 20 - 50lbs of mostly muscle naturaly in 1 year's time without a giant amt of effort on your part. Beginner gains can rival the gains a 1st time AAS user gets. Heck, I've seen logs of beginner lifters that gained 30 - 40lbs in 6 months. No, they are not genetic freaks, and yes, some of it is fat, but it's definitely possible.

In year 2, another 10 - 15lbs of muscle naturally with effort. Year 3, you could have put on 5 - 10lbs of muscle with a good diet & a year long training plan...By which time you'd be close to your natural genetic limit, having gained anywhere from 35 - 75lbs (depending on body type). After 3 years, you have a track record of proper nutrition & proper exercising. THEN, you may be ready for gear.

For those that don't believe a beginner lifter can gain 30 - 40lbs of mostly muscle in 6 months, I myself did it when I ran Starting Strength. Went from 200lbs to 228lbs and only increased my waist size by 1"; all in 5 months. I didn't have a super special diet, and I wasn't in the gym more than 3 hours per week. I still ate semi-healthy fast food for lunch 5x/week, didn't take anything except fish oil & protein powder as supplements. Eat + lifting = growth.

 

[CCS]

30-40 pounds is way more than I want to gain. Well, my sister's boyfreind says I should weigh 175. I'm 150 now, and could lose 5-10 pounds of fat. So maybe that is reasonable. I just want to be 160, and want to be halfway there kind of fast.

Anyway, as far as my tendons go, I think a good safety precaution would be to stop when my strength increases 20%. I think 1 pound of muscle evenly spread over the body = 4 extra pounds of bench press strength. So 4 pounds on my upper body is 32 pounds of bench press strength, which is less than 20% my max. So I can gain maybe 5 pounds before I stop.

I'm not convinced that the androgen receptor stays down regulated for long. But with the strongest steroids, it could get damaged. My main concern now is whether I want to add just 5 pounds, then do PCT, then add more, or just do it naturally. Or maybe boost natural testosterone instead. I think 5 pounds in a month is the absolute max I can gain naturally, and 1-2 pounds is more likely.

Hairy, I estimate that adding 1 inch to your waist is only 3 pounds of fat on your body. If the fat is only in a 15 cm high band, it would be 1 pound of fat. So those are good results for 30 pounds of muscle.



The woman I was dating who said we are just friends by last night said she had a good dream that we were married, said I'm very skinny and she worries about me. I'm 5'8", 150 pounds, 32 inch waist. I agree my 12.5 inch arms are small, though.

 

[CCS]

that is what topical RU and spironolactone shampoo are for. Besides, body building raises natural testosterone, which is bad for hair, and not stopping me from doing it. Epistane is not strong. It is barely super physiological, and I don't think it converts to DHT.

 

[hair today gone tomorrow]

that is what topical RU and spironolactone shampoo are for. Besides, body building raises natural testosterone, which is bad for hair, and not stopping me from doing it. Epistane is not strong. It is barely super physiological, and I don't think it converts to DHT.

no body building cause a SPIKE in testosterone...your levels go back to normal after a few hours....similar to sex.

 

[CCS]

If a guy goes to the gym for 30 minutes of good exercise, he'll have a spike that goes back to normal in a few hours. True. But if he works out 5x a week for several months, his testosterone levels will be higher all day than they would have been had he not been exercising a lot. Also, cardio lowers testosterone for fast twitch guys and raises it for slow twitch guys.

As an example, my 60 year old father has testosterone levels that are on the high side of normal for a 20 year old. Those are his resting levels, too. I think it is because he exercises so much. He can do more chin ups than I can.

 

[CCS]

the good thing about exercise is it makes your muscles more sensitive to testosterone and growth hormone, so they will grow even at lower levels.

The more you eat, the more mass you put on. the more testosterone you have, the higher the percentage of that mass that will be muscle at any given amount. Though the more you eat, the higher the percentage that will be fat.

Since the point of exericing is to make muscles sensitive to hormones, i think 27 sets at once is not necessarily a good idea. It may be better to just 30 minutes of work more days per week. the goal is to make your muscles sensitive to anabolic hormones, not catabolic ones. This is why I'm just going to do 12-15 sets per muscle group each day, and do two muscle groups a few hours apart.

 

[hair today gone tomorrow]

If a guy goes to the gym for 30 minutes of good exercise, he'll have a spike that goes back to normal in a few hours. True. But if he works out 5x a week for several months, his testosterone levels will be higher all day than they would have been had he not been exercising a lot.

no the increase would be negligible...esp. for the average gym goer.

 

[CCS]

well then my father is a lucky genetic freak or his diet is doing something. He eats about 1300 calories per day and still builds muscle. His diet is about 10% protein. Weird.

He is not happy with the rate at which he building muscle, though. He is very willing to eat more protein if it will help him, so I'm going to mail him some whey protein.

 

[CCS]

I'm really thinking 12-15 sets EOD is much better for me than 27 every 4 days. Also, if the Epistane is everywhere in my body, I should make sure it is not wasted. So more muscle groups each day is better than just one.

Another key is to always eat something every 2-3 hours. It does not have to be big. I should not eat a lot if I really am not hungry. I noticed on my first two days that there were many times when I was hungry and not near my apartment. I think if I always have food for when I'm hungry, I won't have to force as much down at other times.

 

[CCS]

Now my friend wants me to buy him some stuff that is illegal in California. I'll do it, but only if he is willing to educate himself on PCT. I told him about estrogen reduction, he said, "sounds like and interesting theory." I told him it is no theory, and all the pro's know about it and it works.