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First Cycle Planning. 6', 165 Pounds

Pharma
#1

Planning to start my first cycle in a few months, need advice on certain things.

My current stats:
Age: 26
Weight: 165 lbs [74 kg]
Height: 6" [183 cm]
*BF%: Around 16% *

Current nutrition: Clean bulk, 5 meals a day, about 4000-4500 calories in total.
50-30-20 Carbs-Protein-Fat ratio
Working out 5 times a week, I’ve been up by 20 lbs for 5 months, with noticeable muscle gain (some fat as well unfortunately). I’ve been stuck on the same size the last 2 months though, even though I’m increasing my calorie and protein intake each week.

Goals: Reach 185 lbs by the end of August with maintainable, quality muscle and no fat gain.

**Planned cycle: **
**Test Prop 100mg EOD - Week 1 - 8
Proviron 50mg ED - Week 1 - 8
Nolvadex 40/40/20/20 starting 3 days after last pin

“hcg question below”
**

I chose prop instead of E because I don’t mind pinning eod, in fact I enjoy it for some reason, but at the same time I want to feel it quicker and also get it out of my system quicker after the cycle ends, so that’s it. 8 weeks instead of 12, because from what I’ve read and heard from people in person, about 80% of the gains come in the first 8 weeks, while after that they slow down. The proviron I’m not sure if it is strong enough to prevent gyno, but I’ve read some not so good stuff about arimidex, so I’d rather just be cautious and use the nolva if I feel my nipples getting itchy.

My only big question is about hcg which i’d like to include, as I’ve read so many conflicting opinion, I’m not quite sure what to believe. Some say to start at the beginning of the cycle, some say to start two week into cycle when testicular atrophy becomes apparent, some use it before PCT and some use it during PCT, and everybody has their fair share of arguments as to why their timing is the best, so I’m still quite interested in what you guys think.

That’s it so far, any advice and constructive criticism is more than welcome, thanks.

#2

Correction, body fat is around 14%, haven’t measured it accurately last time

#3

I think hcg is unnecessary for a blast especially a first cycle.

I would run the prop out 10-12 weeks.

I have to be honest with you tho. These stats are garbage for someone who wants to cycle. You can easily tack on a quick 15lbs of lean muscle without gear then use the gear once gains slow down.

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#4

How though, I’m struggling with gaining muscle without putting out fat as well. My protein intake is about 250 grams a day, which is twice as the expected amount for my size. Not sure what I’m doing wrong, any advice is greatly appreciated, but I’ve been seriously stuck on this for the past two and something months

#5

I mean, I can quickly go up to 175 pounds right away by upping my calorie intake even more, but how much of it is going to be muscle anyway

#6

Oh, by the way, I can postpone the cycle for a few months, half a year even. It’s not that I’m gonna order the stuff tomorrow, I’m just trying to have it well planned out beforehand.

#7

Heres the thing if your having a hard time gaining muscle naturally using steroids isn’t going to be the magic bullet.

You can find tons of threads where guys run cycles because they have a hard time gaining and end up with shit results.

You need to be able to gain naturally and cut naturally before being able to fully utilize the benefits of steroids.

Now here’s the tricky part. There is no set diet or training routine that works for everyone. So what works for me might do nothing for you. That’s why you need to experiment. My best reccomendation is to run 2 month trials. Tweak the diet the only thing that stays consistent is protein intake. Otherwise try carb cycling, try low fat high simple carbs, try low fat high complex carbs low simple carbs try high carb/no carb days. There is so many variations of diets and ways you can tweak it you have to find what works for you. Once you have that down youl notice the muscle piling on. And you will also be much more happier with the results of your cycle.

4 Likes
#8

This is called “life”. What you are describing is not unique to you at all. It is impossible—let me repeat, impossible—to not put on some fat in a calorie surplus. It’s how our bodies work.

You are eating an insane amount of calories per day for a guy your size and yet you’re not fat. I’m 20lbs heavier than you and if I ate that many calories a day I’d look like the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man. So if you’re not getting fat and you’re not gaining muscle then where are all those calories going? Either you’re wrong about the calorie count (which seems unlikely) or your maintenance level is very high and you need more.

#9

I’ve gained a lot in the past few months, as I said I went up by 20 lbs for 5 months, which I believe is not a bad result. However, it’s only been in the past two months that I’m stuck on the same size, which really seems weird, but could it be that the body can gain tolerance to calories as well?

If I cut back to supposedly maintenance level for my size for a month, instead of getting a huge surplus, and then go back to the 4000 calories a day, would I continue to gain? I’m really financially restricted to be able to up my intake to say 6000 calories a day, that’s way too much money for food, of course I’m trying to get quality food, I could easily reach those calories with junk for ever cheaper than what I spend now, but I’m not sure gaining fat is what I’m looking for.

I’m not sure if this is just me individually or a common problem, but trying to gain muscle without putting out a lot of fat is a huge pain in the ass.

#10

Or, could it be that I burn a lot of calories as well? I’m pretty active I must say, I don’t drive or take public transport anymore, so I walk for like 4 hours a day and also add 1 hour in the gym, I might easily burn 1000 of those 4000 calories I’m taking, so 3000 might be what I’m getting in the end.

#11

If you’re eating at maintenance based on where it was 20lbs ago then we just discovered the problem.

It sounds like you’re very active and you simply need more calories at your current size and level of activity. You can get some cheap calories here and there, but I get what you mean about it becoming a financial burden. You just have to get creative I suppose.

1 Like
#12

Get the value packs of chicken and 10lb bags of rice.

I use this method for bulking and cutting altho I do it because I’m lazy and I find the less I get excited about food the less I crave it so it helps me on a cut.

When bulking I eat out a lot but if your on a budget rice is a great fast digesting carb and super cheap and you can get 6-7 huge chicken breast for roughly $9.

Eggs and oatmeal is also really cheap. Shop at Walmart and get the case of eggs and huge bag of Oats.

#13

I will do my best to increase my calorie intake by at least 1000 and see how it goes, hope 5 lbs of gain for a month isn’t too unrealistic.

#14

Think about it this way: if you were going to run a cycle you’d have to be eating more anyway. So dial that in now, while you’re not dealing with the potential problems of a cycle, so you can be more ready if you do one day choose to start down that road.

#15

You don’t need a cycle, you need some MILK

I started at 155 a few years back when I started lifting more seriously. I’m now 195-200

#16

I’ll up my intake this month and see how it goes. If I get no results, I’ll up it even more and wait for another month. If nothing happens again, there’s probably a health problem that makes me struggle to gain weight, at least that would be my only explanation.