T Nation

Your Highest Ever Pre-Cycle BF% ?

Pharma
#1

I should not be considering starting a cycle. I let myself go in a recent bulking phase and shot up to about 20+% BF. There’s a big learning curve with roids and dieting plan ahead of me.

However, after recent discussions with my Doc I’ve realized he is quite open minded and I have a lot of options. The costs are low, the process is easy (I live above his clinic) and it’s extremely tempting!

… what’s the highest BF% you have been immediately before starting a cycle? what were your mistakes? experiences? regrets? adjustments? etc

p.s. I know I should forget about it and go read some more, and I most likely will ! just curious to hear your stories…

#2

Personally probably 16-17% was my highest pre-cycle. If you’re 20%+ and you think thats too high why don’t you diet for a month and drop 10lbs of bodyfat.

Mistakes: With respect to bodyfat pre cycle = none. Im always in the teens. 13-17% Perhaps if I was 23% there might be a difference but Ive never been there to know.

Experience: IMO bodyfat is very secondary concern. IMO clean eating and proper estrogen control can overcome an individual in the 20% range

Regrets: Personally none related to bodyfat.

Adjustments: Personally none related to bodyfat; although I will say if you’re 20%+ you’ll want to be more mindful of diet and estrogen. Compound selection will be a factor as well as the more aromatizable compounds you run the more you’ll need the proper ancillaries. Of course thats true for anyone at any bodyfat level but if you’re 20%+ you’ll be more prone to certain sides more readily than a leaner dude

#3

People underestimate just how effective insulin is, its a stronger hormone for growth than test by far.

Improve your insulin sensitivity and make better usage of your androgens.

#4

[quote]Westclock wrote:
People underestimate just how effective insulin is, its a stronger hormone for growth than test by far.

Improve your insulin sensitivity and make better usage of your androgens.

[/quote]

Westclock - if you don’t mind (and nobody freaks out because this is in the wrong section), could you please elaborate on that statement being as specific as possible? I think that you are talking about timing your simple carb intake to cause insulin spikes at opportune moments. Is that what you are referring to?

#5

[quote]DieSucka wrote:
Westclock wrote:
People underestimate just how effective insulin is, its a stronger hormone for growth than test by far.

Improve your insulin sensitivity and make better usage of your androgens.

Westclock - if you don’t mind (and nobody freaks out because this is in the wrong section), could you please elaborate on that statement being as specific as possible? I think that you are talking about timing your simple carb intake to cause insulin spikes at opportune moments. Is that what you are referring to?[/quote]

Well yes that is DRAMATICALLY helpful while on cycle, even more so than normal, but that works fairly well whether your fat or not simply because your body is desperate to replenish glycogen postworkout anyways.

What I meant is that having maintained low bodyfat levels for a while before you start your cycle, then while on cycle, eating a large amount of carbs.

The less fat you have the more of that insulin goes to the muscle tissue.

Insulin is likely the most anabolic hormone out there, but it causes growth of BOTH fat and muscle tissues.

The less fat you have the less effect insulin will have on the fat, and the more will go to making you grow a great set of wheels.

This is an overly simplistic explanation, but all Im saying is that limiting your insulin (eating low carb) or wasting insulin (being fat), is going to have serious effects on how much you gain on cycle.

And dont forget, as was mentioned, body fat levels and aromase are related, therefor the fatter you are the more likely you have to have high estrogen problems.

#6

Thanks!