My goal is starting to feel unreachable!

[todd.tdog]

So I have been hitting it hard for about a year and a half. I'm 38. I was 5'9 230 (25-30% body fat) of hamburger meat. I starved myself (700-800 calories a day)and lost 40 pounds in 3 months but felt like crap. I started reading about nutrition and got a nutritionist. She put me on a high protein high fat low carb diet 1800 calories a day then add 500 calories of carbs twice a week around workouts. Within the next 3 months I was down 10 more pounds and at 12.78% (this is at 6 months since I started) body fat.

At the same time that I got the nutritionist I started crossfit (2 days a week)lifting (5 days a week) , and running (3-4 days a week)

I then started my first test (enan) cycle (12 weeks) 500 mg a week. Also my first 5 weeks I was taking 50mg of Var ED. Then after the Var tried clen, that turned out not to be worth the sides so after 2 weeks I stopped that. I got my BF checked again and got down to 9.5% and gained 14 pounds.

She changed my diet now to a higher carb diet and in the last 3 months I got down to 9% BF. My goal is 7-8% BF but I don't wanna be skinny. . It is so slow going at this point it kinda freaks me out.

So my concerns:
•I workout a lot (overtraining?). cortisol?
•My diet sometime falls short on the calories I need but never less than 1600 a day.
•I dont sleep well

Just another point my resting metabolic rate is 2850 calories.

I can see my abs but they aren't where I want them to be. I still have that little pouch of fat covering my bottom and and it drives me crazy.

I am planning on a 16 week test enan 500mg in the next few months. I am toying with the idea of tren enan, but I hear a lot about the sides and the even more the PCT is rough. Purpose being to cut calories and keep as much muscle as I can.

Am I being impatient?
Does it take longer than I'm expecting?
Can genetics keep me from getting there?
Is this goal possible?

I want this last little bit gone and it seems impossible. I have been at this 100% for a year and a half.

I appreciate all your feedback.

Thanks

 

[whitelie]

Been training for 18 months, pretty much on your second cycle and you want the world?

"Am I being impatient?" Yes!

Shouldn't have even contemplated a cycle with such little lifting experience. You want low bf but not to be skinny, that comes with muscle maturity, of which you have none.
I don't care how old you are, train properly for a solid 3-5 years and then start dabbling.

Hate to be so blunt here but this sort of stuff ****s me to tears.

 

[todd.tdog]

I have lifted all of my life. I just took some time to sit on the couch and eat crap food after I got out of the Marine Corps.

By skinny mean don't wanna look like a runner.

This will be my third cycle, but the first was years ago in the Marine Corps and didn't have enough education to be doing a Deca/Winstrol stack.

 

[todd.tdog]

If it takes 3-5 year that's fine, I just want it to be possible and align my expectations to that.

 

[NoAddedHmones]

How about you be consistent for 5 + years. Marathon not a sprint.

Just reading your OP gave me a headache at what you have done since starting.

 

[whitelie]

If it takes 3-5 year that's fine, I just want it to be possible and align my expectations to that.

Realistically, that's what it will take. If your maintenance cals are 2850, dropping them so much won't be good for muscle preservation.

You're already pretty low bf, you won't be able to maintain 7-8% year round. I would focus on putting on some more lean mass and then cut down to that sort of bf if that's what you want. But again, you won't be able to stay that low for long periods of time.

 

[todd.tdog]

Ya, that's the plan. This was a lifestyle change. I know I didn't start this whole thing out right, but it for me to where I am now. Now understanding nutrition and the human body have become my passion. In 3.5 years it will be 5 years. I'm not going back, just wanna stop getting down on myself because my expectations aren't possible.

 

[whitelie]

Consistency above all else.
You know how long it took to lose 50lbs of fat, it takes a hell of a lot longer to put on lean muscle.
Stick with it, look back every now and then and remember how far you've come. The results are worth it in the end.

 

[todd.tdog]

Thanks whitelie. The reason I wanted to use test was to save whatever muscle I could while in a deficit. When I'm off I eat 2400 calories a day. To ensure my new muscle can mature as much as possible while still staying lean. I guess I really needed to hear that 18 months is ridiculous.

 

[todd.tdog]

This is how far I have come this far.

 

[Jackedjack]

Great progress, now dial down diet and training and you will see even more. Honestly without training consistently for past 3-5 years, there is no need to be doing phs. Look into evomuse'so line of upcoming fat burners to help you shed the few extra pounds and be on the look out for an array of new natty anabolics from Olympus labs, evomuse, and black lion research.

 

[todd.tdog]

Thanks jackedjack

 

[mixedup]

Realistically, that's what it will take. If your maintenance cals are 2850, dropping them so much won't be good for muscle preservation.

You're already pretty low bf, you won't be able to maintain 7-8% year round. I would focus on putting on some more lean mass and then cut down to that sort of bf if that's what you want. But again, you won't be able to stay that low for long periods of time.

Why wouldn't he be able too? I know ton of people who stay single digits year round
And 3to5 years to get from 9% to 7or 8 % please I drop 1% of body fat in one week.

BTW you can look at my log in the cycling section titled the heavy cycling has begun it shows me going from approx 19% bf to under 10 documented with weekly pics

 

[todd.tdog]

Thanks mixed up, I will check it out.

 

[mixedup]

Thanks mixed up, I will check it out.

Oh and BTW that change in body fat took approx 12 weeks

 

[todd.tdog]

Damn. I can cut about 1% a quarter. Well from 11 to 9.5 took 3 months and another 2 to get to 9. Over the winter I only did cardio (crossfit) twice a week. Not sure if that had anything to do with it.

 

[mixedup]

Damn. I can cut about 1% a quarter. Well from 11 to 9.5 took 3 months and another 2 to get to 9. Over the winter I only did cardio (crossfit) twice a week. Not sure if that had anything to do with it.

Well my transformations are gonna be a little different I compete my coach is an olympia qualified ifbb pro. My nutritionist team has had several people earn pro card s my diet gets adjusted weekly during prep

 

[todd.tdog]

Wow! Got it. Ya my nutritionist changes it up once a month and measure my BF. It's slow going at this point but I love it.

 

[mixedup]

Wow! Got it. Ya my nutritionist changes it up once a month and measure my BF. It's slow going at this point but I love it.

My best advice is your on your way there and slow and steady is often best approach keep doing what your doing add is some extra cardio you'll get there

 

[todd.tdog]

Thanks man, much appreciated

 

[booneman77]

mixedup has you. The last part is always the hardest, especially considering where you came form and how it unfolded. Chances are, your metabolism is still recovering from the crazy deficit and (likely) metabolic damage that caused... Pair that with less muscle mass (which burns far more fat just sitting around) hen a lot of the guys here and you have your scene set.

Just keep pushing. 3.5-5 years to drop a little bit more bf is absolutely ridiculous so ignore that guy. It wont happen in a week though either. I usually plan on dropping something like 1% every other week (20-10%), 1% every three weeks or so until about 8% and from there its just super slow but frankly unless you're competing its not much use to get lower then -8% as it starts to become extremely restrictive (see shiittty life) as well as borderline unhealthy (especially for someone who's body isn't used to it).

 

[todd.tdog]

Thanks man, yA I'm sure I messed myself up with my crazy deficit for so long. My RMR is 2850 (tested) so that seems reasonable, not? I was able to add 14 pounds of muscle though so that's a plus. 1% every 3 weeks damn. It takes me 3 months.

Could this be due to recovery (sleep issues)and overtraining (cortisol) ? Or maybe 1800-2000 calories isn't enough?

My diet is 100% what my nutritionist has me doing and she is a professional fitness competitor. I don't stray from my diet.

Anyway I appreciate everyone's comments.

 

[mixedup]

Thanks man, yA I'm sure I messed myself up with my crazy deficit for so long. My RMR is 2850 (tested) so that seems reasonable, not? I was able to add 14 pounds of muscle though so that's a plus. 1% every 3 weeks damn. It takes me 3 months.

Could this be due to recovery (sleep issues)and overtraining (cortisol) ? Or maybe 1800-2000 calories isn't enough?

My diet is 100% what my nutritionist has me doing and she is a professional fitness competitor. I don't stray from my diet.

Anyway I appreciate everyone's comments.

You are just at a plateau you could try a cortisol blocker. For lower ab fight I use abliterated by evo muse helps the stubborn vat fat

 

[todd.tdog]

Thanks I will check that out. I have more blood work coming up so that should help shed some light on it. Is abliterated a lotion? How did it work for you?

 

[mixedup]

Thanks I will check that out. I have more blood work coming up so that should help shed some light on it. Is abliterated a lotion? How did it work for you?

Yes it's a topical and I wouldn't do a cut without its it's one of the few things I knows that specifically targets abdominal VAT

 

[whitelie]

Why wouldn't he be able too? I know ton of people who stay single digits year round
And 3to5 years to get from 9% to 7or 8 % please I drop 1% of body fat in one week.

BTW you can look at my log in the cycling section titled the heavy cycling has begun it shows me going from approx 19% bf to under 10 documented with weekly pics

I'm not saying it will take that long to drop the fat, that's the easy part, he's already proven that. It will take that long to gain the muscle that he wants. Less if he keeps hitting the anabolics but naturally?