mattierocks Starts his cut with ANSI

mattierocks

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Hello everyone. First off, thanks so much to ddubbs for letting me give this a shot despite being a very new member.

I'm 6'3" 225lbs, estimating 25% bodyfat (at least, I want to get a better estimate of this) waist circumference is 41.5" at 36 years old. These pics are from yesterday (1-11-16) Sorry about my gross mirror...

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Clearly I'm in need of a bodyfat cut so that's the goal, and also why I was happy to be involved with this opportunity. ANSI sent me full bottles of Betalean (Fatburner), Testavar (Testosterone Booster) and Xtreme Shock NO (Preworkout).

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I started taking everything today, so we'll see how it goes from here.

Other details, I'm following the philosophy of the book Bigger, Leaner, Stronger for my diet and workout. The diet (if you're over 25% but under 30% BF) calls for .8 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight (180g), .6g/lb carbs (135g) and .3g/lb of fat (67.5g) totalling 1868 cals roughly.

I lift 4 days per week, this program calls for weights at 3 work sets of 4-6 reps of 80-85% of 1RM.

I'm also posting to the blog in my signature. There's a little more info than here, but much overlap.

I'm excited to get started on this cut, thanks again ddubbs and all ANSI folk for the product to test!
 
mattierocks

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Just started taking these on Tuesday and then yesterday was a day off, so not much to report yet.

I'm dosing according to the label instructions as I get started, so one BetaLean-SCA first thing in the AM on an empty stomach.

Definitely noticed the caffeine, as I was able to completely forgo coffee which is unheard of for me.

Tuesday I also took the pre workout. The taste was ok, not great but the experience the first time was good. No over-stimed, crazy effect just good energy and the ability to focus in the gym.

Dosing Testavar as suggested in the label; 3 in the AM and 3 in the PM.
 
mattierocks

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Back, Biceps and Abs today. Took 1 BetaLean first thing this AM to get into gear, along with 3 Testavar-HD.

A few hours later I was ready for my workout so I took 1 scoop of Xtreme Shock NO, along with a scoop of ANSIs BCAAs (watermelon flavor). The combination of the berry and watermelon flavor was actually pretty good, it tasted like Juicy Fruit!

The same focused energy was present today, and I started to notice a little more in the pump department, particularly when doing bicep exercises. It's evident because almost any vascularity is a change for me and there were veins all over the place during the workout.

I'll probably keep running the supplements in this manner, at least for the first week. After that I may experiment with things like all 6 Testavar at night, or two scoops of Xtreme Shock NO before the workout, as ddubbs has recommended in the other thread.
 
ddubbs

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Awesome Lets Get You Ripped!!
 
mattierocks

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mattierocks

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Yesterday was upper body (mostly shoulders) and calves. Took 1 scoop of Xtreme Shock NO, again mixed with a scoop of the BCAAs. I'm digging the clean focused energy. Still getting a good pump as well. It's fun to see veins popping out of my arms while doing military presses. Another thing I'm finding with my last couple of workouts is that I'll get everything done, I'm happy with the weights I'm doing, but I'll still leave the gym feeling like I could have done more... Then after I'm home for a bit, my muscles start screaming at me.

This is how I felt after back/bicep day on Thursday. Decent weights, but it felt like I still left something in the gym. Then a couple of hours later I picked up my 18 month old son and almost dropped him when my biceps cramped up. So I also think to some extent that the PWO is really helping me push through my workout harder than before.
 
mattierocks

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Today and tomorrow are off days, though we may do something like take a walk. I'm starting to enjoy popping that first BetaLean to get me going in the morning!
 
mattierocks

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This is not much of an update, as it was a day off and Sunday's are pretty busy. Still like the BetaLean as a good way to wake up and start my day. Looking forward to getting back into the gym tomorrow for legs, because I haven't done a leg workout with Xtreme Shock NO yet.
 
ddubbs

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Good thread keep it up
 
mattierocks

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My youngest woke up just after 5am today, so my day started a good bit earlier than I planned! Popped a BeatLean and, while not magic or anything, it helped get me going on less sleep than I planned.

Ran some errands, had a meeting for work and then hit the gym after lunch for my first workout of the week.

Today was leg day, so I decided to take 2 scoops of Xtreme Shock NO (along with the ANSI BCAAs).

I'm not that experienced with pre workouts, so I don't have a ton to compare to but today it was pretty clear.

I started with squats a little sooner than 30 minutes after I finished my pre workout. I got through the warm up and into the work sets. I was using the same weight as last week because I only got 4 reps in my work sets. The first set I bumped it to five reps, but I wasn't sure I was going to be able to. The second set was only slightly better. By the third set though, I experienced a sudden surge of energy and intensity that was very different from the first two sets. It got me to 6 reps, at just under 85% of my 1RM.

Last week I opted for leg presses as my second exercise, but this week I did front squats instead. More difficult, more energy and focus needed, and they went well too. I got out of the gym faster than usual today too.

So the Xtreme Shock NO is not one of those super-stimmed pres that I've read about that get you all hyped up. It didn't "hit" me, but at the same time it was very clear when it started working. I'm looking forward to using 2 scoops tomorrow for chest day!

Today I dosed all 6 of my Testavar-HD at once in the evening. We'll see what that does to me.

Weekly update pics coming as soon as I get them edited down to the size that the board allows.
 
ddubbs

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How are the pmps?
 
mattierocks

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The combo of Xtreme Shock NO and Five Finger Death Punch for tunes are fueling excellent workouts lately.
 
mattierocks

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Yesterday was chest and tris. The Xtreme Shock really is awesome. I'm looking more forward to my workouts on it each time.

I can't say it enough, the clean, focused energy is great. The pumps are great too.

Other improvements I'm noticing over earlier workouts are that either my weight or the reps are increasing. This is helping me push through stuff that I wasn't so excited about before. Also, I'm getting through my workouts quicker. The energy I get helps me power through my sets a little faster and look forward to getting to the next one.

Loving it!

Still dosing 1 BetaLean in an empty stomach when I wake up and now dosing all 6 Testavar at night.
 
mattierocks

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I ordinarily take Wednesday off, but we're expecting snow later this week. This may not sound like a big deal to some of you, but where I am here in Virginia, it brings everything to a grinding halt.

So to avoid missing a workout, I went today in case I can't make it Friday.

This was a perfect time for a double helping of Xtreme Shock NO, because normally I'm recovering but today I did back and biceps.

Once again, weights are increasing or I'm at least hitting an extra rep or two at the same weight as the previous workout.

Pumps were crazy today because biceps were part of the workout. Veins popping all over.

Once again, I look forward to taking this stuff now and make sure to time when my serving was so I make the most of the energy boost it gives me.

It's also worth repeating that there is enough caffeine in the products that I no longer necessitate coffee in the morning on days that I work out.

Thanks ANSI!
 
mattierocks

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Week 2 pics, time to shave the ol' shoulders.

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ddubbs

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Getting There!
 
mattierocks

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Yesterday I got into the gym for the fourth day in a row, in an attempt to get all my scheduled workouts in before the blizzard. Good thing I did too, because it started snowing at about 10:30 this morning and still hasn't stopped.

Day 4 hits mostly shoulders and a some calf work. Due to some other things I had going on that day, I wound up rushing to the gym and not getting a full 30 minutes following my pre workout and BCAAs. It's a little scary how much of a difference this makes and how I all of a sudden notice an increase in focus, determination and energy.

The main movement of the workout is the military press, but it the second exercise. Sometimes doing the incline bench before, toasts my triceps and males the military press more challenging, but this time the Xtreme Shock NO started to kick in around the time of my work sets and I cranked out an extra rep each time.

I know I sound like a broken record, but this stuff helps me focus and that helps me get out of the gym faster. For me that's a big plus. Love it!
 
mattierocks

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Today my main workout was playing with my son in the snow. I didn't take the Xtreme Shock NO though! Maybe I should when I have to get out to shovel my driveway...
 
mattierocks

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Today my main workout was playing with my son in the snow. I didn't take the Xtreme Shock NO though! Maybe I should when I have to get out to shovel my driveway...
Well that driveway thing was a joke, but it probably would have been a good idea. It snowed for two days straight. I'd say we got around 2', possibly more. Shoveling was as good as going to the gym today.
 
mattierocks

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I haven't said a whole lot about BetaLean or Testavar in my log so far, but only because the effects are more subtle and gradual on these type of things. I don't think I've been running these for quite two weeks now so it's difficult to say anything with any certainty, in addition BetaLean is not a heavy stim, make you sweat after you take it kind of fat burner. It's more subtle, just like the Xtreme Shock. I do notice it giving me a little boost due to the caffeine, but that's where we are so far.

Same with the Testavar. Obviously a natural test booster is not going to be something where you pop some pills and feel totally different a few minutes later. I look forward to the bigger picture. Any T boost I get will come tribute to my wellbeing, energy and ability to lose fat and build muscle, in tandem with BetaLean.

I can say that so far none of these products have interacted with me or any other supps in a negative way and I believe that ANSI seems a quality company interested in putting out a quality product.
 
mattierocks

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Weekly pics time:

I don't know that these pics really do justice to the progress being made. The scale seems to be stuck on the same number, but I'm not too concerned because I can conservatively say that I've lost about 1/2" on my waist in the last three weeks. That's big to me because that's the last area to noticeably shrink. So it may seem a little slow but I hope that's because I'm making sustainable and maintainable progress.

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ddubbs

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Betalean targets brown fat which likes to sit on the waist and abs. Great progress bro
 
mattierocks

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The first two days of this week were certainly a test for Xtreme Shock NO. When Monday rolled around I had been out of the gym for three days in a row, the longest break I've had since getting back into it. On top of that, I had been shoveling snow so I had some weird soreness from that. And if I needed another reason to drag, Monday is leg day!

Despite all that, I had a good session. I managed to bump up either weight or reps (or both) on my main exercises, and the pump was starting to kick in before my workout even started! I wish I had discovered pre workouts earlier in my life...
 
mattierocks

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Yesterday was chest. My schedule has been kind of weird lately because of the weather and I found myself in the gym about 4 hours earlier than usual, though I still got the Xtreme a Shock NO in 30 minutes prior.

I started with incline bench and increased my weight from last week. Because I hit 6 reps the last workout, I jumped up 10 pounds. At first I thought I made a mistake because I struggled mightily with it, but still got 4 and 5 reps in.

That had me worried when I got to the flat bench next, but I took my same weight from the previous workout and where I had gotten sets of 4,5 and 4 reps, this time I hit six across the board.

Now this could be some muscle memory returning from my previous periods of lifting, so I can't discount that but I also feel like the energy and focus I'm getting from the combination of these three products is allowing me to push harder than I might otherwise (especially knowing myself and my tendencies). So thanks again to ANSI for helping me fuel some good workouts and pushing me towards my goals!
 
mattierocks

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Back to normal this week, and now it's over. Yesterday was deadlift/back/biceps day. Once again, I jumped my weight up on my work sets on the deadlift. It was great. The only thing that I'm really sucking at is pull-ups... I'll have to figure out something for that. The pumps from Xtreme Shock NO are probably the most fun when doing barbell curls. I've never seen this many veins in my arms before, so for me it's pretty cool. I'm continuing to make good progress and stay motivated.
 
mattierocks

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Closed out the week with upper body/shoulders. I've already forgotten if I've said this, but the workout I'm doing calls for Incline Bench Presses to start the workout. The rep goal is a little higher (8-10 vs 4-6), so that makes it a little weird. But nonetheless, powered by Xtreme Shock NO, I raised my incline weight by 10 pounds from last week and hit 10 reps for all three sets. Then I managed to increase my military press weight and reps as well. That's always sketchy because my triceps get a little burned out from the incline before I hit the military press. Short workout to close out the week.
 
mattierocks

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Weekly pics. I've gone down about an inch in my waist since starting this whole routine. That excellent for me. I've moderated my calories quite a bit. I'm definitely in a deficit, though I can handle it with this kind of bf%, and I don't feel like I'm starving. Im also making gains in the gym, so I feel stronger rather than weaker. I don't know how much the crappy selfies show, but I definitely feel better!







 
mattierocks

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Also some anecdotal thoughts on Testavar HD. Since I started watching my food intake a little more closely and dosing all 6 pills at night I've noticed a couple of things. First, I'm sleeping better. I think this could be due to the ZMA in the Testavar. I'm getting it in more of an empty stomach than I was a week or so ago and that seems to be making a difference. Im also noticing an increase in libido. All good stuff!
 
mattierocks

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And today is leg day!
 
mattierocks

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Still dosing BetaLean at 1 a day first thing, on an empty stomach. Still giving a nice little boost to start the day.
 
mattierocks

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Monday (as mentioned) was leg day. Once again I was able to bump up the weight on both my back and front squats. The energy and pumps from the Xtreme Shock are definitely good still! I may have messed up a little by doing two scoops so often now, ask feel like I need both scoops most of the time!

The combination of this and the watermelon ANSI BCAAs is really helping with endurance in my workouts, helping me grind out an extra rep or two when I might not have before.
 
mattierocks

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As a reminder, I do a scoop of BCAAs mixed in a blender bottle with 2 scoops of the fruit punch Xtreme Shock. It actually tastes pretty good that way! Mixes well too. The I do another scoop of BCAAs immediately after my workout.
 
mattierocks

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Yesterday was chest and triceps day. Last week I felt like I hit a wall in my incline bench presses, but broke through on the regular bench press.

This week was very similar. I used the same weight for incline but pushed out a couple of extra reps this time.

Since I hit my 6 reps on the bench pretty easily last week, I jumped up 15 pounds this time instead of just 10. I was a little nervous after the incline, but even with the increase I managed 3 sets of 4 reps with the new weight, so that counts as a win to me!

Another highlight was dips. Fat people sometimes have trouble with body weight exercises. I avoided dips for a while for this reason, and when I started it was kind of rough. However, I quickly got better. Last week I hit my reps on BW dips, so I added weight for the first time. Even after the incline and regular bench, I still added weight (not a lot though!) and even increased it for the final set.

So another good workout, energy and great pumps, powered by Xtreme Shock NO!
 
ddubbs

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Mattie post some pics bro!
 
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Thanks doing it now
 
mattierocks

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This is probably not the pic you're looking for, but it's the best I have at the moment!

Here's my fancy ANSI concoction that I've been taking before I hit the gym each time.

It's deadlift day, so you know that includes 2 scoops of Xtreme Shock NO (but who am I kidding? I've been doing 2 scoops for all my workouts!)

 
mattierocks

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Motivational gym wear... #murderit
 
mattierocks

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Post workout. I wish the pumps were more evident because they were on point today. Hard to tell with The body fat, mirror, distance and crappy selfie though!

 
mattierocks

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And some BCAAs for the road.

 
mattierocks

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So I can't say enough about the fact that I'm continually increasing my volume in my workouts. I may only squeeze out an extra rep or two sometimes, but in large part I've been upping weight consistently and making some real strength gains.

This is particularly good because I'm eating at least a small deficit as I continue to try and cut body fat. Which I have. My waist is down a little more than an inch (as of last weeks measurement) since the start. It may not be as evident in the pics, but the shape of my body is changing a good bit too. It's almost more of a recomp, as my weight isn't really changing much.

The highlight of the second half of last week was increasing my deadlift yet again. I tested my major lifts around the first of the year so I could get a sense of what I should be lifting to be at 80-85% of my 1RM.

Just as an example (and I realize this is not that impressive, but an illustration) my 1RM for deadlift at the end of December/first of January was 315. I couldn't get 325 off the floor that day. This past week I did 285 for 3 sets of 6 reps and I'm upping my weight again this week.
 
mattierocks

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It's crazy, but I'm coming to the end of this log. I should run out of my ANSI supps on Thursday I think. That will be a full 30 days. More pics coming tomorrow and workout overviews as well for the next few days.

I'll say all this again soon, but another thanks to the ANSI crew for this opportunity. They were ridiculously generous with their product.
 
mattierocks

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Pics for the week. My waist is definitely down 1.5" from the start. 41.5 to 40. This is measuring at the bell button and including as much spare tire as I can get without making the tape too crooked!





 
mattierocks

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Today was leg day and I noticed something. As I'm closing in on 30 days of using these products, 2 scoops doesnt affect me in quite the same way. I didn't notice the rush of energy and focus that I had before, BUT, I still took my 10 pound increase over last week on the squat and did 3 sets of 6. So the quality of the workout was still good. I paid for that on the front squat though and only got 4 reps in those sets!
 
mattierocks

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For kicks, I'll be getting blood work done. I'm having it drawn on Wednesday. Partially because I'm curious about a couple of things, but also to see how all this lifting and Testavar have impacted my total T levels. They're usually pretty fast, so hopefully I can post results by the end of the week!
 

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