Next cycle thoughts

[PegLeg_72]

So I’m finishing up my first cycle at 36 years old.I feel I made good gains but I also went ham with the compounds like a dumb kid. At my age this needs to be more about health and lifestyle. I don’t have any aspirations of competing as the loose skin from 150lbs lost in the past doesn’t give me the most aesthetic look around the mid section. I’m
completely ok with that. I did it to myself.

The cycle started November 2025 at 75mg test cyp per day. That put my e2 at 85pg/ml 5 weeks in with no AI. I was having some nipple sensitivity so I took 12.5mg asin as needed. Well I decided I wanted to give tren a try. (Stupid on my part). I ran 250mg along with my 500 test for 4 weeks and of course started getting insomnia, night sweats, and short tempered. So I dropped it. But since I thought I still needed more I upped my test dose to 145mg per day (1g per week) and added GH at 4iu titrated up now to 6iu. The gains have been good and all bloodwork looks great as well as unmedicated average BP of 115/65. But the e2 management has just been a pain using an AI. So I’m gonna finish this week out get bloods and drop to cruise 200mg per week. This would make it a 21week blast.

My question is for the guys like me who wanna be healthy but still have a jacked appearance, what are some good compounds to use as a lifestyle guy and not a true body builder? Todd Lee gets a lot of hate for saying find your max tolerable test dose where you don’t need an AI, and blood markers remain in range. Then take HGH until your IGF-1 is near 300 and just stay there. Add a DHT if you want more anabolism. Like a mast or primo for growing phases. I dunno what I wanna do after this blast. Just wanting to hear from the average low middle aged dudes.

Picture to show progress. I’m 5’7” 209lbs as of this morning.

 

[ironviking]

Excellent progress!!
Dr. Todd Lee has some wisdom just not a lot of kindness Test + Primo for the nice aesthetics add NPP when you want more mass I'd probably lower the test outside the blast cycles to keep blood levels around 1200 that will put you in a supraphysiological state but well within tolerable levels. In fact you might want to look at hormone optimization. Vigorous Steve or Dr James has some good info on that. you already know about keeping hgh in the mix to keep IGF-1 levels in a good range.
If I could I'd do Test to keep blood levels around 1200 with optimizing everything else (dhea, pregnenelone, hgh, maybe a bit of T3, HCG sparingly) every twelve weeks run a blast upping the test, add primo (mast if you're a Dr Lee fan) at a 2-1 ratio, maybe NPP for joint support and some size but probably not, 12 week run. Then go back to the hormone optimization plan. HCG throughout to keep the gonads alive but you have to watch estrogen levels with that. Do blood work at least every 6 weeks preferably 4 to keep the numbers dialed in and an eye on health markers. Anyway... continue that in 12 week cycles for around 2 years and reevaluate. I got some other health issues so I can't do that but it was in a plan.

Not recommending any of this of course I'm just thinking in pixels...dont do drugs, kids.

 

[PegLeg_72]

Excellent progress!!
Dr. Todd Lee has some wisdom just not a lot of kindness Test + Primo for the nice aesthetics add NPP when you want more mass I'd probably lower the test outside the blast cycles to keep blood levels around 1200 that will put you in a supraphysiological state but well within tolerable levels. In fact you might want to look at hormone optimization. Vigorous Steve or Dr James has some good info on that. you already know about keeping hgh in the mix to keep IGF-1 levels in a good range.
If I could I'd do Test to keep blood levels around 1200 with optimizing everything else (dhea, pregnenelone, hgh, maybe a bit of T3, HCG sparingly) every twelve weeks run a blast upping the test, add primo (mast if you're a Dr Lee fan) at a 2-1 ratio, maybe NPP for joint support and some size but probably not, 12 week run. Then go back to the hormone optimization plan. HCG throughout to keep the gonads alive but you have to watch estrogen levels with that. Do blood work at least every 6 weeks preferably 4 to keep the numbers dialed in and an eye on health markers. Anyway... continue that in 12 week cycles for around 2 years and reevaluate. I got some other health issues so I can't do that but it was in a plan.

Not recommending any of this of course I'm just thinking in pixels...dont do drugs, kids.

Thanks for the insight man! Yea I just want to dine some nice light cycles to do in and off without wrecking health too bad. The framing test was fun but I want something called for my goals. GH is a must. I’m really wanting to try mast just because it’s a little more cost effective than primo unfortunately lol. I’m already snipped and have 4 kids so fertility is anon issue. Also already balding so that aspect of running a DHT isn’t an issue. I only worry about the potential prostate enlargement from mast I’ve heard about.

 

[ironviking]

Thats really any DHT compound will run that risk but keep the doses at sane amounts and it's a minimal risk. Also, they don't carry the same psychological effects that the 19nors, like Tren, does. It's usually just a good feeling with a bit of aggression and maybe some slight anxiety but that is rare and again sane doses keep those risks pretty low. Granted they won't be as anabolic but they will give some nice solid dry gains especially with a test base.

Are you planning on staying on TRT?

 

[PegLeg_72]

Thats really any DHT compound will run that risk but keep the doses at sane amounts and it's a minimal risk. Also, they don't carry the same psychological effects that the 19nors, like Tren, does. It's usually just a good feeling with a bit of aggression and maybe some slight anxiety but that is rare and again sane doses keep those risks pretty low. Granted they won't be as anabolic but they will give some nice solid dry gains especially with a test base.

Are you planning on staying on TRT?

Yes I plan on staying in TRT for life. Just wanted to know more about possible TRT+ or performance cruises or what have you. I’ll always do health phases of TRT only when needed.