Losing Gains!

[Fear the Beard]

Hey all,

It’s been 3 weeks since my last shot and I’m dumping weight like crazy. My diet and training is still on point and I’m still killing it in the gym. Maybe a little strength is gone, but not much. I have noticed this past week my pumps have disappeared. Below was my cycle and results, as well as my current PCT protocol. I’ve used Platinum Biotech products for my whole cycle/PCT. I put on 19 pounds of lean tissue and dropped my body fat by almost half a percent.

Age: 37
Height: 5’7”
End of cycle weight: 170
Current weight: 162
Body fat start of cycle: 12.2%
Body fat now: 11.7%

12 week cycle:
1 – 12 Test C 300mg per week (pinning 2x per week)
1 – 18 Aromasin 12.5mg EOD
6 – 14 Proviron 50mg ED
13 – 14 Ester clearance

PCT:
Clomid 50/50/25/25
Nolvadex 40/20/20/20
Aromasin 12.5mg EOD
SarmsX GW-501516 20mg ED before workout

I’m planning on doing a Sarms bridge in November, so I elected to keep the MK-2866 out of my PCT. Didn’t want to run it 4 weeks in PCT only have a 2 weeks break and start it again.

Not sure what to do. Every day I get on the scale and it’s at least a pound lighter. My Test levels were on the lower side before I started this cycle, so I’m assuming I’m bottomed out right now. My boys are still half the size they were before cycle. How long does it take for the clomid/nolvadex to start restoring my HPTA? Should my boys start plumping up?

Pre and mid cycle bloodwork were on point. Post bloodwork is scheduled for two weeks after PCT ends.

Sorry for the long winded message. Frustrating to step on the scale every day to see the number looking back at you get smaller and smaller.

 

[Carmel cowboy]

Here is my humble opinion. If diet and training are on point then the drop in weight is from less nitrogen retention. While on cycle nitrogen retention is what gives your muscle bellies that full hard look. The drop in weight is normal for when coming off cycle but make sure your not at a deficit in calories during pct. another thing is that's why mk2866 is in the first 4 weeks of pct to help maintain your strength and nitrogen retention while your natural test production start to return to ore cycle levels. I would add mk2866 in and push back your bridge a little bit.
As far as how long it takes to recover is an Individual question based off several variables like age, compounds used, test levels prior to cycle, whether or not there was damage done to HPTA. For me it took more the 20 week to recover to pre cycle levels after a deca cycle. Hope that helps brother!

 

[ironlifter36]

I will agree with CC and Vildail and add my own 2 cents as this has come up recently on here as well as my own experience. I think you greatly overestimated how much of that 19lbs was actual muscle. I think many people do initially, myself included. As mentioned, the weight loss is most likely due to water and glycogen loss in the muscle. You probably won't be able to really tell how much muscle you did net until a few months from now after PCT and everything settles. IMO, It's not about how much you gain, it's how much you keep. If you can keep 6-8 pounds of the 19 you gained, that would be very good in my opinion. 6-8 pounds of solid muscle is a lot in 3 months for an intermediate lifter, though some may argue.

I hear people say all the time " I gained 25lbs on my cycle" Oh ya, come back 2 months after your PCT and we will reassess your assumption. I originally thought the same way as I had unrealistic expectations of what was actual lean muscle compared to water/nitrogen in the muscle.

If only we could keep the insane pumps and fullness that we experience on cycle....hence is why there is no such thing as just one cycle.

 

[21infantry]

The results of actual gain and maintain takes at least 6 weeks.

Sent from my EVA-L19 using Tapatalk

 

[DylanGemelli]

brother, 19 lbs on a test only cycle is quite extreme... you cannot expect to keep that amount... you will see this start to level off... as everyone is pointing out, there water and glycogen loss.. THIS IS COMMON in pct... you have the right pct in place that will keep this to a minimum but you rarely see anyone keep everything they gained on a cycle... i did my last cycle but im on trt and i was not at my normal weight when i started from poor eating from high stress levels... its just not realistic to keep everything but DO NOT panic... you are not going to just lose everything you gained... if you keep 70-75% of what you gained, thats a HUGE accomplishment... you have to give everything you are using in pct a chance to get working brother...

 

[DylanGemelli]

i do wish you had 2866 in here though because it is there to help prevent muscle loss, keep recovery strong and keep your performance levels and strength up...

 

[ThepoManta]

i do wish you had 2866 in here though because it is there to help prevent muscle loss, keep recovery strong and keep your performance levels and strength up...

I lost a lot in pct after my first cycle, due to not having Ostarine in there. I got it in there now, it will surely help me retain more muscle. I am certain of it.

Feet The Beard, make sure you implement it into your PCT next time!

 

[DylanGemelli]

I lost a lot in pct after my first cycle, due to not having Ostarine in there. I got it in there now, it will surely help me retain more muscle. I am certain of it.

Feet The Beard, make sure you implement it into your PCT next time!

absolutely and thats what its there for

 

[RickRock]

You are losing water weight, intra cellular water and the extra glycogen pushed into the muscles during cycle from over saturation being on high androgens. Gaining as much weight as you did on cycle means you did retrain a lot. Obvioulsy a vast majority of that is not going to be actual muscle tissue

 

[DylanGemelli]

You are losing water weight, intra cellular water and the extra glycogen pushed into the muscles during cycle from over saturation being on high androgens. Gaining as much weight as you did on cycle means you did retrain a lot. Obvioulsy a vast majority of that is not going to be actual muscle tissue

well said brother

 

[Fear the Beard]

Thanks all!

It all makes sense. Since I started PCT I've been pissing like crazy. Guess that's my body purging the excess water.

My wife says I look a little smaller, but I also look more define or less puffy. Guess I was holding more water than I thought even with my E2 at 29.

 

[DylanGemelli]

Thanks all!

It all makes sense. Since I started PCT I've been pissing like crazy. Guess that's my body purging the excess water.

My wife says I look a little smaller, but I also look more define or less puffy. Guess I was holding more water than I thought even with my E2 at 29.

thats perfectly normal... dont panic bro... you are doing everything like its supposed to be done.. this is all part of the process

 

[RickRock]

Thanks all!

It all makes sense. Since I started PCT I've been pissing like crazy. Guess that's my body purging the excess water.

My wife says I look a little smaller, but I also look more define or less puffy. Guess I was holding more water than I thought even with my E2 at 29.

Yes all normal bro. Not a huge deal. Yes, you will technically look smaller even with the same amount of muscle because the muscles return to normal glycogen levels and won't be as full. The positive is that you will look more defined as well