Another "1st Cycle, please help" post

Pharma
1

Just trying to get feedback and advice before starting my first cycle.

My stats:

  • 37 years old
  • 6’0, ~165lbs (bodyfat approx. 10%)
  • 15 years of relatively consistent training
    • Current Bench: 155lbs
    • Current Squat: 215lbs
    • Current Deadlift: 245lbs
  • Labs (as of April, planning to retest end of Oct before starting cycle in Nov)
    • Some raised liver enzymes
    • Approaching pre-diabetic (biggest concern)

Current Goal:

  • Get big and thicc! I’d like to hit 200lb and see what my body looks like at that weight and ideally cycle off and just maintain after. But knowing my body type I’m already assuming at 6’0, 200lbs I’ll still look leanish :confused:

Backstory: Always been very lean/toned, struggling to put on weight. Has been an ongoing shift between 155lbs to 170lbs since 21y/o when I started really working out routinely. Over this past year took 6 months of full sobriety (alcohol 100% affects my ability to gain + inhibits appetite for days after), hard dieting, and finally got past the 170lb mark…but plateau’d. Am sure plateau is partially due to some digestive issues that makes upping my caloric intake pretty difficult. This has always been the major hurdle, but even after increasing 300cals weekly I stopped seeing consistent gains.

Current Diet:

4600 calories + caloric deficit from workout/daily cardio

  • 2 gainer shakes/2-3 meals

Current Workout (switch it up every 3 months or so):

  • Monday: Push + Front delts
  • Tuesday: Quads/Glutes/Calves
  • Wednesday: Pull + Side/Rear Delts
  • Thursday: Rest
  • Friday: HIIT/Cardio
  • Saturday: Hams/Glutes/Calves
  • Sunday: Yoga/Core

Planned cycle(s): Asked ChatGPT to create a 12 month cycle regimen to gain 30 pounds in 12 months and the following is what it gave me. Based on what I’ve read across other 1st timers posts and overall research it looks solid. Hoping to hit my goal and then just maintain sans Test.

Questions for my experienced bros:

  • Does my 1 year cycle plan look good?
  • Is maintaining gains without PEDs realistic? Or should I expect to eventually shrink back down to my 165 size once I’m off of them?
  • Any and all diet suggestions
  • Sourcing?: Planning to go with Pharmaqo

1 Year plan (created by chatgpt) - gain 30lbs**:**

:counterclockwise_arrows_button: CYCLE 1 (Weeks 1–16)

Goal: Add 15–18 lbs

Gear:

  • Testosterone Enanthate 500 mg/week (split Mon/Thurs)

  • (Optional) Dbol 20–30 mg/day for Weeks 1–4

Support on-cycle:

  • Arimidex 0.25–0.5 mg EOD (adjust via bloodwork or symptoms)

  • NAC: 1,200 mg/day

  • Fish oil: 2–3g/day

  • Vitamin D3: 5,000 IU/day

Training:

  • Heavy compound lifts (6–10 rep range)

  • Train 5–6x/week: Push/Pull/Legs split

  • Optional: 2x/week light cardio (for heart/BP)

Nutrition:

  • +600–800 kcal surplus

  • ~1g protein/lb (170g+), high carbs, moderate fats

:pill: PCT 1 (Weeks 17–21)

Start PCT 14 days after last Test E shot.

  • Clomid: 50/50/25/25 mg daily

  • Nolvadex: 40/40/20/20 mg daily

  • Zinc: 30 mg/day

  • Tongkat Ali + Fadogia Agrestis (optional natural test boosters)

Training:

  • Lower volume (3–4x/week), focus on strength retention

  • RIR: 1–2 reps in reserve (don’t go to failure)

  • Cardio 2x/week to keep E2 and stress low

Nutrition:

  • Maintain high calories (+300–500)

  • More fats for hormonal support (avocados, nuts, whole eggs)

:gear: OFF-CYCLE MAINTENANCE (Weeks 22–28)

Goal: Lock in gains, allow HPTA & lipids to normalize

Training:

  • 4–5x/week lifting

  • Keep intensity high, drop volume 15–20%

  • Cardio 3x/week for 20–30 minutes (walking, incline treadmill)

Supplements:

  • Creatine: 5g/day

  • Ashwagandha: 600 mg/day

  • Omega-3, NAC, Vitamin D

  • Sleep: 7–9 hours nightly (essential for recovery)

  • Optional: Get mid-bloodwork to ensure levels are returning

Nutrition:

  • Reduce to +200–300 kcal surplus

  • Watch for fat gain — you want to slowly recomp here

  • Keep protein high, add fibrous veggies for digestion

:repeat_button: CYCLE 2 (Weeks 29–44)

Goal: Add another 10–12 lbs

Options:

  • Test E: 500–600 mg/week

  • Primo: 400–600 mg/week for cleaner gains (if lean)

  • OR EQ: 300–500 mg/week (if appetite or vascularity is needed)

Support:

  • AI as needed (0.25 mg EOD Arimidex)

  • NAC, fish oil, CoQ10 for lipids

Training:

  • Periodized program (8–10 week mesocycles)

  • Introduce higher reps for volume block mid-cycle

  • Cardio 2x/week for heart health

Nutrition:

  • Bulk slowly again: +500 kcal/day

  • Focus on clean mass: limit saturated fats and sugar

  • Digestive enzymes may help if you’re eating heavy

:pill: PCT 2 (Weeks 45–49)

  • Clomid: 50/50/25/25 mg

  • Nolvadex: 40/40/20/20 mg

  • Continue: zinc, magnesium, Ashwagandha, vitamin D, creatine

  • Get bloods at Week 49–50

Training:

  • Again lower intensity, slightly higher reps

  • Focus on recovery, mobility, and form

Nutrition:

  • Slowly reduce calories to maintenance

  • Adjust based on how much you retained

:locked: FINAL MAINTENANCE (Weeks 50–52+)

Goal: Solidify all gains and prepare for long-term path (TRT, natural, or more cycles?)

Key Actions:

  • Final blood panel (Week 52)

  • Stay natural for 8–12 weeks minimum post-PCT

  • Training: Hybrid strength/hypertrophy program

  • Nutrition: Clean +200–300 kcal surplus for muscle retention

Supplements (minimum):

  • Creatine, Fish oil, Vitamin D, Zinc, Magnesium

  • Optional: TRT consult if levels don’t recover well

2

Anyone else smell Bullshit?

3 Likes
3

Get off chat GPT and spend some time on the pharma forums learning what these drugs can do to your body both good and bad. Spend at least a couple months learning the basics before injecting yourself.

1 Like
4

Post a pic. 10%??? :face_with_monocle:

2 Likes
5

What i find amusing based as stated above…

The invidual is taking in “4600 calories + caloric deficit from workout/daily cardio” somehow is at 165lbs @ 10%.

If this is true the indvidual needs to see a Gastric specialist or a endocrinologist for a hidden thyroid issue.

5 Likes
6

With those stats either you don’t know how to train and eat or you haven’t been training and are a beginner. Either way you shouldn’t be touching drugs until you build a solid base which you do not have. You are way undersized.
If you think you will retain any muscle staring from here you ar mistaken.

3 Likes
7

Well they claim to have been training consistently for 15 years now.

3 Likes
8

Yeah ok. If that’s the case he has 0 ideas what he’s doing and no business using gear. His lifts are pathetic. I know natty females that have better lifts.

2 Likes
9

Wellll… I didnt want to say anything about it. I didnt want to come across as mean or insensitive.

10

OP should know this. He had put on almost 0 weight in 15 years yet he thinks he’s gonna put on 30lbs in a year? Come on man.

2 Likes
11

Thanks for the responses. Regarding my weight fluctuation over the last 15 years, this has been a combination of general diet inconsistency and intestinal metaplasia/gastritis (pre-stomach cancer). Makes it difficult to ingest foods.

In response to:

  • “With those stats either you don’t know how to train and eat or you haven’t been training and are a beginner. Either way you shouldn’t be touching drugs until you build a solid base which you do not have. You are way undersized.”
    * Can you clarify what you mean by “building a solid base” and saying I am
    `“way undersized.”?

Attaching photos of current body composition (Summer '25)

12

IMG_1104 2
IMG_1104 2372×593 69.5 KB

IMG_1353
IMG_13531523×1993 115 KB

IMG_0695
IMG_0695628×1520 168 KB

13

Done

14

Training 15 years i.e. have been consistently weightlifting, doing crossfit, attending HIIT classes weekly.

15

Ouch!! My 15 years of experience is more of an estimate of how long Ive been working out and learning in general but my current lifts are based on the past 3 months, which tend to max out at current weight and then fluctuate at weights below.

16

I’m not trying to be a dick but you have no business using drugs right now. You are pretty
Lean which is why you look decent but you really don’t have much muscle on your frame at all. Your lbm is under 150 lbs. At 6’ tall this is not great. You done have a solid base. You need to get your lifts up and put some size on naturally or you just renting muscle.
Again, it trying to be a dick but this is just the facts. If you’d like myself and I’m sure others would help you get in a good place to start using AAS but there is work to be done first.
My suggestion is start a log and tag me. Let’s see what you are currently doing and fix that to get you on the right path.

2 Likes
17

Im just keeping my full thoughts to myself at the moment.

1 Like
18

How many reps with those weights?

19

you just renting muscle

I would humbly like to ask if I may buy this phrase from you. Do you accept credit? Lol

2 Likes
20

IMO, it is better described as getting muscle and then pawning it when you are off cycle. When you get back on cycle you very rapidly reclaim the muscle you pawned, and hopefully add some more muscle.

The continuous cycling of AAS is a process improvement cycle.