Realistic TRT Recomp Progress

[bcostigan41]

@bkb333

up 3 lbs. in 3 weeks, 1.5 muscle per scale.

Nice work! Does your scale give you lbs or muscle%?

I’m looking back at my scale readings from when I had them synced up with my phone… I lift 4-5 times a week, have been pretty consistent too and I’ve literally had no muscle percentage increases from August 2018 to now… I’ve actually decreased a small amount… If that’s even possible?

Check it out - August of 2018 -

And 4 days ago -

I’m 5’11". I guess I need to figure out a different way to lift or eat, because clearly something isn’t working.

By the wat @bkb333, how are things going with the thyroid meds? Feeling any different?

[bkb333]

These scales are often wrong. I wouldn’t read too much into it. That said, however, I think they are helpful when you take a long-term perspective and evaluate over months/years.

For example, I just looked at my log for that exact day – 08/16/2018. I was 10 lbs. lighter and my scale says I had 5 fewer lbs. of muscle. That actually seems pretty accurate, to be honest.

Here’s what I looked like around that Aug. 2018 date:

And most recently:

Looking at the side-by-side and the numbers, the thing I’d say that’s furthest off is actually BF%. It says I’ve gained 4% BF; I would’ve believed that, but evaluating the photos, I don’t buy it. I haven’t been religious about taking them (used to do it weekly), but this is why photos can be a great supplement for tracking progress.

So I wouldn’t worry about it saying your fat went up; it may have actually declined. Scales are bad at parsing that out.

But I would read into the muscle part. How much protein have you been eating? It seems you have the workout thing down, man. How much volume do you get?

@bcostigan41

how are things going with the thyroid meds? Feeling any different?

I’ve seen some very subtle changes. My mood has picked up just a bit and libido too, but the changes haven’t been substantial. I started escalating to 25 mg/day (12.5 AM/PM) yesterday (was doing just one dose before), so maybe that will make the effects more pronounced. Will keep you posted for sure.

How are daily injections going for you, brother?

[maddog352002]

My two are 18 months apart. We weren’t trying for a second, and I suck at pulling out apparently.

[maddog352002]

Good stuff right there. I’ve done mikes programs, through RP. Really good if you have self control to gauge your fatigue correctly. Total waste if you go balls out 1st week and reck yourself for the whole mesocycle.

[bcostigan41]

You can see the positive differences between those pictures and it doesn’t look like you’ve increased your BF at all. Crazy the scale would say that.

@bkb333

How much protein have you been eating? It seems you have the workout thing down, man. How much volume do you get?

I started TRT in November 2017. Before then, I had slipped. Partly in sure because of my TT of 256, but I was heavier at 187, not focused on good dietary habits and exercise was inconsistent. Side note - I’ve been lifting on and off for about 14 years. In my mid 20s to early 30s, I was in the best shape I’d been in. Then that whole thing with marriage and kids I was talking about happened… So my routine came and went and I wasn’t as consistent as in previous years.

But once I started TRT, I wanted to take advantage of testosterone…so it all changed and I started to really focus and have been consistent now with diet and exercise for 2+ years.

I usually get about 170-200 grams of protein, 50-100 grams of carbs and about 60 grams of fat. That’s just guessing on averages, but I’m heavily skewed towards protein, then healthy fats and low glycemic carbs like sweet potatoes or quinoa. Higher glycemic carbs make me feel bloated and like shit, so I try to stay away.

I’m lifting 5x a week. Usually focus on 1 muscle group per day, abs and a HIIT type cardio program after lifting.

So today, I’m doing biceps.

3 sets seated dumbbell curls on a preacher attachment - 30lbs x 12, 30lbs x 15, 30lbs x 17 (if I can get that high)

3 sets seated hammer curls - same as above, but 20lbs

3 sets seated concentration curls - same as above, but with 20lbs.

Then some ab work and then the HIIT after.

I do this every day, but for different muscles per day. It has to be my diet.

Sorry for the long post.

[bcostigan41]

@bkb333

How are daily injections going for you, brother?

Tomorrow will be week 5, time flies!

Starting to feel an uptick again like I was the day after my shot on EOD. The well being is there, but sorta lurking and a little less intense.

Have had sex 3 mornings in a row (including today) without issue, which as a barometer, I’d say things are going well.

How about you?

[bkb333]

That’d be a struggle for me. I was an athlete my whole life, so the ‘beast mode’/one more rep mentality comes second nature. I struggle to resonate with all the ‘RPE’ stuff, though I recognize it could be an intelligent approach.

How well did it work for you, brother? What program(s) did you follow? I’m really gaining respect for Dr. Mike.

[bkb333]

How long have you been getting that much protein? Your diet sounds pretty on point to me, man - very healthy. Not sure that’s the issue. I wonder if it may be your programming.

Can you expound on your 5 days per week split? Having a dedicated biceps day (or even arm day) might not be the best for your gainz. Are you doing compound movements? I might also consider dropping or reducing the cardio.

In that photo you had up earlier, I could clearly see a lot of muscle mass, just covered by a bit of fat - once you peel that off, you’ll look jacked! The years of lifting are evident. 19% seems about right to me, but it won’t be very hard for you to get to 12% and you’ll be amazed by what a difference that makes.

[bkb333]

That’s incredible! 3 days in a row is goals. My libido has picked up as well. Not raging by any means but way better — like a 6 or 7. And my voice has been very deep, which I like and take as a great sign.

Very happy with the switch to ED injections and seems it’s been great for both of us. Still contemplating moving back to the cream eventually but it really is a hassle to apply 2X/day (especially with the thyroid meds added). Gotta weigh convenience in the equation. Also still considering switching to IM so I can do fewer SQ injections - tired of constantly pinning my belly fat, lol.

[bkb333]

Awesome Christmas gift: Nike Metcons. I don’t do CrossFit but love versatile workout shoes, and these have a flat sole so they’re great for lifting. Plus: with the Flyknit technology and black camo, these are some good-looking kicks!

[ncsugrad2002]

Nice! I’ve got the blue ones

[bkb333]

Very cool. Is this your first pair? How have you found they compare to other lifting shoes? I’ve been wearing Chucks for 2-3 years now.

[ncsugrad2002]

I just think they look cool, haha. Haven’t lifted or ran in years so I can’t be of much help there.

I actually have an older version than what you got and they’ve lasted for years just wearing them casually, I’ll probably get a new pair soon though

[bkb333]

I think “haven’t lifted in years” is a prereq for being banned from TN Just kidding, of course.

[ncsugrad2002]

Haha probably true! When I was using cream I felt pumped a lot of time and actually was interested in lifting again… not so much on injections. I guess my levels are a decent bit lower? I’m not sure. Sooner or later I’m going to end up getting back to the gym. It’s tough having a 1:30 commute each way every day… leave at 6:30am and get home at 6:30 to 7pm every day. Hopefully 2020 brings me a new job!

[bkb333]

Commute time wrecks so many people’s workout ambitions. 90 minutes is insane. Man, I really hope you find something new. I’ve felt my most motivation to lift on injections, when my dose was a bit higher – didn’t feel as much drive to work out on cream, from what I remember.

[ncsugrad2002]

Yeah it really sucks. I mean I wouldn’t mind it like 2 days a week or something but 4-5 days is a lot. If you look at it in terms of how much of my “free” time it takes up during the week it’s pretty insane. 24 hours - 8 for sleeping - 9 for work, that only leaves 7 hours for “me”. Then my commute eats up almost half of those hours…

They’re paying me really well but at this point I’d take a pay cut to get rid of the commute

[bkb333]

I commute 90 minutes each way into an office once every two weeks, and even that is a lot. I definitely wouldn’t want to do it 2 days a week. Like you said, it cuts so deeply into everything else. Hard to weigh the pros/cons of the pay, though. Any chance you can negotiate some type of remote arrangement, even for some of the time? That’s what I did.

[ncsugrad2002]

@bkb333

Any chance you can negotiate some type of remote arrangement, even for some of the time? That’s what I did.

It’s a long story of office politics but basically, probably not. I’m about 95% sure if I tell them I’m leaving and this was a major reason why, they’d change their tune… but I’m ready to leave anyways so it wouldn’t change my mind even if they did

My actual official boss is in another state and doesn’t care where I’m working from as long as he can reach me and stuff gets done. But the general manager for this whole region is in the office next to me and is super old school. He still has the mentality that you have to be in the office before 8 and have to stay after 5 or you aren’t doing your job, so I end up taking the brunt up of that since I’m really the only job at this office that can work remote (the rest are plant jobs, HR, etc. so they need to be here. I do sales). Basically the mentality of “no one else at this office gets to work from home so you don’t either”. I get treated like I’ve been out at the bar all day or something every time I do it. I still do it 1 day a week because my boss told me I could but even that I get ignored and/or bitched at for any and everything for days after. He’s super passive aggressive sometimes. And he’s the main reason I want to leave.

Anyways. But yeah, they pay very well at least? Haha. I hate politics.

[bkb333]

Man, I hate that old-school mentality. It’s so behind the times. The book ‘Remote’ does a good job debunking the philosophies driving that logic. I had a similar situation a few years ago, where I would have done a way better job working remotely…but my boss was too old school. Eventually, I got sick of it and left for a better arrangement. I imagine you will soon, too.

It’s only a matter of time before no one has to deal with that bullshit. I think it’ll go when the baby boomers leave the workforce.