Stranded On An Island, Advice?

Training Bodybuilding
61

[quote]Johndogg wrote:
Thanks for the advice.

What about a Letrozole cycle, tapering up then down, with Nolvadex on the down taper?

Would that help with the effects of letrozole and allow for me to not lose the effects when off the cycle?

-Johndogg

[/quote]

I’ve done just a quick search here and have found tons of relevant information. I don’t think it’s appropriate to do all the work for you, since you are the one ultimately responsible for your health. You should have a firm grasp of the science and risks involved before you make a decision like this, especially since you’re not under a doctor’s care.

For all the information you will ever need, do a search on T-Nation and/or google using the indicators “Letrozole” and “gyno”.

62

Thanks buddy, I really do appreciate the help you’ve given me. If anything pops up in my journey, and on this thread, that you feel like you could respond to, by all means do.

For anyone else, I’d love any input that you all could provide me.

Thanks,
Johndogg

63

Armidex seems to be more popular than letrozole/femara (its the same thing) among the steroid users.

I think it is due to the lower prevelance of side effects. This may be because it does not prevent the converstion of estrogen as aggressively.

64

[quote]Johndogg wrote something like:
Is sushi bad?
[/quote]

Fit it in with your diet…

Berardi has said [that one of his professors has said] there are very few bad foods, just bad times to eat certain foods.

65

Thanks for the advice dude. I’ll look into it for sure.

I’m assuming sushi would work, say, an hour after workout.

Example:

Workout from 5 to 6. Chocolate milk at 6:10. Sushi at 7.

The carbs are about 2 times that of the protein, albeit the protein is still there. Also, fat at that time of day can’t hurt either.

I do understand your quote…you guys are working on making me a productive indian.

Y’all can give me a fish, and I’ll have one meal. Y’all teach me how to fish like a good indian, and I’ll eat for the rest of my life.

Cheers,
-Johndogg

66

I forgot to mention, last night I strained my hamstring slightly. Today, on a non-workout day, I decided to to a legs-targeted yoga session (girlfriend has some great DVD’s), and my cardio in the pool. I then rubbed it up with some muscle rub, and will do more stretching tonight. I’m a bit prone to tight hammies, hopefully the addition to some pool cardio vs. road running cardio will help that, as well as the yoga.

Yeah, my balls are big enough to admit I do yoga dammit.

-Johndogg

67

[quote]T Ham wrote:
Armidex seems to be more popular than letrozole/femara (its the same thing) among the steroid users.

I think it is due to the lower prevelance of side effects. This may be because it does not prevent the converstion of estrogen as aggressively.[/quote]

The fact that Letrozole is so much stronger is what makes it a better anti-E though. I think you want an aggressive drug for this type of thing. I haven’t done an exhaustive search on it, but many guys who talk about it suggest Letrozole over Arimidex and Nolvadex for mainly this reason.

The suggested dose by the way is 2.5mg a day. It’s a good idea to taper down after the gyno is diminished as well to prevent estrogen rebound.

68

[quote]Bri Hildebrandt wrote:
T Ham wrote:
Armidex seems to be more popular than letrozole/femara (its the same thing) among the steroid users.

I think it is due to the lower prevelance of side effects. This may be because it does not prevent the converstion of estrogen as aggressively.

The fact that Letrozole is so much stronger is what makes it a better anti-E though. I think you want an aggressive drug for this type of thing. I haven’t done an exhaustive search on it, but many guys who talk about it suggest Letrozole over Arimidex and Nolvadex for mainly this reason.

The suggested dose by the way is 2.5mg a day. It’s a good idea to taper down after the gyno is diminished as well to prevent estrogen rebound.[/quote]

Any thoughts to, while taperong down the letrozole, using nolvadex? I just want to leave the window for an estrogen rebound as small as possible.

Cheers,
Johnny

69

Just an update here:

I will be doing a full body routine, with a focus on chest. I will try to pre-exhaust my triceps (me and member jmwintenn) decided that part of my problem is the lack of being able to focus chest workouts on my chest. My triceps love getting all the action.

Off days have been used for sprint cardio sessions and/or interval swimming sessions (gotta burn that fat!). It’s June in the caribbean, and these sessions are kicking my ass. I’m literally drinking liters of water to stay hydrated. I would like to know (I asked this in a previous post, and hadn’t quite gotten answered) if the post-workout chocolate milk is good after intense cardio. It made me feel good, for sure, but there are alot of things that make you feel good that aren’t good for you.

I’ll let everyone know how the workout goes, and if I can get my chest targeted in the next couple weeks. I will be posting up an updated picture in a bit.

Cheers,
Johnny

70

[quote]Johndogg wrote:
Any thoughts to, while taperong down the letrozole, using nolvadex? I just want to leave the window for an estrogen rebound as small as possible.

Cheers,
Johnny
[/quote]

There’s no need for the Nolvadex. Tapering of the Letrozole will be good enough to prevent any rebound.

71

Go with the eggs, milk, yogurt and cottage cheese. When Im budget strapped and can’t shell out dough for meat, thats the route I go and I usually maintain my weight and strength.

72

I’ve only read the first page so far, but I’m going to bookmark this thread and hopefully get back to it tomorrow after work.

One thought before I go: I hope nobody has mentioned this b/c I hate repeating things, but perhaps you should look at maxing out the veggies/fruits and fiber with each meal and then just getting some sort of protein at every meal. What I mean is instead of aiming to eat 200g+ of protein/day, aim for uber fiber and veggies and fruit, and let protein just fall where it may, as long as you have some with each meal. It’s less expensive, and you may not get tired of fish as quickly as you would otherwise. There are downsides, obviously, but it’s something to think about.

And you have no excuse being on a beautiful island. I hate you, because I’m stuck in the midwest. :slight_smile:

73

Thanks for the tips…redundant or not, they hammer home good ideas…

So, I’ve been working on a Berardi-style diet… The P+F/P+C thing seems to click in my brain. I also enjoy excuses to add protein to every meal, and the fact that it is not just allowed, but preferred, to have carbs with breakfast. I have about 500 more cals on a big lifting day, followed by less on the off day (doing sprint cardio/swimming interval training/sports-beach volleyball, flag football, softball etc). I’m trying to get rid of fat and build muscle as most of you know. I’ve noticed I prefer and respond better to P+C in the early meals/PWO, P+F in the late meals.

A typical (lifting) day for me:

Meal 1-P+C
1/2 cup oatmeal w/ banana or apple
1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese

Workout followed by Meal 2

Meal 2-P+C
12 oz. chocolate skim milk (lactose free…yes, i found it on this island…i can eat cheeses, but the reg. skim w/ lactose gives me the shits)
Apple
2 cans of tuna mixed w/ salsa

Meal 3-P+F
3 eggs, fat free mozzarella, 4 slices of turkey bacon

Meal 4-P+C
1/2 cup cottage cheese, chopped fruit

Meal 5-P+F
steak or chicken or fish, a couple eggs,broccoli or some fibrous veggies

I know I left some things out, and this is not everyday (swap out tuna with chicken, etc), but I think I’ve come a long way since I joined a few weeks ago.

Tell me what you guys think so far!

-Johnny

74

Here’s an update, and new pic…23 days in.

Getting better, still learning, workout and diet is starting tohit a stride!

Cheers,
Johnny

75

yea your chest isnt hanging down when your arms are up now.cant wait to see this at the end of july.

And is “gyno” the real man boobs?like the body makes them,not a fat issue?

76

its nice to see that you were resourceful and were able to work things out no excuses keep up the good work

77

[quote]moax wrote:
its nice to see that you were resourceful and were able to work things out no excuses keep up the good work[/quote]

Thanks for the props man.

Gotta do what ya gotta do!

-Johnny

78

So, here’s an update.

I received my shipment of Biotest supps, along with a blender yesterday…oh how sweet it is!

Currently, I am using HOT-ROX, TRIBEX & ZMA, along with the new Grow! Whey Protein.

The HOT-ROX is pretty good stuff. Is it just me, or does the shit make you like “happy to live life”? Anyway, I’m energized and warm, so that’s a plus.

I also love the taste/flexibility of the new Grow!..Great price, great stuff.

The ZMA may have been contributing to a wild dream I had last night about my chihuahua at the beach, becoming a hybrid chihuaha-sand crab…You figure that one out. Either way, it may have helped deepen my sleep, not so sure yet though. We shall see.

In the gym, I am noticing nice gains. I am mixing up my workouts alot, alternating movements, reps, weights etc… Generally, I have emphasized chest over the past couple of weeks, as you guys probably could imagine. Today I did a squat/bench - front squat/incline bench sequence. I had a solid total body workout yesterday with less than max weight, and felt good today so I went ahead and had a short, 40 min. workout consisting of just those 4 bigger lifts. It went exteremely well.

I must say, I have become addicted to increasing my squat. I was always a bit shy towards them, never really learned perfect form. Now I’m hooked. I have a local trainer down here who tells me if I look like a dickhead while squatting, and keeps me in check. So far so good. I don’t have a 1RM yet, I’m still working on weight/form etc… I did do 24 squats at 160lbs today if that helps anyone. (For me, who started squats 3 weeks ago- that’s good…don’t talk shit dammit I’m learning!)

In a few days, I’ll post another update pic.

Feedback always appreciated…

Cheers guys,
Johnny

79

Lately, I’ve been having a nightly protein shake. I’ve been taking my ZMA about an hour before I go to bed, and my shake about 15 minutes before bed time.

B/c I want to gain muscle and lose fat, I figured the last shake/food at night should be a protein-fat combo.

An example of my nightly shake:

1 1/2 scoops of Grow!

2 tbsp of natural peanut butter

1/8th cup of chopped walnuts

1 cup water, some ice

It ends up very nutty, peanutty, which I like. The stats end up around:

480 cal, 28 fat, 9 carb, 43 protein

Also, my diet has been around 2000-2200 on non-workout days, around 2400-2500 on workout days. My percentages from calories have been usually around this:

45% protein, 35% fat, 25% carb

Is this ideal for what I’m trying to do?

Generally, my carbs come with breakfast (oatmeal, fruit, scoop of whey), and post workout (protein shake, fruit, chocolate milk).

Also, as a note to fellow dieters - Do not be afraid to eat!

Eating often, the right stuff, at the right time (I am learning to worship Berardi), and you will be eating and growing in the right direction.

Before this, I would have looked at 100 grams of fat in a workout day and said YEAH RIGHT!NO WAY I LOSE FAT!

Yet my pictures are getting better…my shorts are getting looser around the waist, and my shirts are getting tighter around my arms.

Cheers,
Johnny

80

I forgot to ask about my PWO drink. I had been using about 12-16 oz. of chocolate milk (No Surge available).

Then, about 20-30 minutes later, I’d have a carb-protein shake, like 1 1/2-2 scoops of whey, and a banana w/ water & ice…

Would it behoove me to just stick the 12 oz. of chocolate milk in with the banana and whey and make 1 big PWO chocolate-banana-whey shake?

I know I’m headed in the right direction here, but can someone point me home?

Cheers!
-Johnny