Since starting roughly 7 months ago, I’ve gone from 145 to 170. Some of this has been in absence of working out too, and all while eating FAR less than I used to. I’m starting to get a little worried that I’m a few more months I’ll be hitting 200!
I haven’t used a calorie counting app in months but when I used to stuff my face I would hit around 4K cals a day. Definitely less than that now - my food budget is half what it used to be.
Scale says my body fat has gone from 12 to 13% so it’s not bad at all, but my waist size has gone up a couple of inches easily.
Went for ice cream a few times. Used to eat ice cream a few times a week and barely gained weight. I’m not talking a decade ago either…like 9 months ago.
I lift 3-4 days a week and have recently begun running again. Been chronically underweight my entire life until starting TRT.
Only other thing is I started drinking more on TRT. Been almost a month since I drank anything, but I remember when I quit years ago, it took about 3 months then I just lost 20lbs out of nowhere.
Last blood test showed borderline high cortisol too, which was new.
You’re bodyweight went up 15% and you’re bodyfat increased 1%. So using your numbers you increase 21.3lbs of LBM and 4.7lbs of fat. And you are complaining.
Yes you will get bigger to hold all that muscle. Your waist has muscle running through it, its the same muscle that holds your upper body up so that you don’t fold in half like a snake.
Are you upset that your arms, shoulders and chest are bigger to?
I’ve noticed something similar. During the years I had a hard time gaining weight and this last year I gained around 15-20 lbs. I’m not saying I didn’t eat a lot of because I was trying to bulk up but I reduced calories about two months ago and instead of loosing I’m gaining more. I started TRT 5 weeks ago but also my cortisol has been high before TRT.
I would like to know @dextermorgan opinion on this as he struggled with high cortisol as well. I ordered the nootropic ashwaghanda to see if it makes a difference and I’m waiting for it to arrive.
Did you loose any weight after lowering cortisol? @dextermorgan
That ashwagandha works well. I didn’t lose any weight really but I was decently lean (14-15%). I had surgery a couple months ago and have eaten like crap since so am around 18% at the moment but getting back in the game.
Well as long as it lowers my cortisol it’s fine by me. I’ll take care of the rest with diet and some cardio. Maybe this time I’ll reach my long time goal of reaching 12% bodyfat. I wonder if my cortisol has always been high because anytime I tried to cut fat I lost muscle and the lowest I’ve ever reached was 14-15% after loosing a shit ton of weight. Low testosterone combined with high cortisol kept me from reaching full potential during all these years of working out.
Probably not, more than likely 5-10 lbs of water, 1/2 fat and 1/2 muscle for the remainder. But without pictures it will be impossible to tell. If you are lifting weight and eating in surplus, you can add significant muscle on T when starting from a under fed state like you were.
Makes sense. I was eating a LOT more before TRT. These days I’m not cramming my face with food, sorry if I worded it wrong before. I spend a lot less on food and that part is definitely nice. Literally pays for my TRT.
For pictures, what would help? Shirtless before and after? Not trying to post endless photos of myself without clothes on on the internet, lol.
Well I went from 60kg 15% to 70kg 20% in a few months on TRT… not even dialled in on a shitty protocol (got out of shitty state with 250mg e3w, gel didn’t get me above 450ng/dl ever if I recall correctly) 250 gave me physiologic concentration for 1.5-2wk then I’d top up with TNE, gained nearly 10kg in 3 months if I recall correctly. Keep in mind this is taking T from 150-280ng/dl all the way up to 1000 or so (I’d keep myself high, go down just before bloods)
that’s 22 pounds, then if I recall correctly (my course of events here is probs a bit off) I dropped to 66, then back up to 70
Looking good man, gained good size. You weren’t 12% and you arent 13%. But no issue. Probably closer to mid to high teens in both. Keep lifting and add that LBM.
Thanks man, I always doubted the scale, not seeing any ab definition. Wish it were more accurate, I’d love to know how much of this is TRT water weight.
Hard to tell because muscle holds water too. So muscle gain and t can both be contributing. Fat didn’t change much so you’re good. I’d only worry about water if you start swell in legs or stomach.
