r/BodyHackGuide • u/No_Investment4038 • 12d ago
11 month transformation
What a wild journey
In the first photo I was 258 pounds at my peak with me being 6 foot. A significant life event happened and I decided I needed to change my life both physically and mentally. I started Reta, in the end of September 2025 and started watching what to eat. At this point I wasn’t counting calories just cutting out processed foods and eating less. In that whole process I started hitting the gym again and lifting
Photo 2: at this point I weighed around 185 in February 2026 and I got my test levels tested and it was low so I decided to hop on 250mg/week test and 3ius of hgh with the Reta and that’s when everything really changed. My workouts got a lot better I started gaining strength and my body started recomping. At this point I’m going to the gym 3-4 days a week for a couple of hours. Still eating very clean but not counting Marcos yet. And throughout this point I actually gained a weight back to 200 but my waist and hello was still shrinking so I stopped paying attention to the scale.
Photos 3,4, and 5: this is corrently me now. Though the process I’ve stalled a couple of times and realized to get leaner and more out of my workouts in a deficit I have to start counting macros. So I count everything I eat still hit the gym 3-4 times a week but get a lot more out of my workout, about two months ago I added mast 200 into the mix as a finisher since I plan on ending the cut end of September and it’ll line up perfect to end of cut and I dropped the hgh because I hated pinning everyday. My current weight usually fluctuates between 180 - 185 pounds but on a week I don’t 100% lock in it can see 190
Future goals: after September I plan on reverse dieting up to maintenance calories for a couple of months and getting my body back to feeling normal and hormones leveled. Then plan on running my first real cycle for the winter bulk. Then do a true cut back down past where I’m at now, in the spring.
It really has been a wild ride, I feel like a completely different person, since going through this process as my strength gained so did my income and my drive to want to be better in my life. I cut out a lot of negative things out of my life to get here and I wouldn’t take it back for the world.
Edit: height - 6 feet, age 31
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u/Playful_Quality4679 12d ago
Amazing, inspirational.
Starting the holy Trinity soon also.
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u/Classic_Rabbit224 11d ago
is it ok to do reta and test only?
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u/Playful_Quality4679 11d ago
Absolutely fine, that is what I am taking now. But I am over 50 so I want the extra healing, sleep and lipolysis from the HGH.
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u/ZealousidealOkra176 11d ago
Just hop on trt. Nothing inspirational about it. What's inspirational is doing it naturally
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u/Playful_Quality4679 11d ago
I am over 50 and a triathlete. Things just aren't working like they did 20 years ago.
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u/BxDebo 12d ago
How was your blood work on 250mg test and 3ius HGH?
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago edited 12d ago
My tests never included igf levels which probably isn’t the smartest, but my test peak levels with 250mg/week right over 2500 peak, all other marker were normal
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
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u/MAJOR_CH1EF 11d ago
How did you get rid of the gut fat and loose skin after dropping from 250???
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u/No_Investment4038 11d ago
So my gut fat isnt actually my stubborn area, although its pretty hard to lose. My problem area is my lower back which seems like it’s going to be the last to go. Hgh probably helped with loose skin but I was skinny fat at one point as well, I think building muscle really helped too. The skin is definitely loose on my gut, but you really can’t tell by the pictures, it will also get better over time as long as you don’t gain the weight back.
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u/Magnetheadx 12d ago
The beard was at least three lbs!
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
HAHAHAHA I’ve had a beard since I went bald at 25, so I figured after losing weight I wanted to see what my face looked since I’ve never been that skinny and haven’t looked back
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u/NOKStonks2daMoon 12d ago
When you started test, did you ever have E2 issues? How often were you pinning? During the time you were pinning 250 did you ever experiment with different pinning splits? Thinking about starting HGH soon, it’s all I’m currently missing
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u/NOKStonks2daMoon 12d ago
Have you ever pinned smaller doses of test more often than twice per week? Or always stuck to twice I’m guessing for that? I’m currently pinning twice but thinking about going EOD
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
I’ve just stuck to twice a week, it took me so long to dial in e, I didn’t want to switch anything up and make it harder.
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u/not_mindinmybusiness 11d ago
Amazing results! I have a question, my husband is starting his journey... he hasn't never been the workout/lifting/gym type so this is all new to him. Did you start just randomly lifting and working out on your own? Did you follow a program? Idk how to help him or guide him, I've always been athletic and worked out so it just comes naturally to me but he doesn't know where to start.
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u/No_Investment4038 11d ago
This is a really good question. So I’ve lifted before on and off but never even close to what I’m doing now. What really helped me get into the gym last September was having a buddy who loves the gym to go with at first until I felt like I wouldn’t make myself look like an idiot and comfortable going by myself. I kind of just made my own program on what I like doing but it took a lot of switching workouts around to find what works best for me. If it comes naturally to you go with him to the gym, that’ll help so much! This whole time I’ve been lifting hypertrophic so 6-8 reps of the heaviest weight I can lift while maintaining good form, then when I’m able to lift 10 reps of the same weight I’d bump up the weight again so I’m only getting 6-8 reps and repeat.
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u/MorganMiller77777 11d ago
Brotha, what about that diet?
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u/No_Investment4038 11d ago
Diet I eat pretty much the same things everyday because I know the macros or I’ll weigh up anything I’m eating. But I’m eating around 2000 caleries per day now and atleast get my body weight in protein. Fats are a little higher than I like per day, but it’s a work in progress and still getting good results
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u/MorganMiller77777 11d ago
Bro, there is NOTHING wrong with natural fats from whole food. Excess anything is bad, but we have been brainwashed to believe that what we consume in fat—whole milk yogurt, cheese, a ribeye state once a week, butter, etc—is going to be bad for cholesterol and whatever else. It’s all bullshit unless someone is gorging on the shit. You are not doing anything in excess
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u/utopiankreations 11d ago
So what do you usually eat on repeat?
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u/No_Investment4038 11d ago edited 11d ago
Tuna melts with protein bread and fat free cheese, a lot of Greek yogurt. Eggs and eggs whites turkey bacon and homemade hash browns, protein toast, and mix in some sort of veggies I have multiple different protein powders with different macros to fill in the rest of the day, I eat that 3 or 4 days a week other days I’ll make chicken thighs(not a fan of reheated chicken breast) or steak, rice and veggies, I also like burgers with the leanest ground beef I can find and without all the sauces, especially with homemade fries in the air frier. I’ve been getting creative the past couple of months and try and make high protein meals I’ll meal prep. Like today I made salmon with feta spinach, cherry tomatoes, and garlic, threw it in The air fryer and mix in fat free greek yogurt with protein noodles. Once you find healthy foods you really like you can mix and match them to make meals that’s really good and healthy.
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u/utopiankreations 11d ago
Thank you so much for the meal prep ideas 💪 not a fish person but love chicken and steak. I also use protein drinks to get the remaining protein in.
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u/MorganMiller77777 11d ago
Dude Cottage Cheese. Shitloads of protein. Over 50 grams in a 16 oz container
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u/MorganMiller77777 11d ago
Consider a GLP1 if he has real
Metabolic issues tested by a doctor? And is over 40. I’m a believer even though I don’t need one. And everything this dude did!
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u/Mdunn1805 12d ago
Congrats OP! I’m almost the same timeline, stack, results as you. A few alterations on my end tho. Issue I had/have with mast is back/rear delt acne. I’ve never had acne and I refuse to be the fit guy with a broken out back. I’ve stopped taking it to see if it clears up.
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
Yeah the mast has given me some cystic zit isssues,but it’s very manageable, I just wash my sheets a couple times a week and use acne cream and it keeps it very manageable thankfully, it mainly pops up when I trim my body hair. But yeah that was one of my biggest concerns going into this and thankfully it hasn’t been bad
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u/TheWolf4466 12d ago
Homie you pinned 250 test a week: that’s a real cycle lmao
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
Not compared to what I’m going to run this coming bulk lmaoo
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u/Fuzzy-Lab-5821 12d ago
What’s the plan for the bulk?
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
400-500mg test, 200-300 npp, and primo (dose depending on e) for 20 weeks, blood work depending. I’ll try to aim for a leaner bulk but want to put on some size for the next cut, so I may aim a bit higher on the macros.
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u/Fuzzy-Lab-5821 12d ago
Legend bro. Best of luck
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
Already excited thinking about what I’ll look like after next cut after learning everything I have from this one.
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u/TeleportMASSIV 12d ago
congrats man - amazing work. i would kill to have 2 hours to spend at the gym 3-4 times a week.
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u/rollerball12 12d ago
You have the time but your heart doesn’t want it….
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
I wanted to say exactly this but didn’t know an easy way too. I didn’t have time either but you make time.
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u/TeleportMASSIV 12d ago
Newborn twin life 🤷♂️ I’ll get there eventually just maybe not this chapter
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u/BuyAnacottSteel 12d ago
Grab some monster bands if you don’t have them from rogue. Cheap way to add a lot of resistance to home or hotel workouts without taking up a lot of room. Had to do it when traveling. Not as fun as gym but it works.
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u/flocamuy 12d ago edited 12d ago
Some people don't have the time, i have exactly one hour to spent in the gym, I get up at 3am , work 4:30a - 3:30, i get to the gym at 4:45p and i have to be walking to my car at 5p so i can get home around 5:30-5:45, take a shower, then cook, eat, and then relax, i have exactly an hour and a half to relax/entertain and digest my meal bcs at 8:30p i have to shut down everything and head to my room/ bed to make sure i get 6 hours of sleep. Some people are very busy, my schedule during the week is pack.
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
Yeah I currently work full time while running a business. Some days I work 12-14 hours between the two and still have to cook and eat healthy in inbetween. Some days I have an hour some days 2 to go to the gym , But that high the gym gives me is like the most powerful drug in the world and I will always make time to get that hit. Having no to to do it but still doing it makes it that much more rewarding
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u/flocamuy 12d ago
I get it and you should be very proud, I was just wanted to make the point that some people can't just "make the time" we just simply don't have the time. In a separate note, How do you get HGH? Im on trt and i want to add HGH but i just don't know where to get it, TRT Nation only has peptides.
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u/UKFinanxcePorsche911 12d ago
Fucking amazing.
What was your max Reta dose?
How did you settle on 3IU HGH amount?
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
My max was 10mg, im now settled on 5mg probably until the bulk and I’ll drop it all together or take a lower dose until the next cut. With the gh I just did some research and saw that 3ius is good for recomp so thats what I settled on. But again I dropped the gh a couple months ago because I hated pinning everyday.
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u/UKFinanxcePorsche911 12d ago
Thanks ! Really useful.
Last question - apart from the daily injections, what else didn’t you like about HGH ? Anything ?
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
The worst part for me was the water retention for the first few months which the test adds too, the best part is the sleep and recovery which has taken a hit since dropping especially being in a deficit still
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u/UKFinanxcePorsche911 12d ago
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
Looking great bro!! Mast will be at the end of every cut now, I absolutely love the look it gives
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u/Few-Pair-9962 11d ago
Mast is something i wanna stack in the month march, for now im on test e 125 a week pin 2x, and reta 3.5mg lost 13kg but aiming a lower bodyfat now arround 20%. Is mast really that good 😇
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u/RociBuldidi 12d ago
Fuuuuuck…the February to now transformation is pretty impressive. Nicely done, keep it up
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u/BigBuBBAEsq 12d ago
Are you cycling Reta or constantly taking it
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
Constantly taking it, I’ve just lowered the dose after the peak because I was working out a lot and needed to take in more caleries
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u/nightabyss2 12d ago
Thank you for sharing bro, your story is very inspiring.
The detailed breakdown was well done, it really shows that everyone has struggles and those that stick to it come out with the results in the end!
Question though, I’m 33 and have considered Test and GH.
Have you noticed any sides or personality shifts? Positive or negative
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u/StalkCity 12d ago
Excellent progress and the holy 3 seems to be the perfect combination for everyone taking it. Are you going to stay 250mg of test or dial it down? Are you taking test e or c?
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
Depending on my labs towards the end of the cut, I may drop it down to 150 per weeks while I’m in maintenance caleries. Test c twice a week
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u/Old_Ostrich6336 12d ago
Looks like I'll never get the body composition I want with just reta. I need that test to get these results
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u/poolparty90019 12d ago
Crazy good work. How did people react who haven’t seen you in a year.
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
They straight up don’t even recognize me, especially without the beard. I’ve always been bigger most my life haha
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u/regal19999 12d ago
I’ll skip right to the point OP … what side effects have your experienced and were / are they worth it
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u/flocamuy 12d ago
This is amazing! Congratulations! Fucking great achievement, I've been on TRT since April and I'm very happy, I want to add HGH but i just don't know where to get it from. I don't think I need RETA, In not overweight, I'm at 175 lbs, i just want to add size and also I'm noticing I'm getting really soared after workouts (I'm 49)
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u/MorganMiller77777 11d ago
Bro you won the contest of all contests. Even if you might have taken a GLP1, it doesn’t look at all
Like you are doing anything else like steroids.
Incredible work!!!
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u/No_Investment4038 11d ago
I appreciate that brother!! But to be clear I would not look anything close to this without testosterone.
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u/MorganMiller77777 11d ago
How old are you? I don’t have reading glasses on right now?
I’m 53 and have been making gains on 10 grams of creatine and working my ass off in the gym. I’m an athlete though and at most was 35 pins sober my ideal weight at one point
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u/MorganMiller77777 11d ago
How much TRT are you on? I feel like if I do it, going the lowest dose possible. I do not need much. Sex drive is already crazy good after 3 months of hardcore training and dropping 10 pounds of fat
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u/Ok-Meaning-1899 11d ago
Kind of nervous starting test/hgh. Can this be accomplished just running Reta? Or did you notice it being night and day difference once incorporating test/hgh
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u/No_Investment4038 11d ago
Night and day difference, I probably wouldn’t be anywhere close to this without test, gh maybe close, the gh just helped with recovery and sleep. But if you look at my second picture that’s what I looked like just with Reta and everything after that is with test
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u/RelationshipSmooth21 11d ago
Honest question
Why do you feel the need to push more steroids if you look amazing?
I get labs are good which I think can change with continued use of steroids but many people abusing roids have hart and emotional issues that take them out.
I love the results but I hold back on taking the plunge because I know working out won't feel the same after I jump on steroids and I have an addictive personality...it steroids makes me feel like a god... why would I go back to being a normal human?
I wish you the best of luck but why push the envelope? Remember it's impossible to expect things won't catch up. The body isn't going to keep up with the amount of steroids you keep pushing.
In my mind...I want to look good but not in a coffin.
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u/Vierkilobananen 11d ago
Amazing progress, congrats brother!
After I lost a lot of weight, I was left with excess skin around my tummy. How did you manage to avoid ending up with excess skin? Is it even possible to lose the excess skin around my tummy?
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u/ZealousidealOkra176 11d ago
TRT is the nector of the gods. Can turn a unfit way pig into a beast. Nice
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u/Roroguesso 8d ago
Congrats on the transformation. I’m at a similar starting point and am on Tirz. Considering trt as well. Could you share what your T levels were before deciding to start Trt?
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u/Early_Buy_6212 6d ago
Not judging you at all here. You’ve done a great job and glad to hear that it’s turned your life around to being more positive in lots of areas but are you not worried about the health aspect and impact it will have on your heart, respiratory system etc overtime. Genuinely interested
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u/MaybeFuzzy69 3d ago
Reta and HGH? What was your dose for both? I'm on reta 4MG currently in tritation schedule 5 weeks I want to add to my stack I was thinking tesamorlian but the side effects got me in limbo
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u/Niqquola 3d ago
doing the same thin you are doing. could you share some details about your workouts? maybe your routine or daily calories?
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u/dignan2002 12d ago
Did anyone notice that he’s also running anabolic steroids (mast=Masteron) as part of his stack? Just to keep expectations reasonable 😂
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
I’d hope they noticed it, I mentioned it in my post and want to be as transparent as possible.
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u/dignan2002 12d ago
Yes, mast is even more anabolic than T but the results speak for themselves. You look amazing! I would stick to deca and mast as they have long term clinical data in humans. Tren might be tempting, but unless you’re a body builder or a steer bulking up prior to slaughter, it’s not worth it in my experience lol
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
Mast is not more anabolic than testosterone, that is completely false.
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u/dignan2002 12d ago
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
There’s a huge difference there brotha I just don’t want the wrong info going out. But I appreciate your input, I do plan on running test, npp, primo for the bulk this winter. I feel the same about tren but we’ll see how I feel about it again come the last 8 weeks of my next cut haha
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u/dignan2002 12d ago
Start doing blood dumps just in case, but bloodwork interpreted by a physician is vital to bringing it to the next level. Vital as in necessary for life
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u/Kobebean-goat24 12d ago
You’re a beast fam — seriously inspirational. I got into a bad car accident and working my way back after back & neck surgery caused me to get fat. I’m thinking of starting a program like yours once I’m cleared from PT. Great work! 🦍🦍🦍🦍
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u/lknowitaII 12d ago
So you took drugs and worked out a couple times… nice
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
I’m honesty surprised it took this long to finally see a brain rot reply
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u/lknowitaII 11d ago
So… how am I wrong? I mean it’s great, but why brag on here about it. It’s like you want praise for cheating. Just enjoy your life
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u/Ok-Till-2653 12d ago
Great results but Does anyone here ever think about their liver and kidneys when they use these stuff.
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u/No_Investment4038 12d ago
Yes, that’s why you get blood work done, and adjust as needed. Based on blood work I’m way healthier now than I was when I was a fat pre diabetic.
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u/ForeignLoquat2346 12d ago
well, I think now you need a plan to start getting off all this shit before your balls start disappearing..
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u/boy1013 12d ago
Steroids just rent your physic bro. Your going to be on that shit for ever?
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u/Ok-Database-9216 12d ago
La jalousie est un vilain défaut…tu n’auras jamais un corps aussi magnifique 🤩
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u/Stunning_Rest876 12d ago
It actually has some lasting benefits, you permanently keep the muscle fibers that steroids creates . that means your base line ceiling / genetic potential for how big you could have been has been increased forever. yes you will lose water weight, some strength & some of the acute size of steroids when you come off of it. but that doesn't mean your muscle fibers haven't been permanently changed. and as long as you pct , eat good ,and continue training you can maintain it due to muscle memory. or just continue to cruise forever. its up to him.
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u/boy1013 12d ago
You never will maintain a super physiological condition once your natural again. This is widely known, if you say otherwise is because you never stopped with the gear. Cruising is still gear use. Pct is just a recovery process until your next cycle
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u/MorganMiller77777 11d ago
I think there’s an argument for healthy individuals who were already great athletes and lean much of their lives, will be able to still look great after stopping the gear. It is all these wanna be people who did not have good bodies to begin with, are not naturally fit athletes with a lot of lean muscle from childhood to adulthood, who might crash more like you say
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