Calories on Anavar, female 28 yo

[Dandylion]

Hi everyone!!

I'm an experienced trainer and Previously a natural competitor about to start my first Anavar cycle. I won't be commencing for another 3 weeks so just doing some forward panning.

My main question is regarding diet... Stats below:

Weight: 75kg
Height: 178cm
LBM: 61kg
BF%: ~19%

Training: 5 x intense weights weekly, 45-1h cardio daily

Diet: average 1750 - 1900cal per day
Protien 60% Carb 20% Fat 20%

Currently maintaining weight but slowly getting visibly leaner and harder so semi cut slash recomp.

Planning 5 week cycle with a three day taper up from 2.5mg once daily to 2.5mg twice daily from day 4 of week one. Then pending on response and results maybe up to 10mg daily. A one week taper added on at end of 5/5/5/2.5/2.5/2.5/2.5.

Should my cals increase on cycle? I'm hoping to gain LBM and drop BF in prep for comp in late October.

Also, thinking of taking 6 weeks off after first cycle then repeat the above again.

Between cycle should i adjust my cals based on my LBM increase? Are loss of gains something to be concerned about?

Any advice or suggestions welcome!!!

Thanks in advance

 

[RottenWillow]

Hi everyone!!

I'm an experienced trainer and Previously a natural competitor about to start my first Anavar cycle. I won't be commencing for another 3 weeks so just doing some forward panning.

My main question is regarding diet... Stats below:

Weight: 75kg
Height: 178cm
LBM: 61kg
BF%: ~19%

Training: 5 x intense weights weekly, 45-1h cardio daily

Diet: average 1750 - 1900cal per day
Protien 60% Carb 20% Fat 20%

Currently maintaining weight but slowly getting visibly leaner and harder so semi cut slash recomp.

Planning 5 week cycle with a three day taper up from 2.5mg once daily to 2.5mg twice daily from day 4 of week one. Then pending on response and results maybe up to 10mg daily. A one week taper added on at end of 5/5/5/2.5/2.5/2.5/2.5.

Should my cals increase on cycle? I'm hoping to gain LBM and drop BF in prep for comp in late October.

Also, thinking of taking 6 weeks off after first cycle then repeat the above again.

Between cycle should i adjust my cals based on my LBM increase? Are loss of gains something to be concerned about?

Any advice or suggestions welcome!!!

Thanks in advance

The intuitive answer would be well sure of course. However, anyone (male or female) who has ever actually done an androgen cycle on restricted calories can tell you muscle acquisition while on gear is way more inscrutable. There's some voodoo shit going on.

Yes you can actually gain muscular bodyweight running what would appear to be a caloric break even. I'm not a biochemist so I'm not sufficiently informed to tell you how this is possible, but it is. I've experienced it more than once. I've commiserated with other women who have as well. I'd suggest you bump them a little though on workout days. Just take the extra calories earlier in the day. There are several other relevant factors, but being a trainer you will already know them.

Yes between cycles you will absolutely want to keep calories elevated. your body's ability to remain in an anabolic state is going to drop precipitously. You'll need those calories, regular doses of high quality protein, Plenty of sleep, etc. Drop the weight training volume and increase poundages. empty stomach leucine 5-10g post work is helpful. Zinc picolinate empty stomach dissolved in water is helpful. orthinine to promote deep restful sleep (which optimizes Gh release) is a good one too.

 

[shirlene29]

I cycled carbs but not cals with my current cycle...maybe I could have gained more muscle just upping cals but psychologically I couldn't get around it

Ive put on a ridiculous amount of muscle by female stanards and dropped a decent amount of bf (had a lot to begin with) ...Im about 6 weeks into a long moderate dose cycle

 

[SpyWizard]

the only issue some woman report is some unwanted water retention with var, and since this is your 1st run and you are 3 weeks out, i wouldn't chance it, the good news is if you do retain water with it (just some, not all) you can drop it within 3-4 days..

so you are dropping cals pre contest?? most guys getting on stage will run a lower dose up to because they are on such a restricted diet especially the last 6 weeks to a show.. so your plan seems off to me.. but i've trained 4 woman, none pre show all using var which i like.. a better way would have been 5 months prior you would have run it for 6-8 weeks, come off, then run it again up to the show...

but it is what it is now, so throw the dice, that's how we learn how our body's react to things. and good luck..

 

[Dandylion]

Thank you for responses @spywizard and @shirlene29! I'm meant I'm 3 weeks from starting my cycle, in 22 weeks out from my show

Shirlene, what dose were/are you on? I have 20mg caps and was not wanting to take 20mg straight up, maybe 10mg a day at the most!! Preferably 5mg to start but not sure I'll be able to split the caps easily

 

[shirlene29]

mine were tablets...in 10mg dose...I started at 5 mg for two weeks then upped it to 10mg (5mg twice a day) then got it into my head to use 15mg for a bit but saw no benefit upping it from 10mg to 15mg (but no adverse sides either) so dropped it back down to 10mg again mainly to not waste my var..lol

 

[ChickDiesel@MGN]

What division are you competing in? That will also make a difference in dosage for your muscle mass yields. Immediately looking at your cycle plan, I think 2.5 is just too small. I would taper up from 5mg maybe, three days, then 10mg daily from there on out for at least 8 weeks. Annie usually doesn't kick in full results until you are in at least your 4-5 week of the cycle. Don't increase carbs unless you want to increase mass and are exerting a lot of energy in morning fasted cardio and post workout cardio. I would keep your macronutrient breakdown at 60-20-20 until you notic a staggering in your weight. You are leaning out now simply because of your routine, but you could lean out even more if you incorporate a second round of cardio. Then you can maintain your diet as is.

 

[Dandylion]

What division are you competing in? That will also make a difference in dosage for your muscle mass yields. Immediately looking at your cycle plan, I think 2.5 is just too small. I would taper up from 5mg maybe, three days, then 10mg daily from there on out for at least 8 weeks. Annie usually doesn't kick in full results until you are in at least your 4-5 week of the cycle. Don't increase carbs unless you want to increase mass and are exerting a lot of energy in morning fasted cardio and post workout cardio. I would keep your macronutrient breakdown at 60-20-20 until you notic a staggering in your weight. You are leaning out now simply because of your routine, but you could lean out even more if you incorporate a second round of cardio. Then you can maintain your diet as is.

Thank you!! Great post

I think that 2.5mg s too small now you mention this, I am doing Figure so size is important. I have done a quick google and found a product called Cap-M-Quick which has a capsule splitting contraption thingy!! Obviously splitting caps into 4 or 5 is never going to be accurate 100% but gotta be better than hitting 20mg straight up.

Will keep diet as is and look at increasing/cycling carbs.

Will do 5mg once daily for 3-4 days then 5mg twice daily. If it gets to be a hassle quartering the caps might just halve them and do 10mg once daily.

Thank you for your input!!

 

[shirlene29]

this is going to sound ridiculous but Id found really sharp scissors to work really well for splitting tabs

 

[Dandylion]

this is going to sound ridiculous but Id found really sharp scissors to work really well for splitting tabs

Thanks hun!! Yeah, these are capsules so I'm planning on emptying them out and dividing the powder up as evenly as possible...

Or just do it once every two days and store the second half somewhere safe. I'd just mix it in water I guess?!