Few questions around fat loss and water retention

[Scarmenpouit]

Dear everyone,

I would like to ask a "basic" question (for most of you) but which has been bothering me for awhile.

I have switched my focus recently to having a more athletic look (hollywood look) while I use to be a bit bigger but not as ripped (even though I am quite lean).

I was at around 85kg for a long time, and went up to 88kg this August, after which I realize that it doesn't fit me, and I had a layer of fat a little thicker than before, so I switched to a cut.

I tried to "test" cycles of DNP without much effects (good or bad) except when I went to a higher dose at the end, I was very careful with this product so I preferred to up the dose very slowly. I have also cut down calories more and more. In all, I have lost already 7kg (I am at 81kg now), I would guessestimate around 11-12% bodyfat.

I always tend to loose many kg at the first few weeks of a diet, without a big change in figure (I look very similar while being 7kg less, slightly smaller but it doesn't look 7kg at all), nor do I look significantly more cut.

My main questions:

1. A. I have wondered if this is not depletion muscle glycogen and water? Do you guys experience the same?

• B. Do you need to get through that relative depletion of most of your muscle glycogen in order to start burning (more) fat? As if the first source calorie your body will use is muscle glycogen?

I also know that I have been doing those "cut" many times, even down to 75kg or so, but i still have somehow a "thicker" skin/little bloat subq. The only times I've looked ripped was when I was using superdrol, also had a nice dry look with test+tren. On the superdrol, it comes at around day 5 - 7, almost overnight, i look just ripped. Which make me think that it may not be due to a sudden loss of fat, but something else.

• C. Do you guys know thanks to what effect does these specific steroids make you look ripped?

• D. If i try to chase this look naturally, what seems to be the culprit? Could it be that I naturally hold water subQ? Or I lack of androgens? Or is it just fat?

 

[Capin]

As you know everyone is different your going to have to experiment to see what works best for you. For myself it's carbs carbs ruin my look typically I'll do 3 days zero carbs 2 days low carbs 2 days moderate carbs really works we for keeping the water off. Simple sugars and carbs I try not to eat at all.
So basically I carb cycle and when I do eat carbs it complex carbs brown rice, oatmeal ect...

 

[thethinker48]

When you first start dieting; there will be a phase where you'll be both depleted, and fat which will make you look your worst. Your muscles won't have the same pop, and the fat covering them will be visible as well. As you continue to diet down, it'll get better; on days you have a cheat meal after dieting for a while you'll look really good.

People also overestimate the amount of muscle they actually carry.

 

[thebigbus]

When you first start dieting; there will be a phase where you'll be both depleted, and fat which will make you look your worst. Your muscles won't have the same pop, and the fat covering them will be visible as well. As you continue to diet down, it'll get better; on days you have a cheat meal after dieting for a while you'll look really good.

People also overestimate the amount of muscle they actually carry.

^^ this. So much this.

When I started my last diet back in July 2015, I was 237 and thought I was pretty "buff". 53 pounds less, WITH tren and test and masteron, and I still wasn't even truly "shredded". Fat sure does take up a lot of space :-/

 

[Scarmenpouit]

Yes I understand that to get to a decent 8% body fat I will have to drop a lot of bodyweight and be patient. So I am a bit happy to know that most people experience this "deflatation"/"flush" period. I was a bit worried that I may have decreased calories too much.

At this point would AAS help to keep lean body mass or would I be fine dropping calories like this and wait until I start burning off fat? (I am a bit worried on whether I would burn actual muscles - I don't care about glycogen and water but I do care about muscle fiber)

 

[Phidias]

People also overestimate the amount of muscle they actually carry.

Most definitely!

Except for a few exceptions, I laugh inside most of the time when I hear or read people saying they weigh 260-300 lbs sub 10% bf, yet when you attend the best amateur shows on the planet such as IFBB World or Europe or any of the Arnold Classics Amateur, 95% of competitors are below 220lbs... and most of those who step on stage heavier than 100 kg are 6 feet +...

Ego often makes you see something else in the mirror...

 

[Scarmenpouit]

Does anyone have experience with mild OTC diuretics? I would be curious to try for a bit and see how much weight I'd drop out of water retention and if at this point it makes any difference in how dry i look like. In which case I'd know better what is fat what is water.

Also I have this weird reaction to sun bathing, every time I get a nice dark tan, my skin thickens quite a lot. I have noticed that for years but wasn't sure how realistic it was.
So I used a skin-fold caliper, before and after a 3-day exposure to tropical sun (beach), I increase each skin-fold caliper measurement by 2-3mm (everywhere in the body), which make my skin considerably thicker and harder to see striations. Does anyone else experience this?

 

[Deleted member 121863]

My main questions:
A. I have wondered if this is not depletion muscle glycogen and water? Do you guys experience the same?

Your body actually does not have that much STORED glycogen. 1-2 days of low carb with cardio and weights and your depleted.

B. Do you need to get through that relative depletion of most of your muscle glycogen in order to start burning (more) fat? As if the first source calorie your body will use is muscle glycogen?

Yes, There is an order in which your body burns energy. Glycogen is gonna be first, few more ways in the middle depending on what type of activity your doing (LISS, HIIT, etc) and fat is gonna be last. Ie: You`re not gonna eat a pizza for lunch, go do 30 minutes of cardio and burn fat. Like others have said, you are most likely over estimating how much muscle you really have underneath it all. If you using adequate, proper AAS while dieting right, with a carb up day, your not gonna "lose muscle" even if your arm measurement is down a little your muscle did not deteriorate away. There is glycogen and water depletion, many things that affect the volume of muscle for the day. Stop getting on the scale so much, and use measurements, mirror, count calories.

As for time in the sun and skin thickness I would guess it has something to do with hydration and nothing to worry about. Really, does anybody else notice an extra 2-3mm in your skin fold?

 

[SRhealth-Rachel]

the supplement you can take
more water
Fruit
Complex Carbs

 

[Scarmenpouit]

Thanks for the reply.

I have been experiencing with Proviron (for the first time) since 5 days (see if it can give me some hardness).

Today I've noticed a significant increase of hair I shed if I run my hand or a comb in my hair. I have read that Proviron is DHT based and can cause hair loss, but other don't experience anything. Would someone start to experience hairloss with proviron around day 5?

Or maybe it's a coincidence? (I am quite scared to loose my hair )