Lethargy - how do the big boys handle it?

Hi all,

I don't know about you but when i get to a certain weight and am consuming a certain amount of food,lethargy starts to creep in.Obviously caffeine and other stims would combat this to an extent but I am one of the unlucky ones on that front.

So i'm sure we've all seen some of the bigger pros or even the shorter guys with a shit load of muscle, seemingly functioning very well and pretty alert/intelligent in videos etc. Many have sponsorship/public appearance commitments and simply could not be wired all the time in those environments.

Are they on some exotic prescription medication?

You said it 'stimulants!',it's the only way.
I struggle most the time on baby dosages.you got to remember most the big boys in this game are reclusive hermits who just train eat and sleep when they can.
Obviously when needs be they come out of the woodwork so to speak but remember that's when there getting paid by their sponsors.as good as they look only can imagine its a shit life,not for me.

Sleep more, get some cardio, stimulants and lower doses. I get terrible lethargy if I touch anadrol, so I don't take it anymore. Deca makes me lethargic too but it's manageable.

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Originally Posted by BIGDADDY

You said it 'stimulants!',it's the only way.
I struggle most the time on baby dosages.you got to remember most the big boys in this game are reclusive hermits who just train eat and sleep when they can.
Obviously when needs be they come out of the woodwork so to speak but remember that's when there getting paid by their sponsors.as good as they look only can imagine its a shit life,not for me.

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Yeah, I used to be ok with stims but I think alot of heavy pre workout usage in the past has screwed me up a bit. If I take 100mgs of caffeine now I have a 3 hr come down feeling after a brief half hour mild buzz. I can do ok on ephephdrine but save for comps. Stims in general really not good for muscle but as you say, needs must.
I guess you don't see the darker side of various aspects of the lifestyle too much. Some must handle it way better than others.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by brimmy

Sleep more, get some cardio, stimulants and lower doses. I get terrible lethargy if I touch anadrol, so I don't take it anymore. Deca makes me lethargic too but it's manageable.

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If only I could sleep more these days. I have a 4 month old daughter :)
Orals do that to me too and kill the appetite, which can be useful at times. I have the new halo ready for next comp all the same. Tren for me, can either make me lethargic or pump the adrenaline a bit more, increase alertness. Not sure how that works?

Lethargy can be due to many factors. With orals after time, it is due to the liver being taxed. When this happens, after a few days of the lethargy I often find my lifts go down and down and down. Taxed liver prevents digestion of foods and slows down protein synth IIRC, so that makes sense.

Another one is high blood pressure! Stuff like Deca makes me lethargic within days. My blood pressure goes up as does my weight by a good 3-5 Kg or so within the first week after a 300 mg shot of real deca (MTS ;)

The best way to not feel like this is to get cardio, eat healthy and use orals sensibly. Your cardiovascular system needs to be able to support your body and LBM is very taxing to the CV system! More challenging to oxygenate than fat. Believe it or not but it does seem to be true that any weight above 240 lbs on a male increases CV events such as heart attack, heart failure etc significantly than under 240 lbs regardless if it is fat or muscle. You could be a 5 ft 10 240 lb 10% bf monster and simply due to the stress on your CV system you'll feel like fucking shit and have high blood pressure if you have limited CV capacity and be at risk of stuff going wrong with your heart just like a 5 ft 10 240 lbs 40% bf lardass.

This is why I always stress do cardio during a bulk! Your CV system needs to grow alongside your body! I do a good 30-45 mins of walking every day regardless of rest or training days. On rest days I do a 2 mile run if I feel recovered enough. My blood pressure is on average 120/64 heart rate is 55-60 bpm at rest but when I get stressed due to the crying kid and single mother shouting at the child all the time (it is awful) my HR goes to like 80-90 bpm lol. A 1:1 ratio of sodium to potassium is important... VITAL for us hormonised athletes. We need the electrolytes. We need sodium and we need potassium to balance the sodium.

I try and get 2-3 g of both on rest days where I just walk and 4 g of both on days I run or train with weights. Staying hydrated is PARAMOUNT to us too. Androgens raise RBC... if you are dehydrated then your blood gets very "thick" (high hct) and that in itself is awful for your CV system and will make you feel lethargic and shitty.

So:
Get cardiovascular performance by walking and doing some anaerobic training 3x-4x a week too.
Follow a heart healthy diet... 1:1 ratio of potassium and sodium. 2g of EPA+DHA a day. Avoid transfats where possible. Avoid processed sugar where possible.
Orals fuck you up lethargy wise after a while. TUDCA helps but doesn't fully prevent it.

Good descriptive post as usual my friend:D

I think people overlook nutrition when dealing with lethargy on a blast. Getting fruit and veg in regularly is massively important, ive seen a big difference in my energy levels after getting fruit smoothies and vegetables with meals in around my usual food intake.

Cheers Bigdaddy, I do always try and help out where I can. I enjoy it!

Dbol you are 100% correct, for me the difference is night vs day