at what point does one consider as?

[smallmovesal]

i have thought about it because of the fact that i'm a hardgainer.. the only thing that stops me is i have no idea if i was hitting a peak.. plus i haven't been training consistently while going to school.

once summer hits i will be but i just wondered if it's still too soon...

 

[Sassy69]

Depends on your goals. I also believe that you can't begin to think you've tapped into your potential until you've been seriously lifting & dieting for at least a few years. How else do u know if you've reached your potential? AS is just somethign to push u beyond that. Otherwise are the sides really worth it? If you don't already train like a mutherfucker and follow an honest & consistently clean diet, the AS may actually backfire on u and u could gain bf as well.

 

[MS]

Wow, when to take AAS is a very loaded question. The short anwser is "never" unless you plan on becoming a pro and making your living off bodybuilding. The long answer involves issues of body image and self respect that no one but you can answer. At 20 years of age, I was a weed (I would have made a great ramp model). At 43 years of age I have more muscle than I want!!. AAS would have undoubtedly got me this muscle much faster, and also given me more muscle. But then what???? More AAS? More extreme dieting?? Where do you go from there and what are your goals? At the best, AAS will help you gain muscle more quickly, and gain it past your genetic potential. But you may not know your full genetic potential until you're dead. At worst, AAS comes with a host of side effects, some of which you will never be free of. My advice is to be absolutely clear of your goals, and what you're willing to sacrifice (short and long term) to achieve them. Then you'll know if your 'need' AAS or not.

 

[ann]

MS and Sassy hit that one pretty good. Really think about it ; some sides arent too grand.... and can be permanent. (sp?)

Cute baby in the avatar.....who's is it?? I know it isnt yours girl

 

[Sassy69]

I think that's the bottom line that MS hit on -- esp w/ all the gains we see on this board & the sort of "comradery" we have talking about how cycles are going, etc. it is really tempting to dive in. But at the end of the cycle, what is next? More? Do you get hooked? Do you become dependent on it? Do you ever really achieve your goal? Did you ever have the right goal in mind? Ten years from now will you be a better person for having done it? These are some of the more relevant questions to be asking when you put stuff into your body.

The body is a very resiliant thing and can be molded and sculpted a little at a time with good diet & training. "Gains" are relative -- I spent 15 years lifting -- last year I developed a "peak" in my biceps! Pretty cool to show off every now and then, but its not gonna impact my life that much. If I gain & lose a bunch of weight fast it may have negative impacts on my life even if I fit in my really sexy black leather pants at the moment. Ultimately you want to go for what is best for your life.

... ok I think I sound like I'm climbing on a soap box, so I'll step down, but I really liked what MS said. Even the most stubborn body will respond to stimulus so dont' sell yourself short until you know you have really given it everything you have. There are no quick fixes and the best results are those gained from patience & consistency.

 

[sysopt]

you lookin good in that avatar

 

[AziaReign]

Smalls - We're both about the same body type, kinda (you're taller and thinner) but seriously. Don't consider AS until you have reached a deadpoint, unless it is ABSOLUTELY necessary, to where you know you're body can't do it on its own. It crossed mine and Pauly's mind for a second, but I work out for a week, and you can see results on me. I know if you work on it much harder, you can do it all by yourself w/out AS help. You need to push yourself further than you already are. Thats just my 2 cents!

 

[VooDoo Lady]

Well, I'm in a pissy mood so I'll tell you exactly why I take AS.

My dumbass, (well-meaning?) husband in desperate attempts to make me happy with my body gave me several cycles of various harsh crap that a woman shouldn't be taking (i.e. halo, primo) and I have some permanent sides as a result (facial hair, enlarged clit, lowered voice).

Ladies, I didn't care enough to do research myself so I blindly took whatever he gave me, without question. My diet SUCKED, I had NO understanding of how to properly lift, I was a cardio queen, everything that is a no-no, I did, out of ignorance.

SO - now that my dedication to proper diet and exercise is 100% in check, I figure...why not?? Why not supplement my efforts? I already have the permanent sides. I'm educated about it now and I make the decisions for myself after exhaustive research, not my husband.

So, I cringe when guys get on here saying they want to give AS to their girlfriends/wives. And good for you folks for telling them to get their girls on here to make educated decisions FOR THEMSELVES about what they are putting in their bodies.

Am I bitter at my husband? No, he thought he was helping me, and for the record he likes me heavier, he has NEVER told me to lose weight, even at 170lbs (in fact he has recently asked me to gain some!!) But he just wanted me to be happy with myself.

VDL (I have my period, can you tell?)

 

[wyst]

VDL:

You guys must have a solid marriage to get through that.

My answer on when to try AS is when I just can't wait any longer. I know I'm going to do it eventually, but I'm not there yet. Lately in been more and more on my mind, though.

Wyst

 

[Sassy69]

Awwwwww VDL --

I hear ya girl -- that's how I actually found this site -- motivated by the fact that I couldn't get clear info from the guy who was telling me how good it would be for me to lose weight. OMG.

So we will continue to preach the value of KNOWLEDGE and PLLLLEEEEAAAASSSEEE let's not flame the guys who come to this board asking about what to give their girls to "lose weight and tone". Thank GOD they had the sense to at least ASK! If they hadn't, there'd be one more miserable lady. Sometimes you think you are doing everything you can to find info on the stuff but you don't find the right info until after the fact. Well... better late than never.

So ... more reason to ask questions, get educated, consider both your goals & the consequences. And always remember that there are SOOOOOO many other ways to get excellent results -- you just have to be patient, dedicated & consistent! And frankly you have to do that anyway if you do decide to go the AS route, so why not get the habits established before dropping the cash and beginning the monitoring for sides????