Re: need educated opinions...nolvadex vs clomid for subtle long-term androgenic effec
OP here.
whoa. alright. you know, my questions were pretty simple and direct, and i didn't come here to have my motivations behind wanting to supplement be picked apart and invalidated. i am well aware that diet and exercise are the cornerstones of an effective regimen.
this whole attitude of "my family is skinny so i am gonna be skinny" isn't the way to do it. I was 122 pounds my junior year in high school and i was always the skinny kid growing up. so your theory means nothing unless you have the attitude of failure.
i never indicated that i have resigned to being skinny. i only mentioned my family history to lend credence to the fact that is more difficult for me to gain weight. i never indicated that it is impossible for me to gain weight; but, anybody with even a vague scientific understanding of the topic will recognize that it IS more difficult, to some extent, for me than for most because of my genetic makeup. that is undeniable.
really the OP's post can be interpreted 2 ways.
1. he is doing everything right and still not gaining (highly unlikely as I used to be skinny guy and used to eat as much the whole day as I eat now for breakfast)
i would have to agree with interpretation 1. look, there are multiple reasons why i have arrived at testosterone-boosting supplementation as a viable option for me (it has always been a last resort option, but i am exhausting all others at the moment, and they just aren't working well enough). i didn't think it necessary to expound upon those reasons in my original post because i didn't think my own motivations behind choosing supplementation would be scrutinized. but it appears now that i need to explain my special circumstances in order to put some of this bickering to rest.
the most notable of these reasons is that i had MAJOR back surgery 18 months ago to correct severe scoliosis. i have two pounds of titanium hardware embedded into and around my spine, and due to bone graft, the vertebra in a large portion of my spine have fused together. my spine is effectively one bone from between my shoulder blades all the way down to my lower lumber. so, my back doesn't bend much and i have a limited range of motion. i cannot, nor am i capable of, nor will i ever be able to do heavy lifting; these are my doctor's orders and such is my prognosis. i do attend physical therapy regularly and also see a personal trainer specially trained in working with people with back problems to do moderate strength training.
i mean if you are skinny and want to get big you need to continue to raise your cals
no, i really don't want to get big. i just don't want to have a 32" chest is all. i think the operative word in the title of this thread was "subtle." i sought help here because i figured the bodybuilding community would know what does and doesn't work with regard to supplementation.
Put together a 4500 cal+ diet of good carbs,fats and protein.
And thats just a base i add something every day like a gallon of whole milk,mixed nuts, 10-15 whole eggs.
you need alot more research...Chips & dips won't do it.
chips and dips!? why is it assumed that i have a bad diet? and again, what does this have to do with the effectiveness or nolvadex or clomid (or unleashed, for that matter)? seems to be a recurrent theme here. i am strongly gluten intolerant and have two congenital GI disorders, and i follow a modified version paleo diet that is varied and balanced and consists mostly of poultry, meat, fish, nuts, seeds, whole dairy, eggs, fruit, plenty of vegetables and occasionally legumes. it is not financially viable for me to consume 4500+ calories per day (keep in mind that i am a 21-year-old student), and i think 3000 calories suits my body's needs without being gluttonous.
so, if anybody has anything useful to say in response to what i've said here, then i would love to hear it. in the meantime, i will continue to do my own research. i have found, among other things, a plant called tongkat ali that has shown efficacy in clinical studies and looks promising.
thanks all.