I think my calories are too low: First Cycle

[BuddyBoy]

Ive been on for about a week.

Ive maintained my maintenance cals--Ive just been following the same diet I have been when i was natural, and Ive added in cardio. Like 30 min a day 4-5 times a week.

ive maintained weight, and my bf% is dropping. I think Ive gone down from 17% to about 15 % in the past 2 weeks.

Im feeling weaker in my lifts tho---wait, lemme rephrase that. My strength isnt growing in leaps and bounds (I know I know, its only my first week), and Im not getting any significant pumps.

Here's a sample of what I eat every day.

~PWO shake 35 g protein, 300cal

~1 can tuna 32 g protein, 150 cal
~1/2 c oats 75 cal

~2 scoops MuscleMilk 32 g protein, 360 cal

~4 chicken tenders 40 g protein, 300 cal
~1/2 c spinach 20 cal

~4 chicken tenders 40 g protein, 360 cal
~1/2 c spinach 20 cal
~1 serv. pasta 200 cal

~4 chicken tenders 40 g protein, 300 cal
~1/2 c spinach 20 cal

~2 scoops MuscleMilk 32 g protein, 360 cal

Thats 211 grams of protein a day, and around 2500 cal. Ive got about 195lbs of LBM. Im 5'11, and 22 years old.

i think Im gonna add in at least 30-40 more grams of protein a day, and 1-2 more servings of carbs. What do you guys think?

Id hate to have this be my first cycle and have shit to show for it. Oh yeah, Im endo-mesomorphic and Im running 400 mg test and 400 mg eq for 10 weeks.

[rodman9866]

bro i eat more than you and in only 185lbs and at your same height and am 23.

i eatin garound 4,000 calories a day now and i still feel lik ei need to eat more to get more size. definatley up your protein and replace the pasta with some kind of sweet potato or yam . other wise everything look sgood. just eat more quantity. im natural btw so i cant really comment on your actual cycle but the diet looks in check just need to boost the calorie amount.

doesnt eq cause you to get really hungry? i would think 2500 calories would be starving yourself on eq?

[BuddyBoy]

I know, my cals are real low, lower than most people's, but Ive got a real sluggish metabolism. >shrug< Im pretty endomorphic, and I have a desk job. Dont get me wrong, I haul butt in the gym, but prior to my first cycle, i have been a natural bodybuilder for four years.

The highest Ive ever had my caloires naturally were about 3000, and that was the tail end of a bulk phase, and my bodyfat levels were getting kidna outta control (it was a slow gradual cal bulk, over 3 months, from 2100 cals -> 2400 cals -> 2500cals -> 3000c/3300cals)

When I have dieted int he past, i could slowly taper down to 1800-2100 cals a day and still the lowest my bf has ever been was 12% its sad reallly.

[The_Jarhead]

I would definatly up you calories bro.
What type of Test are you taking?
You will not feel the EQ for a few weeksand depending on type of Test it may be the same. Sunday will start week 4 of my cycle 400mg EQ and 500mg Test Eth and it is just starting to kick in now.

[spidey]

Originally posted by BuddyBoy
Ive been on for about a week.

Ive maintained my maintenance cals--Ive just been following the same diet I have been when i was natural, and Ive added in cardio. Like 30 min a day 4-5 times a week.

ive maintained weight, and my bf% is dropping. I think Ive gone down from 17% to about 15 % in the past 2 weeks.

Im feeling weaker in my lifts tho---wait, lemme rephrase that. My strength isnt growing in leaps and bounds (I know I know, its only my first week), and Im not getting any significant pumps.

Here's a sample of what I eat every day.

~PWO shake 35 g protein, 300cal

~1 can tuna 32 g protein, 150 cal
~1/2 c oats 75 cal

~2 scoops MuscleMilk 32 g protein, 360 cal

~4 chicken tenders 40 g protein, 300 cal
~1/2 c spinach 20 cal

~4 chicken tenders 40 g protein, 360 cal
~1/2 c spinach 20 cal
~1 serv. pasta 200 cal

~4 chicken tenders 40 g protein, 300 cal
~1/2 c spinach 20 cal

~2 scoops MuscleMilk 32 g protein, 360 cal

Thats 211 grams of protein a day, and around 2500 cal. Ive got about 195lbs of LBM. Im 5'11, and 22 years old.

i think Im gonna add in at least 30-40 more grams of protein a day, and 1-2 more servings of carbs. What do you guys think?

Id hate to have this be my first cycle and have shit to show for it. Oh yeah, Im endo-mesomorphic and Im running 400 mg test and 400 mg eq for 10 weeks.

A few things here:

You definately are not eating enough. I ate more than that when I weighed 125lbs! Granted, I am an ectomorph with a high metabolism but I managed to put away 4000 to 4500 cals a day on my first cycle.

Second, are you watching your fat intake? I notice you eat a lot of chicken tenders. Most brands I know of contain as much fat (or even more) then they do protein. As an endomorph with a desk job, you should be eating high protein, moderate carbs, low fat. Up your protein to 450g per day along with 450g carbs and <50g fats. That is 4000 cals a day: 45% protein, 45% carbs and 10% fats. Split that up into as many small meals as possible spaced by at least 2 hours but no more than 4 hours.

LOL, I get a lot of stares at work for bringing 3 to 4 meals with me every day.

Third, if you are trying to bulk, cut the cardio to twice a week.

Fourth, 1 week isn't enough to see anything with test and EQ. The EQ won't even kick in until week 4 or 5 and the test (depending on what ester you are using) won't kick in for a few weeks either.

[BuddyBoy]

the chicken tenders I have are the foster farm skinless flash frozen ones.

spidey: please bear in mind our different metabolisms. I appreciate your comments, but if I ate 4000 cals a day i would look like a sumo wrestler in a few short weeks.

and I am not trying to bulk, my goal is a lean mass cycle. I already weigh 235-240lbs (depending on hydration and carbs ive had that day), and Im around 15% bodyfat.

I would like to be 245-255lbs and Id be happy with 12-14%bodyfat.

Jarhead~ Im running sydgrp on both

[joe bigboy]

at the start of my last bulk cycle i was 240 and ate over 6000 a day to gain