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I started my first test E cycle on 30 April 2026 and am currently 9 weeks into the cycle. Realise this is late but being a naive first timer I'm going to attempt to make an detailed log from commencing up until now mainly for the purpose of E2 management and gyno advice from the experienced forum members. Apologies for not doing this sooner, I've come to realise this is crucial and admit I made a mistake leaving it this late. Currently at work so cannot attach pics of transformation but details below.
Week 1 Stats:
39M | 170cm | 70.5kg (dieted down from 76kg to get to ~15% body fat)
Been lifting 15 years natural and with my age and wanting to keep pushing wanted to try the stock standard beginner cycle.
Acquired:
3x 250mg test e
15,000IU HCG
Arimidex and Tamoxifen on hand
Planned cycle:
1-14 - 400mg Test E dosed E3.5 days (Monday morning, Thursday evening)
1-16 - 750IU HCG dosed E2.5-3 days (250IU hits)
17-20 - PCT 20MG Tamoxifen daily
Key labs before commencing 22/4/26:
Total Testosterone - 17.6
SHBG - 72
Free Testosterone - 205.2
E2 - 85
FSH - 4
LH - 1.4
Note: I got my hormones out of whack from the cut to reduce body fat before starting, I was only eating 30-40g fat at most for over a month mixed with hard training and cardio, I crashed my libido. Realised after the fact fats should have been higher for me.
Calories and meals:
The first 2 weeks I ate 2,500 as I was coming off a 1,700 calory a day cut. Macros were around 200g protein, 70-75g fat and rest carbs. Week 3 onwards I've been making gains at ~3,000 a day, 200g protein, fats increased closer to 100g and fill in rest with carbs.
Meals typically like this:
Breakfast: 3 eggs, egg whites, 2 pieces bread, avocado
Smoko: Tuna cup of rice, yogurt, kiwi
Lunch: Chicken Wrap, walnuts
Pre workout: Banana, Ricecakes, whey iso, Yogurt
Post workout: Steak/chicken, potatos, rice, vegies
Late snack: Oats, berries, protein icecream
Training split:
The first 5 weeks was an Arnold like split
Monday CHEST/BACK (chest focused)
Tuesday SHOULDERS/ARMS (arm focused)
Wednesday LEGS
Thursday CHEST/BACK (back focused)
Friday SHOULDERS/ARMS (delt focused)
Saturday LEGS
Sunday REST
I was making great both strength and sizable gains on this split but changed as my tendons and joints weren't keeping up, recovery was still poor so on WEEK 6 I did a deload on just 2 sets on each and then WEEK 7 I switched to this and am still doing:
Monday - Chest focused push (chest, delts, tri's)
Tuesday - Back focused pull (back, bi's)
Wednesday - Legs
Thursday - Arms
Friday - Delts + 1 set of back and chest each
Saturday REST
Sunday REST
Am still feeling some tendons in my chest and bicep not keeping up with my strength gains sadly so will be dropping weight on some exercises.
At weeks 6 (10/6/2026) labs:
Total Testosterone - 115
SHBG - 49
Free Testosterone - 3238
E2 - 496
FSH - <1
LH - <1
I'm currently at 80kg and think my body fat would be around 17% now.
Now this is the part where I majorly stuffed up. I knew before hand E2 was the trickiest thing a beginner like me was going to gage and manage, especially with my age and adding HCG into this mix but I ignored too many signs too late into this cycle and should have acted earlier when I got my recent labs back. Early on I had itchy/sensitive nipples. The nightsweats started around week 4, week 6 I broke out in bad acne, week 7 noticeable ankle bloat and around week 8 I've felt a small lump form under my right nipple, gyno is not visible and I don't have puffy nipples but realise it's a gland from early onset. I started taking 0.5mg arimidex on 19/6/2026 E3.5 days and 20MG tamoxifen daily since Friday 26/6/2026. This brings the log up to where I'm at now. On this dose AI I don't have pain in joints, still have night sweets, no erection/libido problems, still lifting strong comparable to being natural in the gym so thankfully haven't crashed it. My blood pressure is averaging 115-120/65-69 so I don't have concerns here. I've stuck to 400mg test E a week throughout the cycle as well as 250IU injections HCG every 2.5-3 days.
My concern now is managing the gyno, I don't want this lump getting bigger. At this point should I be increasing doses with AI or my SERM? Should I stop HCG? I'm thinking of getting more labs done tomorrow and gauge from there. Any information I haven't provided please let me know and I'll add. Thanks for reading!
Week 1 Stats:
39M | 170cm | 70.5kg (dieted down from 76kg to get to ~15% body fat)
Been lifting 15 years natural and with my age and wanting to keep pushing wanted to try the stock standard beginner cycle.
Acquired:
3x 250mg test e
15,000IU HCG
Arimidex and Tamoxifen on hand
Planned cycle:
1-14 - 400mg Test E dosed E3.5 days (Monday morning, Thursday evening)
1-16 - 750IU HCG dosed E2.5-3 days (250IU hits)
17-20 - PCT 20MG Tamoxifen daily
Key labs before commencing 22/4/26:
Total Testosterone - 17.6
SHBG - 72
Free Testosterone - 205.2
E2 - 85
FSH - 4
LH - 1.4
Note: I got my hormones out of whack from the cut to reduce body fat before starting, I was only eating 30-40g fat at most for over a month mixed with hard training and cardio, I crashed my libido. Realised after the fact fats should have been higher for me.
Calories and meals:
The first 2 weeks I ate 2,500 as I was coming off a 1,700 calory a day cut. Macros were around 200g protein, 70-75g fat and rest carbs. Week 3 onwards I've been making gains at ~3,000 a day, 200g protein, fats increased closer to 100g and fill in rest with carbs.
Meals typically like this:
Breakfast: 3 eggs, egg whites, 2 pieces bread, avocado
Smoko: Tuna cup of rice, yogurt, kiwi
Lunch: Chicken Wrap, walnuts
Pre workout: Banana, Ricecakes, whey iso, Yogurt
Post workout: Steak/chicken, potatos, rice, vegies
Late snack: Oats, berries, protein icecream
Training split:
The first 5 weeks was an Arnold like split
Monday CHEST/BACK (chest focused)
Tuesday SHOULDERS/ARMS (arm focused)
Wednesday LEGS
Thursday CHEST/BACK (back focused)
Friday SHOULDERS/ARMS (delt focused)
Saturday LEGS
Sunday REST
I was making great both strength and sizable gains on this split but changed as my tendons and joints weren't keeping up, recovery was still poor so on WEEK 6 I did a deload on just 2 sets on each and then WEEK 7 I switched to this and am still doing:
Monday - Chest focused push (chest, delts, tri's)
Tuesday - Back focused pull (back, bi's)
Wednesday - Legs
Thursday - Arms
Friday - Delts + 1 set of back and chest each
Saturday REST
Sunday REST
Am still feeling some tendons in my chest and bicep not keeping up with my strength gains sadly so will be dropping weight on some exercises.
At weeks 6 (10/6/2026) labs:
Total Testosterone - 115
SHBG - 49
Free Testosterone - 3238
E2 - 496
FSH - <1
LH - <1
I'm currently at 80kg and think my body fat would be around 17% now.
Now this is the part where I majorly stuffed up. I knew before hand E2 was the trickiest thing a beginner like me was going to gage and manage, especially with my age and adding HCG into this mix but I ignored too many signs too late into this cycle and should have acted earlier when I got my recent labs back. Early on I had itchy/sensitive nipples. The nightsweats started around week 4, week 6 I broke out in bad acne, week 7 noticeable ankle bloat and around week 8 I've felt a small lump form under my right nipple, gyno is not visible and I don't have puffy nipples but realise it's a gland from early onset. I started taking 0.5mg arimidex on 19/6/2026 E3.5 days and 20MG tamoxifen daily since Friday 26/6/2026. This brings the log up to where I'm at now. On this dose AI I don't have pain in joints, still have night sweets, no erection/libido problems, still lifting strong comparable to being natural in the gym so thankfully haven't crashed it. My blood pressure is averaging 115-120/65-69 so I don't have concerns here. I've stuck to 400mg test E a week throughout the cycle as well as 250IU injections HCG every 2.5-3 days.
My concern now is managing the gyno, I don't want this lump getting bigger. At this point should I be increasing doses with AI or my SERM? Should I stop HCG? I'm thinking of getting more labs done tomorrow and gauge from there. Any information I haven't provided please let me know and I'll add. Thanks for reading!
