The Real Girl Power of Female Bodybuilding

Beyond the blinged-out bikinis and lucite heels, a female bodybuilder (and girly girl) has a message for the mainstream media: The frail and starved are being replaced by the fit and powerful.




I’m sure plenty of people were shocked when they first saw the Serbian bodybuilder, Jelena Abbou, flexing fiercely in M.A.C.’s Strength ad campaign. I wasn’t one of them. Bulging biceps under a ball gown? Welcome to my world. I’m a professional bodybuilder—and a girly girl.

As my colleagues in the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness pro league sometimes say, "I don’t sweat; I sparkle." I love manicures and makeup, but there’s a decent chance I’d be able to beat your boyfriend in an arm wrestling match.

Girls who look like Jelena and me have a message for the mainstream media: The frail and starved are being replaced by the fit and powerful, even if strides like the M.A.C. ad are happening little by little. I’m tired of skinny (probably hungry) girls being used to define femininity. Our culture wants to beat obesity and anorexia? So, believe, like I do, that strong is beautiful.

I started lifting heavy-ass weights four years ago, in part so I could carry all of my groceries up the stairs of my walk-up apartment in New York. But the real reason I’m a bodybuilder today is frustration. l was your standard cardio-crazed calorie counter—torturing myself on the elliptical and eating a rocky diet of bagels for breakfast, pizza for lunch, and carrots for dinner. I would get thinner, but the overall pear shape of my body never really changed. I never felt truly toned.

I decided I was going to permanently transform my physique. I found a trainer whose body I wanted: She was shaped just like an “x”, with sexy, curvy legs, a tiny waist, strong shoulders, and defined arms. She taught me to drop the five-pound dumbbells and pick up heavier ones. I focused on training four times a week, isolating one muscle group at a time.

I completely changed my diet, eating more frequently and with more protein, choosing steak over pizza, cutting out sugar completely, and scaling down on alcohol dramatically (and sometimes, totally.) So you understand why endorphins are my everything...

Training led me to the competition circuit, which means 5 a.m. cardio sessions before my 9 to 5 job in pharmaceutical sales, and post-work lifting, more cardio, and practicing my poses, including the Model Turn. I went pro in my third year of competing, and it felt like proof that I can do anything I believe to be true in the world.

Beyond the blinged-out bikinis, lucite stripper heels, and self-tanner, female bodybuilders are an example of the power of the human body—and real girl power. My competitors and I are very supportive of each other, because we know what kind of sacrifices we've all made and to be there. Sure, we’re all tired and ready to rip our fake eyelashes off and finally eat a cupcake, but there is a sense of pride that unites us all.

Still, it isn't all glamorous. I try my best to maintain a social life, but let’s be honest: Who wants to go out with someone who swears off alcohol and brings her own Ziplock bags of steamed tilapia wherever she goes? I was fortunate enough to maintain a supportive relationship for my first four years of competing, and my ex-boyfriend was very patient with the “hangry” (hungry and angry), super-ripped maniac blocking him from eating pizza in the kitchen. But eventually the lack of wine-and-fun filled date nights wore on our relationship. As the saying goes for competitors, I am married to the iron, at least for now.

I know a lot of guys are turned off by the possibility of me being able to squat more than them, but the truth is I’m turned off by them, too. My strength is empowering to me and not at all "mannish." I wouldn't trade in my muscles for anything, because they represent who I am—determined, proud, and female. Real men find that very attractive.

If you were jarred by your first glance at Jelena Abbou, look again. Consider that, as women, we’re continually trying to break out of the molds we’ve been taught to accept as beautiful. 

Clomid in Post Cycle Therapy (PCT)

One of the most frequently asked questions is how to properly use the Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) drugs Nolvadex, Clomid and HCG correctly.

Why Bodybuilders Use Clomid
Clomid is a generic name for Clomiphene Citrate and is a synthetic oestrogen. It is prescribed medically to aid ovulation in low fertility females. Another generic name is Serophene.

Most anabolic steroids, especially the androgens, cause inhibition of the body's own testosterone production. When a bodybuilder comes off a steroid cycle, natural testosterone production is zero and the levels of the steroids taken in the blood are diminishing. This leaves the ratios of catabolic : anabolic hormones in the blood high, hence the body is in a state of catabolism, and, as a result, much of the muscle tissue that was gained on the cycle is now going to be lost.

Clomid stimulates the hypothalamus to, in turn stimulant the anterior pituitary gland (aka hypophysis) to release gonadotrophic hormones. The gonadotrophic hormones are follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH - aka interstitial cell stimulating hormone (ICSH)). FSH stimulates the testes to produce more testosterone, and LH stimulates them to secrete more testosterone. This feedback mechanism is known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-testes axis (HPTA), and results in an increase of the body's own testosterone production and blood levels rise, to, in part, compensate for the diminishing levels of exogenous steroids. This is vital to minimise post cycle muscle losses.

Not all steroids do cause shut down of the feedback mechanism. Everyone is different and you must also take into account how long you have been using a certain steroid and at what dose in order to determine if you need Clomid or not.

Clomid also works as an anti-oestrogen. As it's a weak synthetic oestrogen, it binds to oestrogen receptors on cells blocking them to oestrogen in the blood. This minimises the negative effects like gynecomastia and water retention that may be a result of oestrogen that has aromatised from testosterone.

It's effect as an anti-oestrogen are quite weak though, and it should not be relied upon if you are going to be using androgenic steroids that aromatise at a rapid rate, or if you are pre-disposed to gynecomastia. Arimidex and Nolvadex (Tamoxifen) are far more effective anti-oestrogens.

Important note: Clomid does not, as is often thought, stimulate the release of natural testosterone, but rather works at reducing the oestrogenic inhibition caused by the steroid cycle. It does this in a similar manner to the way it and Nolvadex block oestrogen receptors in nipples to combat gyno development, i.e. by blocking the oestrogen receptors in the hypothalamus and pituitary thus reducing the inhibition from the elevated oestrogen. This allows LH levels to return to normal, or even above normal levels, and in turn, natural testosterone levels to also normalise.

Inhibition of the HPTA is caused by either elevated androgen, oestrogen or progesterone levels. On cessation of the steroid cycle, androgen levels begin to fall and Clomid dosing is normally commenced according to the half-life of the longest acting drug in the system (see below).

This may also explain the reason individuals often find post-deca recovery more difficult, as the progesterone presence is untouched by the Clomid. We know that Clomid and Nolvadex (being very similar chemically) are both ineffective with regard to reducing progesterone related gyno, so it is reasonable to assume that Clomid has little effect against progesterone levels.

Clomid During A Cycle
When we use anabolic steroids, the level of androgens in the body rises causing the androgen receptors to become more highly activated, and through the HPTA, a signal tells our testes to stop producing testosterone. During a cycle the body has far higher than normal levels of androgens and, as long as this level is high enough, Clomid will not help to keep natural testosterone production up. It will be almost all but completely shut off, in theory.

Some heavy androgen users, however, do advocate a small burst of Clomid mid-cycle, though it must be hard for them to say if it really of any benefit, due to the amount of gear they are using. Therefore, the only purpose of Clomid during a cycle is as an anti-estrogen.

When To Take Clomid
The correct time to commence Clomid depends on the type and cycle of steroids you have been using. Different steroids have different half-lifes (indicates the time a substance diminishes in blood), and Clomid administration should be taken accordingly.

As we have seen above, Clomid taken when androgen levels in our blood are still high will be a waste. It is crucial to wait for androgen levels to fall before implementing our Clomid therapy. However, if taken too late we could possibly lose gains.

The list below determines when you should start Clomid. Select from the list any steroids you've used in your cycle and whichever one has the latest starting point is the time to commence Clomid. For example, if Dianabol, Sustanon and Winstrol were cycled, the time for administering Clomid should be 3 weeks post cycle, as Sustanon remains active in the body for the longest period of time.
Steroid                              Time after                                         Length of
                                          last administration                           Clomid Cycle
                                                                                                   Anadrol50/Anapolan50:    8 - 12 hours                                       3 weeks
Deca durabolan:                3 weeks                                             4 weeks
Dianabol:                           4 - 8 hours                                         3 weeks
Equipoise:                          17 - 21 days                                       3 weeks
Finajet/Trenbolone:           3 days                                                3 weeks
Primabolan depot:             10 - 14 days                                       2 weeks
Sustanon:                           3 weeks                                             3 weeks
Testosterone Cypionate:    2 weeks                                             3 weeks
Testosterone Enanthate     2 weeks                                             3 weeks
Testosterone Propionate:   3 days                                               3 weeks
Testosterone Suspension:   4 - 8 hours                                        2-3 weeks
Winstrol                              8 - 12 hours                                      2-3 weeks

How To Take Clomid
Clomid has a long half-life (possibly 5 days), so there is no need to split up doses throughout the day. If Sustanon has been used and Clomid is commenced 3 weeks after the last injection, I would estimate that androgen levels are low enough to start sending the correct signals. If androgen levels are still a little high, we need to start at a high enough amount that will work or help, even if androgen levels are still a little high. Try 300mg on day 1; then use 100mg for the next 10 days; followed by 50mg for 10 days.

Testosterone Propionate

Testosterone Propionate is an esterified form of the base steroid testosterone, much like enanthate, cypionate and sustanon 250. It's a superlipophillic, oil-based injectable that slows the release of the steroid into the blood stream. But compared to enanthate and cypionate, testosterone propionate is a very short ester and is still released quite fast. As such more frequent injections are needed. Levels will peak after 24-36 hours and begin tapering from there on out, making the longest possible time-span between injections, at least or proper results, about 3 days. Most athletes will opt to inject 50-100 mg every day to every other day.

It's not the most user-friendly steroid of them all. Frequent injections can be painful to begin with, to a point where users will begin scouting for different locations to stick the needle, in order to not aggravate the same spots all the time. To make matters worse, its not that pleasant to inject either. The injection-site can become irritated and swell, and sometimes give incredible itches or soreness when touched. All these factors combined, you can see that this is the best form of testosterone to start off on for most beginners. And still. As discussed with enanthate and cypionate, a long-acting ester requires some skill with ancillary drugs and familiarity with post-cycle protocol since simple discontinuation will not put a halt to all problems. In that aspect, for those who do not master ancillaries and post-cycle therapy, propionate is perhaps a better product to start off with. Levels of androgens and estrogens will drop within 2-4 days of discontinuation, effectively halting or reducing any occurring side-effects. Nonetheless, this is a testosterone with a high risk of side-effects (the characteristics of testosterone do not change despite the ester, which is just a carrier) so the use of Nolvadex/proviron/Arimidex and so forth is highly advised if you plan to see a cycle through.

What is of note with propionate, is that users have successfully incorporated it into cutting cycles as well. Especially people who tend to lose a lot of mass normally during extreme diet phases find this useful. By injecting every two or three days and using only 50-75 mg each time, no notable water builds up (or at least none that can't be fixed with proviron, arimidex or winstrol) and no fat is deposited, thus allowing a user to stay relatively lean. So this type of testosterone can be used to keep gaining or retaining mass until 2-3 weeks out of contest time with relatively little difficulty. Although most will choose to add Proviron (50-100 mg/day) out of precaution. Its best use is of course still in bulking phases to pack on mass. Testosterone is not the king of the hill of all mass-builders for nothing.

On the American black market propionate is not an extremely available item, its most popular in Europe, where its use is more wide-spread than that of the long-acting esters. Its nonetheless a desired item almost anywhere in the world because it's a very controllable form of what is no doubt the most powerful steroid ever. The cost is quite high too, easily running 2 to 3 times more for a weekly dose than enanthate, cypionate or sustanon 250.

Stacking and Use:

As a short-lived oil based injectable, most will want to opt for doses of 50-100 mg every day to every other day. Those of a lighter stature seeking to use it for cutting purposes may want to make that every 2nd or 3rd day, or add proviron as a precaution instead, 50-100 mg/day sufficing in most cases. The site of injection is best rotated each time, or problem can occur. The compound is irritative and the damage to the skin and underlying tissue can cause some cosmetic problems if it becomes repetitive. Subcutaneously , balls of fat or tissue can build up. In most cases these need to surgically removed. So rotating is wise.

For bulking purposes one is best to stack testosterone with a base compound such as Deca-durabolin (nandrolone) or Equipoise (boldenone), and can addition Dianabol (methandrostenolone) or Anadrol (oxymetholone) for 5-6 weeks, at the beginning, to kickstart the gains a bit. Most will choose for a more user-friendly, longer-acting testosterone for bulking purposes however. For cutting, the best and primary addition is that of Proviron, which will reduce if not stop estrogen build-up, increase muscle hardness and strength and allow for a higher free testosterone level. But naturally other compounds lend themselves quite well too. Base compounds such as Equipoise or Primobolan (methenolone) making a good match for longer stacks, and towards contest time steroids such as Anavar (oxandrolone), finaplix (Trenbolone) or Winstrol (Stanazolol) make the best matches, as they too will help increase muscle hardness and decrease body-fat, while maintaining lean muscle mass. With testosterone, most any combination is possible. Because testosterone is always the stronger compound in a stack.

In terms of ancillaries, the use of anti-estrogens is advised. For cutting puposes one will want to run Proviron alongside the testosterone for the length of the stack, which will rarely make the use of other anti-estrogens a necessity. If no Proviron or arimidex is used, you may want to keep some Nolvadex handy. Should problems arise starting on 20-40 mg of Nolvadex until a while after problems subside should be sufficient for all intents and purposes. Testosterone, being a heavily aromatizing compound, is also quite suppressive of natural testosterone (most so, safe for nandrolone) so a post-cycle therapy with Nolva/Clomid and HCG is necessary. Usually one will start HCG the last week or two weeks of a stack and run it about 4 weeks. HCG shots of 1500-3000 IU given every 5th or 6th day. That means during the end of a cycle, one shot of HCG is given per two shots of testosterone. A user should also opt to wait on using clomid or Nolvadex until the androgen is cleared. For longer esters that was 1.5 to 2 weeks, obviously that time-frame should be reduced to 1 week or even half a week for propionate. One will then start on either 40-50 mg of Nolvadex or 150 mg of Clomid per day for a period of two weeks, and then follow it up with 20-25 mg of Nolvadex or 100 mg of Clomid per day for another two weeks. Post-cycle therapy will facilitate the return of natural testosterone and make it more likely for the user to retain most of the mass he gained while on the cycle.

Common Steroid Pills: Types & Effects Of Use

Search Engines, what a luxury they are to Buy steroids! For they are a real comfort to those bootlegging myriad of extrajudicial poppin' pills, which frequently include Steroids! These pills are often based on various male sex hormones that lead to the development of secondary male sexual characteristics, for instance, testosterone. They are medically termed as Androgens & Anabolic Steroids, although on the street, they are better known as - juices, toners or candy!

As their name suggests, these steroids have both anabolic and androgenic effects. Through a combination of these effects, anabolic steroids stimulate muscle formation leading to increased muscle mass and strength. Some of the most commonly used steroids, both medicinally as well as otherwise, include, but are not limited to:

1. Prednisone: It is a dehydrogenated analogue of cortisol which is used as an anti-inflammatory drug in the treatment of arthritis and as an immunosuppressant. Thus, it is used in a wide range of autoimmune diseases such as severe asthma, allergies, rheumatoid arthritis, and to prevent and treat rejection in organ transplantation.

2. Nandrolone: It is an androgen (trade names: Durabolin or Kabolin) that is used to treat testosterone deficiency or breast cancer or osteoporosis. The positive effects of the drug include muscle growth, appetite stimulation, increased red blood cell production and increased bone density.

3. Equipoise: It is an anabolic steroid developed for veterinary use, mostly for treatment of horses. It has low androgenic activity and is often used by bodybuilders for adding strength and size because it increases the appetite. It is well known for increasing vasculature.

4. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA): It is the most abundant androgen secreted by the adrenal glands. Some reports are indicative of its role in the aging process as circulating levels of DHEA peak at age 25 and then steadily decline with age. DHEA deficiencies in older individuals have been associated with a number of medical conditions including breast cancer and cardiovascular disorders and thus it has been suspected for potent anti-ageing roles.

5. Anavar: It was designed as an extremely mild anabolic and has been extensively used for treatment of alcoholic hepatitis, Turner's syndrome, and weight loss caused by HIV. This steroid works well for the promotion of strength and duality muscle mass gains; although it's mild nature makes it less than ideal for bulking purposes.

6. Winstrol: The anabolic properties of Winstrol are mild in comparison to many other steroids and thus, it is stacked with other testosterone-based anabolic steroids. It increases strength without excess weight-gain, promotes vasculature and is thus pretty famous amongst body builders.

7. Steranobol: Chemically, steranobol has a chloro- group added at the 4-position of testosterone. It is an artificial, synthetic androgenic steroid with anabolic effects similar to testosterone. It is frequently used illegally to improve physical performance in sports and athletics and thus, is prohibited by many sports authorities, including the International Olympic Committee.

8. Testosterone: Testosterone itself has been taken externally to enhance muscle development, strength, and endurance. They do so directly by increasing the protein synthesis in muscle cells. As a result, muscle fibers become larger and repair faster than they do normally.

9. Tetrahydrogestrinone: It is a structurally modified anabolic androgenic steroid that is prohibited in sports. It was developed to flim-flam the sports authorities via manipulation of another prohibited substance to illicitly enhance sports performance.

10. Clenbuterol: It is a widely used bronchodilator in many parts of the world. In animal studies, clenbuterol has shown to exhibit anabolic activity which is a highly attractive attribute for pixilated sportspersons. It is known to directly stimulate the adipose tissue and accelerate the breakdown of triglycerides to form free fatty acids. It is used as a pre-contest drug.

Anavar and Sustained Weight Loss

One of the steroids that fit women well, Anavar (oxandrolone) is a drug that is mild on all fronts: mildly anabolic, mildly androgenic, mildly affects the hypothalamic-testicular-pituitary-axis (HTPA), and most important, mildly toxic to the liver compared to other steroids. These properties make this a popular, albeit expensive, anabolic drug, especially for top-level female athletes.

Originally made by Searle in the US but was discontinued after too much negative publicity, this drug is manufactured by companies like British Dragon Thailand and La Pharma Anavar Italy. It is currently marketed under trade names Oxandrin and Oxanabol. Anavar (slang name: var) is a class 1 steroid as it binds well with androgen-receptors (under the arbitrary classification system that is based on AR interaction).

While it is a strong AR agonist, the lack of non-receptor mediated mechanisms such as protein synthesis makes oxandrolone a weak anabolic steroid. Thus, it requires rather large doses for it to be effective; combating muscle-wasting in AIDS, for example, requires administration of Anavar in 20-80mgs doses. It is no wonder that male bodybuilders don't favor this drug well, as it is quite expensive and doesn't give much in return.

Another characteristic of Anavar, which is considered good especially by women, is its poor androgenic properties. It doesn't raise estrogen levels so the common side effects associated with AAS gynecomastia and water retention- are unheard of when using this drug. However, it may increase low-density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol) and reduce high-density lipoprotein (good cholesterol) which can cause blood pressure problems. For women, masculinizing effects such as body/facial hair growth and deepening of voice are minute and are therefore not a concern when using Anavar.

Unlike other 17-alkylated steroids, liver toxicity is considered insignificant when using Anavar, unless administered in very large doses and used for prolonged periods. It doesn't pose as much hepatotoxic effects as Dianabol (methandrostenolone), another testosterone derivative that is altered at the 17th carbon atom (this alteration is usually done for orally-administered drugs to be able to survive the pass through the liver).

Anavar also shows minimal effect on the HTPA, particularly on low doses. Oxandrolone does not aromatize to estrogen, and suppression of the serum testosterone, Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) is slight. Of course, like other anabolic steroids, the effect worsens as the dose increases..

One characteristic that sets Anavar apart is its unusual fat-burning ability. One study shows that the drug reduced abdominal and visceral fat on subjects with low/normal natural testosterone [1]. In another research, appendicular, total, and trunk lipids were lowered with 20mgs/day of Anavar, without any exercise [2]. In addition to its fat-burning properties, the drug also allows permanent muscle gains. The muscle you get when you use Anavar may not be much, but you got to keep it after you stop taking the drug, as shown by a study wherein the subjects maintained their weight six months after stopping Anavar medication.
With this mixture of interesting and exciting effects that impact health enthusiasts, it is no wonder that Anavar gained many adherents. This is especially true for women, as it seems that the drug suits them well in all aspects particularly with the relatively low dosage indicated for them. The fat-burning and weight-sustaining effects of Anavar are additional benefits that make the drug more attractive. 

HGH Injections

Somatotropin is the medical term for human growth hormone (HGH) and the HGH used for injection purposes is synthetic. HGH injection is a powder which has to be reconstituted with bacteriostatic water just before injection. It should also be refrigerated as it remains stable for only a short period of time after reconstitution.

Anabolic steroids are synthetic substances and they do not exist in nature and since HGH is produced naturally by the pituitary gland, it is not a steroid. The HGH injections that are gaining increasing popularity among athletes and weightlifters are one of the most expensive drugs. The cost usually ranges from $800 to $3000 per month. The HGH injections are becoming popular as easy ways to build strength and muscles. The HGH injections abuse is also on the rise as it cannot be detected in urine tests. There is ample research to prove that HGH injections can have dangerous side effects such as liver damage, painful joints, fluid retention, and the carpal tunnel syndrome.

Another important issue related to HGH injection is its dose. Recent studies prove that the real benefits can be obtained with smaller more frequent doses. The proper dose of HGH injection is important and as a rule older patients require smaller dose as compared to the younger ones. However, it is suggested that you should not take injections to get the benefits of HGH. It is also suggested that HGH injections are not the only ways to increase the HGH in the body. The underlying effort should always be to help the pituitary gland in releasing more of the natural HGH.

Recent recommendations talk of products other than HGH injections for proper hormonal balance in the body and it is being argued that synthetic injections must be used only as a last resort. HGH injections can have serious side effects and therefore should be used only when advised by a qualified physician. The HGH injection pumps the hormone into the body so the pituitary gland doesn't need to secrete its own HGH. This leads to the gland becoming lazy and failing on its own functions. The close association between HGH injections and cancer risk is also a moot topic under debate. Certain studies have confirmed that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with synthetic hormones can lead to an increased cancer risk. The long-term effects of HRT with HGH injections however, are still not known.

With HGH injections being so expensive many users are turning to natural HGH boosters. These are products that can help you produce more of your hgh by stimulating the pituitary gland in your brain. This method has been successful and many users are seeing good results. HGH spray and pills are affordable and have no side effects.

Why Athletes and Bodybuilders Use Clenbuterol

Clenbuterol is a decongestant and bronchodilator prescribed to those suffering from chronic breathing disorders, particularly asthma, to make breathing easier. It is available in salt form as Clenbuterol hydrochloride, as well as in 20mcg tablets, in syrup, and in injectable form. Clenbuterol belongs to the broad group of sympathomimetic drugs, affecting the sympathetic nervous system in various ways, mediated by the distribution of adrenoceptors.

Other uses of Clenbuterol
Clenbuterol is a 2 adrenergic agonist with some similarities to ephedrine a sympathomimetic amine used as an appetite suppressant, stimulant, decongestant, concentration aid, and treatment for hypotension related to anesthesia but with more potent and longer-lasting effect as stimulant and as a thermogenic drug. Clenbuterol causes an increase in CNS stimulation, aerobic capacity, oxygen transportation, and blood pressure. It also increases the rate at with protein and fat is used up in the body and also helps slow down the storage of glycogen. Because of these effects, Clenbuterol is commonly used as a relaxant for smooth muscles, as well as an aid for weight loss. It is prescribed in dosages from 20-60 micrograms a day; a dose of more than 150 mg is not recommended.

Clenbuterol as a slimming aid
While Clenbuterol is approved for use in many countries as a broncholidator for asthma patients, the drug has been used as a weight loss drug or slimming aid. There are physical trainers who recommend Clenbuterol as a primary solution for achieving low body fat and better-looking cuts. In fact, it has become popular among bodybuilders and athletes.

How does it work?
Primarily a bronchodilator, Clenbuterol stimulates Beta-2 receptors, working selectively on the Beta-2-andrenergic receptors. Since it has minimal Beta-1 stimulating capability, Clenbuterol reduces airway obstruction without too much cardiovascular effect, making it a useful breathing aid for asthma patients. When Clenbuterol stimulates the Beta Receptors, it increases the body's temperature and heat production in the Mitochondria, thereby increasing the body's metabolic rate and decreasing a person's appetite. Beta-2 agonists increase lypolysis or fat loss and stimulate fat cells, making it an attractive slimming aid. Unfortunately, Beta-2 agents such as Clenbuterol can decrease insulin sensitivity and may cause high blood sugar or hyperglycemic reactions. Clenbuterol is an effective repartitioning agent, which is most often used in athletic circles. It increases the ratio of Fat Free Mass (FFM) to Fat Mass, by decreasing fat and possibly increasing FFM (3). It has a biphastic elimination and is thus reduced in the body in two different stages. Since it is a central nervous system stimulant, it acts like adrenaline and shares many of the side effects of other CNS stimulants like ephedrine. Side effects of Clenbuterol may include palpitations, tremor, restlessness, headache, insomnia, increased perspiration, and muscle spasms.

How Clenbuterol is used by athletes
Athletes usually use Clenbuterol after steroid treatment to balance the catabolic phase and obtain maximum muscle mass and strength. Clenbuterol can burn fat even without dieting because it slightly increases the body's temperature. This magnifies the effect of androgenic/anabolic steroids, thus some bodybuilders take these simultaneously. Clenbuterol is not approved by the FDA for medical use or as a fat loss supplement.

The Difference Between Weight Loss vs. Fat Loss

For bodybuilding, having low body fat levels is essential if you want to display the muscles that you have worked so hard for. A big mistake however that many bodybuilders make is that when they want to get ripped, they focus too much on losing weight instead of just focusing on losing fat.

You see, weight loss and fat loss are not necessarily the same thing. Weight loss is very easy to accomplish actually. All you have to do is take in less calories than what your body burns on any given day. So if your body burns 2,500 calories, and you just take in 2,000 calories, weight loss will occur. The problem is that if those calories that you take in do not have the right amount of nutrients, the weight loss may come in the form of muscle tissue loss, water weight, and perhaps even some bone mass! With that being said, let's consider the three examples below:

Bodybuilding Diet Example #1

An example of a diet that can have a negative impact of this nature is a fad diet like eating just chocolate for example (let's call this "The Miraculous Chocolate Diet". In a case like this, because you are taking in less calories than what your body burns, you will lose weight. However, at least 50% of the weight loss will not come from fat. It will come instead from muscle tissue and bone tissue as a diet like this does not provide enough good nutrition to maintain (or slightly increase) muscle mass. The end results will be a smaller but still flabby version of yourself. Furthermore, your metabolism will be crippled by the fact that you have lost lean muscle which is one of the tissues that serves to maintain a high metabolism!

Bodybuilding Diet Example #2

In this example, the bodybuilder is a hardcore athlete who wants to work hard for his/her goals. This bodybuilder is willing to pay the price in order to achieve the bodybuilding goals. However because of his over-enthusiasm, logic is thrown out of the window and a bodybuilding diet consisting of 1500 calories, mostly coming from proteins and some good fats is implemented, in conjunction with an aggressive cardiovascular workout of twice a day 45 minute sessions and killer bodybuilding workouts.

While initially the body will respond well for about ten days, because the calories are so low and the stress on the body so high, cortisol levels will skyrocket, halt fat loss and start cannibalizing muscle tissue in order to cover the energy demand. In addition thyroid levels begin to shut down as well in order to lower the body's metabolism and halt weight loss.

So even though tons of weight will be lost from a program like this, again, the best you can hope for is a 50% split between muscle loss and fat loss (so if you lose 20 pounds, 10 pounds are from fat/water and 10 pounds are from muscle; not good). Thus, the end result will be a more defined but much smaller version of you with a crippled metabolism.

Bodybuilding Diet Example #3

Now imagine that you follow a diet that creates a slight caloric deficit. So if you burn 2500 calories every day, your diet will consist of 2300 (a 200 calorie deficit). Also, imagine that you are following a good nutrition program consisting of 40% good carbs, 40% proteins and 20% fats, and that once a week you consume slightly more calories than the other day (around 2700) in order to prevent a metabolic slowdown. Furthermore, you create an even bigger caloric deficit through your 45-60 minute bodybuilding routines and a cardiovascular program consisting of 30 minutes or so every day. In this case, bone and muscle tissue are preserved (or even improved upon) while fat loss and the release of extra water retention are maximized. This is obviously what we are trying to accomplish.

Conclusion

While any calorie restriction will bring about weight loss it is very important to distinguish between weight loss and fat loss. Regardless of whether a person is interested in bodybuilding competition or simply looking fit, this principle applies to everyone. So always remember, train and diet hard but also be smart. 

Women's Bodybuilding Training - Bodybuilding Fat Loss Tips for Women

Everyone knows what to do to lose fat, right? Then how come so few reach their goals and achieve that lean look if it's so damn easy to get ripped?

I could tell you the very same things as everybody else does, but I definitely won't. It's not only about the perfect diet plan and the right amount of exercise, the best supplements and so on; the most important part of a fat-loss strategy is your mental approach to it.

That's what I'm going to tell you about. Basically, what you've got to do is stick to your plan. Period.

First, let's suppose you do the following things already:

    You do at least 6 cardio workouts of 40-60 minutes per week, preferably pre-breakfast.

    You eat 5-8 small meals per day, emphasizing proteins, healthy fats and vegetables.

    You don't skip on the carbs post-workout. (Take in 0.5 gram per pound of bodyweight)

    You get at least 6 hours of sleep almost every night.

If those are in order, you can get better results using the following tips:

Fat Loss Tip #1: Getting Through The Hardest Of Times
Some days are tougher than others, especially when it's about dieting. I'm talking about those annoying moments when you ask yourself over and over again why you're doing all the cardio and for what?! You feel so sorry for yourself, thinking everyone else is better off, you're watching all 'normal' people eating ice cream every other hour, and you wish so much you were one of those lucky souls. What you must do is to motivate yourself to stick to your plan with whatever means you can use. The photo at the right is what motivates me.

Most chicks would kill for a gorgeous, fit body like this, but they believe a walk in the park will do the trick. Even if you told them it's a bit harder, they wouldn't believe you, since they don't want to face the truth.

Fat Loss Tip #2: You Never Diet, You Follow A Perfect Diet Plan
When I need to drop a couple of pounds, I never say I'm dieting; the mere word 'dieting' gives me the worst cravings imaginable! I just want to run to the supermarket, buying chocolate, fish sticks and other fattening stuff. I tell myself that I'm allowed to eat whatever I like, including ice cream and candy. And lots of it too. But, I must stand the consequences if I'm going to eat like a starving horse. I know that by falling for the temptation will make me fat and puts me farther away from my dream body. Then, I also take into account how satisfied I will be after eating the chocolate and fish sticks. I know it won't be for long, maybe only for a couple of hours before I start to regret it. And then it's already too late; I have just annihilated ten hours of cardio for what; a bit of chocolate?

Fat Loss Tip #3: Show It Off
There's nothing as pleasant as watching your muscles pump up during a workout session, so don't always wear your whole wardrobe at the same time; let yourself see the pay off in the gym's mirrors and you'll feel so much stronger.

Don't care about jealous people who blame you for just showing off. If they cannot stand perceiving a great physique, they probably have some major psychological problems to solve. You must get used to those pessimistic people who hate everybody who more resembles their ideal physique than they do themselves.

Fat Loss Tip #4: How To Get Through The Boring Cardio
Ok, there you go again...Sick and tired of the stairmaster already? Hey, you've only done it 40 times this month! Do a list on topics you can think about when working out. This is my list:

    First, I repeat to myself why I'm doing this boring chore. I mean, it's not always a lot of fun, mounting the step machine at 4:30 a.m., and I must not forget why it's of such great importance that I do it anyway.

    I tell myself this is the very last workout I have to do for my whole life. If I get this one done, I will always look good, always be fit and happy. (Yes, I know it's a lie, but my psyche is so easily duped!)

    I promise myself that I can eat a whole chocolate bar (the biggest one of course!) for breakfast if I only do the cardio. This is a big lie once again, but it doesn't matter since when I'm done, it would be so unnecessary eating something that makes my efforts meaningless.

    I visualize my ripped physique, every comments on my lines and how impressed people will be once I enter the stage.

    Listen to the very best cardio music; Irish folk music! I promise you will get totally energized!

    Visualize what the perfect feature of you in a major muscle mag like Flex or MuscleMag would be like. What questions would they ask you? What kind of pictures? What would the article lead to concerning sponsors, feedback, and model contracts?


Why Is It Critical To Visualize Your Success?
Well, as you're the one who's in charge of your goals and dreams, you cannot let yourself wonder about whether you've got what it takes or not. Who's to judge that? Well, you and you only.

Don't listen to those telling you it's impossible. They don't know, they just think they do. Of course, hear people out, but be careful about what they tell you, and what you tell yourself. Remember, you are what you believe you are! 

Myths of Women's Weight Training and Female Bodybuilding

The myths about women's weight training and female bodybuilding do not ever seem to go away. With this article, I'd like to share the facts regarding weight training and female bodybuilding.

Women's Weight Training Myth #1 -Weight training makes you bulky and masculine.
Due to the fact that women do not, and cannot, naturally produce as much testosterone (one of the main hormones responsible for increasing muscle size) as males do, it is impossible for a woman to gain huge amounts of muscle mass by merely touching some weights. Unfortunately, the image that may come to your mind is that of professional female bodybuilders. Most of these women, unfortunately, use anabolic steroids (synthetic testosterone) along with other drugs in order to achieve that high degree of muscularity. In addition, most also have good genetics coupled with an unbelievable work ethic that enable them to gain muscle quickly when they spend hours in the gym lifting very heavy weights. Believe me when I say that they do not look like that by accident. Women who conduct weight training without the use of steroids get the firm and fit cellulite-free looking body that you see in most fitness/figure shows these days.

Women's Weight Training Myth #2 - Exercise increases your chest size.
Sorry girls. Women’s breasts are composed mostly of fatty tissue. Therefore, it is impossible to increase breast size through weight training. As a matter of fact, if you go below 12 percent body fat, your breast size will decrease. Weight training does increase the size of the back, so this misconception probably comes from confusing an increase in back size with an increase in cup size. The only way to increase your breast size is by gaining fat or getting breast implants.

Women's Weight Training Myth #3 - Weight training makes you stiff and musclebound.
If you perform all exercises through their full range of motion, flexibility will increase. Exercises like flyes, stiff-legged deadlifts, dumbbell presses, and chin-ups stretch the muscle in the bottom range of the movement. Therefore, by performing these exercises correctly, your stretching capabilities will increase.

Women's Weight Training Myth #4 - If you stop weight training your muscles turn into fat.
This is like saying that gold can turn into brass. Muscle and fat are two totally different types of tissue. What happens many times is that when people decide to go off their weight training programs they start losing muscle due to inactivity (use it or lose it) and they also usually drop the diet as well. Therefore bad eating habits combined with the fact that their metabolism is lower due to inactivity, and lower degrees of muscle mass, give the impression that the subject’s muscle is being turned into fat while in reality what is happening is that muscle is being lost and fat is being accumulated.

Women's Weight Training Myth #5 - Weight training turns fat into muscle.
More alchemy. This is the equivalent of saying that you can turn any metal into gold; don't we wish! The way a body transformation occurs is by gaining muscle through weight training and losing fat through aerobics and diet simultaneously. Again, muscle and fat are very different types of tissue. We cannot turn one into the other.

Women's Weight Training Myth #6 - As long as you exercise you can eat anything that you want.
How I wish this were true also! However, this could not be further from the truth. Our individual metabolism determines how many calories we burn at rest and while we exercise. If we eat more calories than we burn on a consistent basis, our bodies will accumulate these extra calories as fat regardless of the amount of exercise that we do. This myth may have been created by people with such high metabolic rates (hardgainers) that no matter how much they eat or what they eat, they rarely meet or exceed the amount of calories that they burn in one day unless they put their mind to doing so. Therefore, their weight either remains stable or goes down. If you are confused about nutrition, please read Nutrition Basics.

Women's Weight Training Myth #7 - Women only need to do cardio and if they decide to lift weights, they should be very light.
First of all, if you only did cardio then muscle and fat would be burned for fuel. One needs to do weights in order to get the muscle building machine going and thus prevent any loss of muscle tissue. Women that only concentrate on cardio will have a very hard time achieving the look that they want. As far as the lifting of very light weights, this is just more nonsense. Muscle responds to resistance and if the resistance is too light, then there will be no reason for the body to change.

Women Should Train Hard
I have trained with girls that train as hard as I do and they look nothing but feminine. If you want to look great, don't be afraid to pick up the weights and lift hard! 

Why Take Steroids?

Why do athletes take anabolic steroids?

Almost all steroid users are taking steroids because they believe it is the only way to develop muscle and strength. Further more, almost all bodybuilders are taken steroids because they want to get as much strength and size as they possibly can. In my own opinion, society today makes people think that to produce muscle and size, steroid use is mandatory. That is not the case, with hard work and determination, anything is possible, but who wants that when you can pretty much triple your size using steroids. Steroid is a drug, and like other drugs, people take them to escape reality, and they enjoy what the drug does for them. I feel steroid is the same case. Steroid users like what the drug has done for their size and strength, and it has taken them away from their original, smaller body. Anyone caught using steroids, the public sees these people as cheaters and are people who have the lack of doing something “the hard way.” Steroid users work hard, they work extremely hard, even as much as any regular athlete that trains. Users take steroids for help, and for steroids to work, the athlete must go through a great deal of weight training.

In today’s world, people enjoy entertainment and people want to win. Athlete’s are willing to do whatever it takes to win. Sports today has come a long way since the beginning, and records are being broken everyday. Steroids have taken sports to new levels, and it will only continue to be on the rise. Face it, there are several players in the National Football League that got to the NFL using steroids, and several still probably are some how. Teenagers are using steroids more than ever today, and this is becoming a big problem in the world. There are few teenagers that really know enough knowledge on steroids, and there are several teenagers making careless mistakes while taking them. The following is by W. Nathaniel Phillips:

“In my observations, there are two main sub groups of steroid users which can be differentiated primarily by age. Group 1 users fall below the mean age of the steroid using population. They are usually in their tens and twenties. These users typically perceive bodybuilding and steroid use to be a way to attract attention. They are very affixed to the notion that if they obtain one of these incredible physiques, their life will be richer and they will be more popular and successful.”

If you told a youth about to take steroids that if he takes steroids he might die at the age of 35 instead of 55, he will probably choose the steroids. What kid would give up the chance to make millions in a pro career doing what they want, but might die a bit earlier than expected? For this reason, it is hard for parents and educators to make a youth turn down steroids.

Group 2 is involving users in their 30’s, 40’s, and over. Phillips said:
“This group, Group 2, is comprised of individuals with very different motives than Group 1. Group 2’s motives for using steroids tend to be much more intra personal. These users are typically more conscious of health risks and therefore use the drugs more prudently. Many of these users are searching for some type of rejuvenation.”
These steroid users usually aren’t planning on being as big or as strong as they can, but to improve there physical feature for them self. They usually aren’t planning on entering “Mr. Olympia” or even a competitive bodybuilder.

Bodybuilding And Blood Pressure

A faster and more intense workout will yield a higher blood pressure and heart rate in the human subject. The heart is described as “hollow muscular organ”; its function is to pump blood to the whole body during a person’s life. The circulatory system of which the heart is part of sends oxygen and nutrients to the body and removes waste and carbon dioxide. One of the demands on the heart is that it must be able to shift whenever the activity of the person changes. Thus when activity increases and a person were to exercise, they would need more oxygen. The increase in oxygen demand leads to the heart being forced to pump more blood and therefore the heart rate of that particular individual to increase.
“Heart rate” simply signifies the number of beats the heart undergoes per minute. Under normal circumstances, the heart rate of and adult would be seventy beats per minute while that of a child would be one-hundred beats per minute and a baby’s would be one hundred and twenty beats per minute. Resting heart rates will increase due to exercise training. For example, professional athletes have slower resting heart rates due to physical training which keeps the heart stronger so that it may pump a higher volume of blood while beating less often. Other sources such as stress, temperature, hormones, drugs, alcohol and food can also affect heart rate.
Blood pressure is essentially the force of one’s blood on the arteries’ walls. It is measured by the systole, the “highpoint” where the heart releases blood by contracting, and the diastole - the “low point” in which the heart relaxes and thus is filled with blood.
When blood pressure is measured, it is generally measured in mm of mercury (mmHg) in a sphygmomanometer. The maximum blood pressure is systole and the minimum is the diastole for a “cardiac cycle”. Normal blood pressure should be should be 80/45 in babies while individuals at thirty years of age should have a blood pressure of 128/80. If ones blood pressure were too high, some of the blood vessels could explode, yet if the blood pressure was too low, the brain would “starve” or not be able to get what it needs. Thus, the body controls blood pressure in various ways to meet its needs. For example, it can tighten or loosen the blood vessels also the heart can change the amount of blood it pumps. Blood pressure will be affected by the flexibility of arteries, the diameter or width of the artery, the thickness or viscosity of blood and the volume of blood. The volume of blood can change if a lot of blood is lost causing the blood pressure to go down. As well, the heart rate can affect blood pressure. As one exercises, their heart rate increases thus resulting in an increase of blood pressure. As the heart rate decreases, the blood pressure decreases.

Common Mistakes of Steroids Use

As it known anabolic steroids are very effective drugs for this reason are widely used in medical practice. However, to exaggerate their role in the achievement of sports results would be invalid because, throughout all the useful has it's limit beyond which damage begins. The transition from quantity to quality in medicine is so clearly illustrated as in no other area of ​​human activity. The lack of reliable information leads to the fact that some abused anabolic steroids, while others take them in doses, it becomes clear: how this person is still alive ? Doping control in the form in which it exists, contributes to people's minds even more confusion.

By doping are ranked many substances that cause no harmful effects on the body, and, conversely, many drugs that are harmful to the doping does not belong. Useless to ban steroids and their use is pointless to scold. Everything what is needed, always used and will be applied, regardless of any restrictions. Anabolic steroids - the objective reality. And the task of doctors, coaches, journalists should not be reduced to the sweeping criticism, but to really help people thoroughly to understand in this matter. Here are the most common mistakes of anabolic steroids.

1 Failure to comply with age-related indications and contraindications for the use of steroids.

2 Excess of medical dosages of anabolic steroids.

3 Ignoring of a course treatment principle with the development of drug dependence.

4 Ignorance of intermittent regimens of short-acting anabolic steroids.

5 Underestimation of the role of the liver in anabolic effect and the inability to protect the liver from possible toxic effects of steroids.

6 Malnutrition during treatment with anabolic steroids.

Today there is not proven that steroids are "mortal" dangerous. Without a doubt, taking steroids, people are always at risk. But before drawing conclusions, we must accurately determine the extent of this risk. Frankly, the risk of dying in a car accident is much higher than that of anabolic steroids. But this does not mean that we should ban cars and never get behind the wheel. Type of steroid, duration of use, heredity athlete - all affect the degree of risk. A risk in life is always there. To minimize side effects, physicians should consult athletes which taking steroids. The tactics of intimidation does not do honor to physicians and scientists. Steroid abuse is unacceptable, but the restrictions we will not achieve anything. The best way is an open and honest conversation about the real consequences of the use of steroids.

To maximize the positive effects as well as to avoid counterfeit anabolic steroids, it is important to buy steroids only reliable and tested online steroids shops. HalfPriceGear.com is positioned as a reliable and trustable partner. To buy anabolic steroids just visit http://halfpricegear.com. To read more information about anabolic steroids http://www.halfpricegear.com