Diet and Training Journal of an Aging Firefighter: Log

T

theRecompKing

New member
Hey everyone!
I’ve been lurking on this forum for a couple of months now, soaking up all the great info you all share, and I finally decided to sign up. One of the things I really enjoy is following people’s progress through their logs/journals, so I thought I’d start one of my own. Here's a bit about me:

About Me
- Age: 36
- Gender: Male
- Height: 5’10”
- Weight: 220lbs
- Background: Former college wrestler, currently a firefighter
- Health: Excellent overall health with no serious injuries
- Bloodwork: All within normal ranges
- Experience with PEDs: Limited
- Current Shape: Decent, but realizing I’m not as young as I used to be!

Goals
So here's the situation: I’ve recently started a new job, which means I’ll have to go through the fire academy all over again. Initially, I wasn’t too worried about it because I’ve managed to stay in decent shape, but when I went in for my Physical Fitness Test (PFT), I realized I was the oldest guy in the room by at least 8 years. It hit me hard—I'm getting older, and it’s not as easy to keep up with these young bucks. I had to push extra hard just to fall in the middle of the pack, and that’s when it hit me: age is catching up.

Most people might be content with staying in the middle of the pack with 20-somethings, but I’m not one of them. I’m still competitive, and this has lit a fire under me. My primary goal now is to outperform these younger guys in every possible way while going through the academy. Secondary goal: I recently picked up tennis and have been playing tournaments, so improving my tennis performance would be great as well. Third goal: I’d love to improve my physique along the way.


Training Plan
Right now, I’m training 4x a week, mainly focusing on cardio to stay in shape for the academy. I’m slowly getting back into weightlifting after a string of minor upper-body injuries. I also play tennis 3x a week. There’s no real structure to my training yet, but I’m working on putting a solid plan together.


Diet
Here’s the struggle—my diet. Right now, I typically eat once a day at 6:00 PM and haven’t been counting calories, but I know I’m probably consuming less than 2000 calories on most days (likely somewhere between 1000-2000). This is definitely not intentional—it’s just my normal eating pattern. My food choices range from decent (like grilled chicken or turkey breast) to pretty bad (like pizza or Hot Pockets). My daily staple is one Coke—I know, I know. This is an area I really need to focus on, and I feel like it’s the biggest thing holding me back.

I know I need to make serious changes here to meet my goals. I’d really appreciate some advice on how to structure my meals better, especially considering I have a pretty demanding job and lifestyle.

Supplements
Currently, I’m on the third week of an 8-week cycle of the following:
- CJC-1295 DAC
- Ipamorelin
- AOD-9604

So far, it’s been working pretty well, giving me a nice boost, and I’ve noticed some fat loss. I also have some Winstrol (100mg/ml) that I got from Domestic-Supply. Eventually, I’d like to stack it with Anavar. I feel like these two would give me the results I’m looking for in terms of performance and physique, but I’m not ready to start the stack just yet—I want to get my diet and training plan solid first.

I’m also considering running a Test base with the stack. From previous experience, I know that when I run elevated test, I can get very aggressive, so I’m a little hesitant about that. I’d love some feedback from anyone with experience with these compounds and how to manage them effectively. There’s a lot of conflicting information out there, and I want to avoid the mistakes I made when I was younger and less informed.

Thanks for reading through this, and I appreciate any feedback, tips, or advice! I was planning on waiting until I had a more structured plan in place before starting this journal, but honestly, time is not on my side. I leave for a one-week vacation tomorrow, and I wanted to get some solid input from the community while I still have time to make adjustments.

I’m excited to see how this journey goes and really looking forward to any suggestions or experiences you guys can share. Thanks in advance!

Thanks again, guys—appreciate all the help!
 
Log Update – July 29

Hey everyone — back with a long-overdue update. It’s been just over two months since I kicked off this log (original post was May 13), and a lot’s happened since then — some wins, some setbacks, and a lot of learning along the way.

Quick Recap:​

For those who don’t remember or are just tuning in:

  • 36 y/o male, former wrestler, currently a firefighter
  • Training to crush the fire academy (again) and hold my own against the younger guys
  • Also pushing to improve my tennis game + physique
  • Limited PED experience, currently experimenting with peptides, considering a mild oral cycle down the line
  • Diet was... pretty rough in May (eating once a day, <2000 cals, not counting anything)

Peptide Cycle Results​


I just wrapped up my 8-week cycle of CJC-1295 DAC + Ipamorelin + AOD-9604, and here’s the honest breakdown:


Positives:

  • Noticeable fat loss, especially around the lower back and waist
  • Recovery has been faster — I’m feeling less beat-up after hard sessions
  • Joints feel better (huge plus considering my job and age)

Negatives:

  • Didn’t gain much in terms of size or strength, but that’s on me (see: diet & inconsistency)
  • AOD seemed to have minimal impact on its own. If I run this again, I’ll probably drop it and just keep CJC/Ipam.

About That Winstrol...​


Still haven’t started the Winstrol/Anavar stack, and I’m glad I waited. My training and diet still aren’t where they need to be, and I want to build a solid base first. Also still weighing whether to add a Test base, but I’m leaning toward a low-dose Test E (100–125mg/week) just for stability and mood.


I’ve had aggression issues in the past at higher doses, so I’m not rushing into anything without a better support system in place — PCT, AI, BP monitoring, the whole package.


💪 Training Update​


Much more consistent lately. Here's the current split:
  • 4x/week lifting — Push/Pull/Legs + 1 upper/lower hybrid
  • Tennis 2–3x/week — doubles + some solo drills
  • Cardio: 2 days steady-state (usually incline walking or stair work), 1 day HIIT

I’ve regained a lot of functional strength. Not PR’ing anything crazy, but I’m moving better, sleeping better, and not gassing out during long drills or shifts. Goal now is to increase explosiveness and cut down another 8–10 lbs of fluff.


Diet Progress (Still a Work in Progress)​


This has honestly been the biggest challenge. Here’s what’s changed:

  • Eating 3 meals/day, no longer fasting 20+ hours
  • Tracking macros for the last 3 weeks (averaging ~2200–2500 cals/day)
  • Prioritizing lean protein and complex carbs
  • Swapped the daily Coke for flavored mineral water (only 2 Cokes in the last month!)

Still have a ways to go, especially with planning meals around shift work and long tennis sessions. But I’m trending in the right direction.

What’s Next?​


Short-Term Goals:


  • Drop down to ~210 lbs while maintaining performance
  • Build out a full support protocol for when I start the Winstrol/Anavar/Test cycle in the fall
  • Stick with consistent logging — even if it’s just once a week
  • Continue blood pressure monitoring (readings have been steady so far)
Still Need Advice On:

  • Whether to run Anavar for 6 or 8 weeks alongside Winstrol
  • Best approach for low-dose Test when stacking with orals
  • PCT protocols for mild oral cycles (keeping it basic: Nolva or Clomid?)

Thanks again to everyone who gave advice on the first post — it really helped me pump the brakes and get serious about the fundamentals before diving into a full cycle. If any of you have experience with mild oral stacks or running low-dose Test for stability, I’d love to hear your take.


Appreciate all the knowledge you guys share on here — it’s made a big difference.


Talk soon!
 
muscleCzar said:
Hot Pockets and Coke? 😅 Dude, you’re playing on hard mode. Get some real food.
Click to expand...
Haha, fair point! Honestly, it felt like survival mode most days with my schedule. I’ve cleaned it up a lot since then — Hot Pockets are officially retired, and the Coke habit’s almost gone. Slowly learning that fuel = performance.
 
Man, I really respect how honest you are with your progress. This stuff isn’t easy, especially when you’re juggling shift work and training. Keep grinding, brother.
 
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