 Testosterone is one of the most important male hormone, as it regulates your sexual function, governs recovery, growth, bone density, along with many other physiological processes.
Low testosterone levels are perhaps one of the worst problems a male can encounter, as it can lead to unpleasant side effects, such as:
Likely, you don’t want to experience these and neither and the thought of injecting testosterone in your body may make you cringe. If that’s the case, you are in the right place - In this article, we’ll give you the most important things you can start doing right away to boost your testosterone level naturally. Now without further ado, let’s jump right into it! Your testosterone levels naturally drop as you age, but before you jump into testosterone replacement therapy options, it is best to do a complete overhaul of your habits. Here are the things that have the highest impact on your natural testosterone levels: #1 Nutrition What you put in your body has a MAJOR effect on the way your bodily systems work. Including the hormonal (endocrine) system. It is a fact that food provides the body with essential nutrients, which the body needs but can’t produce on its own. Additionally, poor nutrition usually leads to the gain of excess weight which as it turns out, high body fat levels have been shown to lower your testosterone levels. (1) This is why, if you want normal testosterone levels, you should at least keep a normal body composition (fat to muscle ratio, healthy range is under 25%).. In terms of nutrients, fat and protein are the two most important components of your nutrition plan, which will nurture testosterone production. Low intake of dietary fats has been shown to decrease testosterone levels in males. However, carbs have their place as well. Although they’ve been demonized carbohydrates can also help optimize testosterone in combination with resistance training. (2) Whole foods are key with several notable foods such as beef, chicken, pork, eggs, dairy, grains, beans, legumes, fish, fruits and vegetables. #2 Weight training If you’re trying to give the body a reason to ramp up testosterone production, weight training is the perfect tool to do so. When you do workouts with heavier weights and shorter-lasting sets, muscle breakdown occurs, which is termed “muscle protein breakdown”. Paired with good nutrition, this powerful stimulus will unleash a flurry of anabolic (constructive) processes and testosterone production is a part of those anabolic processes! To begin perform 2-3 full body resistance training workouts per week with cardio activity on the other days. Focus on compound movements (exercises that engage more than 1 muscle group) for the large muscle groups. (3) #3 Sleep Though many people consider the body and brain to be at complete rest while sleeping, that is actually not true. During sleep, we organize all the sensory information we got throughout the day, but we also recover and grow stronger. Sleep is important for the regulation of many bodily systems, including the hormonal system. (4) In general, it is recommended that you have 6-8 hours of quality sleep per night, depending on age and daily activity. #4 Lifestyle It is a fact that nowadays, many people use their bodies as vessels for sensory pleasure… This leads to many toxic, testosterone-lowering habits, such as drinking and smoking. If you want your body to be at peak performance, there is no magic pill or supplement that will get you there. A lifestyle change is necessary and needs to include sufficient movement, quality food, and good recovery periods. #5 Stress management One of the WORST things about the modern-day lifestyle is that it puts you through a considerable amount of stress. When you’re stressed (regardless of the factor), the body releases cortisol, which is the main stress hormone. Elevated cortisol levels have been proven to lower secreted testosterone. (5) This is why managing stress is of prime importance for your natural testosterone production. When you feel stressed, consider practices such as meditation, mindfulness, reading a book, going for a walk, or simply self-talking yourself to an internally regulated, calm state. Conclusion Testosterone is a key hormone for males and deficits can lead to unpleasant side effects. Whether you are young or older, there are lifestyle changes you can implement to restore your natural testosterone production. Such things as becoming/remaining active, feeding your body well, allowing for sufficient recovery and sleep, and last but not least, managing daily stress. References
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 The weight scale is perhaps one of the most common tools which people use to monitor & judge their fitness progress. However, more often than not, it is something that will leave you frustrated and unmotivated. For some the scale is in fact the single most powerful mood-shifter!
Certainly your weight is an important variables to track. However, whether you are losing or gaining weight, the scale falls short when we want to get a complete picture of what our health looks like. This is exactly why it should not be the only merit of your progress, whatever your goal is. In this article, we are going to explain the other, important metrics you should keep track of and how to actually use the scale so you can make it a functional part of your plan. Now let’s get to it! Does Your Weight Matter? Now, surely, the scale has its applications on your way to a healthier body, which is why we are not telling you to completely give up on using it. This is especially true in respect to certain important variable when it comes to calculating your daily calories, macronutrient needs, or intake of certain supplements, which are based on the individual’s weight. But despite those points let’s say this one more time - The number on the scale MUST NOT be your ONLY merit of progress. There are many other things that you should watch, in addition to the scale and it is therefore important to be committed to not allowing the scale to kill your mood. The Scale and What It Does NOT Show Okay, think about it - Can one single number really show you everything there is to know about your fitness? Is this number everything you really need to determine whether or not you are fit enough? For the general population, weight should only represent a small percentage of the things we judge progress on. It is a fact that the scale cannot show you things such as:
All of the above are far more important metrics of progress and if you only rely on the number that the scale shows, you are in for some massive disappointments. HOWEVER, if you weigh yourself correctly and relate the change in weight to other parameters, such as the ones from above, you will have a much more realistic idea of your progress. How To Use The Scale (The Right Way) If you want to make your weight scale a viable tool on your fitness journey, rather than something that will shake your beliefs and motivation, PLEASE use these tips below:
Whenever you get a weight in, make sure it is IN THE MORNING, before eating, after going to the bathroom and undressed. THIS is your true weight! If you weigh yourself on the same day, at the same time, before eating anything and after going to the bathroom, you will get the most accurate reading possible. Otherwise, you risk weighing the food you took in, the water you drank, the fluids you retained, etc.
For the goal of sustainable weight loss and maintenance of lean body mass (lbm), you should strive to lose between ½ a lb to 2 lbs a week. If your true reading shows a loss greater than 2 lbs for the week, don’t be afraid to bump up the calories slightly. If on the other hand, the reading shows an insignificant loss of weight, decrease calories slightly. Oppositely, if you are trying to gain weight, aim for no more than 0.5-1 lbs a week. This will allow you to avoid any unnecessary fat gains and thus, take less time to shred down afterward.
If you narrow everything down to the number on the scale… You’re in for disappointments. Whenever you get a reading on the scale, whatever it is, set goals for your strength, endurance, visual look, mood, energy, etc. This will help keep you motivated and will give you a different perspective on the bigger picture. Important Takeaways Though your weight is an important variable when determining progress, setting up & adjusting a diet, it is NOT the only thing you should narrow your progress down to. The scale does not show more important things like body composition, strength levels, mood, or how you actually look. Ultimately, your best bet is to monitor your progress on all variables possible, to ultimately determine whether your work is paying off well or your plan needs adjustments. In the previous part of this article series, we gave you actionable tips on how to integrate training into a busy schedule. Keep in mind that setting up your training regimen is just half the battle and if it is not supported by a proper nutrition plan, then all your hard work will be in vain.
Which is why in this article, we’re going to tell you exactly how you can create sustainable nutrition habits. What is Meal Prep & Why and How You Should Do It Meal prepping is without a doubt one of the most efficient ways to ensure you’ll get all your nutrients in. This method will save you time and money and will also give your body everything needed to sustain healthy functioning, as well as any daily physical and mental activities. At its very core, meal prepping implies cooking for a couple of days ahead, all at once. This is a very flexible approach, as it allows you to prepare certain foods in bulk, which you can then use to create a variety of recipes. Step #1 - Choose your Protein & Fat sources As you should know by now, protein & fats are essential to the body, as they regulate a variety of vital processes, including but not limited to recovery, healthy functioning of all bodily systems and tissues, regulating hormonal function, etc. If any of the 2 is in a deficit, you may experience unpleasant side effects, such as premature exhaustion, constant tiredness, brain fogs and disrupted sleep cycles. Essential aminos acids are called essential because they are nutrients the body needs for optimal health but that it does not create on its own. Good sources of essential amino acids can be found in foods such as chicken, beef, eggs, fish, prawns, cheese, and other dairy products. If you are a vegetarian or a vegan, you are best off combining different grains, beans, and other legumes, to get the full essential amino acid profile. Step #2 - Choose Your Carbohydrate Sources The best sources of carbohydrates which you have probably heard time and time again are all those whole grains, beans, legumes, and fruits (not fruit juices). These are the foods that keep a steady level of blood glucose (sugar) without severe spikes delivering a consistent flow of energy to the body which is ideal for physical and mental activities. Example of these foods are: wild and brown rice, oats, whole grain breads, starchy vegetables berries, melons, bananas, and others. Step #3 - What about micronutrients Proteins, fats, and carbohydrates are considered macronutrients because we need to consume them in large quantities. However, we also needs many trace elements in order to function properly. We call those micronutrients. If you rely on diverse nutrition and include plenty of different whole foods in your menu, you don’t really need to pay specific attention to micronutrients. That is unless of course, you have certain micronutrient deficiencies, in which case your best bet is to consult with your physician. Step #4 - Cook in bulk! Once you’ve picked out your favorite protein, fat and carbohydrate sources, it is time to cook! For the meats, you can use basic marinade - Soy sauce, salt & pepper. Once that’s done, you’ll have ~2-3 lbs of meat all cooked and ready. For your grains and root crops, you can use basic seasoning and preparation. Once that’s done, you’ll have a solid amount of carbohydrates ready on demand. Since these are prepared in a very basic way, you can use them as a BASE to add upon. For example, you can take some of the pre-cooked meat and toss it in a pre-heated pan with some vegetables, glazes & other spices. The same goes for your carb sources, meaning that you can craft a variety of recipes and bring diversity to your nutrition, even though you cook the same foods every time. Again, these are just your bases for meals and you can always add more vegetables such as , dried tomatoes, olives, capers and any other side products you may like. Step #5 - Enjoy your food & time Most people think that cooking your own food requires a lot of time and energy. However home prepped food is almost ALWAYS cheaper and takes less total time because its more efficient to execute a plan than it is to fly by the seat of your pants. So, what do you have to lose? When it comes to training and eating well for the goal of enhancing the quality of life, “I don’t have time” is the most common excuse people tell themselves.
Even if you suggest convincingly illustrate the how the benefits of an optimized training and nutrition plan outweigh the time invested, people will likely hold onto the belief and defend how busy they are. In this article, we are going to give you actionable tips on how you can integrate a healthy lifestyle into a busy schedule. Why Should You Do This? Well, quite frankly your success in every aspect of life is primarily based on your physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. In the modern-day lifestyle where even at work people typically sit for long periods of time you get robbed of quality movement while simultaneously having access to a load of junk food. In a sense, being fit and even muscular is something completely natural. Nowadays however the industrial society has imposed upon us unnatural living patterns, thus making fitness & wellbeing “someday goals” for most people. However, they can not be someday goals. Your body is a community of cells that you govern and nurture through what you eat, and what you do. Your body doesn't know your busy, it simply responds to what you do and what you eat. Now let’s talk about training and possible ways to integrate a healthier lifestyle into a busy schedule (yes, even if you work 12 hr shifts.) How To Train Efficiently For most people, it feels like forever to get to the gym, warm-up, do the workout, get back home, shower & eat. And the truth is, all of this can be quite time consuming so your best bet is to optimize the whole process. Here are some tips which you can use today:
One question still stands though - What is the best time to workout? Lets take a look at each time of time. Training in the morning Upon waking up, your body is fasted, meaning that your glycogen (usable energy stored in the muscle) levels are lower than usual and therefore, your strength performance may be suboptimal. However unless your a professional athlete or bodybuilder it won't matter. The most suboptimal workout is the one never done. Additionally, training in the morning is a good way to kickstart your day, as it will give you tons of energy and boost your mood (especially after your breakfast afterwards). Training in the afternoon As you wake up and get into your day, more and more sunlight passes through your eyes. That sunlight signals the pineal gland to secrete serotonin, which is a daytime neurotransmitter which makes you feel more awake, alert & gives you the energy and mood for your daily activities. So, you see, your body is fine-tuned to the sun and the earth’s cycle and this is the period when your cardiovascular efficiency, muscular strength and nervous system are the most active. This is generally between 3:00 to 5:00 pm. Not only will you be in sync with the highest biological activity time window of the body, but you’ll also have food in your system and thus, more energy. Training in the evening Just like the previous two, training in the evening has its advantages and disadvantages. For instance, workouts after an entire workday can be a massive stress reliever! On top of that, night time is the recovery time for the body, so with an intense workout, you are priming all the recovery mechanisms of your body and it becomes easier to fall asleep. However, if you do your workout too soon before bed, you might disrupt your sleep cycle. So it is recommended to perform training no less than 3-4 hours before bedtime. Conclusion Training and eating well should not be someday goals but more so tools that you use to optimize your performance in all aspects of life, as well as your overall living quality. As your health should be your number 1 priority, it is important to consider how you can optimize your training process, so that the benefits would outweigh the time invested. Some best practices are: find a local gym or train at home, do shorter workouts but workout more frequently and be aware of time gaps or down time used on things like tv, social media etc, In part two of this article series, we are going to tell you more about nutrition on a busy schedule and how you can actually spend less time & money to eat healthier and better. See you there! |