As inactive men get older (past 35 usually), many of them notice how significantly weaker they get, and they also notice that they’re losing significant amounts of muscle.
Many men think this is just part of the ageing process, and concede that it’s just the way that it’s going to have to be. What many men fail to realise is that this doesn’t have to be the case. There are many things that can be done to fight against rapid ageing, excess body fat (especially man boobs), low muscle mass, and feeling fatigued on a regular basis.
Many men fail to understand that large gains in body fat (usually as a result of poor lifestyle choices and diet), will negatively impact their androgenic hormones. Androgens are hormones that stimulate or control the development and maintenance of male characteristics (such as muscle mass). Low levels of androgens are closely linked to high body fat levels and chronic stress.
Many overweight men also have high levels of the hormone estrogen, this is very often due to excessive levels of body fat. One of the main reasons men have high levels of estrogen, is due to an enzyme called aromatase. The higher the level of body fat you have, the more aromatase you have. It’s the aromatase that converts the testosterone that you do have, into estrogen. High levels of estrogen will promote increased fat storage, especially around the breast area in men (moobs).
So bearing all this in mind, a simple approach to anti-ageing and maintaining lower body fat levels for men, would be to try and stop all this from happening. The best way to do this is to support muscle development (via resistance training), minimise muscle tissue breakdown, increase testosterone levels from the food you eat, minimise toxic exposure, and minimise stress.
How do you go about this?
1️⃣ Lift weights.
Lifting weights has been shown to increase testosterone levels in males.
2️⃣ Consume protein with each meal.
Men who don’t train, eat far too little protein. Adequate protein helps your muscles repair and grow following strength training. Increased muscle tissue is linked to increased testosterone levels. It’s no surprise that vegetarians have been shown to have lower levels of testosterone than males who eat meat. I coach men to consume around 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body weight.
3️⃣ Consume essential fats with your meals.
You need to consume fats such as coconut oil, almonds, olive oil, cashew nuts, grass fed beef, eggs and oily fish. Testosterone is made from cholesterol, and you need to consume essential fats for optimal cholesterol intake.
4️⃣ Reducing stress levels.
Reducing stress levels have been shown to minimise over production of the stress hormone cortisol. Too much at the wrong times of the day, has been shown to lower testosterone in males.
5️⃣ Minimise alcohol consumption.
Chronic alcohol consumption is linked to increased estrogen levels in males, and lowered testosterone levels.
Taking steps to increase your testosterone levels, can impact your life in such a positive way. Give some of these tips a try and see how good you feel.
Steve
