Usually, as unaware men age (usually past 40), many of them notice the more lethargic and weaker they get, and they also notice some loss of muscle.
Many think that this is just all part of the ageing process, and decide that this is the way it just has to be and accept. What many men fail to realise is that this doesn’t have to be the way at all. There are many things that can be done to fight against a rapid ageing process, excess body fat levels (especially man boobs and stomach fat), reduction in muscle mass, and feeling fatigued during the day.
Many fail to understand, that increased body fat (usually as a result of poor lifestyle and diet over time), 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 men who are overweight also have high levels of the hormone estrogen, this is very often because of high levels of body fat. One of the main reasons overweight men have high levels of estrogen is due to an enzyme called aromatase.
The higher level of excess 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 (man boobs).
So bearing this all in mind, a simple approach to anti-ageing and maintaining lean, lower body fat levels for men, would be to do as much as you can to stop this all happening. The best way to do this is to support the development of lean muscle, minimise breakdown of muscle tissue, increase testosterone levels from the foods you eat and minimise stress.
How do you go about this?
1. Lift weights
Lifting weights have been shown to increase testosterone levels in males. Be sure to review your programme on 4-8 week cycles. A simple step could be to move from a programme your higher rep ranges of 12-15, down to a lower end muscle gain range of 8-12 reps. It’s a simple change but enough to provide a response.
Read More: 7 Tips To Help You Build Lean Muscle
2. Consume protein with each meal
Men who don’t exercise, eat far too less protein. Adequate protein helps your muscles repair and become stronger following effective 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 and fish. I like to use and we advise our clients to use around 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight.
3. Include healthy fats with your meals
You need to consume healthy fats such as almonds, cashew nuts, olive oil, coconut oil, grass fed beef, eggs and oily fish. Testosterone is made from cholesterol, and you need to consume essential fats for optimal cholesterol intake.
4. Reduction of stress
The reduction of stress levels has been shown to minimise overproduction of the stress hormone cortisol. Too much at the wrong times of day, has been shown to lower testosterone levels in males. Paying more attention to quality sleep and exercise plays a big part in combating stress.
5. Minimise alcohol consumption
Chronic alcohol consumption is linked to increased estrogen levels in males and lowered testosterone levels.
Taking steps to increase your testosterone, can impact your life in such a positive way. Try starting with some of these tips and see how good you feel.
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