Get Your Testosterone Levels Up!
Guys, from commercials during ballgames, to ads in our favorite magazines, it's impossible to get away from the testosterone conversation. Especially as we age, Testosterone is thought of as the holy grail of male hormones. Don't stress. We've got some tips to help you feel like your younger self!
Maintain a Healthy BMI
Abdominal fat is one of the most dangerous conditions for men, and it also lowers your T-levels. There is a direct correlation between unhealthy BMIs and the leading causes of death: cardiovascular diseases, heart disease, and cancer. I recommend starting a healthy, nutritious diet full of lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and full of whole fruits and vegetables. If you haven’t already, start an exercise regimen to maintain a healthy BMI (between 18.5 and 24.9 for men) and you will also notice a positive change in your age-related T-levels. Bottom line: Flatten your belly and start moving, and you will be rewarded more ways than one.
Continue or Start Strength Training
Research suggests that men who lift weights see as much as a 40% increase in their free testosterone levels. Yes, you heard that right, 40%. Now you know why men love picking up the weights versus spin classes. If you don’t feel comfortable lifting weights, I suggest hiring a personal trainer or finding a knowledgeable workout partner to get you started on a program. With as little as two days of weight lifting a week, you can notice an increase in T-level production along with a lot of other improved health conditions including blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and triglycerides.
Increase Healthy Fats in Your Diet
A healthy diet is the key to optimizing your overall health status and reducing your risk of heart disease. There is a difference between healthy and unhealthy fats although they both contain 9 calories per gram. The goal is to eliminate saturated and trans fat, and in these circumstances, increase monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats or MUFAs have many health benefits including improving blood cholesterol levels and increasing our testosterone levels. Studies suggest that males who ate more nuts, avocado, and healthy cooking oils had higher testosterone levels.
Decrease Stress Levels
This is the U-S-of-A, and everyone has stress in their lives in one way or another. The good news is, all stress is manageable especially if you find alternative activities to manage it, like lifting weights. Even if you don’t enjoy lifting, whatever gets you into your “zen” mode, I recommend doing as much as possible. If your body is constantly exposed to stress, you will naturally produce more cortisol. If you don’t already know, cortisol is horrible for our bodies and can slash your testosterone levels in half diminishing your performance in the gym and the bedroom.
Get Adequate Sleep
Our bodies are exposed to a lot of stressful and taxing situations during the day. After a workout or day at the office, your body is often depleted, and you need to make sure you are getting some quality R&R (rest & relaxation). If you don’t get enough sleep, your immune systems can become compromised, leading to sicknesses or other detrimental situations. Actually, it’s known that poor sleep quality and having less than seven hours a night can diminish your testosterone levels by more than 30% and dampen growth hormones, restricting your muscle-building potential. Now you know how precious it is to have your beauty sleep at night.
