it’s important to recognize the correlation
between testosterone and belly fat.
If you’re a man in (or approaching) middle age, you may already know how challenging it can be to stay fit.
What you may not know, is that part of your challenge could be a matter of testosterone levels.
Does Testosterone Help You Lose Weight?
Aging successfully doesn’t happen by accident. A healthy diet, regular exercise, discipline and determination all play a part in being fit after 40. But another important part of maintaining optimal health is knowledge.
Higher testosterone levels correlate to healthy weight in men.
How Men Get in Shape After 40
Some nutritionists suggest that your metabolism slows by 10% each decade. That means by age 40, you could be fatter than you were at age 20. This can open Pandora’s Box to a variety of other problems as the years pass.
But take heart. A man can stay lean after 40. He can even keep a tight midsection! It’s all about making periodic lifestyle improvements.
“…low testosterone can foster unhealthy weight gain
which can in turn further decrease testosterone levels in our bodies”
Testosterone in Men After 40
learn the connection between healthy aging, exercise, diet and testosterone
The right diet and exercise are the intuitive solution to the problems associated with aging, muscle loss and fat gain. However, diet and exercise don’t always directly address the intrinsic metabolic changes that come with aging. Men simply produce less testosterone as they age. Many experts believe that the higher the testosterone levels in a body, the more muscle mass that body will have, while also having less fat.
Medical professionals used to believe that weight gain caused decreased testosterone levels in men. While this is true, it may not be the whole truth. Recent studies have shown the connection between low testosterone and obesity to be bidirectional rather than a simple cause and effect relationship. Low testosterone can foster unhealthy weight gain which can further decrease testosterone levels in our bodies.
This cycle can lead to some serious health problems like metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
But many experts believe that maintaining healthy testosterone levels can help our bodies effectively regulate glucose levels, insulin sensitivity, and fat-to-muscle ratios. In some cases, natural bioidentical hormone therapies can help. Please be aware that there is a difference in the synthetic testosterone manufactured by pharmaceutical companies, and the bioavailable testosterone that is compounded naturally. When you ask your doctor or naturopath about the statistics and research for testosterone, be certain you know which type of product is being discussed (misunderstandings are common).
For now, however, the best ways for men over 40 to get into shape and to stay in shape are through diet and through exercise. It might be in your best interest to concentrate on those fundamentals first, before considering other therapies.
What you might find extremely helpful, is to create an excellently effective new life plan to help you age successfully and to live an increasingly fascinating, healthier life. The new e-Book The Numinous Journey, can motivate you to tailor a successful self-improvement strategy that is a uniquely good fit for you:
The Numinous Journey:
How to Age Successfully ~ eBook
↗ This e-Book uses evidenced-based techniques of Success Psychology to help you make your new good habits “stick” permanently! Receive the e-Book instantly for $8.95 (or save money by purchasing the complete Longevity Lifestyle Kit).
“…the opening chapters of The Numinous Journey are so powerful, I defy anyone truly interested in self-improvement to read no further! Compelling and wise, without thinking that you have just been put straight and told off!
Dane complements his prose with those influential in both western and eastern philosophy, providing the reader with a wonderfully balanced view — sage advice and quotes that inspire and enlighten!
Chapter 6 is so vital. In discussing our eternal desires for that which lies outside of us, Dane reinforces the ancient philosophy: ‘all that we seek is within us.’
Chapter 7 reminds us of the foolishness of waiting to live, really live, until… until what? It is a sad indictment that so many start to live only when faced with a life-limiting illness!
Chapter 8 is about finding true inner peace. Mindfulness and meditation is no dark art. All that you seek is here. Priceless!
The closing chapters are a firestorm of brilliant advice and tips to (kindly) hammer home major — yet achievable — goals that will introduce you to paradigm shifts in family life, work-life and performance. The formula for creating meaningful, positive change is here …and it makes sense!
Being a man in his late 40s, I feel so fortunate to have read The Numinous Journey. As a psychotherapist I help others to walk their emotional fires — as I also walk my own — and this book could hardly have arrived at a better time!
~ Bob Brotchie, Anglia Counselling
Our responsibilities for self-care increase as we get older. There’s just more to do! More grooming, more check-ups, more details to attend to… this is just the way it is with life after 40:
Keep an eye on your hormone levels. Get your blood work done with your annual physical, and ask your doctor to talk with you about natural solutions for keeping hormone levels within optimum ranges. I encourage you, as you work toward your health and fitness goals, to not just work hard: work strategically.
Hmm, maybe I need to do something about my Testosterone level, are there supplements I can take?
Hey Magnus! I know that some have had success with consulting a naturopath to get on natural herbs and glandulars; others have had success seeing a doctor who specialize in bioavailable hormones.
Thanks to your blog and the great content, I am taking action to improve my Testosterone levels, my diet is pretty good one, I exercise regularly, so I am hoping this will boost my energy levels even more! I appreciate you bringing all this great information to our attention.
I find it helpful to think of “energy” in two different ways — emotional energy and physical energy.
It can be very illuminating to start paying closer attention to your energy levels and when they fluctuate!
{ twitter = @danenow }
I’ve been trying to get in the habit of regular exercise now so that when it becomes critical to maintaining a healthy weight, it is already second nature!