5 Months in...

[Redbeard]

Hello All,

My name is Steve. I started TRT about 5 months ago and am trying to wrap my head around what my most recent blood testing results are telling me. First of all I am 33, have struggled with my weight for most of my adult life. I would be categorized as obese. I am 6' 2", currently 320 pounds, started the year at 348.

When I got on treatment I only had total testosterone tested. That was 341 ng/dL. Today I am sitting at a total of 852 ng/dl. My TRT Cypionate dose is 40 mg twice a week.

Recent numbers, Sonora Quest Labs testing facility.

852 ng/dL Total Testosterone.

212.2 pg/mL Free Testosterone.

70 pg/mL Estradiol.

I do not know what my SHBG level is. I had an Albumin level of 4.7 in August of 22.

According to the video I just watched on this website, I should be around a 50 pg/mL, should I be on an AI?

Thank you for your help, if you need more info from me let me know.

 

[Redbeard]

Here is everything I have.

 

[tareload]

Single most important thing you can do for yourself is lose 100 pounds of mostly fat and get your waist to height ratio under 0.5. ====> goal would be waist circumference <= 37".

Semaglutide Forum: Game Changer for Weight Loss

Lets face it.....the history of weight loss drugs has been horrible. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-diet-drugs-sb/factbox-a-troubled-history-for-weight-loss-drugs-idUSTRE71063Y20110201 Lets just go ahead and throw 2,4-Dinitrophenol into the mix. It is still being used...

www.excelmale.com

See this post and posts below. Great to have TRT to assist you. I did it with your baseline T levels.

 

[tareload]

Here is everything I have.

Your Hct and hs-cRP are bad. I am pulling for you.

 

[Redbeard]

Yes, they are HS-CRP was from the first round of testing. Since then ive lost almost 30 pounds. All of that from around January 9th to now.

I have struggled with this most of my life and know I need to get myself together which is happening.

Any suggestions other than the comment that they are bad and you are pulling for me.

 

[tareload]

Any suggestions other than the comment that they are bad and you are pulling for me.

See post#3. Single best piece of advice you will ever get.

Copied again:

Single most important thing you can do for yourself is lose 100 pounds of mostly fat and get your waist to height ratio under 0.5. ====> goal would be waist circumference <= 37".

 

[tareload]

Semaglutide Forum: Game Changer for Weight Loss

Lets face it.....the history of weight loss drugs has been horrible. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-diet-drugs-sb/factbox-a-troubled-history-for-weight-loss-drugs-idUSTRE71063Y20110201 Lets just go ahead and throw 2,4-Dinitrophenol into the mix. It is still being used...

www.excelmale.com

Preview text in these links is deceiving. When i post a link please read the information in the link.

I have brought this up to @Nelson Vergel and Mods. This bug probably contributes to new guys not reading the links.

@Jason Sypolt

 

[tareload]

I have struggled with this most of my life and know I need to get myself together which is happening.

It is possible. I very much understand your situation:

Phases of Body Recomp.

Phase 1: Fat Loss
Phase 2: Muscle Gain (includes some time on TRT)


DELETED

I don't like sharing this stuff on the internet so I will delete this image soon. But just so you know it is possible and my comments are constructive.

Went from 46-48" waist to 34".

Last pic only possible for me using TRT-TRT+.

 

[Redbeard]

It is possible. I very much understand your situation:

Phases of Body Recomp.

Phase 1: Fat Loss
Phase 2: Muscle Gain (includes some time on TRT)

View attachment 29388

I don't like sharing this stuff on the internet so I will delete this image soon. But just so you know it is possible and my comments are constructive.

Went from 46-48" waist to 34".

WOW, that is an amazing recomp. F'n A, that is inspiring. I wouldn't think that is the same person. Seriously great job.

 

[tareload]

Phase 1: First 16 months

Semaglutide Forum: Game Changer for Weight Loss

Lets face it.....the history of weight loss drugs has been horrible. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-diet-drugs-sb/factbox-a-troubled-history-for-weight-loss-drugs-idUSTRE71063Y20110201 Lets just go ahead and throw 2,4-Dinitrophenol into the mix. It is still being used...

www.excelmale.com

 

[Redbeard]

WOW, that is an amazing recomp. F'n A, that is inspiring. I wouldn't think that is the same person. Seriously great job.

I am definitely working towards that, getting my diet in check I am focusing on at least 200g of protein, most days I am over that.

I saw you used a therapeutic level ketogenic diet. Is that how you still eat?

 

[Vince]

The reality is you're probably addicted to carbs. So you must give up carbs to eventually be able to control your eating. If you can give them up it takes about 6 months or so to get your addiction under control.

 

[tareload]

I am definitely working towards that, getting my diet in check I am focusing on at least 200g of protein, most days I am over that.

I saw you used a therapeutic level ketogenic diet. Is that how you still eat?

Had to come out of strict keto to gain muscle. So manipulating keto to look more like this (higher protein) is common for me nowadays:

Increasing your muscle mass during a rigorous weight loss diet?

Hypoenergetic diet–induced weight loss results in ∼20–30% of mass lost as lean body mass (LBM), with the remaining mass lost from adipose tissue. So normally you can expect for every 10 pounds of body weight you lost to also lost 2-3 pounds of muscle tissue. However, is there a way to avoid...

www.excelmale.com

Trying to add muscle and lose fat seems like a stretch for me hence in retrospect my work fits well in this Phase 1 / Phase 2 description. Good literature on hysteresis when it comes to metabolism so you really have to remove the fat before you add serious muscle size if you want to walk around reasonably "jacked" and also low BF. But I am skipping ahead.

My philosophy was tear it down and build it back. Full disclosure: body dysmorphic.

Best wishes to you.

 

[Redbeard]

The reality is you're probably addicted to carbs. So you must give up carbs to eventually be able to control your eating. If you can give them up it takes about 6 months or so to get your addiction under control.

My carb intake ranges from 50g to 200g on any given day but I aim for low 100 levels, tracking meals daily for the last 40+ days.

I have practiced carnivore and keto many a time. It mostly ended up in my getting off track after many months and completely binging on anything and everything.

Moderation and my relationship with food are a huge issue, of which I am actively combating. I too thought I could not handle carbs but have come to the conclusion that moderation was always the problem and my success has been decent with this approach this go around.

 

[tareload]

The reality is you're probably addicted to carbs. So you must give up carbs to eventually be able to control your eating. If you can give them up it takes about 6 months or so to get your addiction under control.

Took about 2-3 years for those cravings to largely disappear. But good overall point.

 

[Systemlord]

According to the video I just watched on this website, I should be around a 50 pg/mL, should I be on an AI?

Being overweight typically increases estrogen via aromatase enzymes in fat tissue.

Why do you think you need an AI?

 

[sammmy]

Carbs are not all equal. The most fattening are the fast carbs: added sugar, fruits, honey, milk. Just dropping those typically leads to huge weight loss. Keto can be fattening due to foods with high fat concentration: nuts, cheeses etc.

Best is to eat meat and vegetables, no added sugar, no processed foods, no cakes, no drinks with sugar, no fruit juices, no fruits, no honey, no maple syrup, no milk products (including yogurt and cheese). Substitute bread with rice.

It sounds extreme but in a few months the taste of sugar will start seeming weird to you. I use artificial sweetener sucralose in drinks I mix, not missing actual sugar even the slightest.

 

[tareload]

Being overweight typically increases estrogen via aromatase enzymes in fat tissue.

Why do you think you need an AI?

 

[Redbeard]

Being overweight typically increases estrogen via aromatase enzymes in fat tissue.

Why do you think you need an AI?

I don't necessarily. In my opinion I would rather not.

Especially because of the fact that I am overweight and my levels are skewed compared to a person who otherwise is not overweight.

I am supposed to have a check up with TRT doc and I don't want to have to jump on an AI without really knowing what is happening and how my overall body composition is affecting those numbers.

I think I want to just focus on stripping this fat and stay where im at with the TRT dose.

 

[Redbeard]

Carbs are not all equal. The most fattening are the fast carbs: added sugar, fruits, honey, milk. Just dropping those typically leads to huge weight loss. Keto can be fattening due to foods with high fat concentration: nuts, cheeses etc.

Best is to eat meat and vegetables, no added sugar, no processed foods, no cakes, no drinks with sugar, no fruit juices, no fruits, no honey, no maple syrup, no milk products (including yogurt and cheese). Substitute bread with rice.

It sounds extreme but in a few months the taste of sugar will start seeming weird to you. I use artificial sweetener sucralose in drinks I mix, not missing actual sugar even the slightest.

My carb intake generally comes from oats, sourdough on occasion, berries, dark leafy greens, steamed white rice, 4oz of orange juice once a day with psyllium husk, and carb balance tortillas (going to be doing away with these, lots of unnecessary ingredients.) I also try to time my largest allotment of carbohydrates to be after a heavy lifting session.