• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
GO TO EXPAT LIVING SINGAPORE
GET OUR NEWSLETTER

Expat Living Hong Kong HomepageExpat Living Hong Kong

Moving to Hong Kong and not sure where to start? Expat Living is the essential lifestyle guide to living in Hong Kong.

Menu
  • Living In Hong Kong
      • Living Here
      • Where To Live
      • Schools
      • For Guys
        • Traditional festivals in Hong Kong - Dragon Boat FestivalTraditional Festivals & Events in HK
        • 5 Reasons to Use a VPN in HK
        • South Lantau - moving to Hong KongGuide to Pui O Village, South Lantau
        • Money - for article on financial habits and wealth management5 Steps for setting realistic financial goals
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things To Do
      • What’s On/Calendar
      • Competitions & Offers
        • Top beaches in Hong Kong - Stanley BeachTop 35 Best Things To Do In Hong Kong This Weekend
        • Traditional festivals in Hong Kong - Dragon Boat FestivalTraditional Festivals & Events in HK
        • Public swimming pools in Hong Kong - Tung ChungBest public pools for families
        • What to watch this month – Netflix & more!
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Activities & Things To Do
      • Education & Enrichment
      • Health & Wellness
      • Mums & Babies
      • Podcasts
        • Filling the learning gap in the COVID recovery
        • Cambridge education at CDNIS - Students on the summer learning programmeGet a Taste of a Cambridge Education in HK!
        • Bottle-feeding a baby - when is the right time to introduce a bottle?“When can I give a bottle to my baby?”
        • Public swimming pools in Hong Kong - Tung ChungBest public pools for families
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Home Décor
      • Readers Homes
        • Children's books author Bhakti Mathur in hr home on the Peak Hong KongA writer’s retreat on The Peak
        • Asian furniture and home décor - Altfield swirl vases7 must-have Asian classic pieces
        • Causeway Bay apartment home makeover - Christina Standaloft and partnerSpace-savvy Causeway Bay home makeover
        • Home furniture and décor in Hong Kong - Altfield InteriorsHome news: décor, furniture & more!
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Short Breaks
      • Further Afield
      • Travel News & Offers
        • South Lantau - moving to Hong KongGuide to Pui O Village, South Lantau
        • Mount KinabuluClimbing Mount Kinabalu in Sabah
        • Top beaches in Hong Kong - Stanley BeachTop beaches in Hong Kong
        • Considering moving to Singapore for your next expat post?
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Recipes & Groceries
      • Bars & Restaurants
        • Harbourside Grill5 Dining discoveries in Hong Kong
        • Salted Vanilla Caramel Ice Cream Balls Recipe
        • Baan Thai restaurant in Hong Kong, Thai foodTaste Test: Thai food in Hong Kong
        • Hong Kong People: Meet Amy Elkhoury
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
        • Best foundationsFab foundations for hot climates
        • Tried and Tested: Lip glosses and lip liners
        • Teenager having a facialWhen is it time for your first facial?
        • Stretch mark treatmentHow to get rid of stretch marks
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Medical & Dental
      • Fitness
      • Wellness
        • Menstrual cupsHave you considered a menstrual cup?
        • 6 stages of life where family medicine matters
        • pregnancy - for web article on common problems in pregnancy and how to relieve symptoms10 common problems in pregnancy & how to help
        • Cup of tea - Tips for taking care of yourself from MindnLifeAre you taking care of yourself?
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
      • Magazine
      • Advertise With Us
        • March-May2022
        • March-May2022
        • March-May 2022 Issue – $36 (Free Shipping)
        • SALE! ONE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION PRINT & DIGITAL BUNDLE – $128 (USUAL $192.00)
      • View all
    Close

Testosterone: The most potent of fat-burning hormones

8 March, 2017 by Alexa Towersey 3 Min Read

https://expatliving.hk/testosterone-the-most-potent-of-fat-burning-hormones/

Men's health and testosterone

Regardless of sex, testosterone is one of the most potent of fat-burning hormones. Having it in balance with the other body composition hormones, such as cortisol and insulin, is vital for physical fitness and wellness. Low levels of testosterone have been correlated with those dreaded bingo wings and man boobs! Read more in the last in a series of articles by health and fitness expert Alexa Towersey that explores your body fat, and what it says about your health and your hormones.

Fortunately, there are a number of simple and natural ways to improve your balance of testosterone and the other fat-burning hormones for a better-looking physique and peak health.

 

Men's health and testosterone

Consume plenty of good fats every day

Eating fat doesn’t make you fat. Eating more fat – specifically saturated fat (from fish, grass-fed meats, avocados, nuts, coconuts, organic dairy) – makes you more of a man. Literally. Saturated fat contains cholesterol, which is a precursor to testosterone.

Lift heavy weights

Strength training builds lean muscle that increases your metabolism and your body’s natural production of testosterone. Use full body, complex, multi-joint movements such as the squat, deadlift, pull-up and bench press. Heavy weights, low reps, and low-moderate rest yield the best results.

Increase the intensity of your workouts

High-intensity intervals and training above your lactate threshold are the best ways to stimulate testosterone and growth hormone production – think maximum-effort sprints and/or lactic-acid circuits of two to three minutes in duration. Go hard or go home!

Ensure that you get good quality sleep

Testosterone and growth hormone are both produced during deep REM sleep. Try to hit the sack before 10pm and get at least seven hours of shuteye.

Control the urge to splurge

Alcohol, nicotine and marijuana all inhibit the production of testosterone. And that’s before looking at what they can do to your actual performance, both in and out of the gym (insert relevant innuendo here). Sorry lads, but the hops in beer is incredibly oestrogenic, and regular consumption of it will certainly bring you in touch with your feminine side.

Manage your stress

When you’re under a lot of stress, your body releases high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which effectively blocks the effects of testosterone. Try adding in a weekly yoga or meditation session.

Lose weight

Testosterone is converted to oestrogen primarily in the fat cells (via an enzyme called aromatase), so the truth of the matter is that the fatter you are the more likely you are to possess a rack to rival your girlfriend’s!

Limit consumption of sugar, including fructose

Any time you eat foods high in sugar or refined carbs, blood sugar and insulin spike, which causes testosterone and the body’s ability to use fat for energy to drop.

Optimise vitamin D, magnesium & zinc levels

Besides cholesterol there are a number of minerals and other nutrients necessary for the body to produce testosterone. Vitamin D, magnesium, and zinc are three that have been found to make the biggest difference. Aside from supplementation, specific foods to include in your diet that have been found to elevate testosterone include Brazil nuts, oysters and other high-zinc foods, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, and the green leafy veggies like spinach and chard.

Alexa Towersey is a personal trainer and nutrition and lifestyle coach who shares her time between Hong Kong and Sydney.
Twitter: alexatowersey | Instagram: actionalexa

Categories: Fitness For Guys Style & Beauty

Get the latest events, stories and special offers
sent to your inbox.

By signing up, you'll receive our bimonthly newsletters and offers, which you can unsubscribe to anytime.

You May Also Like

Best running shoes for women and men Hong Kong

Trainers, Sneakers, Runners – Reviewed!

Going fuzz-free the high-tech way

Celebrating IWD: Meet Frederieke Van Doorn

Primary Sidebar

  • COMPETITIONS & OFFERS
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Expat Living Hong Kong, All Rights Reserved.