Top 5 Ways to Increase Testosterone by Living Better

Why would you want to increase your testosterone levels?

If you are a super lean uber male then don`t worry about this. But if you are like many people who are chasing their fitness goals and would like to make more progress and feel better then read on.

Testosterone is a big key to making athletic progress and feeling like a man. A lot of the male traits, which are in part driven by testosterone, like aggression, competitiveness, the joy in breaking shit and liking to get physical whether with the ladies or get in a fight, are frowned upon these days. There is a lot of drive in society or the media to be less masculine. I say screw that. You shouldn't be a bully or a jerk but I love being a guy and make no apologies about it. I work hard and play hard and my testosterone level has a lot to do with it. I wouldn't be as confident and driven if my levels were low.

Testosterone is a big part of what makes you a man. For the ladies, you would benefit from an increase as well just a tiny little one. The techniques are the same, the difference is the amount of testosterone.

Increasing your production of this hormone has a number of benefits:

Increased lean muscle mass
Decreased body fat
Improve recovery
Increase sex drive
Increase energy levels
Improve endurance
People take artificial steroids, mainly testosterone, to boost performance but this is both dangerous healthwise and illegal in most places. So if you are concerned with both health and performance then get your system in tip top shape.

5. Lift weights.

You can do this two ways depending on your performance goals. Both will increase your bodies production of testosterone.

Option one is to go heavy with low reps. The classic 5 sets of 5 reps is a great place to start. Focus on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, pullups, dips, rows, overhead press and cleans. This will build strength and muscle mass so if you are in a power sport like football or hockey, this is a great way to go in the off season to get big and strong. For the average person it's great as well as being strong and buff doesn't suck.

Option two is to do full body circuits ala Crossfit. These will increase the testosterone output while increasing both strength and overall conditioning. This type of training is great for endurance athletes as it doesn't tend to build much size. The key to these workouts is lots of oxygen debt and lots of lactic acid. Exercise to exercise without rest.

4. Cut down on estrogen.

This is the female hormone and as men we need some but levels in men have been going up over the last 50 years and this isn't good. In men, excess estrogen can lead to increased lower abdominal and upper chest fat. Yest, too much estrogen can grow you a set of man boobs. When we are talking about a complex ecosystem within the body we are talking about maintaining a balance of many different functions and hormones. This can be the thing that tips the balance. By cutting down on the foods and actions that increase estrogen you effectively increase testosterone. Here are some tips to decrease estrogen.

Don't eat soy. It has chemicals that increase estrogen in men.

Lose excess body fat. The fatter you are the more estrogen you will have. Body fat produces an enzyme that will convert some testosterone to estrogen. Cut body fat and you will cut estrogen. And it will help you look better in your underpants.

Don't drink to excess. Alcohol increases estrogen in men. Particularly beer, hence the beer belly. Red wine on the other hand will lower estrogen.

Reduce exposure to chemical estrogens. Don't drink from plastic bottles, eat organic meats and plants, wash fruit and veg to avoid ingesting pesticides. Many of the chemicals used in modern life increase estrogen. It's a shame we aren't getting more testosterone from our environment.

3. Sleep

Most of your testosterone is made when you sleep. If you don't get enough sleep you are probably not making as much as you could. Turn off the tv and get a good nights sleep in a pitch black room. You'll also recover better from workouts, be better rested for work and just feel better. And when we are talking about sleep, one sign that you might be low in testosterone is if you don't wake with a woody in the morning. Upon waking you will have your highest test levels of the day, hence Mr. Happy. If he ain't happy then you should really get to work with this program.

2. Attitude

When sad or depressed, testosterone levels drop. The same is true the other way around. A positive attitude, where you feel like a savage badass increases your testosterone levels. Competing increases testosterone. Winning even more so. Sexual anticipation increases T levels so start texting your wife at work and set up a date tonight. On average, married men have lower levels of testosterone than single guys. The scientists surmise it is because we are not on the hunt any more. This makes sense as men who cheat have 25% higher testosterone levels than men that don't. Understanding these effects we need to create an attitude where we have drive, compete and chase our significant other like a cheetah does a gazelle. Let her know you want her and make the foreplay last all day. It's just good for you. And this leads to the number one life style change that will increase your testosterone.

1. Have more sex

While thinking about sex increases testosterone, it's nothing like actually having it. The eggheads guess that it is an evolutionary adaptation to propagate the species. The male who successfully mates gets a shot of T to make him want to keep doing it. The more testosterone the more you want it. The more you get it the more testosterone you make, making you want it more. What a wonderful upward spiral. And at night you get flooded with a bunch of other chemicals that make you sleep better, allowing your body to make more testosterone.