One Year later...Post HRT
- Thread starter Cashout
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no shit.. they're huge. Thanks for the update cash..
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Okay, just to wrap this 'one year later' update. Got the full physical data and Dexa scan this morning along with a pic from yesterday's workout.
Dexa Body Fat = 5.3%
Resting Pulse = 52 bpm
BP = 126/68
Body Weight = 181.2 lbs
VO2 Uptake Max = 74 ml/kg/min
Nice work Cash. That's dedication discipline
And good choices all the way.
Very inspirational.
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Cashout thanks for the update. I've reread this thread a few times and I am unclear what you felt caused your lower testosterone (and how you reverse it).
Others of us may benefit if you're more direct about stress induced HPTA suppression. What exact stress are you talking about, how did you identify it, and most important how did you reduce or eliminate it.
Others of us may benefit if you're more direct about stress induced HPTA suppression. What exact stress are you talking about, how did you identify it, and most important how did you reduce or eliminate it.
In a nutshell...
1) Even though I am technically retired, I was juggling a lot of responsibilities in my own schedule which contributed to a me running myself ragged on a daily basis.
2) I was training in a way that was inconsistent with my goals and that lead to over training.
3) I was exposed to a whole host of new viruses and illnesses that my little boys, who had started school, where bringing into the house.
So, I would get sick and in turn, train harder to make up ground, only to get worn out and sick again.
Once I sorted out those issues, it became clear to me that I might be able to reboot my system and keep it balanced.
1) Even though I am technically retired, I was juggling a lot of responsibilities in my own schedule which contributed to a me running myself ragged on a daily basis.
2) I was training in a way that was inconsistent with my goals and that lead to over training.
3) I was exposed to a whole host of new viruses and illnesses that my little boys, who had started school, where bringing into the house.
So, I would get sick and in turn, train harder to make up ground, only to get worn out and sick again.
Once I sorted out those issues, it became clear to me that I might be able to reboot my system and keep it balanced.
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Thank you so much for documenting this. I'm hoping that I may be able to restart as well and will make an attempt in May using a similar protocol. I know that our situations for starting TRT were different so I don't know that I will be able to have the same results but I will try and keep the members here posted. Thanks again!
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Great update, Cash. Respect for your thoughtful analysis and determination to stay the course.
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I always enjoy your posts. I tried to mimic your diet but after 5 days or so I wander to something different for a couple of days. However, I have learned a lot about self control and discipline from you and because of that my overall health has increased greatly. We appreciate your help and sharing in our common goals.
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Thanks Cash for the detailed explanation. I have been and do deal with some of the things you spoke of here.
You are to be commended for turning things around in your life. I can say for certain that is not easily done.
In fact, my life seems to become more stressful over time and has seemed to generally move in that direction. That's why hrt / trt have been helpful for me and no doubt many others.
So, are you saying you have changed your training substantially and that have found a way to cope with illnesses (cold and flu's) from your children. My 3 year old grandson seems to be a one child cold delivery unit directly to me unfortunately. I should own stock in EmerinC and Zicam (both great products IMO).
I would appreciate hearing about your carefully crafted solutions to these pretty common but exceptionally difficult challenges to solve.
Thank you for the contributions you continually make!
You are to be commended for turning things around in your life. I can say for certain that is not easily done.
In fact, my life seems to become more stressful over time and has seemed to generally move in that direction. That's why hrt / trt have been helpful for me and no doubt many others.
So, are you saying you have changed your training substantially and that have found a way to cope with illnesses (cold and flu's) from your children. My 3 year old grandson seems to be a one child cold delivery unit directly to me unfortunately. I should own stock in EmerinC and Zicam (both great products IMO).
I would appreciate hearing about your carefully crafted solutions to these pretty common but exceptionally difficult challenges to solve.
Thank you for the contributions you continually make!
First, the biggest issue was my training.
I was still focused on this idea of pushing forward to some "next level." That caused me to train with the mindset that I was still trying to grow new muscle and "add" to my physique.
For me, that type of training involved physically taxing myself to such a point that it compromised my immune system and my body's ability to repair and recover.
You've seen the pictures in this tread and elsewhere - you can tell that I am at the absolute max of my genetic potential. I don't have the capacity to add more muscle naturally. Trying to do so is an exercise in beating my body down to the point of no return.
So, from economics, I began to realize that I hit a point where the "law of marginal utility" is at work for me in my training. The total amount of work it take to improve my physique a fraction of a percent is not worth the total amount of work need to make it happen. It is counterproductive and actually damages my overall health.
That forced me to consider the amount of rest, the duration of my training session, the frequency, the type of exercises, sets, and reps I do in my training. Those things have all changed as a result of the law of marginal utility.
In the end, I now train to maintain exeactly what I have - 5% bodyfat, lots of ripped muscle, and the look of a pre-contest bodybuilder.
It is a lot easier style of training for me and one that keeps me healthier now that I am not wearing myself out trying to make some impossible improvements.
Next, changes in training helped spur some improvements in my overall health.
Since I'm not overtraining myself, my body has had a much easier time fighting off this common colds and flus that seem to plague me for 3 straight years. Also, nature has run its course now and my kids a older and they themselves are less susceptible to illness now that there own immune systems have developed some tolerances. That doesn't stop me from taking precautions of my own. A few years back, I was traveling a lot more doing speaking engagements and promoting my books. That mean airplanes and closed quarters with lots of sick people. Now days, I podcast and webinar all of these events. No need for me to leave the house. That helps too.
Lastly, I've learned how to manage the demands of "personal relationships" much better. Before I sold my corporation I was the CFO of a $300 million dollar company with 167 employees but I had very few personal interactions with anyone. I gave orders and people did what they were told to do. I provided leadership in the form of vision, strategy, and decision making but there was really no personal interactions. I never thought about that. When I got married and had my two boys, for the first time in my life, I couldn't just bark out an order and have it followed. I actually had to engage on in a personal way and do the "hand holding." Well, in the beginning, I stunk at the "personal relationship" stuff. Now that I've been doing it a while, it has gotten less stressful for me. Not because I have gotten any better at it but because I now have different expectations about what will occur and how I need to plan and act. So, experience has been a good teacher in that area of my life and helped me re-define how I function in that process.
Making all three of those changes have really helped me bring back a balance in my days. I don't feel like I am running on a tredmill day-in and day-out. I actually do more on a day-to-day basis now than I did 3 years ago and I've just learned how to approach the very different aspects of my life.
I was still focused on this idea of pushing forward to some "next level." That caused me to train with the mindset that I was still trying to grow new muscle and "add" to my physique.
For me, that type of training involved physically taxing myself to such a point that it compromised my immune system and my body's ability to repair and recover.
You've seen the pictures in this tread and elsewhere - you can tell that I am at the absolute max of my genetic potential. I don't have the capacity to add more muscle naturally. Trying to do so is an exercise in beating my body down to the point of no return.
So, from economics, I began to realize that I hit a point where the "law of marginal utility" is at work for me in my training. The total amount of work it take to improve my physique a fraction of a percent is not worth the total amount of work need to make it happen. It is counterproductive and actually damages my overall health.
That forced me to consider the amount of rest, the duration of my training session, the frequency, the type of exercises, sets, and reps I do in my training. Those things have all changed as a result of the law of marginal utility.
In the end, I now train to maintain exeactly what I have - 5% bodyfat, lots of ripped muscle, and the look of a pre-contest bodybuilder.
It is a lot easier style of training for me and one that keeps me healthier now that I am not wearing myself out trying to make some impossible improvements.
Next, changes in training helped spur some improvements in my overall health.
Since I'm not overtraining myself, my body has had a much easier time fighting off this common colds and flus that seem to plague me for 3 straight years. Also, nature has run its course now and my kids a older and they themselves are less susceptible to illness now that there own immune systems have developed some tolerances. That doesn't stop me from taking precautions of my own. A few years back, I was traveling a lot more doing speaking engagements and promoting my books. That mean airplanes and closed quarters with lots of sick people. Now days, I podcast and webinar all of these events. No need for me to leave the house. That helps too.
Lastly, I've learned how to manage the demands of "personal relationships" much better. Before I sold my corporation I was the CFO of a $300 million dollar company with 167 employees but I had very few personal interactions with anyone. I gave orders and people did what they were told to do. I provided leadership in the form of vision, strategy, and decision making but there was really no personal interactions. I never thought about that. When I got married and had my two boys, for the first time in my life, I couldn't just bark out an order and have it followed. I actually had to engage on in a personal way and do the "hand holding." Well, in the beginning, I stunk at the "personal relationship" stuff. Now that I've been doing it a while, it has gotten less stressful for me. Not because I have gotten any better at it but because I now have different expectations about what will occur and how I need to plan and act. So, experience has been a good teacher in that area of my life and helped me re-define how I function in that process.
Making all three of those changes have really helped me bring back a balance in my days. I don't feel like I am running on a tredmill day-in and day-out. I actually do more on a day-to-day basis now than I did 3 years ago and I've just learned how to approach the very different aspects of my life.
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