If I can do it…

…so can you.

In 4 months I increased my total testosterone level from 564 to 902 ng/dL.

How did I do it?

By making the simple changes in diet and lifestyle that I’ll share with you below.

You can see how increasing my T transformed my physique, but what the picture fails to capture is my mental transformation.

I went from being a victim of external circumstances to asserting my values in the world and taking responsibility for my situation in life.

I realized that if I wanted things to change, then I had to change.

That if I wanted more in life, I had to become more.

And after researching, writing, and studying about testosterone and the impact that it has on a man’s life, I made it my mission to help 10,000 men achieve optimal hormonal health.

And so, I created…

The Testosterone Optimization Pyramid is your complete roadmap to becoming the man you’re capable of being.

Let’s go through each layer one at a time.

Ready?

Let’s do this.

Layer #1 - Nutrition

Nutrition is the most important aspect of natural testosterone optimization.

If you don’t eat right, nothing else you do for increasing testosterone will matter.

I created an entirely separate pyramid for nutrition, which I wrote about in another answer here, but here are the three main goals that you should focus on.

Goal #1 - You have to be lean

• Excess body fat is public enemy #1 of testosterone because it converts testosterone into estrogen.
• Make it a priority to achieve sub-15% body fat by consuming at a negative energy balance.
• Daily Calorie Intake to Lose Fat = 10–12x your bodyweight in pounds
• Use 10 IF… You are over 25% body fat.
• Use 11 IF… You are between 21–25% body fat.
• Use 12 IF… You are between 15–20% body fat.
• Note: This formula, like all others is an estimate. Use it as a baseline, track your progress, and adjust accordingly

Goal #2 - Achieve optimal micronutrient balance

• Micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals that you body requires to fulfill a variety of functions.
• The most important micronutrients for testosterone are zinc, magnesium, and vitamin D.
• Being deficient in any one of these will leave you with sub-optimal T.

Goal #3 - Eat a balanced macros

• Fats, protein, and carbs are all important for testosterone.
• Here are some guidelines for setting your numbers:
• Dietary fat intake in grams = 0.3 x lean body mass in pounds (LBM)
• LBM = [(100 - body fat percentage) x bodyweight] / 100
• Protein intake = 0.8 grams x bodyweight in pounds
• Carbs intake = total calorie goal - calories from fat and protein

Layer #2 - Training

The extent to which lifting weights affects testosterone levels was demonstrated by researchers in Spain.

They brought in 20 untrained men and put them on a 3-day/week resistance training program for 4-weeks.

After just 12 workouts, the subjects’ average testosterone levels increased by 37%

The essence of lifting weights for the optimal tetosterone response can be narrowed down to one simple sentence:

Be strong in a medium rep range in the fundamental compound movements.

What are the fundamental compound movements?

• Bench press
• Squat
• Deadlift
• Pull-ups
• Overhead press
• Barbell row

Here are some strength numbers to shoot for:

• Bench press - 1.2x bodyweight for 5 reps
• Squat - 1.5x bodyweight for 5 reps
• Deadlift - 1.7x bodyweight for 5 reps
• Pullups - 10 reps
• Overhead press - 0.8x bodyweight for 5 reps
• Barbell row - 1x bodyweight for 5 reps

Layer #3 - Sleep

The majority of your body’s testosterone is synthesized while you sleep

Here are some tips on how to get high quality sleep every single night:

• Keep a 2 hour gap between the last time you look at a screen and the time you intend on going to bed.
• Screens (whether it’s your smartphone, laptop, or iPad) emit a blue light that disrupts the quality of your sleep
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• Sleep in complete darkness
• You shouldn’t be able to see your hand in front of your face.
• Keep the temperature of your room cool.
• Research shows that a temperature between 60 and 67 degrees fahrenheit is ideal for sleep
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• Keep your sleeping schedule consistent.

Layer #4 - Lifestyle

There is a long list of lifestyle factors that affect your testosterone, but there are two in particular that I want to focus on:

1. Stress and anxiety - chronic stress and anxiety increases cortisol, which decreases testosterone
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1. Meditation is a proven way to combat stress.
2. If that’s not your thing, then just engage in an activity that helps you relax - a round of golf, a walk in the park, etc.
2. Endocrine disruptors - plastics contain compounds that mimic the effects of estrogen on the male body
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1. Drink water out of a stainless steel or glass cup
2. Replace plastic utensils with stainless steel alternatives.
3. Replace Tupperware with eco-friendly alternatives.
4. Go for BPA-free whenever possible.

Layer #5 - Supplements

Supplements aren’t necessary, but they can help speed up your results.

For example:

If you find it difficult to fit in enough fruits and vegetables in your diet, then a multivitamin can help fill the gaps in your nutrition.

If you decide to opt for a multivitamin, make sure that it provides 100% of the daily value for the following:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin E
• Chromium
• Copper
• Iodine
• Iron
• Manganese
• Selenium

Zinc and magnesium supplements can help as well if you’re not getting enough zinc and magnesium through your diet.

As for herbs, I can tell you that most of them are BS.

After reviewing literally hundreds of studies, there are only two that I recommend - ashwagandha and shilajit.

There is some research on mucuna pruriens and tongkat ali as well, but it’s not definitive.

Conclusion

So there you have it - a complete roadmap to achieve total testosterone optimization:

• Get lean
• Optimize your vitamin and mineral balance
• Eat a balanced macros
• Get strong in the fundamental compound movements
• Aim for 7–9 hours of high quality sleep every single night
• Minimize stress and avoid plastics
• Use supplements to help provide an edge

What’s the area that you have to focus on the most?

Let me know in the comments below.

All the best and stay strong,

Mo

Footnotes