Low T affecting dieting?

[kingfish]

I'm 42, 6' 250lb and w/o 2-3x weekly with a trainer. He measured my bf at 27% and I've been following a strict 2300cal daily diet and am doing fairly intense cardio 4-5x week, but still having a hell of a time losing weight. I did manage to get 10lb off, but it's been a struggle ever since. The bizarre part is that even while fighting to get the weight off, my bench went from 245 to 335 in about six months. I've had a history of Low T for a few years (around 300-340Ng) and used Androgel for a few years.
I went to an endo last month, and am going back to see her in Sept for retesting. I've read T level is critical with regard to fat metabolism, but where would I want to be on the 300-1000Ng scale without having the issues that excessive T levels bring?

[ds53]

I have also been on a diet. But I was only taking in 1200 to 1500 cals a day with 4 days weights and 5 days cardio. I averaged a loss of 1/2 lb/day or 15lbs per month for a total of 75 lbs currently. After the first 2 weeks I had lost weight but about half of it was muscle and my T levels were at 300ish cant remember exact number but it was low 300. Dr. started me on 200mg test every 10 days. A month later I had lost another 15 lbs but a couple was muscle. Dr. changed my test to 200mg per week and upped the calories from 1200 to 1500. Things got better and the fat has literally melted away and the exercise has me looking pretty good. My test levels are around 750-800 top of normal but I sure can tell a difference in everything from focus levels to self esteem. I cant say I have had any issues with the higher T levels. My nuts came back to size in a couple months and the "Randy" issue for 4 or 5 days after injection settles down also. I am currently on 2500 calories and trying to get the "sticky" fat gone and to give my skin a little time to catch up. So far So good! Good Luck!

[ScotchGuard02]

There's the "normal" level in the test range and there's the "good" level in the test range. To be in the "good" range you should be in the upper 1/3 of the test range for your age. When your test is up there nice things happen to your body like losing your midsection tire.

[kingfish]

I have also been on a diet. But I was only taking in 1200 to 1500 cals a day with 4 days weights and 5 days cardio. I averaged a loss of 1/2 lb/day or 15lbs per month for a total of 75 lbs currently. After the first 2 weeks I had lost weight but about half of it was muscle and my T levels were at 300ish cant remember exact number but it was low 300. Dr. started me on 200mg test every 10 days. A month later I had lost another 15 lbs but a couple was muscle. Dr. changed my test to 200mg per week and upped the calories from 1200 to 1500. Things got better and the fat has literally melted away and the exercise has me looking pretty good. My test levels are around 750-800 top of normal but I sure can tell a difference in everything from focus levels to self esteem. I cant say I have had any issues with the higher T levels. My nuts came back to size in a couple months and the "Randy" issue for 4 or 5 days after injection settles down also. I am currently on 2500 calories and trying to get the "sticky" fat gone and to give my skin a little time to catch up. So far So good! Good Luck!

I'm not surprised you lost a lot of muscle after cutting calories that much. You didn't give height/weight but 1200-1500 was obviously too little. The 750-800 T level does sound like it's been very effective, though. Did the shrinkage reverse while on 200mg weekly? Or or after the HRT was finished? It sounds like 200mg is a good therapeutic dose. Did you take an anti-estrogenic with the test, like Anastrozole?

[bigbenny1]

try increasing your cardio and keep heart in zone 2 (75%-85%) of max. this way you will burn fat and sugar at the same rate and by burining more calories more efficiently it might increase your appetite

[badkdx]

I went from 250 to 210 eating 1750 calories a day. Used a little program on my Iphone called "loose it" Basically lost 2 lbs a week going to the gym 3 times a week and walking/hiking 30-60 minutes on the off days.

I'm putting on some weight now "on cycle", but it is going in the right place.
I lost all the weight with a test level of 221, so very low...
I'm 47 year old FWIW

[Ishallnocheatmyself]

edit, not low test just a fatass sorry for my post lol