How a Skinny 17yo Nerd Gained 70lbs of Muscle in 4 Years (Natural Testosterone Booster)

'Sponsored Post' By Nick Soulias

My name is Nick Soulias and I help men increase their natural levels of testosterone to effortlessly lose body fat and build their dream body. 

Let’s flashback to when I was 17 years old for a second. There was a fun game at the start of the school year at lunch time called “fly on the wall”. It was a game where students would try and get the lightest person on their team to duct tape them to the wall. Whichever team could keep their fly on the wall the longest was the winner… and let’s just say out of all the students in the school I was chosen to be on a team 2 years in a row.

I had social anxiety, body confidence issues, and was not happy with my body and the way that I looked. I was an avid basketball player and played all the way through high school. It was the presence of being around bigger guys who pushed me around and motivated me to get in the best shape of my life. The first few years of being in the gym were tough.

Guys in the gym would pressure me into hurrying with machines I was using, I’d get dirty looks from all the “gym buffs” who didn’t think I belonged there, and I had no idea what I was doing. These are now the people who shake my hand and talk about how “small” I used to be. I was lucky enough to get taken in the hands of 2 university strength trainers who believed in me, noticed the potential that I had to get bigger and stronger, and propelled me to making the university basketball team. 

Fast forward after university and I spent the last 4 years figuring out EXACTLY how men can increase their natural testosterone levels to get in the best shape of their lives. I started doing intense research, and put my body through certain conditions to increase my natural testosterone levels and optimize testosterone production to create the muscular body that I always wanted.

What I talk about in this blog is what took me from 100 lbs soaking wet to 170 lbs of lean muscle in 4 years, and the core principles of how I help all men over optimize their natural male hormone testosterone so they can build high quality muscle, lose visceral fat, lose their “man boobs”, increase their energy, and increase sex drive. 

Let's dive into the 3 of the most important things that will help you increase your natural testosterone levels as you age.

#1. Fixing Insulin Resistance to Boost Testosterone Production

These are some methods to getting “in shape” that keep men STUCK on the weight loss hamster wheel. 

In order to increase your natural levels of testosterone to build muscle and burn body fat you must reverse insulin resistance. 

Insulin is an anabolic hormone secreted by the pancreas every time you eat, and is responsible for shuttling carbohydrates and sugars into the cells of your body. The MAIN foods that trigger insulin are refined carbohydrates (breads, pastas, cereals, crackers, biscuits, pancakes, muffins, granola bars, protein bars, etc.), sugar, and starchy carbohydrates in general (white and brown rice, potatoes, corn syrup, juice, etc.). 

The problem is that people consume refined carbohydrates and sugars in copious amounts. In fact, the standard western American diet is made up of 45-65% carbohydrates, 10-35% protein, and 20-35% fat. If your diet is mostly carbohydrate based, this means that insulin is constantly being secreted by the pancreas to shuttle the carbs and sugars into the cells of your body all day long. Over time, the cells of your body become “insulin resistant”, meaning they get less productive taking sugars and carbohydrates out of the bloodstream and into the cells of your body.

Since your muscle cells become insulin resistant you will start to store carbohydrates and sugar as fat around your organs, causing a spillover effect on the outside in the form of visceral (belly) fat accumulation, poor muscle tone, low energy, and you may experience medical conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, pancreatic and liver issues, and extreme testosterone deficiency.

If you suffer from the dreaded “beer belly” or “love handles”, have poor muscle tone, or feel low energy in the morning or throughout the day… 

You are suffering from insulin resistance.

To maintain healthy testosterone levels you must keep insulin levels in the normal range.

Because insulin is an anabolic hormone and can potentially help you increase muscle mass...

You want it to act as your friend, making it present when your muscle cells need it most. OR keep Insulin LOW for a significant period of time depending on how high your insulin levels are. Regulating your insulin levels will increase your lean body mass, regulate your blood sugar levels, increase your mental energy, and get rid of visceral fat.

There’s 3 actionable things you can do right now to lower your insulin levels. 

1. Incorporate fattier cuts of meat and fish into your diet, vegetables, and good quality healthy fats in replacement of refined carbohydrates

Olive oil, coconut oil, butter, beef tallow, avocado oil, and ghee butter are all great sources of high quality healthy fats such as Omega 3, saturated fats, and monounsaturated fats. These oils and butters have no effect on your insulin levels. If you want higher levels of testosterone start cooking with these healthy fats, and get the canola soy, and vegetable oils OUT of your diet. Canola oil, soy oil, and vegetable oil all promote estrogen production, are highly processed, and reduce testosterone.

 Eggs, good quality cuts of beef (steaks), ground beef, bacon, all of the fattier fish (like salmon, rainbow trout, and shellfish), pork, and dark meat chicken have no effect on your insulin levels. When looking for a protein to have with your meal, stick to the fattier cuts of meat. The more LEAN the protein like a chicken breast, turkey breast, or a scoop of whey protein isolate the higher your insulin levels will spike, so it's good to mix them with good quality cooking oils and healthy fats.

Vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprout, cauliflower, rappini, carrots, spinach (to name a few), and leafy greens like romaine lettuce, kale, and green leaf lettuce have a low glycemic index and do not negatively affect insulin levels. These vegetables and leafy greens promote fat utilization which can boost your testosterone.

2. Make carbohydrates your friend

When you workout, you become insulin sensitive. This means that after your workout you are the most insulin sensitive and it’s the best time to eat carbohydrates. To get maximum muscle building, and less fat accumulation with eating carbohydrates… you can do something like this:

After your workout you have 10-15g of carbohydrates coming from fruit (fructose) like banana, pineapple, watermelon or apple, and 20g of carbohydrates coming from a starchy carbohydrate (glucose) like potato, rice, rice cakes, honey, and pair this with a lean protein like chicken, whey protein isolate, pea protein, lean fish (tilapia, shrimp, coho salmon, and tuna to name a few).

You will spike your insulin from eating the carbohydrates and lean protein, but it will be in a CONTROLLED fashion. Your muscle cells will be able to suck up the carbohydrates and protein to rebuild new muscle tissue. For the rest of the day, eat more of a higher fat and moderate protein approach. When you time your carbohydrates appropriately your muscle cells can become like a sponge.

3. Honor periods of non-eating

One of the best ways to increase testosterone naturally is through periods of non-eating. When you take a break from eating you can significantly lower insulin levels, boost testosterone levels, and unlock your ability to burn more fat.The easiest thing you can do right now is to make sure you give your body at least 12 hours to digest overnight. When you do this, you increase free testosterone levels. The second thing you can do is wait 3-4 hours between eating throughout the day.

The third thing you can do is practice extending your fast from 12-16 hours. This must be done gradually, but start with 12 hours for now. Fasting has the ability to help you unlock more hours of sleep, increase high quality sleep, and lower cortisol levels which can raise your testosterone by 180%. Fasting is one of the most powerful ways to regulate the body's hormone system, boost your testosterone, lose body fat, enhance your body composition, and build the muscular body you've always wanted.

#2. Getting the Key Nutrients to Increase Free Levels of Testosterone in the Body

You must give your body a reason to make testosterone. 

Or restricting your calories to the point where you’re eating 1200 calories or less. 

Your body makes testosterone by getting optimal amounts of Vitamin D, Zinc, Magnesium, and cholesterol.

Let’s talk about these 4 vitamins and minerals and how you can apply them to your life right now. 

1. Vitamin D

Vitamin D3 is the most bio-available and most supplemented form of Vitamin D and is synthesized in the skin upon exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D receptors are present on the Leydig cells within the testes, where the synthesis of testosterone from cholesterol occurs. This means optimal vitamin D levels are VITAL for testosterone synthesis. If you’re not living in a climate where you can get outside and let the sun hit your skin for at least 15 min a day… You can do vitamin D supplementation by taking 5000 IU daily. One of my favorite products is down in the link below.

Disclaimer: I may receive affiliate commissions at no cost to you for purchases made through links below.

2. Zinc

Zinc is important for the synthesis and secretion of Luteinizing Hormone. Luteinizing Hormone stimulates the production of testosterone in the testes. Zinc also converts testosterone to DHT. DHT is converted from testosterone by the enzyme 5a-reductase in the cytoplasm of the cell. DHT is found in peripheral tissues such as the prostate, skin, hair follicles, and liver.

DHT is thought to have a STRONGER androgenic effect than testosterone due to its four-times greater binding affinity for the androgen receptor than testosterone and three-times slower dissociation rate than testosterone.Just 30mg of zinc help increase testosterone, and here is a cheap supplement you can use right now to get 50mg:

Zinc is a requirement for optimal testosterone production, so to prevent low testosterone levels here are some foods you can start eating right now to get more zinc: Oysters, lamb, beef (steak), crab, shrimp, organic grass fed cheese, almonds, and dark chocolate. 

3. Magnesium

Magnesium is one of the most abundant minerals in the body. It has an important role in various biological systems including protein synthesis, cellular energy production, cell growth, and reproduction. Magnesium is known to have a role in decreasing oxidative stress and inflammation. Oxidative stress is the phenomenon caused by an imbalance between production and accumulation of oxygen reactive species in cells and tissues and the ability of a biological system (the body) to detoxify these reactive products.

Oxidative stress can be created from obesity, eating processed foods and sugars, exposure to radiation, alcohol consumption, and certain medications. If you have elevated levels of oxidative stress you have elevated cortisol (stress hormone) which can decrease testosterone. Considering that testosterone concentrations can be strongly influenced by oxidative stress, magnesium supplementation is a HUGE influence on increasing your testosterone levels naturally. The recommended dietary intake of magnesium for men is between 400 to 420 mg per day. My recommended supplement is down below.

To steer clear of a magnesium deficiency, here are some foods to increase your magnesium levels to prevent low testosterone levels: dark chocolate, avocados, nuts, legumes, chia seeds, fatty fish, bananas, leafy greens, okra, and oysters to name a few. 

4. Cholesterol

Cholesterol is the precursor to making testosterone in the body. Your body makes 3000mg of cholesterol to function every single day. This is the equivalent of 4 lbs of bacon. Getting cholesterol from your diet does not increase the total cholesterol in your blood, because your body will take in only 20-25% of the cholesterol you give it from the food that you eat.

Cholesterol helps make bile in your intestines to break down fats, and is NEEDED to make vitamin D so that it can be synthesized into testosterone. Cholesterol is "anabolic" which means it makes your muscles grow, and it increases normal sexual function. If you lower cholesterol, you will negatively impact your ability to build muscle. One of the doctor prescribed medications that block cholesterol production are statins. Statins are prescribed to help with high blood pressure but do more damage than good.

Your brain, nervous system, and muscles need cholesterol to function properly every single day and here's some foods and beverages you can consume to make sure you are getting enough cholesterol: Full-dat dairy (organic), whole milk, butter (organic if possible), and cheese (preferably organic or grass fed), red meats like steak, beef roast, ribs, ground beef, and pork, eggs, shellfish, and all lean meats.

If you’re starting to realize you aren't getting enough of the VITAL nutrients your body needs to make testosterone naturally...

Get more vitamin D, zinc, magnesium, and cholesterol in your diet right now to increase your free levels of testosterone to lose fat, increase your energy throughout the day, and start building high quality muscle.

#3. Exercise to Boost Testosterone Naturally

Is the perceived school of thought to get in “better shape”. 

Exercise has the ability to boost testosterone by 200%. This means it can fast track your results to building your dream body...

But if exercise is not done properly you can burn yourself out and increase the stress hormone cortisol which eats away at your muscle, OR the type of exercise you’re doing does not give your body a reason to produce testosterone. 

If you want to build your dream body LESS is more. How efficient your training program is will determine if you're able increase testosterone.

Let’s touch on two methods of training that can spike your testosterone by 200%. 

1. Endurance training: Several studies have shown that moderate intensity (60-75% of maximum heart rate) cardio has the ability to increase testosterone at the 25 min mark, and high intensity interval training like sprinting can elevate testosterone in as little as 5 minutes.

If you were to apply endurance training to your life right now it could be something like this:

-3 days per week you get on the treadmill for 25-40 min walking on an incline getting your heart range in the moderate intensity zone.

2. Strength training: Intense exercise like resistance training is a direct stimulant on testosterone production when sufficient “load” is met, or when a moderate and higher exercise intensity is combined with larger muscle volume and shorter resting period between sets. Resistance training has a direct effect on the increase in luteinizing hormone and gonadotropin which produce testosterone in the testes, resulting in increased free testosterone in the blood.

If you were to apply resistance training to your life right now it might look like this: 

• 3 days a week you perform resistance training workouts. One day could be upper body, another day could be lower body, and the next day could be full body.
• You would make sure to lift heavier where you’re working hard to get the required amount of repetitions for the exercise. For example) If you’re doing a barbell bench press and you’re aiming for 4 sets of 8 reps, you’re working hard for those 8 reps. 
• Over the course of those 3 days, you must make sure that the volume of exercise is increasing in a way that gives your body a reason to boost its testosterone levels to change your body composition. For example) You would want to make sure that you are performing the bench press for a total of 10-12 sets over the 3 days.
• High intensity interval training can impact testosterone in a positive way you can incorporate an exercise like sprints into your routine. If you set a 10 min timer, go "all out" by sprinting for 10 seconds and then walk back to the starting point (45 sec rest), you will increase testosterone. High intensity interval training can be done 2-3 times per week.

If you want to change your body composition to build more lean muscle mass.. 

These are the tidbits that could push you over the edge to build the body that you want.

Conclusion

By reversing low testosterone levels following these methods I was able to gain 70 lbs of muscle naturally. 

¼ men in America (and climbing) are suffering from low testosterone without knowing leading to decreased sexual function, fat accumulation, decreasing muscle mass, low energy, underlying health conditions, chronic stress, and poor overall health.

If you want to boost testosterone naturally to increase your energy, lose weight, build a muscular body that's ready to hit the beach on a hot summers day, or just increase your general well being..

Take my testosterone assessment down below. This will give you a gauge on whether or not you are suffering from low testosterone, and you’ll be able to access my free guides to increase testosterone levels to look and feel your best.

Thanks for following along with me, 

Nick 

Take the testosterone assessment in the link below to grab my free guides to help increase your testosterone levels naturally right now! 

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