moonarchia
The Scientific Shitlord
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That's not the kind of Vitamin D he is trying to get you to swallow.
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Weight Loss Thread
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Gurgeh
Silver Baronet of the Realm
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Or just walk or do some gardening or whatever but expose yourself to the sun more. Physical activities and the sun will both boost testosterone.
That being said, it's next to impossible for most people to get enough sun exposure, a comparable amount to what pre-industrial folks had, so vitD is one of the few supplement that most people should take.
But still, the less supplement, the better. Sun, fish, eggs, decent meat can go a long way. VitD does not replace sun exposure, you need IR exposure for melatonin production, which will protect you against cellular damages from UV...
The body is well designed, IR exposure from morning light will trigger melatonin production which will allow to resist to UV damages in the middle of the day and get a lot of vitD, the IR in the evining light will against trigger melatonin which will help dealing with damaged skin cells.
You'll get well over 10k UI of vitamin D with a decent day of sun exposure.
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Lumi
Vyemm Raider
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Ya I've never supplemented Vit D before. The sun has a lot of benefits other than just Vit D production as well like you mentioned(although it's melanin not melatonin). If you can't get 1 hour of sunlight most days during the spring/summer then you're doing something wrong imo.
Random information to contribute as I have been on TRT for ~3 years at this point, 43 years old. In 2021 I was diagnosed with secondary hypogonadism with total Test ~150 ng/dL and an excessively high SHBG ~105 nmol/L . Would not recommend, feels like trash. The primary reason for seeking help was extreme depression and a rock bottom libido.
After a brief Clomid stint, we ended up on weekly self-injection of 100 mg/mL Testosterone Cypionate I am usually around the 600 - 800 ng/dL Testosterone mark. No over the counter product, supplement, or otherwise did anything for me on this front.
To be honest, it just makes me feel normal. Libido came back, starting feeling like I wasn't a waste of space, depression symptoms went away, etc. I am not putting on slabs of muscle or anything being in the normal range. I do feel like I am not fighting my body any longer on this front and can at least make some progress.
The weekly injection rather than anything greater works for me as I don't like dealing with the highs post and lows pre injection. Being somewhere in the middle consistently is fine. I had considered trying a ~3 - 4 day cycle with a smaller does but that was annoying for travel.
Costs ~$45/ 2.5 months for the vials with GoodRX. There are modest syringe costs and a doctors appointment every 6 months.
I did try upping the dose a bit back in the day to see what it felt like. That was a poor choice. It came with some mood swings, anxiety, and depression that I do not care to deal with for any amount of gains.
After a brief Clomid stint, we ended up on weekly self-injection of 100 mg/mL Testosterone Cypionate I am usually around the 600 - 800 ng/dL Testosterone mark. No over the counter product, supplement, or otherwise did anything for me on this front.
To be honest, it just makes me feel normal. Libido came back, starting feeling like I wasn't a waste of space, depression symptoms went away, etc. I am not putting on slabs of muscle or anything being in the normal range. I do feel like I am not fighting my body any longer on this front and can at least make some progress.
The weekly injection rather than anything greater works for me as I don't like dealing with the highs post and lows pre injection. Being somewhere in the middle consistently is fine. I had considered trying a ~3 - 4 day cycle with a smaller does but that was annoying for travel.
Costs ~$45/ 2.5 months for the vials with GoodRX. There are modest syringe costs and a doctors appointment every 6 months.
I did try upping the dose a bit back in the day to see what it felt like. That was a poor choice. It came with some mood swings, anxiety, and depression that I do not care to deal with for any amount of gains.
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Gurgeh
Silver Baronet of the Realm
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No I'm talking about intra cellular melatonin. Melanin is another mecanism through which your skin will adapt to sun exposure. Plenty of shit happening when you expose yourself properly to the sun, all year round, multiples times a day, that no pill will fully compensate.
Vit D supplement is still one of the safest and most potent supplément, but getting out in the sun is even better.
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moonarchia
The Scientific Shitlord
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Palum
what Suineg set it to
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Bro it's 2024 not a great idea to only rely on people who can't even tell the difference between the sexes.
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moonarchia
The Scientific Shitlord
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Still the best place to start. Much like BMI and dieting it's pretty unique to an individual. What is too low for one person is going to be fine for someone else, which is why the numbers posted online tend to vary a lot. If you are feeling low energy, low libido, it doesn't hurt to talk to doc first to get the blood work done. If you have those symptoms or hypogonadism you are going to get referred to a urologist anyways, and that is what they specialize in.
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ToeMissile
Pronouns: zie/zhem/zer
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Make sure to take a look at sleep/exercise/etc as well. Your body can’t make up for deficiencies as you age.
Cleaning up your diet, drinking enough water, eliminating excessive alcohol and caffeine, and religiously getting enough sleep make WORLDS of difference.
fris
Vyemm Raider
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It's anyone using an online doc for hrt? My GP didn't seem inclined to go down that path. He did request a test test, I'm 405. I don't think he'll want to do the other years to get my true free test number.
My libido is ok, down from when I was younger but ok. Weight gain is a problem and I have zero energy out desire to work out. I ran a marathon 2 years ago, I doubt I could do a mile without stopping today. I started lifting again about 6 months ago and there was zero progress after 2 months.
I've been using a CPAP for 2 months now. I feel more rested but still no desire to exercise
My libido is ok, down from when I was younger but ok. Weight gain is a problem and I have zero energy out desire to work out. I ran a marathon 2 years ago, I doubt I could do a mile without stopping today. I started lifting again about 6 months ago and there was zero progress after 2 months.
I've been using a CPAP for 2 months now. I feel more rested but still no desire to exercise
Cutlery
Kill All the White People
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No one has any desire to exercise. That's the point. We don't do it because it's fun, we do it because the benefits outweigh the suck factors.
My goal is to work out 6 days a week. Do I hit it? No, some weeks it's just 3. But that's 3 more days than 90% of the population does, so I keep doing it.
My goal is to work out 6 days a week. Do I hit it? No, some weeks it's just 3. But that's 3 more days than 90% of the population does, so I keep doing it.
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At some point, and maybe only for certain peoiple, the suck factors can become addicting. I'm not a morning person and I absolutely hate it, but my days are better and my sleep is better if I force myself to get up at 6 and work out. It's incredibly easy to fall off the wagon, though.
moonarchia
The Scientific Shitlord
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Any serious shift in food/exercise in a positive direction will get you 10-20 pounds in the first few weeks, it's just your water weight. For your own sake don't get hung up on the short term. The real deal is the long term. When you have a good routine of diet (count your calories) and exercise you will see it taper off pretty quickly. Do not get discouraged by this. Good luck, amigo!
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Cutlery
Kill All the White People
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Yep, it's a struggle no matter when you do. I gotta be at work at 6, and I get up at 430 to walk the dog before work, so I definitely ain't getting up at 3 to lift. So that leaves after work.
But, if I've got chores or extra curricular functions or I work late or whatever, I really gotta start lifting by 730 or I just ain't getting to bed at a decent hour, and that just doesn't happen all the time. I'd love it if it did, but that's not reality. The reality is that it took a long time to get out of shape, you shouldn't expect results instantly. There are days I eat like absolute shit. But also days I'm under my maintenance. The whole point isn't the day to day stuff, it's the big picture, the long term goal. I don't need to have abs. I just don't want a gut. I don't need to be Arnold, I just wanna not be in pain from my muscles atrophying and unable to hold my back and knees stable.
I think I'm doing great. There are still days where my knee feels too rough to do leg day, but like I said - I'm still doing more than most people. I don't need to be the best at anything, I just like being above average at everything.
Koushirou
Log Wizard
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Been trying on and off for about 10 years now to try and lose weight and actually keep it off. I’ll get into a routine of counting calories and going on walks every day. I can’t seem to actually keep it up long term. After a few months I’ll be down 20-30lbs, but then some shit in life happens or something disrupts routine and it’s all over and then I’ll go up 25-35lbs. So while I was ~160 ten years ago, I’ve just yo-yo’d my way up to the 220s.
I don’t really know what to do. Well, I do. Just not stop what I’m doing, but in reality, I’m too weak for it. I’m constantly anxious and depressed and stressed about shit and while maybe going for a walk will make me feel a little better, eating makes me feel a lot better. Mentally, my entire day just revolves around food. Despite sleeping regular hours and being on the cpap now, I still feel like a complete pile of shit every morning and usually the only thing eventually pulling me out of bed before I absolutely have to is breakfast. Soon as I’m done with that, I’m counting the hours until lunch, then dinner, and then if I’ve hit my calorie cap for the day I may as well just go to sleep so I can get breakfast.
Another thing I just don’t understand about myself is that I would have hoped that after my increasing health problems, shrinking amount of clothes I can fit into, and just generally hating looking at myself, some level of self-preservation would kick in and I would have at least a small level of motivation to fix my shit, but instead I just get the opposite: more stress and anxiety which just means I want to eat. I try guilting myself by imagining what would happen if I died, what my husband would have to do with me gone, my parents burying me, etc. and not even that shit works.
Sorry for the bitchy rant. I do want to lose weight, but fuck me, I just can’t seem to get myself to do it and it just adds to my shit mood and I know eventually it’s probably just going to kill me early. Maybe I should try something else, but I have no clue what.
I don’t really know what to do. Well, I do. Just not stop what I’m doing, but in reality, I’m too weak for it. I’m constantly anxious and depressed and stressed about shit and while maybe going for a walk will make me feel a little better, eating makes me feel a lot better. Mentally, my entire day just revolves around food. Despite sleeping regular hours and being on the cpap now, I still feel like a complete pile of shit every morning and usually the only thing eventually pulling me out of bed before I absolutely have to is breakfast. Soon as I’m done with that, I’m counting the hours until lunch, then dinner, and then if I’ve hit my calorie cap for the day I may as well just go to sleep so I can get breakfast.
Another thing I just don’t understand about myself is that I would have hoped that after my increasing health problems, shrinking amount of clothes I can fit into, and just generally hating looking at myself, some level of self-preservation would kick in and I would have at least a small level of motivation to fix my shit, but instead I just get the opposite: more stress and anxiety which just means I want to eat. I try guilting myself by imagining what would happen if I died, what my husband would have to do with me gone, my parents burying me, etc. and not even that shit works.
Sorry for the bitchy rant. I do want to lose weight, but fuck me, I just can’t seem to get myself to do it and it just adds to my shit mood and I know eventually it’s probably just going to kill me early. Maybe I should try something else, but I have no clue what.
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