HA!! You have a quick wit and cutting sense of humor. I need to have you on speed dial for the next argument I get in.
“So and so said this… what do I say back?”
Kinda reminds me of this meme that describes what I actually do:
1 Like
Well, now it’s on. Who can resist? Also, if I were strong enough I’d pick her up Dirty Dancing style.
Understandable. Crappy singers who commit to some type of role are pretty fun to watch, but I had a moment of low tolerance. It was not my favorite thing during a workout.
Also, crappy singer here. 
So if we were all at a T Nation karaoke night, what would you sing for us?
It’s everywhere and inescapable at this point. We’ve even received article submissions that were written with ChatGPT. All a coach has to do is type a training method into ChatGPT, get the answer, then copy-paste it into a word doc and send it in. They think we don’t know. 
3 Likes
Lab Results
I got my ferritin up from 34 to 57 in two months of supplementing consistently with heme iron. That’s pretty good progress. The goal is to get it above 100 and stay there for a year.
The “normal” range is anywhere from 15-150 which will always seem insane to me. Normal does not equal optimal.
Testosterone Lab Results
My testosterone is hardly going up. When I hear female professionals in the hormone and health space talk about their total testosterone, they’re up in the 80-100 ng/dL range. Granted, some of them seem to have altered their voices, but I think there’s some room for me to go higher without that effect.
Also the doctor who wrote this article says:
So… my measly 18 ng/dL seems bizarrely low. How am I alive and not a melting puddle of goo?
To make things more complicated is the free-T. The nurse practitioner I’m working with says that’s a more important number. But what is the optimal free-T range for women? There’s no reference interval under my results and everything online says something different.
To make the already complicated things even more complicated is SHBG. The higher yours is, the more it prevents you from using testosterone. Well, mine is low. It’s a fraction of what I’ve been hearing about when high-T women discuss their hormones.
So maybe that’s a good thing and it means I’m using testosterone more efficiently. If that’s the case, maybe I’m supposed to have low-ish testosterone levels.
Who knows? Everything is weird.
3 Likes
The nurse is correct, free t matters more.
Have it tested with equilibrium dialysis next time as it’s about the only reliable reading. My wife’s test showed 0.5-5.0 if memory serves.
My opinion is that “optimal” here is as high as you can get it without side effects.
Low SHBG is neither good nor bad, but low SHBG folks tend to do better with more frequent dosing schedules as they clear test (and other compounds faster).
My SHBG is very low and i clear pretty much all compounds fast. While most men do great with 1-2x/wk dosing schedule, but i start feeling low after about 2 days, so i pin MWF (i struggle to remember EOD dosing, EOD would be a better choice).
If you’re using a fast acting ester like propionate, you’d probably need to dose daily. If it’s a longer ester like cyp, maybe EOD or even daily injections - depends on which feels better.
1 Like
The normal range of a lab test is just the simple standard deviation curve, that usually defines the (5%) abnormal as the top and bottom 2.5%. People like numbers and measuring stuff, but it’s only useful if those blood levels meaningfully reflect what is going on in the tissues or relevant metabolic pathways. Normal range never says anything about optimum level, but being outside range might.
Pregnant women burn through a lot of iron. Everyone else is different. But if your levels are low for you and you have a microcytic anemia, you will feel low energy, and even dizzy or easily breathless. Experienced people can ballpark hemoglobin level just by the paleness of the conjunctiva, frenulum under the tongue, and appearance of spoon shaped nails (kolionychia).
Though I can’t envision attending a karaoke night, “Friends In Low Places”, “Hallelujah” or “Bohemian Rhapsody” might be fun to sing. Ten reasons why include covfefe GPT malfunction error code 667 activate distraction sequence:
- Did you know that nearly half of people are torsos?
- By adding only a simple ponytail, a man can instantly lose nearly all his credibility.
- They say the average woman knows 30,000 English words. But most men only know 28,000. Do you think this is true? I don’t… it seems kind of… crappy…. And … wrong.
- 99% of German shepherds are dogs.
- Great news! The bank just told me I have an outstanding balance!
2 Likes
That really is great progress. Well done you. 
1 Like
Thank you for all the insight. It’s really helpful!
I’ll see if equilibrium dialysis testing is an option next time. I don’t love LabCorp, so if they don’t offer it, I’ll look around for another place.
Very interesting. I was prescribed such an itty bitty dose, but it’s supposed to be taken daily. What’s actually really dumb is that I can’t remember to take it regularly, and maybe that’s because my brain already decided that half a stinking milligram isn’t enough to make a difference. But you’ve convinced me. I should be taking it daily. Anything will help.
I think it’s cyp. My nurse practitioner (love her) says that injections are an option if my test doesn’t get higher with the sublingual pills.
A friend of mine (who’s knowledgeable in everything health, hormone, and fitness) helped me get Anavar and encouraged me to do a 7-week cycle of 2.5 daily, which is a higher dose than my prescription, but a fraction of what female figure competitors use.
(Many take something like 10-12 mg daily.)
But given that my SHBG is so low, even just the 2.5 seems scary to me. The risk of turning a female voice into a gravely adolescent male voice is one of my worst nightmares, so there’s no such thing as too much caution when it comes to taking androgenic stuff.
So I’ve been just taking it on workout days during follicular and ovulatory phase, which are when women naturally produce their highest amounts of testosterone. That strategy is clearly not doing a whole lot to get me out of the low-normal range, but at least I can still do voiceover work. haha
What’s neat is that I seem to be a fast responder. On days that I take it, I feel like He-Man. I know that sounds like BS or placebo, and it could be, but there seems to be a difference (pump and muscle appearance wise) on workout days when I’ve taken it and days when I haven’t.
1 Like
Yup, I started blacking out at age 15. I know all the symptoms of anemia and low iron. I’ve lived with them for decades. Fun times.
Classics!
HA! You crack me up.
Thank you so much!! There is a MASSIVE difference between ferritin levels in the 50s versus the 30s. I feel like my face doesn’t look as old as it used to, my energy is higher, strength is much higher, and my nails are growing super strong and long.
1 Like
Workout
Abs
Arnold Press
T Bar Row
External Rotator Cuff Thing
Leg Press
Back Extension
Box Jumps
This might be a placebo effect, but box jumps actually help me move faster when doing USPSA shooting. I am not a predominantly fast-twitch (type 2 muscle fiber) person, but you kinda want to teach your body to move powerfully if you want to engage targets faster and get through a stage quickly.
The good news is, last week in my crosstraining class, not a single person said that I pranced. The teacher even said that I’m moving more aggressively now. And you know what I did that morning? Box jumps. So now it’s on.
Solo Hike
No dogs this time. I needed to study the trail since we’re taking people up this thing on Friday.
The problem is, you kinda lose the trail at the top. It veers off one way to a boring outlook area with a bench. But if you want to go to the awesome outlook cliff area, it disappears for a bit until you get to a sign that tells you about the outlook.
So, I wanted to wander around at the top and figure out how exactly to get to the coolest lookout area. I intentionally tried multiple (not super obvious) paths to see if they’d all get us to the same place. They mostly do, but I’ll still need to warn people that it’s not going to look right for a while.
Then once you get to the top, you get this view:
I also wanted to see if this trail is safe for kiddos. And honestly I have doubts. There are so many ways to fall off the side of the cliff. But I also don’t want to exclude anyone. Sooooo, not sure how to handle that. Everyone says I’m overly cautious about the safety of other people’s kids, but I feel like that’s… sane?
The sky in Colorado is full of smoke from out-of-state fires. So yesterday’s hike was a little surreal. Hazy skies sometimes make cool pictures.
And the way back down had some cool views too.
9 Likes
So low SHBG doesnt necessarily mean you are at a higher risk of virilization, or have higher peaks during dosing. In other words: I don’t believe you are at a higher risk of negative side effects just because you’re low SHBG.
I would look into the elimination half-life of your test, and adjust dosing accordingly. This could require some experimentation (luckily you are at such a low dose that its also low risk experimentation).
Id offer insight here, but i really only know injections (which i do recommend, but with reasonable caution).
Missing doses is probably doing double-damage to your test levels. Not only are you low t normally, but youre also mildly suppressed (because you’re supplementing test). So when you miss a dose, you’re probably defaulting to below your normal test values.
As you said, “I should be taking it daily. Anything will help.” 
Your anavar dosing is also quite low risk.
There’s some research that compares the muscle-building capability of a steroid to its androgenic side effects (virilization).
Using testosterone as a baseline of 1:1,
Anavar was like 20:1
Meaning that anavar is really unlikely to induce virilization.
But even if it did, its mostly out of your system in 12 hours (probably half that, considering your low SHBG). This short-acting effect makes it even lower risk, which is the same reason why its safer for women to take test prop for injections… if you accidentally went too high, it’s only too high for maybe a day versus a week.
With anavar, itd be too high for maybe 6 hours.
Timing your doses for pre-training is a great way of reducing side effects, though im also pretty sure you’d be safe at 5mg+ daily as well.
On a previous blast, i added in 40mg anavar daily. When id eat, my veins turned into garden hoses. That only happened when i was on anavar. What I’m getting at is I don’t think that your perceived difference is placebo.
FWIW, you’d do well to combine caffeine, creatine, and anavar when you dose. They have an affinity to compliment one another (creatine doesnt have to be timed alongside the other two, so long as you’re saturated via high protein and/or supplementation).
*Bonus points for adding Ephedrine and Aspirin to that stack - if you were trying to lean out.
At any rate, I’m glad there was useful information here.
1 Like
This is all really great info. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge.
I would think so too except that believe it or not 18 is the highest I’ve been in years! Back in November of 2023, my total testosterone was 3 ng/dL, which was not even in the normal range. So at 18 where it is now, that’s still 6 times higher than what it used to be. And I can feel a huge difference body and mind.
At my current level of 18, I’m feeling upbeat, driven, excited for the future, flirty, competitive, etc. But when my testosterone was in the tank, I was a little bummed out and physically achy. Hormones affect so much.
It’d be nice to go higher than 18 though and see what happens.
But it’s risky for another reason that I don’t bring up too often: I’m not sure if it’ll increase my DHT to a level that will affect my already super thin hair. That’s always going to be a concern unless I become a fully bald wig model. haha
I adore my nurse practitioner and trust her with a lot (she’s my progesterone fairy), but really wish she knew as much as you do about testosterone.
Okay good. Yay!
Fantastic news!
What?! That’s awesome. Wish I could stock up.
So good to know it’s not all in my head.
This is amazing info. I don’t think I could hit the bonus with the epinephrine but could certainly do the others.
Creatine and collagen are the two supplements that I need most and never take even though we have plenty. Maybe Chris can sneak them into my ice cream or dinners. Like a mom who has to hide the vegetables.
You have more info on this topic than I could’ve ever imagined. Thank you for the guidance!
1 Like
Being 64 year and I have to agree with your post whole heartedly. Having lifted for over 40 years, I’ve had some injuries as a result, most of which is getting in that last rep. I’m not gaining muscle anymore, just trying to keep what I have. I remain in this game because I love it and the thought of NOT working out would make me crazy. What I took from this post is do what you love and love what you do, We are all unique and I really don’t feel that following a strict program is in the cards for most people. If your competing, that’s a different animal entirely.
1 Like
Aww thanks for dropping in and sharing such a thoughtful comment!
That is amazing. You’re a true inspiration for keeping at it and figuring out how to enjoy the discipline even when injured.
So stoked to hear that you can relate. The entire reason for starting this log was to stop feeling guilty for doing the opposite of what most fit pros recommend. So many tell us we’ll never get results unless we outsource our workouts to an expert, but at a certain point in your training, nobody is more of an expert on your strengths, weaknesses, injury history, abilities, and goals than you.
Absolutely. There’s value in hiring a coach or following a plan for specific competitive goals or seasons of your life. Especially if what you’re wanting to learn is a little complex (physique competitions) or risky (O-lifts).
I also understand that there are people who love the accountability and friendship of a lifelong personal trainer. And that’s awesome for them. But when it comes to general exercise or nutrition, I don’t like being told what to do. And it’s awesome to hear that you’re with me on that. 
Upperish Minus Back
Abs
Hammer Strength Chest Press
Arnold Press
Rear Delt Flye
Back Extension
Bicep Curl
Tricep Pulldown
The previous workout’s T-bar rows were probably enough back work for the week… and the rest of my life. Definitely still feeling it. It’s also luteal phase so I’m trying to err on the side of caution with systemic fatigue. That means not pushing the weight right now.
Roxy Got Her Teef Cleaned
Actually now that I think about it, they extracted all of her remaining back teeth and only cleaned the front ones. She is currently high as a kite with the pain meds they sent home.
So we won’t be doing this anytime soon:
Kipper got to go on a special walk yesterday. He loves feeling like an only dog.
Other Things We Need to Discuss
This is all I want. If I die, please make sure Chris makes me into a dozen or so hourglasses. And then have him send you one! We can hang out every day!
Not a bad point. #motivation
Girl, you know it’s true! 
6 Likes
Id just do it so i could keep my hourglass figure.
2 Likes
I’ll break the hourglass and then snort you off of a coffee table.
Now I’m high on Dani.
1 Like
Aw yeah! Just don’t sneeze me out.
Same. Actually that’d be the first time I’d ever experience having an hourglass figure. 
2 Likes