It’s been 6 weeks approx. I’m finding I need to eat more as my energy is gone if I eat what I used to (normal breakfast and lunch). Is this normal ?
Body seems to be changing. I’ve not had alcohol for a couple of weeks (would love to stop completely).
Just need to get my head around eating more if I need to.
Thanks in advance.
Are you lifting or have you otherwise increased activity since starting TRT? If so, then your body is telling you to eat more to support the additional energy expenditure.
When I have eaten to my appetite on TRT while lifting (been on TRT for 7+ years) my body stayed relatively static, which for me was about 15% BF at 175ish lbs.
When I went a little hungry on TRT, I got leaner and more cut while keeping the same muscle mass (12% BF). I aim for good macro ratios, and don’t overeat protein. Just the same balance in less quantity as when I ate to my appetite.
At 57, I tend to eat a little less than in my younger days because my appetite has been lowering over the years. So I’m more often in the 12% BF range except for during the holidays. For me, maintaining muscle while eating less has been a great benefit of TRT. However, in general, if you are hungry you should eat (not overeat), and you should be able to maintain homeostasis with that, assuming you haven’t been overeating for years, which skews the hunger response beyond what a body actually needs to maintain healthy functionality.
Testosterone causes structure changes to the body, food is a requirement for this to occur. Testosterone also increases your metabolism, you’re burning through stuff faster.
I have been really pushing weights I’ve never done before. I used to just do cardio but now I’m 90% weights due to the TRT and hopeful muscle growth. Perhaps I’ve been going too heavy and need to ease my way in to it. It’s a learning experience.
Between the T and now lifting weights vs only cardio, your metabolism is changing. Monitor your weight and skinfolds to understand muscle gain and/or fat gain/loss.
It is good to ease into lifting, IMO. Burnout and overuse injuries are the worst for staying motivated and consistent, and consistency has been the most important part of progress and/or maintenance for me.
While I have found it to be true that the pieces necessary to built muscle remain the same as I’ve aged (lifting, good food, and rest), the ratios of those things have changed, even with TRT.
Since my early 50s that has meant a lot less gym time than my younger years. That was hard to get used to and it took several overuse type injuries over a few years for me to finally realize it. Now 30-40 minutes 3 x per week keeps me pretty strong and fit for an older guy. I don’t bench 250 anymore, but I’m solid with 180 for sets and still do 200 for a few reps once in a while for an ego boost.
Whether or not any of that applies to you kind of depends on your age. It sounds to me like you’re doing the right things to maximize your TRT. Working out will lead to better fitness. Eating well will make gym time a lot more productive toward fitness. Since you’re feeling run down sometimes, eating more would be a good decision. For me, that’s how I know it’s time to stop dieting on the rare occasions that I still do (like just before summer). Like nearly everything else about a fitness lifestyle, try it for a while and see how it goes. Adjust and change based on how you feel and how you are progressing or maintaining. Repeat, repeat, repeat for the rest of your life if your goal is lifelong fitness.
Cheers to more energy and better workouts!
Totally normal to get increased appetite with higher testosterone levels compared to being low T before start of treatment. Plan your meals and eating times in advance, so you don’t get too hungry.