Welcome to Final Rep Friday... your no-BS guide to getting stronger, leaner, and more energized without living in the gym.

Low-Carb Diets and Testosterone: What You Need to Know

You've probably heard that cutting carbs is the secret to getting lean. In reality, long-term low-carb diets can tank your testosterone and make fat loss harder.
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Here's the science.

Carbs lower SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin), making more free testosterone available for your body to use.

Low-carb diets spike cortisol. Your stress hormone directly competes with testosterone. More carbs reduce cortisol and sterss.

Lack of carbs means slower recovery, weaker workouts, and lower energy. Making it harder to build muscle and burn fat.

The bottom line?

You need carbs to optimize hormones and build a lean, strong physique.

The Best Exercises by Body Part

Hamstrings: RDL.
Triceps: Dips.
Glutes: Hip thrusts.
Lats: 1-arm DB row.
Traps: Hang cleans.
Quads: Split squats.
Abs: Ab wheel rollouts.
Biceps: Incline DB curls.
Chest: 15-degree incline press.
Shoulders: DB shoulder press.
Calves: Tempo calf raises (3-1-3-1 tempo). Mine are still tiny, but this is the best I've found.

Everyone is slightly different in what works best. But the principle is clear... basic exercises are best. Master them.

Eating Before Bed Is Wrecking Your Progress

Eating within two hours of sleep blunts melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep. Plus, you’ll struggle to digest food and deal with more bloating and inflammation.
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Poor gut health which impacts nutrient absorption and metabolism. Grogginess and brain fog the next day.

Melatonin helps regulate fat loss, muscle recovery, and deep sleep. Suppressing it by eating too late means worse recovery, slower fat loss, and feeling sluggish.

The fix? Stop eating at least 2-3 hours before bed.

The Protein Advantage

Up to 30% of calories from protein are burned just by digesting it.

100 calories of protein equals roughly 70 calories absorbed due to its high thermic effect. Compare that to carbs at 5-10% and fats at 3-5%.

If you're not eating enough protein, you're making fat loss harder than it needs to be. Aim for 1g per pound of target body weight.

This Week's Newsletter: You Eat "Healthy," But Your Body Isn't Changing

In this week's LinkedIn newsletter, I break down the six reasons your healthy diet isn't producing results... and why the answer isn't eating less.

​Read Issue #7 here.​

To make every rep count,

Eric Bach