20d • General discussion
Bloodwork: How to Spot a Fit Body vs a Struggling One (40+)
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One of the biggest misconceptions around bloodwork is that it tells you whether someone is healthy or unhealthy in a black-and-white way.
It doesn’t.
Bloodwork tells a story. And once you understand what to look for, especially after 40, you can clearly see the difference between a body that is adapted, efficient, and resilient versus one that is inflamed, stressed, and slowly breaking down.
The Big Picture Rule
I don’t look for one magic number.
I look for patterns and trends over time.
Fit bloodwork looks calm, stable, and efficient.
Struggling bloodwork looks noisy, inflamed, and drifting in the wrong direction year after year.
Blood Sugar Control Is the Biggest Separator
This is the first thing I look at.
Fit bloodwork typically shows:
- A1C that is stable and not creeping up year over year
- Fasting glucose is in a healthy range
- If insulin is tested, it is controlled and not elevated
Struggling bloodwork often shows:
- A1C is slowly climbing into prediabetes
- Fasting glucose consistently over 100
- Insulin resistance shows up before anything else breaks
If blood sugar is off, the rest of the labs usually follow.
Lipids Tell the Lifestyle Story
I’m not just staring at total cholesterol.
Fit patterns usually include:
- Lower triglycerides
- HDL holding strong
- Lipids that improve or remain stable with training and nutrition
Struggling patterns usually include:
- High triglycerides paired with low HDL
- Lipids worsen alongside weight gain, poor sleep, and stress
This combination almost always points back to insulin resistance and poor recovery.
Inflammation Shows How Hard the Body Is Fighting
Chronic inflammation is quiet but destructive.
Fit bodies tend to show:
- Low, stable inflammation markers
- Good recovery unless injured or sick
Struggling bodies often show:
- Chronically elevated inflammation
- Patterns tied to poor sleep, high stress, excess body fat, or weak recovery
Inflammation is the warning light before things break.
Liver Enzymes Reflect Metabolic Load
This is one of the most overlooked areas.
Fit bloodwork usually shows:
- Liver enzymes are on the lower end of normal
- Consistency over time
Struggling bloodwork often shows:
- ALT is slowly creeping upward
- Early signs of fatty liver or metabolic overload
Alcohol isn’t required to stress the liver. Poor metabolism does it just fine.
Kidney Markers Show Long-Term Resilience
I always look at trends, not single numbers.
Fit patterns include:
- Kidney function holds strong with age
- No accelerated decline
Struggling patterns include:
- Faster-than-expected decline
- Often tied to blood sugar, blood pressure, or hydration issues
Blood Counts Reveal Recovery and Stress
This is supporting data, but it matters.
Fit bloodwork often shows:
- Normal white blood cell counts
- Strong oxygen-carrying capacity
- Adequate iron levels, especially in women
Struggling patterns often show:
- Elevated white blood cells from chronic stress or inflammation
- Low iron or anemia that hurts energy and recovery
Differences Between Men and Women
Men:
- Can appear fine on cholesterol while still being metabolically unhealthy
- Poor metabolic health usually drags hormone health down over time
Women:
- Naturally higher HDL, so trends matter more than single numbers
- Iron status plays a major role in energy and training tolerance
- Post-menopause, blood sugar and triglycerides are often the early warning signs
60-Second Lab Scan Order
When I open labs, I look at:
- A1C and fasting glucose
- Triglycerides, HDL, and LDL with an emphasis on trends
- Inflammation markers
- Liver enzymes
- Kidney function
- CBC and iron context
The Takeaway
Bloodwork doesn’t just tell you if you’re sick.
It tells you how well your body is handling stress, training, nutrition, recovery, and aging.
Fit bloodwork looks calm, efficient, and resilient.
Struggling bloodwork looks loud, inflamed, and is slowly trending in the wrong direction.
Learn to read the story, and you gain leverage over your health.
That’s what optimization actually means.
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Bloodwork: How to Spot a Fit Body vs a Struggling One (40+)
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