Are you stuck in the Inflammation - Cortisol - Visceral Fat Loop?

My body at 52 years old was full of inflammation from 3 years of riding the couch and eating horrible. My gut health was terrible and my face and stomach had become super bloated to the point I no longer recognized myself in the mirror.

I knew something had to change. I started working out and eating clean, but I felt like I was just banging my head against a wall. I was at a loss as to why I couldn't lose the weight. I had always been an athlete and someone who spent 25 years of my life dedicated to health and wellness. I knew how to eat properly and train my body for results. I just was at a complete stand still. The picture of me looking completely bloated and disgusting was taken after 6 months of working out daily, and being in a calorie deficit. (I was doing everything right)

I decide to make an appointment with my doctor. I explained what was going on and he ordered a complete blood panel. Without getting into the weeds on the different test two of the showed high inflammation. (CRP + ESR) these show current inflammation and that its been in the body for some time. It also showed I was pre - diabetic. My doctor also explains that I had all the systems of someone who has chronic inflammation. At this point we drove a bit deeper into diagnostic work to try and figure out where it was coming from. The short of it: Inflammation can be caused by a number of different things for me it was what we call the stacking effect.

Poor guy health, stress, poor sleep, joint wear and tear, this all leads to systemic inflammation: SYMPTOMS - Leaky Gut -Bloating - Fatigue -Poor nutrient absorption - Brain fog - Poor sleep - Joint pain and stiffness - Slow Recover - Stubborn Visceral Fat around belly, lower back, sides, etc..

Inflammation is also a silent killer leading to higher risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, it's also been shown to be directly tied to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and even depression has been linked just to name a few.

THE NUMBER ONE THING INFLAMMATION CAUSES:

Inflammation - Cortisol - Visceral Fat Cycle!

There is no way around it! if your body has any level of chronic inflammation it is going to trigger the body's stress hormone (CORTISOL) this stress hormone made by the adrenal glands and it's main job is to help you respond to stress and keep your body stable. ( it has other functions as well) however that's the main goal. When the body is constantly inflamed it releases more cortisol than needed and feeds directly into visceral fat. This is the exact reason why we work so hard to lose the Visceral Fat & and it seems impossible. Think about it . You already have inflammation and we stress the body more with more exercise, we push harder, we yo-yo diet, all adding to more stress, which increases the stress on the body, which in turn releases more cortisol , which feeds more Visceral Fat! It's a terrible cycle.

Point: Most people over 50 have some form of chronic inflammation. In some it's very obvious and apparent ( such as myself) The problem was until I discovered that's what the issue was, I just thought it was just me getting older, aches and pain is normal, slow metabolism is normal for a man my age, just the way it is. that's the lie that most of us buy into! However what I discovered on this journey back to optimal health has been nothing short of amazing. Reducing inflammation and getting back to being internally healthy has me feeling 30 years old again.

The inflammation was blocking all my health and fitness goals including weight loss. Working hand in hand with my trainer, nutritionist and physician, we determined that inflammation reduction was going to be imperative if I was to ever reach my weight loss and health goals and at this point I was willing to do anything outside of prescription drugs.

We created a 21 Day inflammation reduction re - set plan. I followed it exactly as outlined. The first 21 days I immediately started feeling results. I started sleeping better, stiffness in my joints was gone, and overall sustainable daily energy was better, and my bloating was reducing and I was losing about 1.5 - 2 lbs per week. By the second 21 day round within a 90 day period. I'd lost a total of 16 lbs dropping from 221 lbs to 205 lbs ( that's the second pic) My energy was high, sleep had become regulated, visceral fat was decreasing substantially, Fatigue and joint pain, next to none! Important to note: There is only a 16 lbs difference between the two pics within 90 days. My gut was bloated and pushed out due to the inflammation, I always felt super bloated!!!

In closing: Today I have a new sense of self, a fresh start, a new vision. Inflammation is the killer inside that robs us of our energy, our desire, it's a terrible issue that most don't even realize it's the very thing blocking them from feeling fantastic and truly experiencing optimal health! just take action.