The estrogen promoting weight gain was also learned when studying and also discussed with practitioners...

'While some women are blessed with balanced and normal levels of the hormone estrogen, others are plagued by excess estrogen and the side effect of weight gain in estrogen sensitive areas such as the lower butt, upper thighs, and sometimes the back of the arms. Generally, not even diet or exercise can completely rid the body of this stubborn body fat when excess estrogen is present. Excess estrogen works in a vicious cycle: estrogen promotes fat gain, and excess fat produces more estrogen within it's cells, which then promotes fat gain, and so on... '
http://www.vpxsports.com/article-detail/drugs/is-estrogen-making-you-fat

The testosterone isn't direct conversion but in some individuals that are more sensitive it can create problems.

Wow, that is a few posts Cares...Glad to hear it worked for you, and possibly could help others...maybe??

My goals fortunately are less complicated, and exercise and healthy eating are the key focal areas...Hit the gym for (after tonight) 6 hours during the work week, and headed to my personal trainer on Mon morning for first time in a long time, so wish me luck!!! I have gotten into the 260's today, so at 269lbs...yeah!! To celebrate, an hour at gym (all cardio at this point) and 1/2 hr in pool...

Cheers
Nick

That's great 'Offthepath'...I wish that diet and exercise alone was enough for me but I have worked in soooo many chemicals when I was younger that it sort of ruined that for me.
I grew up on a really good diet compared with the average and was always pretty active as a child and young teen, hiking, kayaking etc but when I started working I didn't do as much and add to that the chemicals...
The chemicals caused massive birth defects in our first child who we then lost, our second child had massive issues with heavy metals which has now been rectified, our third was fighting fit and well after I did the initial liver detox.

I was just trying initially to point out that there are going to be a number of people like me who's weight gain is not primarily caused by poor diet and a lack of exercise so simply improving the diet and exercising won't rectify it.
There can be so many reasons for being over weight just as there can be many reasons for lower back pain, none of which may be your actual back. So if a person can't lose weight from diet and exercise (assuming they aren't cheating on either) there is likely another reason, it may not be the same as mine but still just as real.
My PT was totally stumped that the BFL program didn't work for me when I had been the one client who really stuck to it strictly....oh it built a huge amount of muscle and it feels nice to be that strong, but I had really wanted to lose fat, gain muscle and tone up...well 1 out of 3 ain't bad 😉

Things that can cause weight gain like hormones, stress, chemicals are often not considered by people but are just as concerning as poor diet and lack of exercise.
First find the cause, then the cure is easy!
😀

Well, as for weight loss, I am now at 260lbs, down 50lbs since the start of the tear...Yeaahhhhhh!!!!!

But, now for other things, my personal trainer I am seeing Monday morn's before work has been going great...after next week, I am scheduled in for Mon morn, and Fri afternoon to end the work week...looking forward to that.
Got 9 hours in this week in gym (1hr was the trainer), and took a day today(Sun), to book out and go with some friends into the mountains and spend 6 hours doing some great technical ATV riding (mine has been begging to get out for 4 months now)...as well as rip into some great mud and get nasty dirty! Lol
Have a short work week (till Wed), then I am taking myself, family (and a few friends) to cabin for a nice 5 day weekend, and gonna let my focus waver a bit and kick back, maybe enjoy some drinks around the fire pit, and enjoy some of the foods I have stayed away from for a few months...think I have come to a deserved break!

I think that when you work so hard at reaching goals and targets, it is nice to have these well deserved breaks scattered in...while I know I would like to totally bail, I know my eating and working out will still find it's way into my weekend...it's just to much a part of me to drop entirely now!

Well that's the update, I hope others are still thinking and or working at achieving a health oriented goal...like has been said, your health is the most important prep of them all.

Cheers
OTP

😛 WAY TO GO OTP. That's amazing. You definitely deserve time away for fun. I weighed in this AM... down to 215lbs. Did a 8.5km walk today with a 10 lb pack. Slow but steady.

JAB

😛 WAY TO GO OTP. That's amazing. You definitely deserve time away for fun. I weighed in this AM... down to 215lbs. Did a 8.5km walk today with a 10 lb pack. Slow but steady.

JAB

Not sure about slow and steady JAB, 8.5 km, with 10lb pck is great! 😮 Way to keep on keepin' on!!!

Thanks for the positive words. I am a 20 yo brain in a 61 yo body. In 3 months I want to be able to do 10 miles with 40lbs. I remember my military days doing 10 mile runs with a combat load in under 2 hours. THAT will never happen again for me but it is what I compare myself to still. Sad I know but it IS a motivator...LOL.

JAB

OTP, I am simply amazed at what you've done. I think you've found your secret formula and its working!

Success stories like this help us all. It encourages us all. So please, keep the updates coming. Your helping others too! I get hyped reading your updates!

You are all an inspiration. Well DONE!

Thank you for the concerns and great plans. The special juice then smoothie plan is a short term immune system fix as well as diet loss. Then a maintenance of smoothies and healthy eating. Much of it will be raw, organic, paleo style mostly vegetarian. In the last 3 weeks with only a couple of breakdowns, no processed foods. Due to some issues though I had to put the juice only diet on hold for now.
cheers

Awesome, positive post...Amazing successes! A great combination of suggestions...I am definitely battling for my health, after getting a wicked virus in my lungs...have hardly been able to eat, and don't like meat to begin with, so protein has been a huge factor for me...will try to keep the BFL program in mind, by adding protein shakes as snacks...ugh....just hard to get them down!! Wheat Belly is Definitely a worthwhile read, as well as a similar one called Grain Brain...And i'm DEFINITELY going to look into the liver cleanses, and hopefully find a good naturopath!
WildernessReturn, I am especially interested in your diet...what are your energy levels like? Could you elaborate a little more on what you eat? Mostly vegetarian paleo style?? (I understood it was a diet heavy on the meat, so have never really looked into it!) I am a huge fan of juicing, and have finally been able to start juicing again after getting out of the hospital...I grew kale last summer, one of my favorite things to juice with apples, lemons, and ginger, but unfortunately the cabbage worms beat me to it....this year i have plans for them!! Gardening is a total learning curve, but a huge part of prepping/health!! ...unfortunately we must rely on the grocery stores in the winter months for our fresh greens....well, mostly...
But i did want to make a wee suggestion for you, WildernessReturn. Always thinking SHTF, i bought myself an inexpensive plastic, hand~crank wheatgrass juicer, and was surprised at how easy it is to use...i just wanted to see how it worked, and i am super impressed!
Wheatgrass is very easy to grow, and you can grow it all winter long indoors! In a worst case scenario where there is no power, and perhaps in the dead of winter, you are able to get a lot of vital nutrients with very little effort! And in a non SHTF scenario, you aren't spending $5 at booster juice every time you want a shot or two!! Win/Win! I also bought a seed sprouting system...also inexpensive, easy to use, highly nutritious, good for SHTF scenarios...Now to just implement all these great ideas, and get my lungs back in shape!! Always such a lot of things to do, but health is our most valuable prep!
Also, there is a hydroponic gardening post just starting, so i am looking forward to seeing where that goes... 😛

Well, March 24 was last update at 260lbs, now here we are 3 weeks later...oi vais...

Had an absolutely fantastic time for Easter weekend, and some good food and apparently an Easter Chocolate or two that I proliferated from my son's easter basket..lol. All in told with water retension and such shot up to 265.
Got back on the lifestyle train, and over the following week got myself back to 260...wooohoooo 😀

Well last week, I had 4 days meetings in Montreal, where we went out every night afterward for dinners and such (caught the Montreal vs Washington game, old Montreal and some really great restaurant's). I did stick as close to my diet as possible, but that is pretty much impossible when eating at restaurant's.
I then went home to Nova Scotia for weekend (I live in BC, but figured I was in Montreal...soo, NS is right there)to visit a friend who was ill recently and hung and travelled around with him..again, tried to eat appropriately and maintain a semblance of control (which I believe for most part I did very well).
I got home at 10pm last night, and am headed back to airport this afternoon for a quick business trip, and home tomorrow for dinner. I also have 10 Managers that I am hosting next week for 3 days of meetings, one night out for dinner and then wind up bbq at my place before sending them all off. This last portion of my turbulent April, should be more easy to control than last week as I do get to be home, and will still get some gym time (absolutely none in past 9 days).

After all is said and done, at this moment I am at 263lbs, so survived the gauntlet admirably (I think) and am ready to put in another very focused and committed amount of time between now and end of June, whereas I have a boys 10 day fishing trip planned with my son and his buddy as well as a couple other buddies and there kids.

I guess, I am now comfortable I am at a point where I am living more healthily and maintain my focus much more easily. I miss my good eating habits when it slides, as I feel better when I am eating properly...I miss my exercise when I miss, as my energy seems low. This new me, is really enjoying things, and I am eagerly awaiting the bicycle season (first of May) to begin doing my bike to and from work 3 days per week ( that's 25km each way, for 50kms 3 times per week)....

More to come if there is still anyone interested, and I just wanted to end with this note...Do not look at diet and extercise as a chore, and or that you are missing out when you have to incorporate these things...look at it as if you are being robbed of something when you are derailed of eating healthy and exercising..they are things you do for yourself, and no one else, and when you lose that, you should want it back...amazing how a few months focus can make these things habitual, and therefore much more part of the things you "need" in your life.

Take care all,
OTP

More to come if there is still anyone interested,

We're due for an update dude.

Update. I have contiuned with the healthy eating, as much as possible during the beautiful summer days of back yard BBQ season and ice cold beer...lol. I have what we will call, gone into maintenance for summer months, and will go back to some more stringency come Sept.
We (family) are leaving for the month of Aug, to our cabin up north, so 33 days of sunshine, swim, fish, atv, lounge...I will continue on this thread if anyone is interested when I get back.

For the record I got to 250 lbs (a loss of 60) and have maintained to that for most part...fluctuate by 3-5 lbs.

Cheers
OffThePath

Well Done

Keep up the hard work. I hope you and your family have a great time.