11-07-2011, 10:57 AM
Thank you, lled, for bringing up cortisol. I hadn't really thought about that, because I thought I had dealt with it.
Looking back at pictures from 2004 and 2007 (when my job stressed me out and I did a lot of bodypump classes), I notice I had more abdominal fat than I have now, while fitting in a smaller size jeans then. But during my break in June, several symptoms came back.
Before your post, I was thinking about progesterone excess, and was using this list:
Symptoms of Progesterone Toxicity
http://livingtherhythm.com/?page_id=60
I actually observed several during my break.
But after you mentioned cortisol, I started to think one step further:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortisol
Under the header "Factors generally increasing cortisol levels", there are several events and situations I experienced over the last ten years. I have eliminated most of them from my life now. Note that high intensity workouts are also on this article's black list. What really helped me a lot is getting rid of commuting stress. Instead of the car and the train, I use bus, tram, and bicycle. Buses and trams run on time, and I schedule everything so as to include at least 10 walks of 20 minutes a week.
This article also shows the really useful map I linked before. I assume the map in here is the original.
Steroidogenesis, showing cortisol at right:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Steroidogenesis.svg
The map shows cortisol is made from progesterone. Looking at the 2004-2007 pictures, I also notice a lot of bones and veins in my hands, which clearly shows collagen was low. The wikipedia article lists low collagen as a consequence of high cortisol. Many of the symptoms during my break are also related to high cortisol. I think it's in check now because of the hops, since I have a small rash under my elbow, something I rarely see, and certainly not between 2004 and 2007.
Sorry if the order in which I wrote this is confusing. I will just work on further lowering cortisol, and see if it helps. I also got great skin from "anti-inflammatory" foods, but now I wonder: did they raise cortisol?
The time is also right for a reality check:
Height: 178.5 cm = 5' 10"
Weight: 84.5 kg = 186 lbs
BMI: 84.5/1.785/1.785 = 26.5
Breast: 105 cm = 41"
Under: 97 cm = 38"
Waist: 96 cm = 38"
Hip: 101 = 40"
Waist to hip ratio (WHR): 96/101 = 0.95
My targets are
A BMI of 23 (73 kg, or lose 25 lbs!) and a WHR of 0.8 (waist 81 cm), in two-three years.
WHR 0.7 (hips 116 cm) and F cups in 5 years
The first step is to further lower carbs.
Happy to read you are looking into reasonably priced, reliable sources for herbs. I have been lucky in local stores:
hops 200 g € 7.40
fenugreek 250 g € 0.93
Both are enough for a three month ramp up, and they work
Looking back at pictures from 2004 and 2007 (when my job stressed me out and I did a lot of bodypump classes), I notice I had more abdominal fat than I have now, while fitting in a smaller size jeans then. But during my break in June, several symptoms came back.
Before your post, I was thinking about progesterone excess, and was using this list:
Symptoms of Progesterone Toxicity
http://livingtherhythm.com/?page_id=60
I actually observed several during my break.
But after you mentioned cortisol, I started to think one step further:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortisol
Under the header "Factors generally increasing cortisol levels", there are several events and situations I experienced over the last ten years. I have eliminated most of them from my life now. Note that high intensity workouts are also on this article's black list. What really helped me a lot is getting rid of commuting stress. Instead of the car and the train, I use bus, tram, and bicycle. Buses and trams run on time, and I schedule everything so as to include at least 10 walks of 20 minutes a week.
This article also shows the really useful map I linked before. I assume the map in here is the original.
Steroidogenesis, showing cortisol at right:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Steroidogenesis.svg
The map shows cortisol is made from progesterone. Looking at the 2004-2007 pictures, I also notice a lot of bones and veins in my hands, which clearly shows collagen was low. The wikipedia article lists low collagen as a consequence of high cortisol. Many of the symptoms during my break are also related to high cortisol. I think it's in check now because of the hops, since I have a small rash under my elbow, something I rarely see, and certainly not between 2004 and 2007.
Sorry if the order in which I wrote this is confusing. I will just work on further lowering cortisol, and see if it helps. I also got great skin from "anti-inflammatory" foods, but now I wonder: did they raise cortisol?
The time is also right for a reality check:
Height: 178.5 cm = 5' 10"
Weight: 84.5 kg = 186 lbs
BMI: 84.5/1.785/1.785 = 26.5
Breast: 105 cm = 41"
Under: 97 cm = 38"
Waist: 96 cm = 38"
Hip: 101 = 40"
Waist to hip ratio (WHR): 96/101 = 0.95
My targets are
A BMI of 23 (73 kg, or lose 25 lbs!) and a WHR of 0.8 (waist 81 cm), in two-three years.
WHR 0.7 (hips 116 cm) and F cups in 5 years
The first step is to further lower carbs.
Happy to read you are looking into reasonably priced, reliable sources for herbs. I have been lucky in local stores:
hops 200 g € 7.40
fenugreek 250 g € 0.93
Both are enough for a three month ramp up, and they work