1. Bio-identical progesterone:  If you are a man over 30 or a man over 40, odds are that the production of your hormones has begun to shift and you are predisposed to be estrogen dominant.  Also, if you have been 10 or more pounds overweight for more than a year, your body fat is actually producing even more estrogen thereby compounding the problem ( and adding on even more pounds).  Approximately 80 percent of women and men who are estrogen dominant can eliminate this medical concern by using over-the-counter bio-identical progesterone cream.   We do sell Randy’s personal brand of over-the-counter progesterone cream (Natural Balance Cream) on our website:  www.hormonewell.com.  In addition, in both our books FROM HORMONE HELL TO HORMONE WELL and FROM BELLY FAT TO BELLY FLAT we list over  ten other creams that Randy has reviewed for quality of ingredients and content of progesterone.
   
   Still, about 20 percent of women and men find that bio-identical progesterone alone is not sufficient to restore their optimum hormone balance.  They know this because their symptoms of hormone imbalance, including stubborn abdominal weight gain, do not go away.  If this is your case you need to have your hormone levels tested so that a personalized prescription of bio-identical hormones can be prescribed.  ONE-SIZE-DOES-NOT-FIT ALL.  We would love to see you in Jacksonville Beach, FL at our Ageless and Wellness Medical Center (www.agelessandwellness.com) but, if travel is not possible, you may want to consider having a telephone consult with one of our nurse practitioners who is medically expert in bio-identical hormone replacement therapies (BHRT).
   
   
2. Our Belly Flat Nutritional Program:  Commit to eating foods that support your optimum hormone levels.  If you want to keep the weight off and also follow a nutritional program medically-proven to be heart healthy and cancer protective, follow our Belly Flat Nutritional Program for the rest of your life.  It is simple and tasty.  Many people have told me that once they started cooking the recipes and following the meal plans outlined in FROM BELLY FAT BELLY FLAT their families had no idea they were eating foods on a “diet”.  They just loved all the fresh and tasty dishes.



3. De-Stress and Sleep More:  Yes it is true that you can snooze and lose; it has been proven in multiple clinical studies.  Stress upsets the adrenal hormones.  Out-of-whack cortisol levels are big culprits adding pounds around the middle.  In addition, if you are not sleeping eight hours a night, your sleeplessness is disrupting your hormone balance.  Specifically, levels of the hormone ghrelin goes down causing you to feel “food greedy”, e.g. always hungry.  Conversely, levels of the hormone leptin go up.  When this happens you never feel full no matter how much you eat.
   
   I know you can’t get rid of your stress entirely but here is what helps me de-stress.  I truly use my car as my prayer pocket.  Whenever I am driving, I turn off my cell phone and the radio and I try to focus on what is good in my life.  As I make a list of all the things I am grateful for, all those undone tasks on my to-do list stop swimming through my head. 
   
   Another “trick” is that I take long, hot, soothing baths almost every night before I go to bed.  I make a deal with myself that I will only think about what I accomplished that day, not what didn’t get done.  While I do I treat myself to a cool glass of white wine.  I know, I know: alcohol is one of the items in our Belly Flat Danger Zone.  To counteract the potential negative effect alcohol can have on the liver and metabolism I drink three glasses of water to that one glass of wine and take Milk Thistle (a herb proven to help de-tox the liver).  For those of you who have a hard time falling to sleep, Melatonin is a wonderful and natural sleep aid.
   
   I encourage you to do what you can for at least 10 minutes a day to MAKE TIME FOR YOUTO THINK ABOUT THE THINGS YOU ARE GRATEFUL FOR.
   
   
4. Don’t ever let yourself get hungry.  In FROM BELLY FAT TO BELLY FLAT I recommend that you snack between meals and I include a list of healthy snacks and provide recipes when needed.
   
   Here are a few tips:
   - Once a week, lightly steam a head of cauliflower, a bunch of broccoli, a dozen brussel sprouts and a small bag of baby carrots (recommend all organic produce).  When cool, toss with seasoned rice wine vinegar or extra virgin olive oil and some fresh dill.  Divide into mixture into small ziplock bags and chill.  If you work in an office, take to work and keep in the office frig.  Munch through one bag every afternoon.
   
   - Peel several oranges or tangerines at a time.  Put a bowl next to your bottles of water or pitcher of water in your refrigerator.  Each time you go to get a glass of water (and you need to be drinking 8-10 glasses, remember???), grab a handful of citrus fruit.
   
   - Keep a small bag of raw almonds in your purse, briefcase and/or car.  Treat yourself to 5-7 nuts anytime you feel yourself feeling empty or having a craving.
   
   
5. Wear tooth whitening strips anytime you are tempted, or were previously in the habit of, snacking.
   
   I am probably going to catch some flack for this last tip because I bet there are some chemicals in those things that some people will say aren’t good for you.  At this point I am going to plead ignorance because I would rather not know (I encourage you to check it out if you are concerned).  This last tip has been a waist-saver for me because I was very guilty of nibbling and tipping while I cooked.  I liked to have one (or two) glasses of wine along with some cheese and crackers while I fixed dinner.  Now I whiten instead.  The result is that my smile is brighter and I have eliminated these empty calories and I am hungrier for my Belly Buster Foods at dinner.

Hope this helps!  I wish you WELL and SVELTE!

Genie Randolph
Co-Author of From Belly Fat to Belly Flat &
Co-Founder of The Natural Hormone Institute of America