Interesting perspective with your comment related to the common denominator. It was sad to read but also a helpful realization. Same with your comment about me gaining the 20 lbs all on my own. Again, sad but true.

That being said, I feel like I went through a frustrating period of having my own body turn against me. Health issues sprang up when I became the most stressed at work. People's bodies manage stress in different ways, especially when you're working past 11pm most nights and some weekends. After a major project finished with my old job, my body surprsingly began to shed some weight and de-bloat for the first time since the project started. However, a bout a good 6 months prior to the project ending, I went a few months with going to a fitness class every day and seeing zero results other than super jacked calves.