How I Lost Over 35 Lbs. (It’s NOT What You Think!)
Happy Wednesday! Thanks so much for connecting with me today!
You know those times in life when you’re just kind of sailing along and then all of a sudden you’re NOT?! Those times when everything comes to a screeching halt and you have to put the FABulous dreams you’ve been working on off to the side in order to figure out what in the world is going on…..yeah….that’s what happened to me about a year and a half ago!
It’s a long story….and it’s uncomfortable for me to share…I tend to be a pretty private person when it comes to personal matters. BUT……I have felt very strongly for quite awhile that I should be sharing about this journey because I know so many women who are struggling with mysterious health issues and they don’t know where to turn to or who to trust to help them get to the roots of the issues. They feel alone & frustrated!
While I don’t have all the answers, and I cannot give you medical advice or tell you what to do, I can share what I have am still on….and if I can help learned over the years about health….my health…chronic health issues and the different ways to go about finding answers and healing! Unfortunately, I have over 28 years of experience with chronic health issues. I can also share the resources that have helped me on the road to healing…..a road I even just one person then I will rejoice!
There is SO much to this story I really didn’t know where to begin, so I decided to begin with the most visible aspect….the weight I’ve lost!
In April of 2014, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Autoimmune Disease, an autoimmune disease that attacks the thyroid (here’s a resource with loads of info about Hashimotos: http://hypothyroidmom.com/hashimotos-disease-the-infection-connection/ ) I will be sharing more about this condition, what led up to it and what I’m doing about it in future posts. It is a bit of a challenge to break it into smaller segments but I will do my best!
As a result of the diagnosis, (NOTE: I do NOT say “I have Hashimoto’s”….I am NOT owning it and I am not allowing it to own me!) I had to make some drastic & immediate dietary changes. While I was already eating much healthier than most people, there were some foods I had allowed in that weren’t healthy as well as some healthy foods that were not good for me due to unknown allergies/sensitivities.
In May of 2014, I cut out all gluten, most sugars, eggs, dairy & the few processed foods that I was still eating along with the foods I discovered through tests that I was sensitive to.
I added more lean healthy proteins (mostly organic meats) and more veggies. Week by week I dropped pound after pound. I also started on a natural thyroid supplement and other supplements to support my healing. By January I had lost over 35 pounds!!!
I was not able to exercise, and actually wasn’t very active at all most of that time because I felt so sick & in pain….and then there was the ridiculous brain fog, so the weight I lost was due to the dietary & supplement changes.
Sooo….now here I am….35 pounds lighter!!!
The DOWNside is that it took a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s for me to find out why I felt so sick.
The Upside is that I am beginning to finally see a light at the end of the tunnel…..I am beginning to feel better thanks to my FAITH in God, dietary changes, supplements, essential oils and a Functional Medicine Doctor who is experienced in treating people with autoimmune issues in a holistic way that gets to the roots of the problems rather than covering them up or ignoring them.
I have to regularly remind myself that this is a MARATHON not a SPRINT…..I can get pretty impatient with the healing process! It is, after all, INTERFERING WITH MY DREAMS!!!
The other part of the Upside is that I’ve HAD to get a whole new wardrobe! Even my FEET SHRUNK! Losing 35 pounds for me meant going down 4 sizes! Thanks to the AMAZING SUPPORT of my FABulous Prince, I’ve been able to have fun creating a new look and shopping for a new wardrobe…..I’ve kind of felt like I was on my own version of What Not to Wear! This has been a bright spot in what has been a not so PINK & SPARKLY chapter for me!
I am finally getting to a place where I can, on most days, look into the mirror and not see a sick looking person staring back at me!!!
I thank God for His goodness, mercy, grace & healing power working in me, for directing me & leading me to the right help AND for the loving, understanding, unwavering support of my most AMAZING Prince!
I will be sharing more pieces of my health journey in the weeks ahead…..I hope it inspires you in some way and if you know of someone who is struggling with health issues, please forward this to them…..I will also be sharing resources each week that will be helpful!
Thank you so much for being part of my life!
Make this YOUR year to SPARKLE & SHINE!
I BELIEVE in YOU!