Why I Am Doing This Part I - PCOS

So why am I doing this losing weight thing?

My declining health has scared me straight.

A little history here (apologize if this is TMI for some of my male vistors). When I was in high school, I dropped to my lowest weight ever, 135lbs. I played softball and volleyball. I struggled with painful, heavy periods that usually occured every other month. This continued on until I was 18. I consulted my family doctor about the periods, wanting some relief. So he put me on BC pills.

I proceeded to stay on those for 5 years. My cycles did regulate, but I still had painful cramps. I also started putting the weight on and started suffering from severe depression. From October 2003 - October 2004, I was put on Zoloft by my doctor with decent results. I felt ready to stop taking it in 2004, but it was just a temporary fix.

Around 25 (2005), I decided to go off the pill & try to get pregnant with my first husband. After a few months of no periods, I paid a visit to an OBGYN. This was the first time I was diagnosed with PCOS (Polysistic Ovarian Syndrome). I was told that this was an infertility disorder. We tried 2 cycles of Clomid, a fertility drug, with no ovulation or results. I decided to stop trying when we moved to TN later that year.

From 2005 until recently, I've continued to take Triphasal. Soon the generic version of that was no longer available, so I switched to something called Enpresse, which was another Triphasic pill. I've also went through a divorce and another marriage. I also continued to pack on the pounds and depression until I reached a breaking point in April of 2009. I contacted a therapist and began weekly sessions with her. (will cover this more in the 2nd half of why I am doing this)

I've been around 250lbs for at least the past year. I also lost my appendix in July 2009 and my gallbladder in March 2010. I've suffered from severe fatigue even after the depression improved. Each year I'd go to my family doctor for my yearly exams, and he would continue with the same BC pills and would tell me to "lose weight" when I complained about the fatigue, random and severe cramping in my pelvic region, heavy periods, and other health issues.

A few months ago, I saw a Discovery Health show about PCOS. It specifically noted that PCOS can be caused (or can cause) by insulin resistance. It also discussed increased levels of testosterone. Neither symptom was ever explained to me by a doctor.

So I finally sucked it up and made an appointment with a new OBGYN. He listened to my concerns and quickly agreed that I probably have insulin resistance and elevated testosterone levels. He sent me for a round of bloodwork to cover all my hormone, thyroid, and blood sugar levels. We would meet in 2 weeks to discuss the results.

In the meantime, I did some research into insulin resistance. I found out that too many carbohydrates & sugars can really wreak havoc with IR (like with diabetics). I tracked my food for a few days and found out I usually eat 70% of my daily calories from carbs!

So while I didn't yet have confirmation that I indeed had IR, I started cutting down my carbs % (to between 50-55% daily) & exercising. After a week of tired plodding along, I felt a sudden surge of energy that is still going pretty strong 2 weeks later. I haven't felt this good in years.

And while I was doing this, the pounds started dropping.

So if things don't change, I am on the road to diabetes. I will continue to feel crummy mentally and physically, no matter how much I work out my thoughts in therapy. My PCOS will still go "untreated" and will cause an increased risk of heart disease. If I do decide to have a child, I will continue to struggle with infertility. Birth control pills fix the symptoms, but not the core problem.

And this is a lifetime change. This isn't temporary. If I get out of control with my carbs or sugars, I will go right back to feeling the same way and the weight will creep back on. I'm not going to do a "low-carb" diet, because I know that's not sustainable for me. For me and for my IR, carbs are OK in moderation, but they have to be complex, like whole grains and whole fruit.

So almost 3 weeks and still going strong. Let's see if this is the change I needed to get this done.

Chasing 150lbs: The Beginning

I've started this entry 3 times now. The first two kept turning into novels. I have a lot to say, but there's no need to complicate things in the beginning.

This is me now:


I'm 29 years old, 5'5 and 243lbs.

I want to look like this again +- a few wrinkles:


Me in high school around 140lbs.

There are so many reasons why I am the way that I am. I'll be discussing those in upcoming posts. Because one of the things I've learned is that gaining weight isn't always just about the weight & food.

I started this on June 11th. I weighed in at 253lbs.

My ultimate goal is 150lbs by September 2011, with a mini-goal of 175lbs by my 30th birday on May 20th.

As of June 25th, I have lost 10lbs due to diet & exercise changes.

I will weigh in on Mondays, & take measurements every other Sunday. Photo updates will be taken every 4-6 weeks.

So here we go:

Week 1 weight: 253lbs
Week 2 weight: 248lbs
Week 3 weight: 243lbs

Week 3 measurements:

Bust 50"
Chest 41.5"
Waist 50"
Hips 54"
Midway 53"
Thigh 30"
Left Knee 19"
Right Knee 19.5"
Calves 18.5"
Left Arm 16.5"
Left Forearm 11.5"
Right Arm 18"
Right Forearm 12.5"