Menopause, and finding your fit.

Most women get to menopause sometime in their late 50's...if they are lucky, even their mid 60's. My menopause journey began at 45. 

Two years ago, I had massive health issues, I had days when it was all I could do to walk up my stairs, exhausted, and constantly in pain, with terrible IBS issues. A first search found large fibroids bursting, and a further search found a tumor in my ovary, the bad kind. I had a full hysterectomy, and I was actually so excited, because I thought I would get my health back.

But then a whole different set of problems began, and I was thrown into full menopause at 46. I didn't even know who I was. I was unrecognizable to myself. Tired, angry, flashes of rage, crying for no reason, hot flashes, insomnia and so overwhelmed. I went to my Dr. for hormones, and instead she prescribed an antidepressant. I was shocked, I was like " I'm not crazy, I don't need that!" Terrified of the stigma. but within a week of taking it, my symptoms started to get better, and in a month, I recognized myself again, and I understood that about half of what I was experiencing was more related to depression from the actual symptoms. Taking the pills allowed me to overcome the depression. It was only then, that I began to be able to fix my health issues.

But I still found that what I had done before menopause to lose weight was useless now. I found an incredible program called 2Bmindset. It taught me to change how I ate to reflect the metabolism I had now. It told me not just what I needed to eat, but when and why ( like no carbs at night...because I don't need energy then), and slowly my lbs started coming off. Everyone around me started knowing the phrases #waterfirst and #veggiesmost, as that became the cornerstone of my diet. Don't worry, I didn't have to become a vegetarian, I just changed what my plate looked like.  I'm not on a diet, and I'm never left hungry. Then I added weight training, and cardio, and upped my yoga game. 

Some days, my eating is perfect, my workout is on point, and I get lots of sleep...and the scale barely moves. Some days, I have chocolate, and bread, and wine...and the scale barely moves. I never lose 5 lbs in a week, or 20 lbs in a month. But I do keep moving forward, bit by bit, fitting in to old clothes again, seeing the scale go down, seeing the inches disappear. 

I've lost weight faster before, but it always comes back, because I'm impatient, and I'm doing things that ARE NOT SUSTAINABLE. I'm going slow and steady now, taking off the 1-2 lbs a week. Sometimes I gain a little back, because I'm building muscle, but my measuring tape shows me I'm still losing inches. I love how strong I am now, and much I've learned about myself and my body.

I'm 20 lbs down from last October, when I first started getting my act back together, but I've really seen the changes in my body from March 24th through now. It took finding the right plan for the body I have now. 

If you would like more information about the program I'm using, just leave a comment. 

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