The Taste of Health

Hello from the slacker Allie!
Back from being a newly wed and summer!
So, after meeting my now husband, and enjoying a summer of traveling and eating whatever I have wanted, I have come to the realization that I have gained far more weight than I wanted to. Forget about the freshman fifteen, let's talk about the newly wed thirty. AHHHHHH! Remember that awesome picture of me in the red skinny jeans? Not anymore...

To combat it, I have been trying to wake up early and run at 5:30 AM so I can make it to work in time. Has NOT been working! I have been exhausted and was reaching for sugary/ high in carbs food just to make it through the day. So, instead, I have decided that for now, I am going to cut sugar as much as possible. Because I am somewhat of a sugarholic, I knew that it was going to be hard, so I am allowing myself just a tiny bit each day, and once I am used to that, WHAMO - no more sugar!

I know what many of you are thinking - Yeah right, you can't get away with doing that without going cold turkey. Guess what. I have been doing it for over a week now. I think I have learned that it's easier to go back to something when you cut it out cold turkey. Instead of a quick fix, I am looking for a change. I want to be healthier. I want to be the type of person that can say NO to sugar, and feel okay about it. And it's going to have to be a slow process.

So this is me. Trying to change. One baby step at a time.
Wish me luck!

June Update

Whelp. Good news! Two months in a row now! I have forgotten how much PMS can make you feel like a crazy person. Cravings, sore boobs, bloated, fatigue, acne, grouchiness, emotional, the whole nine yards. Yep. It's back. All of it! TWO MONTHS IN A ROW! WITHOUT BIRTH CONTROL!

To be honest, I STILL haven't been taking the Insulite System as consistently as they recommend, in fact last week I think I only took one set of pills for the whole week. I don't know how or why my body has just decided to start functioning normally again but I welcome it! Maybe it just needed the added boost of vitamins and supplements these pills offered. I plan on continuing to take it and to try to be more consistent with it as I am sure it will help me to handle PMS better.

I haven't really been watching my diet very closely at all the past few months either. The sugar intake is definitely a problem. I've got to find a way to get myself to eat much less of it again. I don't know if this is how it is for anyone else, but usually the week before my period I am super snacky and have intense cravings for specific things. Like candy, pizza, ice cream, Chinese, etc. And then like 2 days into my period suddenly the cravings are gone and I want veggies and fresh food again.

One of the annoying things I am dealing with right now is the acne. It comes and goes, but when it comes it is awful. Maybe it is one of those things that has to get worse before it can get better, I am not sure. I hope it gets better!

My husband and I have been trying to be better about getting some exercise a couple days a week together and that has been really nice! We missed last week, but we did help some friends move... if that counts?

That's the update, and I'm feeling pretty good about it! :)

Discombobulated and stuff.

Ok so I have another update. Well, kind of. It's been a crazy last few months for my health and life in general.

I told you last time that I had been waiting for my next shipment of Insulite Labs PCOS system for about 2 months. I finally got it! Both of them. So the good news is I am set for at least the next two months. I hadn't had my period in those two months of waiting (the last time was near the end of February). I have been taking the vitamins inconsistently (between having some sort of intestinal issues) for two weeks. Well, even after not being consistent with them my menstrual cycle just showed up again today! Whether it is a mental thing, the vitamins, or just my body deciding to randomly be normal for a minute I am not sure. But it's a good sign, I think.

I have begun to wonder if I have a slight dairy intolerance and if it ties into PCOS somehow. In the last 2 months I have had some sort of an intestinal flare up where it is tender to touch on the left lower side of my pelvic area. Looking at pictures of anatomy, it seems the spot is in the sigmoid colon where it curves on the bottom. The doctor I went to seemed to think it was either IBS or a UTI but its also a possibility it could have been my ovary. From my own "gut" instinct (haha..) though I felt like it was most definitely in my intestine. Each time it lasts anywhere between 3-4 days with atleast 2 days of super uncomfortable crampy-like pain and then some sharp pains that last a few seconds on occassion.

Here is something interesting though, that I just kind of noticed.
End of February - Menstrual Cycle
March 1 - Intestinal Flare up
End of March - Missed Period
Beginning of April - Intestinal flare up
Mid April - Intestinal flare up is back
End of April - Menstrual Cycle

Hmm. It makes me curious if these two things are somehow connected. I dunno, but I think I will start keeping better track of when these things all happen. Hopefully since I have two months worth of the vitamins I will be able to see more of a pattern.

Anyway. I feel a little like this is all discombobulated and all over the place with information, but it is what it is right now, ha!

*Update on the menstrual cycle: This cycle lasted longer and was heavier than what I have had for the last year or so. It lasted 6 1/2 days this time.

The ever-lasting obstacles.

Well, you know how I was doing so good? Yeaaaaaah... about that.

I have been waiting for my second Insulite Labs order to come in. New management took over and they are apparently changing some things (hopefully for the better!) and so they got way behind on their orders. The cool thing though is that it is Katie Humphrey and her team that is taking over! She was the woman I watched on youtube about overcoming PCOS naturally! If you haven't ever listened to her, I'd recommend it. She is very earl and motivating. 

It's no real excuse for me to slack off which I have but there is an absolute difference being off the vitamins. Sugar and carb cravings have come back full swing, my energy levels have dropped again, and my motivation is lacking. It's so hard to pull yourself back up sometimes and the longer I wait the harder it gets. 

So, I really need to find some motivation! Maybe I need to watch her videos again!? Hopefully my order will be coming in soon too which will help a lot! It already has! 

Something I have started noticing the last week or two is that I have started getting dry itchy patches of skin in random spots. I don't know if this is a symptom of PCOS, the dry winter we've had, or maybe it is an allergic reaction to something. I have a spot in the center of my lower back, a small spot on my wrist, sometimes on my left tricep, and on my rib cage just under my breasts; super random spots! I've had the ones under my breasts (sometimes one or the other) and my back for much longer and it seems to come and go.

So that is where I am at the moment. A little frustrated, fatigued, wanting to get back up, and trying to find the willpower to do so. 

Maintaining

Hello there! Back from the dead - or at least the non-blogging world. But I have a REALLY good excuse! I got married last weekend! Wahoo!! Most amazing, happy, stressful time of my life! And let me tell you, concentrating on what I was eating and doing exercise was not at the top of my to do lists on any day. You know the LGN diet? Yeah... Didn't have time. The good news is, I have learned some things, and I have a long way to go before I can get back to where I was. Good thing y'all will be here for that journey, and to help keep me on track. (Hopefully someone, somewhere, is reading this and will help me feel accountable.....)
Things I have learned about myself:

• If I don't have a goal, nothing will get done. 
• I have to make it a priority to eat right and exercise
• I stress eat. A lot. 
• I feel crappy when I don't eat healthy. Crappy being exhausted, tired, crabby, etc. 
• Once you fall off the bandwagon, it's hard to jump back on. (see an earlier post from Crystal here.)
• I love being married, and I want to be healthier and happier for my new husband!

I don't think anything I learned is something that is quite new, just reminders about who I am, and how I want to do things. So, here are my goals:

• Start eating healthy again.
• Start exercising regularly again.
• Find positive self affirmations that will help me feel better about myself.

Not-health-related-goals:

• Find something nice to do for my husband everyday
• Never speak badly about anyone - including those I love the most. 

So, there we go. I started a new life, and now I have new goals. Here's to achieving them! 

Whoop there it is.

Good news!!

I have been doing Insulite Labs for about a month and a half now (not consistently, but I have been trying hard!) and today I got a surprise. Who would have thought I would EVER be excited about starting my menstrual cycle!? Yup. This is the first one I have had since I stopped birth control back at the end of October! Honestly I had no idea it was coming. The only PMS symptoms that I have even had are being extra tired and acne, and I guess a slight craving for chocolate. Or maybe I have just grown so accustomed to it not coming, I didn't even realize they were PMS symptoms. Either way, YAY!

Besides taking the pills, I have also been getting more exercise and doing a little better with at least eating more veggies! I have noticed that I want protein in the mornings now more than I want carbs. I have eaten a bagel here and there because I still suck at preparing food ahead of time, and I give in because I am starved at work and need to eat. I find myself craving eggs a lot in the mornings, and I never have them.. :( I need to fix that.

*I started this post a couple of days ago and decided to wait to see how the week went. This cycle has lasted 3 days so far and it is light, but I am just so glad it came! We'll have to see if it comes along again next month.

I've noticed I do so much better when I add exercise into the mix of this. I tend to want to eat better, I have more energy, and overall I feel more positive about myself.
Exercise = Good.

So that is the most recent update from me! More details will come later.
For those of you who feel awkward discussing this topic, TOO BAD! ;)

Insulite Labs: Month 1

I have been on the PCOS Insulite Labs system for a little over a month now! So, first off I need to tell you that in the last two weeks I haven't been taking it as consistently as I was.... I know... :( But I am trying harder to remember again and I put reminders on my phone. The main thing is just remembering to take them, especially the ones in between meals. Weekends are also a bit more difficult to remember because I'm not in my normal routine. But here are some things I have experienced throughout this month:

WHEN I am consistent with it, my cravings for carbs and sugar go way down. If I forgot to take them, those cravings came back and it takes a few days of being consistent before the cravings subside again. I am a lover of sweets! But I noticed that if I did have sweets, it tasted a lot sweeter than usual and I didn't want as much as I usually do.

My cravings for carbs have definitely gone down, but I admit I am finding it difficult to take the time to find things to replace them. One thing I have started doing though is using shredded zucchini in place of pasta, and it is actually really good! I think a big help is to plan your meals ahead of time, which I am horrible at. I have plans to start doing that... soon.

In the first few weeks I felt way more exhausted than usual, but once I started forcing myself to the gym I felt more energy. I haven't lost weight yet, but I am not too concerned about that for now. I also haven't had my period yet, but I have noticed some PMS symptoms. Something is going on down there and I will get cramps, back-aches, and moody once in awhile. I am not sure how much all of that ties into my hormonal issues and if it is good or bad at this point! My intuition tells me it is good though! :)

A part of this that I have not dealt with head on yet is my emotional eating. I know that is going to hinder me if I don't try to sort it out. I know that that is a big part of why I reach for comfort foods. I am not sure yet if I am using food to comfort me (because it really doesn't in the long run!) or if I am using it to numb emotions I don't want to feel. I am not even sure how to start conquering this. I have begun to recognize those moments when I think I need something sweet that most of the time there is something bothering me, and it usually happens when I am alone and feeling overwhelmed or frustrated with myself or other people. That is about as far as I have gotten so far.

So there it is! That is my update for month 1! I am looking forward to month 2!

Insulite Labs Week 1

I've been taking the Insulite pills for a week now, and here is what little I have found:

I started to break out a little around my mouth and chin, which are typical spots to break out when your hormones are imbalanced. It wasn't bad, but it was more than normal.

My cravings for carbs has gone down and sugar has gone down a little bit. I still want them but it doesn't feel like a NEEEEED!

I was exhaustively tired all week. I think today was the first day it felt just a tad easier to peel myself out of bed. (Also, I hate mornings. It has always been hard for me to get up, so this is not a huge surprise!) My motivation and energy levels were definitely down though.

It has been easier than I thought to take 18 pills a day. Plus I drink more water! The first two days I read the pills wrong and had only taken half of what I was supposed to, and then yesterday I forgot to take part of them. The main thing is just making it a priority and a habit I think.

I think those were the main things that happened, and I haven't weighed myself yet to see if I have gained or lost any weight, but I am not as worried about that as I am about balancing hormones. There were also other factors that could have played in to create these side effects as well: school started, got less sleep, haven't been exercising like I need to. I admit this last week I was a bit unfocused on my health as other things have started up and have taken precedence over exercise... but now that the first week of school is over I should be able to settle down and get into a better routine again.

Do I feel like it is working? Not really yet, but it has also only been a week! The website says that most people typically start to notice things near the end of the first month, but most of the changes happen between 6-12 months. It also noted that if it has been awhile since your last period, you may experience weight gain and other PMS symptoms at first. Its hard to say within just one week if what is happening is supposed to happen or not! I imagine that since it probably took awhile for the hormones to become unbalanced that it will take awhile to get them back where they need to be. I am not expecting instant results! I'll probably update again at the end of the month, unless something significant happens.

Getting Ready for Month 1 of Insulite Labs

I have talked about Insulite Labs in some of my previous posts and I have said that I wanted to try it. I finally ordered a month's worth to try and see how it goes. It is pretty expensive stuff, but if you were to buy all the vitamins suggested for PCOS you'd probably be spending close to the same amount. It is about $100 a month, and there are 4 different pills that all have different ingredients to help with literally just about everything! From acne, to hair loss to excess hair to insulin resistance to regulating hormones and menstruation. There are 18 pills to take everyday, at various times of the day. That is the part that makes me nervous. I am not a very organized person and I have a feeling it is going to be hard to remember to take them all! I know, it sounds like a lot too. I have never taken that many pills in my life!

If you are anything like me, you want to know exactly what are in all of those pills! All of the information I give to you next is taken directly from the Insulite Labs PCOS website, which you can (and should) also find what each ingredient's function is. I advise you to visit the website because it will go into much more detail.

PolyPlus is formulated to help balance testosterone and estrogen levels to help regulate menstruation and promote healthy skin and hair. Ingredients include Saw Palmetto, Vitex, Stinging Nettle, Flax seed, and Milk thistle extract.

InsulX is designed to help mostly with insulin resistance and to help your cells be more sensitive to insulin, accepting glucose more easily. Ingredients include Vanadyl Sulfate, Chromium, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Magnesium, Zinc, L-Carnitine, Copper, Calcium, Biotin, Manganese, Pancreatic Tissue, Adrenal Tissue, and a Vegetarian Enzyme blend. 

RejuvaPlus will help repair the damage cause to your cells and the interior lining of blood cells cause by having insulin resistance. Ingredients include Vitamin C, CoQ10, Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Quercitin, Bilberry Extract, Grape Seed Extract, Thiamin, Vitamin D, and Cinnamon.

GlucX will help with the absorption of glucose, reducing insulin spikes. Ingredients include Hydrolyzed Guar Gum, Apple Pectin, and Fenugreek. 

If you have done any sort of research on what supplements to take for PCOS, you'll recognize many of the supplements! The program also includes guidelines for nutrition, exercise, and support in order to be successful. One of the things I love about Insulite Labs is they explain very well what is happening inside your body and why it has a hard time absorbing and using glucose, which in turn effects hormones and menstruation. I highly recommend looking into this program further. I haven't actually used the product yet, it should be shipped any day here but I will let you know how my body responds to it. 

Right now I am mostly mentally preparing myself to make small changes. Oh! That reminds me, another thing I found to be awesome about this is that they actually tell you to go easy on yourself. If you completely cut off all carbs and sugars, your body will go into shock and try to hold onto your weight even more. So they recommend a gradual decrease by 5% of carbs each week to give your body time to adjust, and if you slip up for a day or a week to just come back to it. Persistence, not perfection is key! I think that is something I can handle! :)