Begin YOUR Battle Today

You would never believe it to look at me now, but just over two years ago, I was running seven, eight, or nine miles almost everyday without stopping to breathe. I was in the best shape of my life.  Now I am back where I started, and I am so angry at myself. However, there is nothing I can do - except start from the bottom and work my way back up. One.step.at.a.time.

I worked out today. I did Total Cardio Fix from 21 Day Fix, and then I pushed pause before the cool down, jumped on my treadmill and ran for half an hour. It takes me longer to run two miles now, than I was running a 5k two years ago. I have to slow my treadmill every so often and walk so I can catch up on my breathing. But that is okay, because this morning I beat my natural man. The natural man that tells me I need to eat all the candy in the house in one day. The natural man that tells me I am sad, so I need to make millions of pies. The natural man that tells me I'm not good enough to be healthy.

But I am. Because today, this morning, this workout, I WON. I am fighting more than just my inner devils. I have PCOS, I have bad asthma, I have a bad knee and shoulder, I commute an hour and 15 minutes everyday, I work full-time. I have a major sweet tooth. And I am better than my excuses. I am stronger because of them. It helps to know that I have done it before. I have been in the place I am reaching for. I know it exists. I want YOU to know that it exists. That place is there for you, too. If you have to lower yourself further into your hips and bend your knees a little more, and lean forward just to run for one more minute, DO IT. If you need to slow the speed down a bit, DO IT. But KEEP PUSHING. Don't think about tomorrow, don't think about next week. It's in this moment, this day, this meal. Wake up, put your favorite exercise clothes on, tie your shoes and DO IT. I know it's hard- oh, do I ever. Some mornings I want to cry because I can't breathe. Sometimes I cough the rest of the day because of my workout. It is HARD. But I am doing it. And I know you can, too.

The thing that has helped me the most has been the accountability groups that we as Beachbody Coaches do on Facebook. Everyday I push myself because I know that I have to own up to what I've done. Good or bad. If you are ready to start your fight, but can't do it alone, contact me. I am willing to put you in my own group, whatever you are doing to be healthy, so you can have the help and support you need.

I have an old MP3 player that I used when I was training for my half marathon. It has all of these amazing songs on it, hand picked by me, that are designed to keep one foot moving in front of the other. I was listening to those today while I ran, and one song struck me. It helped me keep moving, and gave me hope for the future. I am not who I see in the mirror, I am someone better, and tomorrow, I will be someone stronger. Because today, I won.

You can do this.

I Have an ANNOUNCEMENT!!

No, not THAT kind of announcement!

So, over the past little while that I have been doing 21 Day Fix, I have noticed a huge change. I have a lot more energy, I feel A LOT better about myself and what I am doing. My husband and I have had a lot of conversations about 21 Day Fix, shakeology, and the cost of everything. Yes, it would be a lot cheaper to just go outside and run. It's free. However, I haven't been going outside to run, and no matter how awful I felt, I wouldn't ever. It's hard to run in a public place and feel like people are staring at me. So, working out at home has been an amazing thing. My husband told me that if it was something that I would do, and if it made me feel better and happy, he'd be willing to let me keep it up. So, I have, and have decided to take it one step further! This week I signed up as a Beachbody Coach! I don't want to be that salesperson on Facebook, this is something that I have done for me. However, if anyone else wants to learn a little bit about what I have learned,  I would definitely be willing to share.

One of the biggest reasons I love the Beachbody program is the accountability. The groups I have been in have helped me a lot as well. I wasn't/am not the best at posting about what I am doing, however, when I see the notification on my phone, I remember that I need to work out. So, here is your chance. Let me know if you are interested in starting a group to get healthier!

I Bought a Treadmill

So, a few years ago, when I returned from serving my LDS mission in Tennessee, I was overweight. About where I am now, again. My weight loss journey started with not eating any sugar, then I tried the Medifast diet for a few weeks, and then I started running every single day. Once, I was even training for a half marathon. It feels like I am a completely different person, in a completely different time, although it was only two years ago. I have always had a love/hate relationship with running. I remember the first time thatI had to run a mile at school. I was in 6th grade, and afterwards, my friend and I started to write our wills. Since then, I have discovered that I have asthma, and when I run, I feel like I am breathing through a straw, so to be able to run even a mile without stopping to walk is a ginormous feat. Now, it feels like my best friend.

Yesterday, as I was wasting time on Facebook, I saw that there was a treadmill for sale on our community yard sale page. I had to go to class, but I sent my husband to get it that evening, and now it's sitting in my bedroom. Staring at me. I haven't really ran since we got married - it's a million degrees outside, and the treadmills they have at the high school to run on are broken. So, this was an amazing gift for me. I am excited to put some miles on it!

I love the journey that I am on. I recently just finished a job working as a education assistant at a juvenile detention facility. I heard "This is too hard!" often. I would tell the students that I didn't care if they learned math, science, or even learned how to diagram a sentence, if they could learn that they are capable of doing hard (good) things,  they would be successful. I need to apply my own advice. Weight loss is not easy. Waking up every morning and making the decisions to eat healthy and exercise can be extremely hard. But I can do hard things. YOU can do hard things! Because it makes you stronger, physically and mentally.

We got this.

Getting Over "Being Fat"

I had a thought yesterday - what if I never loose the weight? Can I be happy with myself?  Part of having PCOS, for me, makes it extremely impossible difficult to loose weight. I had a conversation with my husband about how I am seriously addicted to food. I grew up in a very large family (18 kids), and although we never went to bed starving, there were few times that we had, what I call, "good food". I got my fair share of corn flakes and powdered milk. I still, to this very day, refuse to drink powdered milk. Whenever something good would come into our home - marshmallow cereal for example, it would be gone that very day. We could not share it with anyone else, we had to have as much of it as we could. I would probably call myself a food hoarder now. I just love having "good" food around. And that doesn't always mean that it is good-healthy food, either. I have a hard time eating no sugar, or passing up a white roll. And it is especially hard when I don't see any results, even after weeks of exercise and trying to eat healthy. I get discouraged and give up. I try and keep in the back of my mind, however, that I have done this once. I can do it again. Right?

I need help. I need accountability. I need YOU to share any ideas, hope, advice, or love that can help me get through this. Even if it's telling me to quit body shaming myself, to stop feeling so embarrassed whenever I go out in public. I feel like I can do anything if I put my mind to it, usually, but this time, I really have doubts. Can you help me?

Getting Back Up

Okay, so here is part two of my posting today.

I decided to go through my Insulite Labs booklet they gave me from when I first started the system and reminded myself about some of the simple things I can do to get started again.

I am glad I did because there were things in it that I had forgotten. In it, it talks a lot about insulin resistance and why it is so hard to lose weight and so easy to gain. Basically if you have insulin resistance, your cells don't have enough insulin receptors to properly utilize glucose. So the glucose is essentially floating around and getting stored as extra body fat. Add a high carbohydrate/sugar diet that most of us probably have, means more and more is being stored. It also talks about how our brains are really sensitive to food stimuli and that eating can easily become something we do to dull pain and to create comfort (releasing serotonin) which creates a circuit in your brain to repeat the same action again and again that can lead to not only a habit but also an addiction thereby increasing the problem of weight gain and insulin resistance. Hopefully you got that in, that was a long sentence.

So this is where nutrition and supplements come in and why they came up with their formula to help alleviate the symptoms of PCOS and insulin resistance and to change patterns of behavior slowly to prevent a really bad rebound. (Like what I did.. haha) The pills will help your body get the nutrients it has been lacking to repair the dis-functioning cells and to get back in the healthy egg making business. I love that this is what the company stands for. Using vitamins and nutrients instead of synthetic weird substances that do the work so the body doesn't have to. But I don't need to get into that. :)

Then it goes on to explain good food sources for PCOS, and basically it is high quality protein, low carb, lots of green veggies, and good fats. I'll post about that here. Then to add in exercise, and doing things that create a sense of belonging and service to others to combat the addiction part.

You guys, after reading through it I could practically feel my body screaming for that kind of food and lifestyle. The other thing that I just want to say as the final word in this post is that these changes will not come easy. I am not going to quit sugar or carbs cold turkey. But I do need to gradually eat less and less of them until it is under control. One of the things it suggested is to look at you plate for what you eat now and then gradually replace the carbs with more veggies, like this:

Seems so much more simple when you look at it like that right!? I thought so. 

So, today I feel motivated to get on some sort of track. Maybe not a path of perfection, but a path of slow easy does it kind of path. I am just gonna try to put more green veggies on my plate. :)

Read about what foods the Insulite Labs recommends here.

Help, I've fallen!

Oh hey guys... Is anyone still here?

Well I wouldn't blame you if you weren't. I haven't exactly been on top of maintaining this or my health as of late. I am going to give you first a rundown update. I am usually one who really tries to stay positive, or at least look positive, even or most especially when I am feeling negative. But I feel like I need to be real and honest.

I just can not seem to pull myself together to stay on track. it is basically the story of my life. See, I have this tendency to make plans, have it all laid out, I'll even do some prep work, and maybe do real good for a few days and then WHABAM! 9 months fly by and I am sitting here eating pizza being lazy and unproductive. Granted, I did take on a full time job and am still in school part time, so I am busy. The truth is, when I am not busy and have a few moments to myself, the last thing I want to do is go have a workout or do some meal prep or planning. Everything is on the go, what is convenient, and what feels good after a long stressful day. I haven't taken my Insulite labs pills, they are sitting in my cupboard begging my ovaries to give them another chance. I hadn't had my period in probably about 5 months and just had it about a month ago. I think I've gained about 10-15 more pounds, I feel more stressed about life and work, I am tired, I criticize myself too much, and I have not done very much at all in the way of doing better. I am not doing good folks, not doing good at all.

On top of it, I am disappointed in myself for not sticking to it, for not being persistent, and for not getting back on track quicker than 9 months later. The thing that makes me crazy is that I KNOW what to do. I KNOW the nutritional science behind what is happening. I KNOW what I am doing is not helping. I KNOW the benefits of exercise and eating right. I KNOW if I just did it, that it would work. I am not sure why I hold myself back. Its almost like something in me does not want to go forward. I don't think I am afraid of success, but I do think I am afraid of the extra responsibilities and afraid of the pain or unknown changes that I'll have to deal with. I am way too uncomfortably comfortable where I am. I like pizza and cheese and ice cream. I like sitting on the couch and being mindless for a few hours. But I also hate it.

Whew. So there you have it. One more experience of failing and letting myself down.

But it is not the end. I still have some fight in me. There is still hope. The thing is, I can't do it on my own. I could really use some support, your support, whoever is still reading this. In a demanding sort of way, I need you to consistently tell me I can do it and give me praises when I have little victories. I feel like on the inside of me, I should be able to do it on my own. Show myself I've got power and discipline and that there is no backing down or no excuse that is valid enough to make me quit. Someday I might be able to get there, but right now I need you.

Lead into next post ---> Getting Back up

Starting Over

I have been kicking myself for the last year. I have known better, and still I have let myself gain weight. I can make excuses - I have a sit down job, I commute almost 2 hours every day, I am in graduate school and have to keep myself awake in my late classes somehow, and it's hard to fit exercise in. I ended up purchasing the 21 day Fix program, and I did really great for the first week and a few days. Then my drive failed, and life got busy, and I kept finding excuses to put it off. No matter how determined I feel, it gets hard. When the scale doesn't budge, or there are cupcakes on my counter. When squeezing in a work out takes more effort than actually doing the workout, it gets hard. I continually need to recommit myself, over and over. I continually need to remember that I have done this before. I remember how hard it was, but I also remember how great it was when I achieved success in weight loss. I can do this again. You can do this. Can we do it together?

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! :) 

It is the Little Things!

Well guys, I hate to admit it but the last month has been a bit crazy and I just thought I'd give you an update so far:

I took Tri-Sprintec for one month, had my period like normal with no other negative symptoms. The only difference I could see is that I did feel like my hormones may have leveled because I was not like an emotional rollercoaster. But I decided to not take it anymore.. like I have said before I wanted to try to go a more natural way. I didn't want synthetic hormones doing the work for my body. I want my body to learn how to use them on it's own! So this past month I have been birth control free. My emotions are back. All of them! My period is late, which I guess I had to expect. (Although, I was crossing my fingers it would be normal!) I know one month is hardly any time at all to see results, but for some reason I am just completely turned off by birth control. It just doesn't feel right for me, so I am listening to myself in hopes I am right.

I also took D-chiro-inositol (DCI) and Vitex while taking birth control. I am fairly certain that DCI helped a lot with bloating. I didn't feel bloated hardly ever. Before, anything I ate made me feel five pounds heavier and it was awful.  I am not sure about the Vitex yet, but I read that it is supposed to help with fertility and may increase the risk of pregnancy even while on birth control (which is not necessarily a risk for me, but I'm not quite ready for kids yet :)), so I quit taking it while I finished my birth control and now I am back on it. I have to order more DCI, so I haven't been taking it faithfully the last few weeks.

So here's the other thing: I have started to be more active, going to the gym and trying to be up and moving more so I have made some progress there but there is definitely much further to go! I've had my hit and miss days, but I KNOW I feel so much better when I get a workout in.

Then there is the diet*. Guys. This is the hard part for me. Why do I love food so much? Sigh... I have definitely consumed less carbs, and so that I think has helped with the bloating. I've noticed that when I have too many, I feel gross! So I do know it has an impact on me. Sugar.... not so much. I have a major sweet tooth. Major!

It sounds silly, but food has always been a huge part of my life. I love food, and I want it to be yummy food. I love veggies. I love fruit. But I also love cake, and pizza, and rolls... I know food is for nourishment, not entertainment or for self-gratification but that is what it has been in the past for me and I am finding it extremely difficult to change! I don't mean to say any of that as a pity party, and even I know I have the willpower to change. I am just going through the battle in my mind. Is it better to completely cut things off or is it better to allow yourself an indulgence once in awhile?

Anyway, so that is the update on how things have been so far! I am grateful for the little progress I have seen, which really isn't much, but it's there and I have to notice them to keep me positive! :)

*Sidenote: When I say "diet" I mean my day to day food intake. I hate using the term I am on a "diet" because it makes it sound temporary. I am not in this temporarily! I think that is why it is hard for me to say I will never have cake or pizza again, because I KNOW I will! :)

Dam the Wagon!

"I've fallen off the wagon."

Ever heard this phrase? Ever use this phrase? Don't you sometimes want to push the wagon off cliff (after you have fallen out of course!) so that you CAN'T fall off anymore?

Well I am here to suggest that you STOP (thus the dam) and don't get on the wagon in the first place. Here is what I mean by that: usually when we say we are going to lose weight and change ourselves, we are only really thinking short-term. We go on a hard core strict diet that we simply cannot follow for very long and wind up on our backs. In the dirt. With chocolate all over our face.

If we really want to change, it can't be temporary. Often change is a slow process that makes us feel like ripping our hair out because it is taking so dang long. We want results NOW! We want to lose that extra 20 pounds yesterday, and in that process we can be pretty darn mean and harsh to our bodies.

This is what I want to emphasize right now: BE NICE to yourself! Go at your own pace. Make small changes. Push yourself but don't expect yourself to do everything all at once and expect your body (but probably mostly your mind!) to be able to handle it overnight. I am a pretty high strung person, and I will tell you that I have this strong urge to change everything. Go big or go home. All in! But I have also seen myself fall flat on my face too many times, and I know this strategy is only going to frustrate me more.

So, if you want that yummy piece of chocolate, then have it! But instead of having 2 or the whole bag, just really enjoy that one piece, put the bag back and walk away, or even better go for a walk to get your mind somewhere else!

If you tell yourself "I can never have chocolate or pizza or ice cream or hamburgers or bread or cake or white rice ever again!," then what are you going to find yourself wanting more than all the veggies combined? Those foods. Now you might have to let them disappear out of your mind for a little while at first to get the junk and toxins out of your body, but if you are a lover of bread you are going to want it eventually. In my own opinion, I think it is better to work your favorite foods in while eating healthy the rest of the time. Now, there may actually come a day when you realize you don't want those foods because you will be able to see the effect they have on your body and you just don't want them anymore. I've heard of that happening, and if it does embrace it!

If you do go way overboard, I read this suggestion from somewhere (sorry I can't remember the source):
    -Drink lots of water first thing in the morning. The water will help flush the bad stuff out.
    -Eat mostly veggies and lean protein the whole day and try to leave out fats.
    -Make sure to exercise and maybe work out a little harder or a little longer

Don't overdo it, and don't do it as a way to punish your body. It isn't about punishing, it is about providing the extra care your body needs.

BE NICE!

Instant Gratification

We live in such a fast paced world, where information, fun, and anything else we want, is right at our finger tips. If I have to wait ten minutes for a response to a text, I start getting antsy and impatient. Sometimes waiting for a TV episode to go up on Hulu the next day is way too long to wait. I hate to wait for anything. And I think that's the general consensus everywhere.

The thing about being healthy and loosing weight is that it takes time. Sometimes a lot of time. And it's a slow, painful process, with little to show for it. So, what's the point? If it took this much energy to send or receive a text, we'd never text again! So, what makes it worth it? You do. You make it worth it, because YOU are worth it.

I have come to the realization that anything worth while in life takes time and a whole lot of effort. School. Do you know how long it takes to earn three college credits? How much work is involved? Let's not talk about earning an entire college degree. How about relationships? Do you fall in love over night? Can you build something that will last in an hour conversation? And as much as I wish that snapping my fingers like Mary Poppins would clean my house, or do my laundry, it's not going to happen. So, why should loosing weight and becoming healthy be any different? Sure, I guess you could go get lipo-suctioning, but what has changed? You will still eat the same, and have the same habits, so all that weight will probably just come back.

There is this movie called What About Bob. It's hilarious and far-fetched, but it teaches one good thing - baby steps. You have to start small, and build on that. Know that it's going to take time and effort, but that it's going to be worth it. You can get that degree, build strong, long-lasting relationships, clean your entire house, and get healthy! One day you will be able to say, I did it. And that's the best feeling in the entire world.

16 Things I've Learned

Ok, so I have talked about Katie Humphrey in every blog I have written so far. She has a video series on youtube called "90 Days to Freedom" that I have been listening to and the information and support and advice she gives is so inspiring to me. I watched all 90 videos within just 3 weeks, and I plan on listening to them over again because I want to get that information down!

So, I just wanted to briefly share some things I have learned through her videos.

1. Don't play the victim. It won't get you anywhere, and you'll wind up with a negative mindset.
2. Don't blame others or even yourself for having PCOS.
3. Don't limit yourself on what you want because of what other people say (or what you say to yourself!).
4. Be patient. The best changes that can transform your life happen slowly.
5. Exercise and do active things you enjoy. It doesn't mean you have to hit the gym hours a day!

6. There are natural supplements you can take to help your body function properly.

7. Don't make all the changes all at once. Small things will add up!

8. Focus on what you want rather than what you don't want or "can't have" because what you think about most is what you will get. (This applies to diet and everything else in your life)

9. When you mess up, forgive yourself and move on.

10. Eat foods in their most natural state.

11. Be very specific about what you want and visualize yourself already having it.

12. Do your research and do what you feel is best for YOU.

13. Be grateful for your body and the fact it has carried you through so many years and treat it kindly.

14. Find and give thanks for every good thing in your life.

15. Listen to your body, it knows what it needs.

16. Never give up no matter how discouraged or disheartened you feel. If something is telling you to keep going, there is a reason and you WILL make it.

I know some of these things seem like they have nothing to do with PCOS but I think they have everything to do with it. Our body is in one piece, and everything works together for your good. So that means your health effects your emotions and your emotions effect your spirituality and your spirituality effects your confidence and so on and so forth. 

It is one thing to learn and listen to all of these things but in order for things to happen, I have to implement them into my life. I am so glad I found her videos and I strongly recommend you watch them, just to hear her experiences and knowledge if nothing else. 

Here is a link to her video series on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL737AFB4D92BED3D9