All about me

I have been hesitant about writing this story about me and my problems, because there are a lot of other things to worry about in life.  These picture of me are when I was nearly 8 months pregnant with Mckinley. I felt great while I was pregnant with all the kids, I had very little net weight gain with any of them. I lost a lot of weight the first 12 weeks and usually ended up weighing the same as when I started. I was not a person who ate completely healthy while pregnant either!
After the kids were born, I started gaining more and more weight. I could not get any of it off no matter how I ate or exercised. I tried many different ways of eating, and fitness programs. Finally this year after my mom had a ton of success seeing a hormone Dr in Utah, and I had a surgery to help some of my PCOS symptoms, I decided that it couldn't hurt for me to try that route too.
I found one in Sammamish that I loved the first time I saw her. She really took the time to listen to me as I poured out my whole health history. She decided to try me on a clearing/detox diet with some hormones added in. It has been wonderful! She did food allergy testing on me and the lab discovered 28 foods that my body reacts too, 13 very badly! It isn't a fun thing to give up on all my favorite foods, but I love the results that I am seeing everyday.
When Andy and I went to Europe in 2005 and 2007 I contracted a weird parasite, my doctor at the time treated my with anti-biotics, pro-biotics, and a combination of some strong herbal pills. We killed the parasite but it is clear now that some damage was done to my gut because of it. More tests are being done now, and I should have all the results in about 3 weeks, but this may be my new lifestyle. I can adjust!
I am so thankful for the medical technology that we have now and for the encouragement from Andy and my family to find out why I couldn't get healthy. So far, in just 42 days, I have lost nearly 25lbs of fat and gained a few pounds of muscle. My earaches and headaches have completely disappeared along with my fatigue and brain fog! I don't need naps any more and love all the fun workouts I am able to complete!

I never want to look like this in Hawaii again!