Wellness Journey: Part 1

I've been on a health and wellness journey. A journey to take better care of myself, whom I have neglected for years. In general, my metabolism began slowing (I am nearly 38), my energy slowing, my mood increasingly more negative, my joints aching and feeling more pain than I realized and growing heavier each year. Something needed to change. This is the backstory. Part I. I don't know how many parts there will be yet....but it's a journey....so probably ongoing. I am recording this for my own records. And in hopes it may help someone else in the process.

In 2013 while I was greatly pregnant with Colin when I fell flat on my butt going down the stairs. Luckily, Colin was fine. I didn't think there was any major damage done until a short time later my right thigh went numb. I went to physical therapy but was confronted with no relief. So I decided to wait until after Colin was born, thinking he was sitting on a nerve and it would be relieved. Well, fast forward 3 years. My leg was still numb. 

The day I found out I was officially licensed!

2015 was an intense year.  My friend Jessica and I also actively began training for a half-marathon.  Early in the year I studied and prepared to become a licensed real estate agent. I became officially licensed that June and began work. We installed our lawn and other yard projects. Tyler toured with Motab that summer. Then we decided to move to Colorado for Tyler's job and to be closer to family. We listed our home in August. After about 2.5 months on the market it did not sell so we took it off and decided to try again in the Spring. The combined stress got to me and the migraines began. I began stress eating. I quickly put on 20 pounds by the end of the year.

Half-marathon 2015. Weight: 205ish pounds

Then in 2016 I started getting frequent migraines. About once a week to three times a week. Some were debilitating to the point that I had to shut myself up in my bedroom in the dark. I was constantly self-medicating with magnesium supplements (recommended by family Dr), Advil or the $1 Dr Pepper from McDonald's, just to ease the pain a bit. But then a miracle happened. A friend of mine, Sheila N, told me about her son's migraines and the chiropractor she discovered to help him. I had tried chiropractors in the area to no help. Because this one came highly recommended, I was willing to try it. I was unwilling to turn to medications, the earring that suppresses the pain, or a migraine specialist at that point. Fortunately, this place was covered by my insurance. Willow Creek Chiropractic. I met with them and received X-rays and a consultation. I discovered my spine was a little crooked, my hips turned out too far and uneven (one was taller than the other) and my neck was too straight. These were mostly likely caused by the fall on the stairs (explains the hip and pinched nerve in leg) and other injuries (slipping on ice). To remedy this I frequented the clinic three times a week for 3 months. Finally, I was migraine free. Then, as I progressed, I went less often. Until finally, about mid-way through 2017, my leg had returned to normal as well. The pinched nerves, probably diet and stress, were the culprits. Dr Marler literally changed my life.

By the time 2017 rolled around I was the heaviest and unhealthiest I had ever been in my life, 3 years postpartum. Although I exercised regularly and counted calories, though never consistently, nothing seemed to work to relieve body aches (though no more migraines!), fatigue, grumpiness and weight gain. 

Then a breakthrough. Autumn 2017 A friend, Julie S, created a Facebook group, a weight-loss challenge. It was an 8-week program with strict, point based rules. (daily tracking of food, at least 64 oz of water, checking in daily, 5 servings of fruits/veggies, no eating after 9 pm, only two treats per week and exercise 5x/week). Although I did not win, I lost 11 pounds! I finally had hope that I could indeed lose weight. And the realization that diet was an integral part in that. A hard pill to swallow. It was true progress. Not only did I like that the scale had moved down but more importantly, I felt less pain and more energy. It began to change my outlook and prepared me for the next phase.