I believe my journey started in my late 40’s as weight just started to creep on. But being pretty active, I was able to handle it until…Two of my sons were diagnosed with epilepsy in their late teens. For a self-admitted type A, control-freak personality, this was not a good thing. Anxiety entered my life with a vengeance. I became afraid of everything; the next doctors apt, the next test result, going out of my house, even getting out of bed. I did my best to hide it and push on like I was in control.
One day I lost it while sitting on the table at my ob/gyn I burst out in tears and told this poor man everything. He said it was hormonal and put me on estrogen. At this point, I had lost 50 pounds ( I had stopped eating), and it was totally unhealthy, but I have to admit I liked being able to look in the mirror and not see all the extra weight. I entered into counseling with my pastor and was able to see the light of getting back on track. Things started to improve, and I moved to Texas to finish my degree. But every doctor I saw increased my estrogen levels, and it seemed like every week another pound was on.
At 5’6 I was nearing 200 pounds and not a bit happy. When I tell you I have tried everything, I mean it. Well, except diet pills, that is my line in the sand. When I got settled in Texas, I found an amazing OB/GYN. At my first appointment, she looked and my chart and gasped as I told her my whole story. Her first comment was, “you are on way too much estrogen “she took me off it all and started me on Imvexxy. We talked about weight loss and what I could do. She mentioned intermitting fasting and recommended a book.
Then one night, when I could not sleep, I was flipping through things about diet and menopause, and a YouTube video promo for the Galveston diet popped up on my screen. I swear I heard angels singing. The things that were described explained exactly what I was going through! I signed up and saw the results. I started walking, and my son, who is finishing his degree as an Athletic Trainer, started me on a program using weights and talked to me about the importance of maintaining muscle mass as I aged.
I started to lose weight, which don’t get me wrong was important. But another thing happened that was more important. When the anxiety was at its worst, I had issues with brain fog. I had a hard time seeing situations clearly and remembering things. When I started the intermitted fasting that cleared up, I would find myself in a position that previously would have put me in an anxious place. Now I can think clearly and react in a normal way.
I am just shy of ten pounds down and honestly just really excited the scale has stopped climbing. But my goal is to lose fifty pounds healthily. I really can’t thank you enough for the work you have done for women’s health. I would say I feel like my old self again, but that would be a lie. I feel so much better. My health, both physically and mentally, is so much better than they were.
This December, I will walk across the stage and accept my Master’s of Biblical Counseling. To say this program has been a Godsend for me would be an understatement. Thank you so much for your pioneering work and your commitment to women like me. This program is life-changing.
