After 40, My Health and Happiness Took a Nosedive...
In the blink of an eye, my once thin & fit body started to attract pounds and "cushion" in all the wrong spots. It felt like my youthful, fast metabolism had braked to a screeching HALT. My overall health was plummeting—and so was my energy every day. So, I went to bed earlier, hoping I wouldn't have to drag myself through the next day. Some nights I slept for 12 HOURS, but I still felt tired!
Even with this, I still didn't understand how HORRIBLE my health had become. UNTIL... our 20th anniversary arrived. My husband had surprised me with a fancy trip to a Hawaiian resort.
On our first night, I went into the bathroom to freshen up, and there I saw it... A shiny digital scale. (Our old one died at home and we never replaced it.) Nervously, I stepped on it... just curious to see the number. 203?! No way! It had to be wrong. I peeked again. Uggh. That glowing, red number almost took me out at the knees. I glanced in the bathroom mirror, ashamed of the person staring back. I looked really tired, bloated, and... well... "chunky".
What happened to me? How did I let myself get like this? I obsessed over my "scale episode" the rest of our trip. And on the final night, as I slid into bed, I made a decision.
First thing I did when I got home was start swimming (it was my high school sport). But I found out quickly that even in water, my body couldn't handle all the weight I had gained. Then, I tried eating salads and cutting out sugar. It worked a little at first, but I was always hungry, so I ate snacks and lost my progress. I even tried some strange home remedies a lady at my health food store guaranteed would work. Like mixing beet juice, honey, oranges, strawberries, and more. (Spoiler: She was wrong.) While still trying "natural home remedies," I also used body wraps and put ginger slices in my socks. (I'm a bit embarrassed to say I slept with ginger in my socks...)
Next, I tried a low-carb diet. There were some great meals, but I missed eating pasta a lot. Then I tried calorie counting, went gluten-free, and even became a vegetarian for a whole month. BUT, my weight didn't change! I wondered, "Is something wrong with me on the inside?" So, I made an appointment with my doctor to get checked.
