How it all began...

Hello and welcome to my first post! I should have posted something a lot sooner, but I try to everyone up!!!

As with many people, I have tried for YEARS to lose weight and like many of them, I did not succeed. I was doing okay and enjoying life, then a year ago everything changed. I was trying to work full time and go back to school at night for to obtain several degrees in Web Design. I didn't have any problems until I decided to take seven classes at once (yes, I have already been told I am crazy). I passed with straight A's, but there was a price. I was burned out and things got worse when I went to the doctor. He told me my cholesterol levels and my blood pressure were both too high and my sugar levels were going up. I also started having chest pains. Given obesity, diabetes and heart attacks run in my family, I have decided it is time to change.

In October of 2006 I started NutriSystem and thought I had began my new life. I didn't want to hide anymore. I wanted to get out and have a healthy and fun life. Plus, I want to get off those damn meds. Don't we all? I lost 11 pounds in my first month on NutriSystem, but I wasn’t doing it right. I only did it on certain days and then cheated on others. Then in December, I started having heart palpitations. I was put on more medications and sent to a Cardiologist. I used this and the holidays as an excuse to go off the system. The Cardiologist conducted several tests and told me I would be okay. He thought told me the palpitations were probably from the stress in my life. Once I resolved what was stressing me, the pain went away. It is amazing how our bodies react to different situations. However, the bad news is when I weighed myself on December 29, 2006, I was shocked. I was now up to 316 pounds, the heaviest I have ever been in my life. I was so angry at myself and went on the NutriSystem full time.

Life seemed great and I was doing well on NutriSystem and losing weight. During the first week of being on only NutriSystem full time, I started having stomach pains, but I blew it off because I figured it was just the IBS acting up. I should have known something was not right because my stomach is very sensitive to the point I can’t even take vitamins without throwing them up. The pain got worse and I was off work for almost a week. The doctor told me I had severe gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), go figure. I was told that something in NutriSystem (the preservatives or additives) was resulting in me having a food allergy. My doctor told me to go off the diet. I was so bummed. My only goal right now was to get below 300 pounds and I was so close. On January 27, 2007 my weight was 302.5 pounds, which meant I had actually lost 13.5 pounds in a month. I was very happy. However, in February of 2007 I did as my doctor instructed and went off the system.

In March of 2007 I began a new diet eating about the same quantity as I was allowed on NutriSystem. I thought I was doing good until I began feeling week and losing energy. My doctor told me I was depressed and still burned out. He put me on some anti-depressants (like I wanted more meds) to help me. He ran some tests and discovered my testosterone levels were low, which also explained my lack of energy. He instructed me to start using a gel to help raise my levels, but there was a price to pay. Once I started using the gel, chances are I would never be able to have kids because of what it does to my system. I did as instructed and life seemed to be getting better.

I don't want to make this blog entry too long, so I am going to end this one here. I hope you read on because, what happens help lead me done the right path because God showed me just how strong I can be.