Metabolic what???
Dang… so…. Where to begin? It’s been a minute, I know..
February has been a crazy month of action. From posting and writing to photos and hikes, plumbing issues, household routines changed, working and talks of home-schooling ( …..? WHAT ?! yes… ) So as we all know, stress eating was a thing. There was so much food… it wasn’t even super good food it was just, ya-know, “food”…..
March has me rethinking my game plan off the bat, narrowing down on what the root things are I want to focus on to “kill” this year. Being back in the salon and needing to know the business, not just the creativity is soooo important. That long, ten-year plan, is in the back ground talking real loud right now too. Both are definitely top 3, but not number 1 …
Seeing how this this is titled “Metabolic What” we are going to focus on that…. sort of lol
In general everything I do to put the ten-year plan into action will compound onto each other. Starting with the basics is essential; So, I have to get my health in alignment with the life I want to lead.
I’m going to be 38 in less than 6 months, my breasts sag, my chin has random ass hairs that pop out, my belly makes it so that my hips are always out of alignment, I can’t get a good nights sleep due to neck & shoulder pain and numb hands… omg the numb hands …. WTF ????
NO, For real, What the LITTERAL F-MAN? If this is 38 then what am I setting myself up for at 40? 50? 60? Am I going to make it to 70? Whoa Bro…
The truth is I have struggled with my weight my whole life. As a kid I was rollie pollie, as a teen I had no curves large breast and thick thighs. As an early adult, the weight started packing on in my belly area only, stress they said, run more, lift weights, cut carbs. Then I had a baby…. Depression and stress and anxiety and fear, a new career and schooling and family illnesses. The weight kept coming. I leveled out eventually, at an unhealthy weight of 198, pre-diabetic, hormones completely out of whack, in counseling and my therapist was ready to have me put on bi-polar meds.
(side note - I am not a “Big Pharm” fan…. at ALL)
I insisted on an alternative, I scheduled an appointment with an endocrinologist. The Doc was great, confirmed that my Testosterone levels were elevated to that seen in a teenage boy, I was advised to get my weight and eating habits in order as I was on my way to being diabetic and an option for a medication that would have long term lasting effects on my body’s ability to manage and process glucose. After a bit of discussion I given a referral to a local clinic that specialized in the “Keto” approach to weight loss and management and we would retest my levels in 6 months. At 6 months, if the hormones had not steadied out then I would be more open to discussing the medication ….
6 months in I was down 20 lbs, missing fruit and cheese but hormone levels had begun to level out…. My brain had not yet recognized that I had lost weight or the system that they were utilizing and “teaching” me, I was not self sufficient…
9 months in I was down 35 lbs, feeling great, sassy with all the new clothes and cute pictures and the Doc had good news, all of my hormones were where they should be and my mood was happy and manageable. But I still was not learning what I was being taught only consuming what they told me I could….
And 18 months I was down 50 lbs and afraid. Afraid to eat anything, afraid of the money I had wasted the last 18 months not learning a damn thing, afraid to stop spending the money, acutely aware that I had, some where along the way, switched my eating disorder from over eating and eating junk foods to starve and binge, afraid to eat anything because I wouldn’t be fat ever again….
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.. nope…
I did eventually settle at a comfortable and healthy 170 for about 2 years and then Covid shut the world down right as I was taking a new position. The stress of my family’s dynamics changing not just because of the job, but the state of the world (something I had no control over… ) started to pack the weight back on. I was blessed to be employed the whole time of the full economic shut down in my home state, but it took a toll, not just on my health but that of my son and husband suffered as well. 2 years later I am home with my family, working in the salon, and building an amazing life and future, and I am back to 198…. This time is different though, not only do I have the time and energy to devote to learning more on this, but I have the toolset from my time on Keto that I can reference back to and know, what actually works for my body and what doesn’t. This time its not just about me being over weight, this time it is about the long term health of our family as a whole. The future doesn’t hold any value if we are to unhealthy to enjoy it. I want to enjoy it with my family, not alone. Don’t you ?
OYE… Long story short… right now am learning about our natural metabolic rates and how the foods we eat directly impact the hormones in our body which effect the way our body process and stores energy. Right now I am reducing my intake of carbs & sugars, right now I am increasing my vitamins and minerals and fruits and vegetables and mushrooms (yepp those too) and most importantly increasing my movement again - walking everyday and exercising 2 - 3 times a week. This might not seem like much to you, but for some reason the constancy that comes with this has always been the hardest for me to self maintain so for right now this has to be the most basic of places to start…
I’ll circle back to this journey pretty often I think, with recipes we are trying, old and new forms of movement, self love and hard truths. Like I said this isn’t a short term “consumer” fix to my healthy; this is a long term solution that will directly impact the life I am living and how I want to live my life in the future.
As I promised by grace or by grit, I am here to share all of the details of my journey and hopefully inspire others to build the life they have always dreamt of. ♡
-Billi Rae
