If I counted all the reasons I wanted to lose weight I’d have to break this post down into chapters. So I’ll stick to my top 5.
#5: I want to really enjoy shopping for clothes again and be able to shop in any store (not just the big girl store.)
#4: I want to feel comfortable (i.e. No more of that pinched, button of your pants feeling hitting you in the crease of your stomach.)
#3: I want to feel sexy again.
#2: I want to be healthy
#1: And mostly, I want a baby.
I know what you’re thinking. “Uh…Shannon, that’s not how it works. You don’t lose weight and get preggers….takes a little more…uh…effort.” I know, I know (sorry, I had to throw in some humor) but let’s be honest. Most people wouldn’t think that losing weight would help them have a baby, but for me, it might.
Here’s where things get personal. And again, to keep this from turning into a novel, I’ll break it down to the Reader’s Digest version. So, basically, I’ve always had regular periods until last year. The hubs and I had been on birth control since we’ve been married, and last March, we decided that we were going to let nature take its course and you know… see what happened. In July I had my last period. When I didn’t have another in August, I thought, “Boy, that was pretty easy! I’m pregnant!” So, I took a test and it was negative. Bummer. Then September came and went, again, with no period. A dozen pregnancy tests later, I finally went to see a doctor in October who put me on Progesterone, which made me menstruate but it doesn’t make you ovulate. Finally, when didn’t have a period in November, I decided to see a fertility doctor. I met with a different doctor & told him I had researched polycystic ovarian syndrome and I thought I might have it. I told him I had gained quite a bit of weight in the last year, I was hairier (eww, I know), suddenly had acne, and I wasn’t having periods (all symptoms of PCOS). So, he took blood samples, ran tests, and said my insulin levels were a teensy bit high. He said I might have PCOS, so he gave me Metformin. Long story short, I’m taking the Metformin to help regulate my insulin levels, which then helps regulate my hormones (which feel totally out of whack). One thing he did say, that I already knew, but it had a deeper impact on me coming from a doctor was to reduce the symptoms of PCOS & to help get my hormones back on track, I would need to lose weight.
So here I am, trying my darndest. I want a baby more than anything in this world, and if losing weight gets me that much closer, I’ll do it. Anytime I feel the urge to order the burger and fries instead of a salad with grilled chicken, I remind myself of what I want most. It’s my #1 reason and a huge motivator. And while I’m hopeful and optimistic, I also know that losing weight might not be all it takes. And that’s okay. But right now, I need motivation and at least after I lose the weight, whether it helps with fertility or not, I won’t look back and think, “What if….”
What are your top 5 reasons?
-Shannon
