This is going to be difficult for me

On Monday, I had a follow-up doctors appointment that I was NOT looking forward to. When I saw my doctor in January, he told me to lose weight. I lost 9 pounds, started yoga, and was feeling pretty good about myself.

Then, work started getting stressful. I was trying so hard to deal with it cheerfully and just keep on keeping on. Then it got even MORE stressful and things started to happen to me. In the past month, even though I was eating ok, I gained that 9 pounds back PLUS 5 more. My blood pressure was up. My weight was up. The doctor said I had to COMMIT to do something about both. I could not agree with him more.

I then explained that I get home from work and I don’t want to do anything. I don’t want to cook. I don’t want to clean. I don’t want to craft. I told him I hurt everywhere and that I wanted to get happy Kathy back. So…we went through the PHQ-9 screening and bingo…Kathy is severely depressed. So, between the stress (causes weight gain due to high cortisol – the stress hormone), pain (stress and depression can cause physical pain), and my lack of desire to do anything much less get up and move – I’ve gained all that weight back and then some. Working with the doctor on the depression, pain, and stress part since Monday, and so far I’m feeling a lot better. Now, I have to work on the weight. The doctor told me to join Weight Watchers.

When I got home from the doctors appointment, I joined Weight Watchers online. I’m fully invested in getting healthy again. I have never done the before and after photo or posted my starting weight, current weight, and goal weight. EVER. I was always to embarrassed. I’m posting this to make myself accountable and to help me stay on track. This is my BEFORE photo and weight.

So there it is. Me in all my chunky monkey glory. Yes, I have lost 4.7 pounds since Monday. I’m darned proud of that. I’m feeling so much better and I really think I can do this.

Thanks for putting up with my long, involved, and overly personal story.