Weight, I thought it was depression

  So it turns out I have been retaining water since the birth of my youngest age 14.   I also have not really been trying to make an attempt to lose the baby weight from that pregnancy because basically, it took effort and I had grown pretty lazy the last few years. It was like a virtual slow down for me considering I was so active my whole adult life until the last few years.

 I went to the ER for an injury in the winter of 2014 and stepped on the scale expecting to not be too terribly shocked. I hadn't weighed myself since I had stopped worrying about weight so much and began living...that's what I call an excuse
 219 lbs was the big number.
  I am 5'4.
 The attending doctor came in to discuss the injury and the fact I had three broken ribs and proceeded to ask what happened.
  I had been out at a mates house for a holiday party that last weekend and a very large friend decided to give me a big bear hug. I was a fluffy girl and accepted. I heard a few cracks and let out a scream as my friend put me back on the ground. The pain was unreal so I drove back home and to the hospital for answers. The answer was three fractured ribs and a warning to get my bones in check.

 My eyes were fixated on the doctor as this was a big wake up call. Being heavy was one thing Hiding illness and having bones that were that fragile was alarming and I was at that very moment determined to take back my life.
 This should have been my first really big indication something was wrong and it would have been nice if the attending had suggested more tests but he didn't. I was intelligent enough to know it was not normal and research bone density issues when I got home with my very strong pain meds.

 This is where the empowering part of myself began to emerge. I was already about a year into the migraine, stress, anxiety part of perimenopause, the severe mood swings, heart palpitations, and night sweats were still to come.

 My weight loss adventures ran alongside the perimenopause so sometimes it was hard to tell symptoms and conditions from the stress of dieting for two straight years and the toll losing 70 lbs in two years was taking.

 I started a regimen of herbs and vitamins to increase my bone density and a very close friend introduced me to spraying magnesium to keep those levels in check. That alone is something I emphasize to women I meet all the time. Please get yourself some Magnesium ( I can email any requests on how I make my blend) I use daily as a way to keep depression at bay and it really has made positive changes for my life.

 I did realize my weight had fluctuated over the years but the majority of my weight gain increase began when I started perimenopause in 2013. I am now 6 years in and boy am I grateful to have caught on to what was happening and gotten ahead of it.

 The weight and depression seemed to assist one another in life. I wasn't dating much then so it hadn't mattered to me if my weight skyrocketed but I did know it wasn't healthy and with all the new condition I was facing like crippling visual migraines, knocked off my ass cramping, dizziness and anxiety I was willing to try anything to feel better. I was way early into the stages of peri at that point

 I took the time to really understand my body through yoga strength training. I believed it was the best workout for my mind and body and saved the cardio for other days when I needed it. The key for me during the last 5 years has been strength and core training to build bone mass and muscle to protect the bones. My idea was I was aware of my bones being highly distressed because of how little I was caring for me either from depression or whatever excuse I was using at whatever time.

 I lost a total of 72 lbs from Jan of 2015 to 2017 and the change has assisted in the lessening of underlying conditions associated with perimenopause.

 This time of our lives is so important and I am telling you that your body is speaking to you. Listen to it! It will tell you it is tired, weak, confused or in need or water. If you stay ahead of its needs you are winning and winning in perimenopause is good shit!

 When I began yoga it was to find a calm place for the inner turmoil I was facing daily via regular life and my dreams that haunted me with memories. I used food and laughter to hide many things and I hid them well.

 I was raw and without defenses when I started my first symptoms of perimenopause. It was through a series of discoveries and a positive change in getting control back as well as learning balance
(you'd be surprised how much I can accomplish in my mind standing on my head) will help anyone going through this find some peace.

  I found my weight loss to be extremely empowering as I thought I was way too far gone on weight to ever get back to running and competitive sports.
 To someone like me that had always been active but stopped after my youngest was born, I believe the weight gain was my wake up call to get things right.
 Bone health, vision, quitting bad habits and taking control was something I strived for and I believe many women I meet in this journey are seeking.
 Power over circumstances.
We have to learn balance.
 Is smoking more important than being able to walk in 20 years?
Is being unhealthy more important than preventing a heart attack or preventing a serious condition in the future? The answers seem pretty simple once your logical mind becomes stronger than your passing desires.

 My suggestions for starting a healthier you

write lists of the following:
 your health concerns  ( everything from sore boobs to migraines)
 the things you can do to make healthier choices
work out. I don't care what you do to get moving


research the following:
*Bone health
*Bone broth ( for gut health) I do this bone broth once a month
*Natural herbs and remedies for hormones
*Magnesium sprays ( DIY I get bags from amazon and mix my own with water)
*Meditation ( do not discount what your mind is capable of)
*Research CBD

Do these things immediately:
*Drink water
*Stop processed foods and download apps like Fooducate that tell you food grades
*Take supplements
*Take deep breaths through the day to control your breathing
*Carry a totem. ( yes like inception or an acid trip it helps ground you)
*Stop going to WebMD for  answers
*Tell your family or a friend what you're going through if you suspect perimenopause.
*Stop worrying about the issues of the world and worry about you.

There is no way I will sit here and say it all gets fixed quickly and it's all going to go away fast. It's not. Its a constant balancing act from this point on. You will fight anxiety and think about things you didn't even know were bothering you.
 I have grown the most as a spirit and human in the last 6 years of life than I have in any other stage of development since birth.
 I hate the stuff I go through but some of it has left me like the visual migraines are very few and far between now.
 I still have breakthrough night sweats and feel waves of panic and I struggle with easy weight gain because my body is fighting me every step of the way until we agree to work together. But it's achievable and it is getting so much better with every workout and every herb, and especially with every woman I meet going through it.

 We don't have to live in fear of what is happening. We can accept it and start listening now. I suspect the first step is already here for you if you are reading this. You're already a leg up on getting control back and not finding out from three broken ribs and bear hug from a large friend.
🎉🎉🎉🎉
 Congratulations!
I'm with you in this