Flabby Mom to FIT Mom: Surviving Hormonal Imbalance

Phew!  Well, that was quite the break from blogging, huh?  I've had a lot going on since I last wrote on here so I'll fill you in quickly...

So, you see those photos up there?  Well, I don't really look JUST like that anymore...you see, 2015 wasn't exactly *kind* to me...

Following my hysterectomy, things were going really well until I hit a wall at 6 months post-op. I was still doing all of the right things, doing the 21 Day Fix workouts, following the eating plan, adding in extra cardio 2-3 times per week to help really shed fat...but, instead of losing, I started gaining in a BIG way.

For the whole of 2015 - I put on 45 pounds...45 of the total of 90 lbs that I had lost since having my second son in May of 2011. I was devastated, frustrated, ashamed, guilty, you name it, and I had felt that way at some point about the weight gain. The most prevalent feeling was frustration though. I was doing ALL of the right things, WHY IN THE WORLD was I gaining weight?!

Finally, in October 2015, I sought out the help of a bio-identical hormone therapy specialist. She ordered an insane amount of bloodwork. (That, if I'm being real here, I'm still paying for. CHECK YOUR INSURANCE to make sure these types of tests are covered. They don't believe that pre-menopause and menopause should be treated.) She tested my reproductive hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testesterone), my adrenal hormones (DHEA, pregnenolone), and my thyroid (T3, T4, Reverse T3, and TSH). Since I had my uterus removed, we knew that the progesterone would be non-existent - what we didn't expect was for my estrogen to be SO HIGH and testesterone to be SO LOW. I was estrogen dominant - which can cause extreme weight gain, as well as, make it difficult to lose. What we also found was that my DHEA and pregnenolone were that of an 85-90 year old and that my Reverse T3 was off the charts...from STRESS.

I was started on a thyroid supplement (Cytomel), as well as, progesterone, a low dose of testesterone, as well as, DHEA and pregnenolone. I started these at the end of November and it took a good 8 weeks before I started to FEEL better - having more energy, a sex drive (thank GOD!), and started to notice the scale creeping back down, instead of UP.

It's been a long road back to feeling like myself, but here I am, 38 lbs of the 45 gone - and feeling MUCH BETTER!  Check it out -- the aqua dress photos...the before was taken on January 9, 2016 - the after on March 18, 2016. That was after I had lost 30 lbs. The bottom photo was taken on April 17, 2016. 36 lbs lost in that one and wearing a BIKINI!  Something that I never expected to be able to do again!

                                          

So, in closing, you CAN get your body back after a baby (or two, or four, or eight...), after a hysterectomy, and after a devastating hormonal imbalance. Seek ANSWERS - seek support - find others going through the same journey and love on them!  You can do this!

(NOTE: I am still drinking Shakeology daily, following the 21 Day Fix eating plan - mainly with a Paleo/AIP Paleo leaning, and working out daily - I switch between doing crossfit and 22 Minute Hard Corps for workouts currently. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to me at candacebeachbody@gmail.com!) 

Heyyy Pregnant Ladies and Baby Mamas! I've got a program for YOU!

Hey Pregnant LADIES...& Baby Momma's!!!!

This one is AWESOME and all for YOU! heart emoticon

Check out this amazing new program exclusively available on BOD - that's Beachbody On Demand for those of you that don't know!

Autumn Calabrese creator of the 21 Day Fix & Fix Extreme and Co Creator of Hammer & Chisel (to be released this December) went back to her Maternity/Postpartum Workout ROOTS!

She started her personal training work early on helping moms have fit pregnancies & reliable postpartum routines that got their pre-baby bodies back in no time!

I know I am trusting my body with Autumn with the 21 Day Fix and would have loved to have had this at my fingertips a few years ago!

Message me for more info on how to get access to ‪#‎BOD‬ and Active Maternity. I mean come on...who wouldn't love a catalog of over 100 streaming workouts??? YES PLEASE!

Message Me at Flabby Mom to FIT Mom TODAY (or if you don't have Facebook, email me at candace.g.taylor@comcast.net) !! 

If you're ready to get started with BOD - use this link to get signed up and have me as your personal coach! ** #BOD Sign Up **
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Flabby Mom to FIT Mom: The Hormone Reset Diet Group!

Hey guys!  I hope you watched the above video, but if not, here's a brief synopsis...

A few weeks ago, I opened up about my struggles since my hysterectomy last year. In an attempt to help alleviate some of my symptoms up until my BHRT (bio-identical hormone replacement therapy) appointment on October 16th, I will be following The Hormone Reset Diet by Dr. Sara Gottfried for 21 days starting on September 28th. 

I will also be continuing to do the 21 Day Fix workouts, the 21 Day Fix containers. and utilizing Shakeology daily as the hormone reset diet says to use a protein powder/shake supplement to help prevent muscle wasting by providing extra protein while you eliminate certain things from your diet to reset your hormones.

I would love to have a group of 3 to 5 women that would like to join me in this group, so for every woman that purchases the 21 Day Fix challenge pack (which includes your first month of Shakeology, your workout program, the container system, etc...) I am gifting them with the Hormone Reset Diet book so that it is not something extra that you need to purchase. 

You can purchase your 21 Day Fix kit by clicking the picture above - I will be notified that you ordered and contact you directly! 

If you have any questions before ordering, please don't hesitate to reach out to me at candace.g.taylor@comcast.net ! I would love to hear from you!

Flabby Mom to FIT Mom: 1 Year Post Hysterectomy Real Talk

This was super difficult to share with the world. I AM a health and fitness coach, but I couldn't get my own stuff together?!  I felt like a fraud and a failure, but fortunately, I have found the cause and there is light at the end of the tunnel. I hope you all will continue to be here, checking in, as I share my new challenges and this new journey.

From what I understand, hormone therapy is a whole different ball game and sometimes it is not fun. But, I honestly am ready for the challenge. These past six months have been akin to hell. I had begun to question myself, my knowledge, my ability to help others...all because of hormones - or lack thereof.

It's times to get myself back and help a whole new population of women that I previously had put on the back burner. Not necessarily because I wanted to, but because they couldn't relate to me personally. I am ready to embrace these women with open arms because Lord knows they are the only ones that understand what the heck I have been dealing with!

Please email me if you ever need someone to talk to or commiserate with! candace@flabbymomtofitmom.com

Kodiak Cakes OATMEAL UNLEASHED Review!

        Oatmeal Unleashed is a breakfast product you may have seen gracing the aisles of your local grocery store recently...it's a new product from Baker Mills Kodiak Cakes brand. I was browsing the breakfast aisle when I came across this oatmeal and decided to give a try. I love oatmeal, especially when the weather starts to cool off and was pleased that this oatmeal boasted clean ingredients AND 10 grams of protein!  

"Oatmeal Unleashed is an all-natural crunchy oatmeal served in a convenient, microwavable cup. In 30 seconds you can make yourself a hot, healthy breakfast that will satisfy and energize the rest of the morning. Staying true to our brand, we have made sure that this oatmeal is add-water-only, and packed full of fiber, protein and whole grains without compromising on taste." - product write up on Kodiak Cakes website (http://www.kodiakcakes.com/oatmeal)

          I decided to try the Peach Vanilla Almond flavor. I shook the container first (as directed on the back of the package), then pulled open the top - I was greeted with a lovely peach aroma even before cooking!  That was a plus! I added enough water to cover the oatmeal (again, as directed on the package) and popped it in the microwave for 30 seconds (again...as directed). It SMELLED delicious!

           I stirred the oatmeal up to combine everything well and dug in! 

           The first bite had a pleasant, nutty flavor with hints of vanilla. Nothing too overpowering, but definitely no peach either. That was disappointing. As I kept eating, I enjoyed getting the little bites of peach here and there, but it definitely did not seem like enough. I also enjoyed the crunch that the almond provided. Even though cane sugar and brown sugar are two of the first three ingredients, kodiak definitely did not load this oatmeal down with it - a GOOD THING - it only has 15 g of sugar for the size of the serving. I finished the oatmeal feeling like I had eaten plenty and was not in a sugar coma like I used to get with the Quaker Oats flavored oatmeals of days past. Overall, I enjoyed this flavor and am looking forward to trying the Green Apple Spice next.  

          Pros of this flavor:  Low sugar, added chia seeds to help keep you full, fennel seed and fenugreek seed are great for breastfeeding mothers (along with oatmeal in general) to help boost breastmilk supply, added protein to help keep you satiated and boost protein intake.

          Cons: Not enough peaches, fenugreek/fennel aftertaste - I believe that it's only noticeable to me because I have used both in tea form in the past while breastfeeding. 

         If you are interested in purchasing a 12 pack of this oatmeal, you can do so here: AMAZON.

**This is not a paid review. I have no affiliation with Kodiak Cakes or Amazon. I just like to provide info to the masses on great or not so great products that can help improve your eating habits!** 

Dear First Time Kindergarten Mom...I hear you.

Dear First Time Kindergarten Mom,

Hi. I'm Candace. I'm a first timer, too. I feel like this is an AA meeting and we should introduce ourselves and hash out our stories.

My oldest started kindergarten last Wednesday at a school that he had to test into. Let that sink in...your five year old is TESTING to get into a school. Completely nerve wracking for me and terrifying for him. One spot out of 60 with over 250 applicants. He almost cried then when they walked him into the room by himself to do the test.

And, I almost did then, too. A solid hour passed and then he was back by my side. Smiling, chatty, and happy. Seeing that totally solidified that we had made the right decision.

Fast forward two months,

It is the first day of kindergarten. I get to walk him in to school and to his classroom. As I get ready to leave him on his first day, I could see the tears welling up in his eyes and could feel the all too familiar sting in mine. I don't know how I held it together until I got to the car, because he was loudly sobbing as I walked out the door. I got to the car and the floodgates opened up. I was filled with questions and concerns.

The questions:
Had I let him become too attached to me?

Did we socialize him enough?

Will he make friends easily?

Did we read enough this summer?

Did I teach him all that I could?

What if he's scared?

What if he's bullied?

Who will stand up for him?

What if he cries everyday because he misses me?

What if I cry everyday because I miss him?

Will he miss his brother, too?

The concerns:
I hope he does all that his teacher asks of him.

I hope he doesn't freak out if the structure changes suddenly.

I really hope no one picks on him. He's already sensitive.

I really hope that if someone does pick on him, he'll tell me and his teacher.

I really hope that he doesn't pick on anyone else.

I hope he remembers where I put his snack in his backpack.

I hope he eats enough.

I hope he learns a lot.

I really, really hope he loves it.


I could go on. Seriously...


He's my first child! My heart walking around beating outside of my chest...

That first day was hell.

I missed him so much. He missed me. He had a terrible first day. He cried the entire day. THE ENTIRE DAY. His teacher called to ask how she could calm him down. It broke my heart. Even moreso when I picked him up and he told me how he hated it and I said that tomorrow will be a better day and he looked me dead in the eye, filled with sadness, and said, "Probably not."

The second day was hard, too. He still didn't like it. He still cried throughout much of the day. But, he was able to tell me at least one that was the best about the day. So, it does get better if your child struggles those first few days/weeks. By the third day (even though he did run into a metal doorframe and end up going home early), he is enjoying it and I am, too.

He gets in the car everyday with something new to tell me. A new friend that he's made. A new skill that he has learned. A new song to sing. A new language to practice (Spanish)! It's all so exciting and scary and still oh so new. He is growing up right in front of my eyes with every passing day and new class. He is becoming more confident in himself, in his abilities. "All it took was a little push, Mom."he said when I asked him how he had grown so much in only a few short days.

And, just like that, even with him being so young, my son has become my teacher. He is teaching me how to cope, to learn, to discover again. He is teaching me to look through his beautiful blue eyes and see the world from a new perspective and inspiring me to grow.

All I can tell you, first timers, is enjoy the lesson. We'll blink and it will be over. <3