Recently I found out that I have Hashimoto Disease and it has been quite humbling to me so far. I have always had weight problems but recently I knew something wasn’t right between living a healthy lifestyle and working out I was gaining weight quicker that I could buy clothes to fit. I had worked so hard to lose 100 pounds it is so discouraging to be in sizes again I never once thought I would wear. My patterns in life have been made more clear to me with this diagnosis. The up and down of emotions and weight, I wasn’t crazy after all, it is just a monster that lives inside of me.
Hashimoto is an autoimmune disease that attacks your thyroid. It is tricky and I have read in articles that is can be described as velcro that sticks to your body for life. It is tricky because it doesn’t always show up in blood work. At one point in my life I was on medication for anxiety and depression, something to balance out hormones, and sleeping pills for stress and relaxing my body, and on occasion muscle relaxers for the pain I have felt. I also have a connective muscle disease called Ehrlos-Danlos, which is why strength training is so important for me. People in the past have told me that I am lazy and that I need to eat this or not that and in some ways I feel like they doubted me.
I can tell you I have good days and they are amazing and I totally take advantage of those, but I also have days that all I feel like doing is sitting on the couch in front of the tv. Sometimes I just want to sleep….and sometimes when I want to sleep I lay and stare at the ceiling or my sweet my sleeping puppy because this disease can cause insomnia. Hashimoto is not something I can just take a pill to get rid of, I have to learn how to cope and live with it.
I know that when I am strong and positive that the good things outweigh the bad days. I also know when I am vulnerable and ask for help when I need it that I will feel strength also. Even though this is an evil monster with multiple heads, I will come out stronger. Tomorrow I start a very intensive detox and I wouldn’t be telling the truth if I didn’t say I am scared. I have never been on an intensive detox and I live alone. Part of me hates asking for help, but what happens when I am so weak I can’t even walk down the stairs to take the dog out or drive to the store?! I also have to have two clonics…ANYTHING would be better than those. A tube in my rear….water…and ewwww…who would ever want that job?! It makes me green thinking about it!
I am living day to day and I know that being positive is what I need to do in order to be happy, living low stress, and loving life. I will miss training this week because of my detox, but you can bet I will be back to lifting that barbell as soon as I can. I am so thankful for my coach, Mike Lee at OPEX Fitness (www.http://opexfit.com/get-coached/).
Be watching a video in the next few weeks of me doing a Tabata workout for HumanX Gear!! Find the positives in your situation and together we will make it on this journey.
In Strength-
Anchor of Strength 