Trial And Error: Broken Metabolism And Healing

I remember going through different websites, looking for a trainer that would offer a workout and a meal program. Someone I trusted or had seen before. So, there was my solution: Jillian Michaels! I had heard about her from the show The Biggest Loser and had started seeing her supplements and other products at the store. So, I thought I'd give her a shot.

She had everything I needed on her website. An app that would help me download the workout schedule and programs, as well as the recipes to eat healthy and be in the best shape of my life. I have to admit, at the beginning it was daunting! I started off by throwing away all the junk food I had in my kitchen cabinets and fridge. Then, I restocked on the ingredients I would need for my healthy meals. I honestly had never spent as much money on food and I was curious about all the new things I was going to try out.

I was pretty consistent and disciplined with the meal plan and workout program Jillian had chosen for me and had started to notice positive changes. I even went the extra mile and, since I have always been the type of person who wants more out of something, I incorporated yoga on Sundays and added runs to my workouts and Saturdays. I would be running 28 miles a week! And, that wasn't all, I became a runner and loved it. I would do 5k runs for fundraisers, social events and even half-marathons! I grew more fond of the potential and power my body had that I wanted to see how far I could go. At this point, I felt unstoppable. All this had given me enough confidence to be better at work, to dump my toxic ex boyfriend and to be in the best "physical" shape of my life. 

The last thing I added to my already-dialed-in-new-lifestyle was supplements such as multi-vitamins made from foods and not synthetics, organic protein powders and fat burners. It was these last ones that took my metabolism out of whack. To be honest, it was already headed in that direction due to the extraneous workouts that I put my body under every day (2 hours at the gym every day), not sleeping enough and drinking too much caffeine. Adding the fat burners was the last straw.... The results were ugly: Insomnia and Amenorrhea. For those of you who are not familiar with the term "Amenorrhea" it means that you basically stop having your period, and that's a big red flag, because then your body's sending the following signal: Abandon all metabolic activities that aren't necessary for survival! 

I was not dying, but I was sending my body the signal that I was. So, what did I do? I looked for help. I wanted to treat my insomnia first, so, I went to different doctors and they all told me to take melatonin and relax. They did some thyroid testing on me and it all came back fine. So, they assumed it was all in my head. I tried getting a different opinion from another doctor, but I was told the same thing. This time, though, I was sent back home with a benzodiazepine. Pretty much, a drug that would make me unconscious so I could "sleep". I had to taper to get off this medication once I was able to "sleep" again. My insomnia got "fixed" after a month of sleeping only 2-5 hours per night. I honestly don't know how I made it through the day with such little sleep (my body actually needs anywhere form 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep per night to operate correctly). The only thing that didn't get fixed was my amenorrhea. It took me 5 years to get that fixed. And, along those 5 years, I experienced some more insomnia. What was I doing wrong? By that time I had already left the fat burners and excess caffeine... But, I was on a restrictive diet. By that time I had stopped following the Jillian Michaels protocol and had started focusing on the new "trendy diet". I went from 0% fat and 100% protein, to only carbs and protein, etc. Getting good short-term results but terrible long-term results.

It was then that I started looking for more experts in the Eastern/Functional medicine atmosphere and, only then, was I able to understand what was going on with me and how I could fix myself. I learned that the circadian rhythm was more than just eating oatmeal at night: It was more of a holistic aspect that included getting enough sun exposure during the day, supplementing with vitamin D in the morning, exercising in the morning and winding down at night while removing artificial light from my environment. I learned that what I ate would impact my sleep cycle and overall metabolism. And, I learned that carbs were not the enemy, that the good kind were actually needed by our bodies to create some hormones as well as the oh-so-feared-and-hated fat! 

My fat journey started with Dave Asprey, then continued not only with him but with Dr. Joseph Mercola, Robb Wolf, Dr. Sarah Ballentyne and Dr. David Perlmutter. Most of these experts always followed a principle: Eat whole, gluten-free foods and listen to your body. That's what I had been missing for years: Listening to my body! I just don't blame myself too much, though, because we are all so disconnected from ourselves that we forget to tune into our bodies to get feedback on how we're doing or what we're eating. We lack that mind-body connection that is so needed in order to be in harmony with our bodies, relationships and overall life. After cracking the code for what works for my body and what makes my metabolism happy, I knew I had to visit my demons and start working on my psychology and spirituality... And so, I started my meditation journey, which took me to places I never thought it would....


Disclaimer: The information included in this blog is personal experience and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. At all times, if you suffer from any condition or need professional advice, it is recommended that you consult with your physician or medicine professional.