Hello!

RLMsFitnessPal

My sister introduced me to MFP some time ago. I used it for a while to encourage her, then stopped when life got busy. I recently got a FitBit One, and learned I could link it to MFP. So, I decided to start using MFP again along with my FitBit. I've only recently started counting calories. My doctor has been after me for some time because my cholesterol and weight. I was just so busy between two jobs, raising a family, and trying to finish my degree that I just didn't take time to worry about my health. The last few years have been quite a journey. Where to begin...

Health became a concern a few years ago with the birth and loss of our first child. Kirsten was born extremely prematurely. She lived for four hours. I was always prone to depression and anxiety, but the grieving process is where I began to really address it with my doctor. My wife and I started grief counseling. I had a very hard time dealing with losing Kirsten. I had always been a high honors student with a GPA in the 3.5-4.0 range. That began to slip away.

The next year, my wife again got pregnant. We had already been through a couple of miscarriages before Kirsten. A bad cycle of constant stress and anxiety was starting for me. It put a strain on every facet of life. This pregnancy ended up being successful, and our daughter Lila was born. Lila is now 4 years old, and growing up fast. Of course, I was still dealing with some bad emotional issues during my wife's pregnancy with Lila. During the last month of the- pregnancy, my wife developed preeclampsia. She was hospitalized. I spent every waking moment running between home, school, work, and the hospital. I got to the point I was hardly eating or sleeping in trying to keep up with everything.

Lila was born in February of 2010. I struggled through that semester of school and work as a new parent. I was not myself at all. I was hardly eating and sleeping at all. I started getting sick all of the time. I was really going downhill. The worse I felt, the harder I fought to keep control. By the end of the semester, I was suffering chronic migraines and started developing memory problems. I even had to walk out on one final exam because I just couldn't remember anything. My professors were noticing the changes during the semester, and several of them suggested it may be time to step back for a while. I was too stubborn to give up. I signed up for the next semester. After a few weeks, I finally had to drop because I just couldn't function any more. I dropped out of school. My boss cut me down to a very light schedule at work for a few weeks to give me time to recover. I was visiting the doctor almost weekly. I started counseling. I sunk into a bad depression.

Recovery took some time, several years. I just focused on going to work and coming home. Life just felt stagnant. I withdrew from almost everyone and everything. It started taking a toll on my marriage. My wife and I went through marriage counseling as well as individual counseling. During the first few years of the marriage, we lived in a rental house in one of the less desirable neighborhoods of town. Then, we decided we needed to really pull our lives back together. We decided to start looking for a new home as one of the first changes. In just a few months, we ended up buying our current home. It was a better house in a better neighborhood. That helped me some. Then, I decided to take some classes in tax preparation, and went to work for a local tax preparer during tax season. I started focusing on my tax classes and building my knowledge. I was starting to mend, but still have a way to go. I'm now looking for a way to pick up where I left off on my degree.

In November, my wife had gastric bypass and hiatal hernia surgery. I've started changing my health habits to support her. It's a work in progress, but I'm focused on moving ahead now. Now, I'm working on getting back into some hobbies as well as developing my career path. I just keep reminding myself that Rome wasn't built in a day. Recovery from depression and anxiety is going to take time, too. It will never go away entirely, but I can manage it. Diet and exercise are two tools in my arsenal to manage.

AHealthyMe1lbAtATime

We are here for you whenever you need it! Feel free to add me if you like! Your wife too, if she is on here. Glad to hear you are getting back on track! Keep it up and it will only get better!