After a 40 pound weight gain in just a few months, Calie was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). This hormonal imbalance can lead to acne, weight gain, irregular periods, fertility problems and depression. With lots of hard work, help from her doctor and support from her team, she was able to overcome the devastating symptoms she faces daily. Congrats to you Calie, and thank you for sharing your story and for being an inspiration to myself and others.
Disclosure: I am affiliated with Beachbody and this post contains product links I earn a small commission from. That said, I use Beachbody products myself every day and recommend them to my closest family and friends as a life changer!
Calie’s Transformation Story in her own words:
So some back story on me and possible TMI.
I started my cycle young. To be exact, I started the summer between 4th and 5th grade. Given that I started so young, one would think that I regulated young as well. I didn’t. To date, I can go years at a time with out a single cycle, but some years I’ll get my moon a few times. When I was younger I would get horrific, crippling cramps and migraines that would cause my vision to go. Needless to say I was not able to sleep or go to school or to function. In high school a doctor recommended that I go on birth control saying that maybe the irregularity was playing a part in some stomach issues I was having. Well this absolutely helped my migraines and cramps, but I still did not regulate.
In my early 20’s I was taking Yaz and noticed that I was getting my cycle less and less and my weight was increasing. A friend at work and I were gabbing and I told her what was going on. She told me that she had been in my position and that’s when she was diagnosed with PCOS. This was the first I had heard of it. Other than cysts and a whole slew of other medical issues and complications, up to 50% of the people who have it are obese.
After a laser hair removal appointment a little while later, the doctor asked if I had PCOS. By this point I had done some research and told her that I thought so. I made an appointment with an OBGYN that a friend recommended and told them that I think I had PCOS. They ran some tests and it turns out that I had some of the triggers for it and that I should see an endocronologist. Also, the OBGYN took me off Yaz and recommended that I try Femcon FE.
This was a horrible mistake.
In 3 months I gained about 40 pounds in 3 months. I couldn’t get in for an appointment. It was miserable. People at the office thought I was pregnant and my self-confidence crashed. No matter how much I worked out or what I ate, the weight came on. Needless to say it was a tough few months. The endocrinologist confirmed that I had PCOS, but told me the only treatments were Met Formin (if you’re trying to get pregnant) or Yaz. Well this wasn’t acceptable.
A month or so later I was able to get an appointment to see my family’s doctor and this was the game changer. She sat down with me and calmed my nerves. She pulled out a book and showed me all the different, what I call, cocktail blends of birth control. There are a vast array of types all of which have different levels of different hormones. We exluded the groups that included Yaz and Femcon and came up with Minastrin.
It took a few months for the meds to get out of my system, but I started personal training and bootcamps and 1 month later I lost 1 pound. I lost 1 beautiful, glorious, heart warming pound.
Eventually I stopped with the personal training, but kept up with the bootcamps. Slowly the weight starting coming off, but it did. A couple of years ago I came across Beachbody. In my adult life, the most fit that I have been was when I did a combination of Beachbody, Focus T25 at the time, and the bootcamps/weight classes. At that point I had FINALLY lost all the weight I had put on years ago, but I did it. I am still not regular. Oh well. I have learned that if I fall off the workout wagon the weight will start climbing again. Recently I have decided to sneak in some 21 Day Fix in the morning before going to work, follow the 21DF meal plan, and then some weights at my friend’s gym.
This combination is making me feel pretty fantastic. It’s hard. I will not lie to you. Waking up at 5:00am sucks, but I feel so much better having done it. My confidence is back and my body feels healthy. Recently I ordered the 21 Day Fix Extreme and am greatly looking forward to it. I still have miles to go before I have the fit body that I want, but I am taking it one step at a time. I am far from what I once was, but not yet what I am going to be.
For those of you who know that something is not right, keep fighting! There is hope. It took 4 doctors to finally find one who would help me and come up with a plan of attack. It can be a very hard and painful road, but do not give up. Keep trying. Try different things. Just because one person says that that’s all there is, doesn’t mean that they are right. Don’t expect a quick fix. As with everything else, you will have to put the work it, but it sure as hell is worth it.
