Part 2...The background story

Lesson of the day... If something, ANYTHING feels "off" then listen to your gut instinct. I honestly can not even tell you when symptoms started or even what they were. My best guess is that I have been dealing with symptoms for years but they finally came to a head within the past year. I probably should have mentioned in my first post that I plan to get raw with you the reader. Nothing is off limits and I plan to be as honest as I can be in regards to symptoms and treatment. 

Since I can remember I have always dealt with weight issues. I graduated HS at 240+ lbs and that was down from nearly 260lbs a year prior. I went off to college in 2001 which ironically was the some time  a little OTC supplement was gaining attraction. The supplement was an ephedra based formula called Metabolife 365, which came in the form of a pill. The California based company would profit hundreds of millions of dollars in annual sales from that drug alone. Unfortunately ephedra was later linked to serious adverse events, including deaths, which lead to the ban of such supplements in 2004. For anyone who jumped on that bandwagon, you probably had positive results. My weight literally fell off of me within 1-2yrs. By my sophomore year in college (2002) I was 160lbs, having lost nearly 80lbs. I felt great, looked the best I ever had, gained esteem and a new sense of confidence which I had never once achieved. Since the banning of ephedra-based products I, along with many other people have tried to find a replacement "miracle" pill. Breaking news...there isn't such a supplement that exists. Yes there are new prescription based medications that have come on the market in recent years but outside of legal pharmaceutical grade medications, no OTC supplements are worth the money that the consumer pays (Financially, physically and emotionally). 

Over the past few years I have steadily seen an increase in my weight and can honestly say that I feel my best when I am between 190-200lbs. Those numbers, although considered to be obese for my height (5'9") have even been a challenge to achieve in the recent years. It took me too many years and probably thousands of dollars worth of failed attempts with useless supplements to come the conclusion that in life there are no easy fixes. After reaching a weight in the 210's I finally decided to push myself and hired a personal trainer. I had tried cross-fit, "functional fitness", and other group workouts but never found much result from them. This time I did my research and found a local gym that came with a rather high reputation. I began my journey with Brighton Personal Training Health Wellness and Fitness center owned and operated by the Bovee brothers (Robert / Rick (or Richard when I really didn't like him). That journey started in January of 2020 and for the next 2+ years I committed 3 days a week to their program. If anyone has ever hired a personal trainer, the relationship built is much stronger then just achieving physical health. My trainer became a friend, mentor and counselor all rolled into one. I definitely got my moneys worth week after week. Unfortunately due to military obligations I found myself away from home too much and decided to part ways in the spring of 2021. Free advertisement for the Bovee brothers who I truly highly recommend. 

Back to the topic at hand...By the fall of 2022 all of my symptoms had finally sparked a concern. I saw a 10-15lb weight gain with no association with any dietary or lifestyle changes. My energy level was horrible even though I continued to take daily caffeine based supplements (without them I do not function). I found myself in a fog, walking through life while looking forward to bedtime and sleeping. I wouldn't call it depression, I had no reasons to be depressed. The other concerning symptom was a lack/desire for any kind of physical/sexual drive. Having been blessed with a beautiful wife, anyone with similar issues can relate to the inner concern that it brings. I can 100% state that my drive had nothing to do with the mechanical functioning, rather a complete mental lack of any desire. For those thinking that these are minor concerns, let me be the first to tell you that you are wrong. At my age I shouldn't be feeling like this. Unfortunately it took months if not years to finally sit in front of my doctor and ask for help.

"Be strong enough to stand alone, smart enough to know when you need help, and brave enough to ask for it."