{30 thoughts} the new girl at work...

I realized the other day that people at my new school don't know the "old Annie". They don't know the Annie that weighed 220 pounds, ate processed foods, and was miserable.

September 2011

Crossing guard duties

They know the "new Annie". I feel new compared to how I was 2 years ago but yet, I feel like this is who I was meant to be all along. I just hadn't found my place in the world or hit my tipping point!

I am trying to really stay positive at work even when I don't feel like it! I am eating left overs & salads for lunch every day. I go workout after school! When I leave, people ask me what time my barre3 class is or if I am going to the gym. At lunch people ask where I got the recipe for my dish.

barre3 strength. I broke the stapler ;-)

It is so much more fun being the positive, balanced, and healthy teacher. My days are full of schedule changes {I teach 12 groups a day}, lots of kiddos, and paperwork. I am using my time much more efficiently at work, focusing on present during any part of my day {not checking email/phone}, and making sure that first and foremost I am happy.

Because when I am happy, I can do anything.

Fingers crossed {that this year is my best year yet}!!!

the definitions of...

 

 

PCOS {Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome}
PCOD {Polycystic Ovarian Disorder}

One of the biggest struggles with PCOS is informing people what it is really about, if we even know ourselves. PCOS is a crazy web of various symptoms that can seem like "normal" symptoms but when added together, they can equal PCOS.

SYMPTOMS OF PCOS            * = symptoms I have

• Infertility*
• Infrequent, absent and/or irregular menstrual periods*
• Hirsutism {increased hair growth on the face*, chest, stomach*, back, thumbs, or toes*}*
• Cysts on the ovaries*
• Acne, oily skin, or dandruff*
• Weight gain or obesity, usually with extra weight around the waist*
• Male pattern baldness or thinning hair
• Patches of skin on the neck, arms, breasts, or thighs that are think and dark brown/black*
• Skin tags - excess flaps of skin in the armpits or neck*
• Pelvic pain
• Anxiety or depression*
• Sleep apnea

Growing up, almost all of the symptoms I had were considered "normal". What teenager doesn't get oily skin? Gain weight? Is depressed? The problem is my family, myself, and my doctors did not know that we are looking for anything. So we carried on. We didn't know.

Fast forward.

Part of my goal of writing this blog is to inform others. That's also why I like talking about it. I honestly feel that the more people I inform of PCOS and it's symptoms - the more people I can help. If I write or talk to 5 people and they heard of the symptoms and they think of someone in their lives that could be affected by PCOS and they talk to them - then I have helped.

Fingers crossed {that I can do a good job informing and educating others}