OK. I have never typed this out before. I think I have always just 'coped'. But I need to do more to get myself back on track. So if I may, I'll just blurt it all out and see how it goes.
My tale of woe:
At 20 years old I was diagnosed with ME/yuppy flu what is now CFS. I slept for about 2 years, woke up a bit, got married. Struggled but held down a full time office job and gained weight.
At 33 I got a bit of grip, was made redundant, went to University and specialised in physical activity and health. I wanted to work out how to get myself fitter and healthier and my GP, whilst really helpful was not knowledgeable. I was 14+ stones in weight and struggled to exercise because of the CFS. Also dad was diagnosed with Metabolic Syndrome, so I spent a lot of time researching physiology and endocrinology.
I also qualified as a specialist fitness instructor - to be honest working with older people and medical populations meant I didn't have to move too much [smile]. But I earned a living teaching aerobics and working with the NHS with super obese patients. I taught 15 lessons per week in commercial gyms. I lost a stone and many inches, muscled up and felt great.
Then I started to feel sleepy. I assumed my CFS was rebelling so I cut out all alcohol and reduced exercise intensity but upped the duration, which had always worked before. But it got worse and I was sent home for falling asleep at my desk. I felt narcoleptic and was eventually driven to my GP who took less than 5 minutes to get me into the Practice Nurse for bloods and B12 injections. I was massively anaemic, pernicious anaemia, so I needed lost more injections! And that started my downfall.
I just couldn't exercise. It was like having the CFS back at full tilt, if I moved I fell asleep. So I took up more lecturing hours and stopped instructing and gained another 2 stones... life went on and eventually any incline made me start breathing like Darth Vader, though I feel fine, not tired, my body just doesn't do oxygen. I did more reading and had more bloods, megablastic anaemia means my red blood cells can't carry all 4 oxygen molecules... so that's it, I am broken, I will never be as fit as I was.
Then I read up about IF, back then Dr Mosley hadn't done his thing, so I started JUDDDing and lost a lot of weight and feel much better. So what now? Well, I want to try exercise again. I miss it. My avatar gives you a hint of my passion, I love kickboxing - I have a certificate in Boxercise - and I own a bag like the one in my avatar and love to use it, but have not been very successful! So I am making this my focus: very gradual re-entry to exercise and HIT as my goal.
Sadly my timing is awful, DH is off next week for our wedding anniversary, but it gives me time to write up a doable programme and to get myself properly sorted.
Oh and I have lost 4lbs, 5 to go to get back to my Current Weight