I started my first weightloss challenge in May 2009 and by the beginning of January 2010 I had dropped 56 pounds. I felt like a million bucks and was so happy with the progress that I had made. I ended up leaving my third challenge at the end of January because February was shaping up to be one of the most busy and stressful times in my life. I would be moving to another city and a mere four days later I was embarking on a two week trip to New Zealand. To say that I felt stressed would have been the greatest understatement. I was a wreck but I focused on going to the other side of the world and tried to make the best of it.

I managed to move without incident and I also made it to Auckland filled with happiness and curiosity. I explored the country and enjoyed the local cuisine. I didn't do too badly because the jeans that I had taken with me still fit by the time I flew home, so I felt everything was under control. Once I touched down in the US and realized that I was no longer in New Zealand, depression struck and took a strong hold. I didn't have my normal depressive eating pattern but I wasn't as diligent as I had been for the past few months. Imagine my shock when I discovered I had gained fifteen pounds in just two weeks.

Fifteen pounds in two weeks!

Even I knew that weight gain wasn't right and I talked to my doctor about it. We kept an eye on it or at least I was supposed to keep an eye on it. Fast forward four months and I had gained all but five pounds that I had lost. That's fifty one pounds in four and a half months. No matter what I did over that four month period, changing my eating and exercising wasn't helping me a bit and I kept piling it on.

Now here is where the story gets interesting.

I had been going to two doctors to try and figure out what was going on because changing my eating and exercising wasn't helping and I kept gaining. It turned out I had some severe deficiencies, Vitamin D, Iron and Vitamin B 12 plus my hormone levels, cortisol and DHEA were off. I had insomnia, my moods were like a yo yo and I was tired all the time. After looking at all of my tests we had a diagnosis and a cause. Stress. So over a period of three months, I took supplements, worked at building up my deficiencies and began doing yoga and meditating. I eventually began to sleep normally again.

But the best part was that I didn't panic about figuring out the eating part. I knew how to eat because it had been ingrained into my mind when I did the weightloss challenges.  I began eating a specific number of calories and increased my protein, making sure I took in appropriate protein, healthy carbohydrates and healthy fats each day. I am exercising again the the best part is I have lost 12 pounds in my first 11 days.

I still have quite a ways to go but don't feel bad for me because I surely don't feel bad for myself. I have a very clear path and I had a wonderful weightloss coach. Everything she told me was true and even doing this on my own I know that I will be successful because I have learned the proper tools that actually work. I am on my way back down and I will surpass my former low and reach my eventual goal. Of that I have no doubt.