I recently finished my Master in Public Administration and got married to the love of my life. I have also become a Beachbody coach, in addition to working full-time at the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries as a Policy Analyst and Researcher. I have a passion for food, clean-eating, and fitness. I strongly believe food to be the best medicine, as it has truly helped me in my life. Fitness has also changed my life.
My story:
I grew up very active. I was a dancer, I was in drama, and I was a leader in many volunteer and academic organizations in high school. I was always thin, strong, flexible, and happy growing up.
I have struggled with severe endometriosis for about 13 years, only getting a diagnosis 5 years ago. The disease first presented itself with minor menstrual cramps, and has since escalated to pain 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, regardless of if I was on my period, sometimes causing me so much pain I throw up or become faint. I don’t know if you are familiar with this disease, but it is seriously debilitating for a lot of women, which is a word that has lost a lot of meaning to me over the years. This disease has caused me so much pain, frustration, emotional issues, as well as fractured many relationships with people I love dearly. The disease caused me to basically live like a hermit, curled up with a heating pad, hot water bottle, and drugs most days. Making it to work every day in a week was a huge accomplishment for me.
Over the last 5 years I have been through 3 laparoscopic surgeries for endo, each of which gave me temporary relief from my symptoms. I still had to be on heavy hormones and the occasional prescription of painkillers. I have seen countless doctors for this and even been told it’s all in my head and “that’s just part of having a uterus.” My last surgery was 19 months ago. All of my symptoms came back with full force after about 10 months. I was crushed. I have tried every hormone out there, every alternative treatment you can think of. I went back to the doctor and was put on pain management until I could get in to see the only true endometriosis specialist in the entire region, late summer 2014, right after my wedding, to discuss a more aggressive surgical approach. Pain management was awful. They prescribed me pain meds, all of which came with the threat of random drug tests and such. The drugs helped, but I hated taking them.
During this entire process, I gained a lot of weight. I am 5’3” and weighed 95 pounds in high school. At my absolute heaviest I was about 170. I started working out quite a bit, and started slowly losing weight, nothing dramatic though. A couple of years ago, while living in Austin, I started running on good endo days. I hate running. But it shed SOME pounds fast, along with a total revamp of my diet. I was also diagnosed with Celiac, which has completely forced me to change my diet. I started eating almost all organic, whole foods, staying away from preservatives and of course anything with gluten in it. While I started feeling much better with the diet change, I had plateaued at 150-155 pounds and I wasn’t happy with the shape of my body. I hadn't gone down any pants or dress sizes. But with all the endo issues and it getting so horrible over the last 2 years, I could tell the weight was going to start coming back, no matter how well I ate. But I couldn’t find a workout that didn’t agitate my pelvic area to the point of making me throw up. And in the middle of all of this battle, I got in engaged in November. We got married in August of 2014 and I was determined to look great!
Something HAD to change. I started seeing a friend’s posts about her awesome results with the 21 Day Fix. I figured for $60 it was worth a shot (I didn’t do Shakeology at first because I had read about possible gluten cross-contamination, but now I’m hooked on it). My friend assured me that there were modified versions of the exercises. And it worked! It didn’t kill my endometriosis! In fact, it made most of my pain go away! I’ve been able to cut WAY back on all pain meds. I feel better than I have in years. Not only that, but I’m under 140 pounds for the first time in almost 10 years and I look so much better!
This is why I have become a Beachbody coach. Not only do I want to encourage my friends and family to live healthier lifestyles by being a great example and resource, but I want to spread the word to my endo sisters that there is hope. Is this a cure? No, but I’m not on any medications, I’ve quit taking depo provera, and I feel amazing! It took finding a program that works for me and for my situation to get me by until I could finally have the proper surgery I needed in November 2014. I believe in these products and I love helping people strive towards their health and fitness goals.
If you are interested in joining me and Beachbody to help improve yourself and help others along the way, message me! Or visit my Beachbody site.
Update 8/13/15: I had the surgery I needed Thanksgiving week, 2014. My skilled surgeon removed endometriosis adhesions from all over my pelvic cavity. She also performed a total hysterectomy, removing my uterus, tubes, and cervix. She also discovered my appendix was completely covered in endometriosis and it was twisted almost to the point of bursting. I was lucky I had the surgery when I did. Since my surgery, I am 100% endometriosis pain free for the first time in 15 years. I am fully recovered and ready to get back on my fitness and health journey!
Update 8/5/2016: It's been a long time! A lot has happened. And while this blog isn't necessarily about my personal life, this section is about me. So here goes. I did update this up above, but I started work at the Department of Labor & Industries as a Policy Analyst and Researcher. It's going really well. I'm really enjoying it. I work in the Government Affairs & Policy Division, which is a perfect transition from my job at the Legislature.
In addition, I've started a little side business on Etsy. Along with my chronic illnesses and Celiac, I've always dealt with skin issues: eczema, psoriasis, and acne. All my health issues go hand-in-hand, I'm sure. So, while back, I started making my own body and facial scrubs to help. And they have! I love them. So I started sharing them with friends and family, and recently went ahead and opened an Etsy shop called TJ's Tub Tonics. If you are curious, you can find it here: www.etsy.com/shop/TJsTubTonics
Here's the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/TJsTubTonics
I'd love it if you checked them out and liked my Facebook page! I've found that great organic skin products go well with a good fitness and health routine.
My story:
I grew up very active. I was a dancer, I was in drama, and I was a leader in many volunteer and academic organizations in high school. I was always thin, strong, flexible, and happy growing up.
I have struggled with severe endometriosis for about 13 years, only getting a diagnosis 5 years ago. The disease first presented itself with minor menstrual cramps, and has since escalated to pain 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, regardless of if I was on my period, sometimes causing me so much pain I throw up or become faint. I don’t know if you are familiar with this disease, but it is seriously debilitating for a lot of women, which is a word that has lost a lot of meaning to me over the years. This disease has caused me so much pain, frustration, emotional issues, as well as fractured many relationships with people I love dearly. The disease caused me to basically live like a hermit, curled up with a heating pad, hot water bottle, and drugs most days. Making it to work every day in a week was a huge accomplishment for me.
Over the last 5 years I have been through 3 laparoscopic surgeries for endo, each of which gave me temporary relief from my symptoms. I still had to be on heavy hormones and the occasional prescription of painkillers. I have seen countless doctors for this and even been told it’s all in my head and “that’s just part of having a uterus.” My last surgery was 19 months ago. All of my symptoms came back with full force after about 10 months. I was crushed. I have tried every hormone out there, every alternative treatment you can think of. I went back to the doctor and was put on pain management until I could get in to see the only true endometriosis specialist in the entire region, late summer 2014, right after my wedding, to discuss a more aggressive surgical approach. Pain management was awful. They prescribed me pain meds, all of which came with the threat of random drug tests and such. The drugs helped, but I hated taking them.
During this entire process, I gained a lot of weight. I am 5’3” and weighed 95 pounds in high school. At my absolute heaviest I was about 170. I started working out quite a bit, and started slowly losing weight, nothing dramatic though. A couple of years ago, while living in Austin, I started running on good endo days. I hate running. But it shed SOME pounds fast, along with a total revamp of my diet. I was also diagnosed with Celiac, which has completely forced me to change my diet. I started eating almost all organic, whole foods, staying away from preservatives and of course anything with gluten in it. While I started feeling much better with the diet change, I had plateaued at 150-155 pounds and I wasn’t happy with the shape of my body. I hadn't gone down any pants or dress sizes. But with all the endo issues and it getting so horrible over the last 2 years, I could tell the weight was going to start coming back, no matter how well I ate. But I couldn’t find a workout that didn’t agitate my pelvic area to the point of making me throw up. And in the middle of all of this battle, I got in engaged in November. We got married in August of 2014 and I was determined to look great!
Something HAD to change. I started seeing a friend’s posts about her awesome results with the 21 Day Fix. I figured for $60 it was worth a shot (I didn’t do Shakeology at first because I had read about possible gluten cross-contamination, but now I’m hooked on it). My friend assured me that there were modified versions of the exercises. And it worked! It didn’t kill my endometriosis! In fact, it made most of my pain go away! I’ve been able to cut WAY back on all pain meds. I feel better than I have in years. Not only that, but I’m under 140 pounds for the first time in almost 10 years and I look so much better!
This is why I have become a Beachbody coach. Not only do I want to encourage my friends and family to live healthier lifestyles by being a great example and resource, but I want to spread the word to my endo sisters that there is hope. Is this a cure? No, but I’m not on any medications, I’ve quit taking depo provera, and I feel amazing! It took finding a program that works for me and for my situation to get me by until I could finally have the proper surgery I needed in November 2014. I believe in these products and I love helping people strive towards their health and fitness goals.
If you are interested in joining me and Beachbody to help improve yourself and help others along the way, message me! Or visit my Beachbody site.
Update 8/13/15: I had the surgery I needed Thanksgiving week, 2014. My skilled surgeon removed endometriosis adhesions from all over my pelvic cavity. She also performed a total hysterectomy, removing my uterus, tubes, and cervix. She also discovered my appendix was completely covered in endometriosis and it was twisted almost to the point of bursting. I was lucky I had the surgery when I did. Since my surgery, I am 100% endometriosis pain free for the first time in 15 years. I am fully recovered and ready to get back on my fitness and health journey!
Update 8/5/2016: It's been a long time! A lot has happened. And while this blog isn't necessarily about my personal life, this section is about me. So here goes. I did update this up above, but I started work at the Department of Labor & Industries as a Policy Analyst and Researcher. It's going really well. I'm really enjoying it. I work in the Government Affairs & Policy Division, which is a perfect transition from my job at the Legislature.
In addition, I've started a little side business on Etsy. Along with my chronic illnesses and Celiac, I've always dealt with skin issues: eczema, psoriasis, and acne. All my health issues go hand-in-hand, I'm sure. So, while back, I started making my own body and facial scrubs to help. And they have! I love them. So I started sharing them with friends and family, and recently went ahead and opened an Etsy shop called TJ's Tub Tonics. If you are curious, you can find it here: www.etsy.com/shop/TJsTubTonics
Here's the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/TJsTubTonics
I'd love it if you checked them out and liked my Facebook page! I've found that great organic skin products go well with a good fitness and health routine.