Ash Thoreau

A path towards a healthier Me

After battling postpartum obesity for over two years and trying different diets, I was ready to give up. I had resigned myself to a body I hated. I forced a smile on my face when looking at photographs of myself so that I wouldn’t pass on my struggles with body image to my daughter. I thought it was a lack of drive that I was facing. Then I went to the doctor and everything changed.

She took a hard look at my schedule: working 12-hour overnight shifts, watching my kid during the day, and my 3.5 hours of sleep each day. I knew it wasn’t sustainable, but hearing my doctor validate how unhealthy it was hit me hard. Yet, she didn’t just point out the obvious problem-she offered a solution to one problem with my lifestyle that I never expected.

She told me I could qualify for a weight-loss medication. I was shocked. I thought only people that are pre-diabetic or have other serious weight related health issues were eligible. Apparently I was wrong. Because I’d been trying to lose weight for over six months without significant progress, she prescribed Zepbound. She couldn’t guarantee that my insurance would cover it but she had high hopes. As it turns out, they did. The medication that is supposed to cost over $1k became available to me with only paying a small fraction of that cost.

Of course, there were changes I’d need to make. My doctor wanted me to track my diet, increase my protein and fiber and drastically up my water intake (I’m seriously drinking a minimum of 16 glasses a day). But the hardest change for me? Exercise. With a toddler, a demanding job, and barely any sleep, finding time for myself felt impossible. I knew something had to change. So, I dusted off the walking treadmill that had been stored away and pulled it into the living room. I’m now walking 30 minutes a day while simultaneously watching my little one.

It hasn’t been easy, but every day I feel a little stronger. Just this week, I lost 1.6 pounds – a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. I’m officially the lightest I’ve been since my pregnancy. I feel hopeful for the first time in years.

This journey isn’t about losing weight; it’s about proving to myself-and my daughter-that I can do this. That taking care of myself matters. And that it’s never too late to start again.