Beautiful You with LeAnne

I'm in love with you. I'm in love with everything about you; your eyes, your spirit, your heart, your drive, your nurturing, and your smile....There's nothing about you that I haven't fallen for. Sounds a bit strange, doesn't it? Especially coming from a woman you've never met before; a woman you've never spoken to, seen, or even heard of before today. But what I say is true. The magnificent, beautiful you is so fall-in-lovable and amazing, that you're out of this world! Once you believe this truth about yourself, even your naysayers will ask, "Who's that girl?!"

They'll be asking this about you! Allow me to explain.....

Being "in love" can be defined as a deep and tender feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person, such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a sense of underlying oneness. After seeing the pictures submitted for "The Many Faces Of PCOS", I saw every reason to fall in love with those women who are just like me. And I saw every reason why those women should love themselves! These were women who were fighting and winning the war against PCOS; women who realized they were not handed a death sentence, but given an opportunity to show what fiery strength they had. In those pictures, I saw this: gorgeous, bold, and courageous creatures who desired to live a free, happy, and zesty life! Not even Gone With The Wind could make me cry, but after seeing so many different "mirrors" in those pictures, I was moved to tears, and wanted to share my story, too.

My name is LeAnne. I am 31 years old, and I have PCOS. I was diagnosed in 2005, but knew long before that there was something wrong. I was 22 when the symptoms first began. I'd been on the phone for nearly three hours with my best friend in California when I'd suddenly gone quiet, trying desperately not to wince in pain at the throbbing in my stomach. I finally confessed to her that in just 3 months, I'd gained about 40 pounds and couldn't understand why. How is it possible to gain so much weight after months of cleaning and dusting my night away while singing Cher at the top of my lungs?! Cleaning and dancing at the same time was sure to burn at least a few calories, right? That, combined with snacking on yogurt and carrots instead of Taco Bell, should have at least kept me in my favorite pants. But my body kept gaining, especially around my mid-section. After hearing my concern, my best friend immediately urged me to make an appointment with my doctor. As scared as I was, it still took me nearly three years to get the nerve to see my primary care physician. That's when I was told I had PCOS. I was relieved! Not because I had an illness, of course, but because this "thing" actually had a name. I wasn't crazy. My symptoms were real and, even better than that, they were treatable! However, my excitement was short lived because with that newly found information, came a new set of problems and realizations. My doctor didn't really seem interested in getting me better, but instead wanted to "fix" me with medication and push me to lose weight so that all of my "problems" would go away. This was the same doctor who'd told me just moments before that there was no cure for PCOS, which meant that my "problem" wasn't going anywhere. Metformin, birth control, and prescriptions for appetite suppressants were being shoved at me from every angle.

But what about my feelings?! How would I deal with infertility, skin discoloration, and even the threat of morbid obesity? In a world where women were already expected to be dainty and perfect, how could I fit in? Now that I was diagnosed with PCOS, how would I live a normal, happy life? It took me six years to find the answer to these questions....but when I did, it was like discovering the juiciest, most delicious secret! My worries gave way to excitement and passion and, from that, my life and body began to transform.

Lean a bit closer....are you listening? Great! Because I'm going to tell you everything I know.

Beautiful You with LeAnne is your entry way into a new life. It's goal is to be a place where you can determine how to become your most magnificent self. This blog will enlighten you to new and powerful weapons to fight PCOS and uncover your own amazing physical and mental beauty, the natural way! What you can discover is so surreal, you won't want to just take pictures. You'll want to be on the cover of a magazine! I can help you there. Follow me!

*Please note that I am not a psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, or trained counselor. I am not qualified to give out any emotional advice. I am a woman with PCOS who is sharing my personal experiences in this blog and I advise you to consult a professional.*