Living With PCOS

September is PCOS awareness month, and I have honestly been debating on making this post to begin with. I hope that this may bring some enlightenment to some of you, because it’s has been such a struggling journey and it has just begun. 

IG @the_bumpyride

September is PCOS awareness month, and I have honestly been debating on making this post to begin with. I hope that this may bring some enlightenment to some of you, because it’s has been such a struggling journey and it has just begun. 

Since the age of 14 I have had horrible pains during that time of the month, while I haven’t been in labor or had contractions before, doctors have told me the pain I have is very similar to the same pain. It was so bad that I would start throwing up from the pain and my mom would had to call me into school. My intuition told me this isn’t normal, and I was the only one in my family and group of friends that struggled with it. Then once I was in my mid 20’s, I would go on months without Aunt Flow visiting. But when I brought it up to my doctor every year, they kept telling me it was normal and that all I need is birth control to regulate it. 

One day I was listening to a podcast on NPR and the topic was how women are dismissed for their pain or illnesses by doctors. They mentioned how women of color were listened to the least. So that was my last straw, I switched doctors and found one that would listen and support me. She was honestly my breath of fresh air. Right away she started with a full order of blood tests and found out one of my hormones were very high. She was concerned and sent me to an endocrinologist, they were also concerned and sent me out for MRIs to make sure it was not cancer. 

Let me tell you, so many feelings come when someone tells you that you may have cancer. After all of it, thank goodness I didn’t have cancer. And the silver lining was that I finally had an answer for what I have, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. After over 13 years of suffering, I finally had a concrete answer. 

Many people ask, what’s PCOS? Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common health problem caused by an imbalance of reproductive hormones. The hormonal imbalance creates problems in the ovaries. The ovaries make the egg that is released each month as part of a healthy menstrual cycle. With PCOS, the egg may not develop as it should or it may not be released during ovulation as it should be.

How can you find out if you have it. Well here are the symptoms that you can have if you have it:

• Irregular or absent periods
• Ovarian cysts (on ultrasound scan)
• Irregular or no ovulation
• Moderate to severe acne
• Difficulty in conceiving or taking a long time to conceive
• Weight gain / obesity / OR inability to gain weight
• Hirsutism – Unwanted hair growth on the chin, upper lip, stomach, or chest
• Thinning of hair on the head
• Headache / Migraines
• Sleep problems / Insomnia
• Dandruff
• Darker pigmentation in the folds of the skin – most commonly seen in the back of the neck, under the arms, or creases of the thighs
• Skin tags
• Depression and anxiety
• Sleep apnea
• Fatty liver
• Problems with breast milk production
• Insulin resistance
• Abnormally high LH:FSH ratios

There is no found cure for it and very little treatment done for it. I am currently in the process of looking for some sort of treatment that won’t get me fertile, because I don’t want babies! So this is a new journey I am setting on, and will bring you along the way.

Learn from my lesson, if you know that something is wrong, do not stop until you have an answer. I suffered for far too long and would never want anyone to go through the same thing. Go to as many doctors that you need too, do your research and educate yourself. If you believe in your intuition and search for an answer you will always find it, even if it’s not the best news you could hope for. 

Con Amor, 


Adriana💕

https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/polycystic-ovary-syndrome

How That Time Of The Month Has Changed Forever!

So let’s be honest, sometimes talking about that dreaded time of the month can be taboo with some people. I’m here to tell you that there is a product out there that has changed my life forever, a menstrual cup! I’m going to go through the 7 reasons why I love them and why I wish I would have made the switch sooner!

1. Money Saver: After reading reviews I went with the Lena Cup, which cost me $40 . When I would use other menstrual products I would spend about $10 a month. Now I spend $40 for a product that will last me for about 10 years!

2. Saving the Planet: Since your cup will last you 10 years compared to 4 hours with other products, you will be making this earth a little greener. Instead of throwing the product away after every use, you will just have to dump out the contents town the toilet every 12 hours.

3. Minimal Cramps: Since the cup sits along your vaginal wall it will relieve those horrible cramps that come every month. I would have such horrible pain due to cramps and this has been a life saver for me.

4. Healthier For Your Body: the cups are made out of a medical grade silicone, rather than bleached cotton and other fibers like the other products on the market. Tampons do not have to be free of chemicals in order to make it on the market, so who knows what kind of chemicals go in your body. Your body is also not in danger for TTS like you are with a tampon.

5. Easy Day by Day Use: Since you only need to empty it out twice a day you can enjoy your days a little more. I usually dump and clean mine during my night time shower and when I wake up in the morning. When traveling using a menstrual cup makes it so much easier. You don’t have to pack all of your feminine products or have to find a garbage can when you go to the bathroom. The best part is that you pretty much never leak! I have not had an accident yet, I trust this thing so much that I would have the confidence to wear white skinny jeans while on my heaviest day.

6. Healthier Lady Parts: The cup doesn’t throw of your natural PH level like tampons or pads do. They also do not cause dryness like a tampon would either. It doesn’t really mess with the nature of your vagina since it’s only to do one job as it should, collect blood once a month.

7. Easy Use: I thought it was going to be so much harder to use, but it honestly isn’t. I have added the video below on how to use one. It’s also easy clean up, if you’re out in public and have to dump yours I would recommend going into a bathroom where there is a sink next to the toilet. It will make life easier and you can just clean then re-insert right away.

You will have to deep clean the cup and I do this before the start and after the end of my period. All you have to do is get a pot and boil water, once it’s boiling put the cup in there for about 2 minutes to disinfect the cup.

Here is a short video explaining how to insert the cup properly

I ended up choosing the Lena Cup because it came with two different sizes. One small and one that is slightly larger. It is recommended that women who have never had a child to use the smaller one and women who have had children use the larger size. I also like how they are made in the United States, and it’s a great quality product.

Smaller Size

Larger Size

What you will find in your box, if you choose the one with 2 different sizes is a small cup and a large cup, 100% cotton breathable totes to keep them in, and an instruction book. They have different selections as well if you need something for sensitivity or would like to purchase a beginners cup.

I have teamed up with Lena Cup and they have offered a coupon code to try out the Lena Cup. You can use code CONAMORLENA to save $5 on your first cup at lenacup.com and so you can also have a better experience at that time of the month!

So if you have been wanting to make the change I wholeheartedly recommend you to, you won’t regret it!

Con Amor,

Adriana 💕

A New Way To Grill Salmon

I have always loved the taste of grilled food, but lately I have learned that you can grill more than just burgers and hot dogs. I have been on a health kick lately and love learning new ways to make healthy meals, here is one of them. I will be going over how to grill fish on cedar wood.

First you will purchase Cedar Wood Planks for cooking. You can click on the image at the end of the post to purchase them on Amazon. Take them out of the package and let them soak in water, 15 minutes on each side. If you do not soak them they will char, that will give your fish a horrible taste.

 Warm up your grill to about 350 degrees as seen in the photo below.

While you are seasoning your fish your will place your soaked plank on the grill until it looks like the photo below. It's ready once you see grill marks.

When you are prepping your salmon make sure that all the scales are off and that it is thoroughly washed. You will season your 3 salmon fillets with the following:

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon of pepper
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 tablespoon of dried parsley
• 1 1/2 tablespoon of Smart Balance Extra Virgin Olive Oil Spread
• 2 tablespoons of minced garlic

You will slice one of your lemons into thin slices and place them on the plank, then you will place the seasoned salmon on top of it.

Close the grill and let it cook for about 20-25 minutes or until the salmon is fully cooked. You can check by using a thermometer and making sure the internal temperature is 145 degrees fahrenheit.

Once it is cooked you can use tongs to take the plank off the grill, be careful because it is hot. Once it's brought inside serve with your favorite veggie and rice side then enjoy right away.

You will taste that the plank gives the fish a delicious flavor. The cedar plank is very versatile and can be used with different types of meat. If you do not have a grill I have done research and I have found out that you can also cook the salmon on the plank in the oven, just make sure you soak it in water for about 15 minutes longer.  

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

Con Amor,

Adriana 💕

No Soreness After Leg Day

First of all, I apologize for being MIA! I was super busy with a weight-loss challenge I took on (I will update all of you later) and just finished my first year of my MBA program (Yay!). I promise I will keep up with blog posts, I know so many of you look forward to it.

While going through this fitness and well-being journey I have picked up some things along the way that I wish I would have known sooner. I promise I will share as much knowledge with all of you along the way. Here is one big thing I wish I would have learned about years ago!

So we all wish there was some sort of miracle pill that’s we can take in order to keep the soreness away after a tough workout. Well I have found just the thing! It’s a lovely thing called BCAAs, known as branched-chain amino acid. There are two forms, the pill or powder. I personally like the fruit flavored powders to drink during or after a weight lifting day. It’s nice to know there’s two forms for those who hate the power taste.

What are Branch-Chain Amino Acids?
The name comes from the fact that the amino acid "side chain" is structurally forked or branched, which is part of the reason for their unique function among amino acids. There are three amino acids that comprise the BCAAs: leucine, isoleucine, and valine and all 3 are considered ‘essential’ since the body cannot synthesize them on its own, and therefore they need to be obtained from the diet which can be food or supplementation. 20% of our bodies are made up of protein. Protein plays a very crucial in almost all biological process and amino acids are the building blocks of it. In turn proteins are necessary for many structures and functions in our bodies.

What do BCAAs actually do?
The primary reason people turn to amino acid supplements has to do with muscle growth. Leucine has been shown to regulate and improve muscle protein synthesis after a workout. Stimulated by the stress of your workout and encouraged by the jolt of leucine, your muscles will have everything they need to grow and be better prepared for your next workout.

Reasons why you should take Amino Acids
Improved Muscle Growth
Increased Endurance
Greater Fat Burn
Increased Mental Focus
Repair Muscles
Improved Recovery
Reduced Muscle Soreness
Improved Performance in Sports

Why do I love it?
I take it for muscle recovery. I usually lift heavy so you can imagine how my muscles feel afterwards. The next 2 days were always the worst. Taking BCAA Amino Acids helps that sore feeling tremendously!

I hope this helps with anyone who is looking for help after a tough weight lifting day, trust me BCAAs make the next few days much more bearable! Have you tried anything new that helps with sore muscle relief?

Con Amor,

Adriana 💕

My First Time Using DietBet

I always like to trying new things regarding my health. While scrolling through Instagram I came across many fitness accounts posting about DietBet. I looked into it through their website and it seemed very simple, along with a possibility of winning money to pay off student loans, thought I would give it a try.

How it works is that you go on their website or down load their app. All you need is a scale (perferably a digital scale), a smartphone or a digital camera, and a full length mirror or someone to take your picture for you. There are a number of games going on at once, you have a choice of the following kind:

• Kickstarter: You bet the amount the game says, it can be as little as $30, the money gets put in a pot, and you have 4 weeks to loose 4% of your starting weight. 
• Transformer: You bet the amount for the pot and have 6 months to loose 10% of your starting weight. 
• Maintainer: You bet the certain amount for the winning pot, the difference about this one is that you have to maintain your weight over a course of 1 year. They do give you room for fluctuation for this one which is 2% weight gain or a 4% weight loss. 

When you first join you have to sign up with them, they as for your basic information like name and email address. You can also upload your picture if you would like to make it a little more personal. You end up choosing your game and put your bet in by credit card. You will have to do a weigh in when you start, they will send you a "weigh in word" mine was "chives". You will put that word on a piece of paper and place it next to the numbers on the scale, along with a photo of yourself on the scale. The DietBet website will review it and let you know when it has been accepted. At the end of the game you have up to 48 hours to weigh in with the same idea of the weigh in from when you started. If you are interested in looking into more of their rules they are listed on their website in every game.

Along your month long weight loss journey you will be a part of a tribe who is on the same journey as you. I found this to be comforting and motivating, like they say you are more successful with support or being involved in a team. There will be people posting their struggles, workout ideas, asking for help or advice, their meal ideas, or posting some motivation. You have the choice to do un-official weigh ins along the way, I did and it helped to show how many more pounds I had to go by pounds and percentage. 

The picture above is the view of your game page showing progress and the standings of all of the people that are involved. I started with Fatgirlfedup's Fall Fight for Fit HallowLEAN. As you can see there were 4,499 players with a $135,000 pot! This was a screenshot of the end of the game, so unfortunately I did not make my goal. I was only 1.4 pounds away from my goal but I am proud of the changes I have made and the weight, so in reality I lost the challenge but I won so much more. I don't eat out as much unless its date night or a lunch meeting for work. My meal prepping has gotten better and my bank account has a little bit more money due to the positive changes. 

I recommend this to anyone who is trying to loose weight, it is not impossible but it is hard work. This will not be my last DietBet, I cannot wait to start my next one and I will try my hardest to win my part of the pot. I hope that this can be a possible tool for those of you who would like a healthier lifestyle. Plus who doesn't like to win a little money along with loosing weight? 

Con Amor,

Adriana