Good morning friends. Checking in on a cloudy, rainy Wedneday here in Pennsylvania. My mood feels cloudy too. I weighed myself today and I'm down just alittle in my weight. So I'm feeling a bit blue about that. I guess that weekend did more damage than I thought.
A few years ago, I decided I needed more than just my regular gyn annual check up. I was feeling tired all the time, my skin was breaking out, my hair changed from soft and fine, to coarse and somewhat frizzy. I had no energy and I had gained a few pounds a year over the last several years and I found myself more overweight than I had ever been. The old 3 F's ( Forty, fat and female) had happened to me. I would get the kids on the bus in the morning and literally think about going back to bed. I never did, but it was weird to even think about it at 8 in the morning. At times I would drive to the gym and sit outside in my car, trying to get the energy to go inside. Thoughts of depression started wondering through my head. Is this what it feels like? Do I need professional help? Maybe I'm depressed I thought, but I don't have any reason to be. Was it peri-menopause? No indication of that either. I have always been high energy, probably a little hyper by some standards. I had never been this down and dragging before.
So I found a good family Dr. and made an appointment for a check up and physical. My husband is a Dr., so I never really had the need to go to anyone for the occassional sore throat or sinus infection. He took care of that. He's not a family dr, but a specialist, and he can handle those things. I did my regular mammograms and pap smears with my gyn, so I was good in that area. But I hadn't had blood work, an EKG and a good hands on physical for as long as I could remember.
So on the day of my physical, my Dr. felt a lump (nodule) on my thyroid. She did some tests, scheduled some more blood work, and that day, my life changed going forward, for the better. My thyroid was so out of whack, and my blood levels were so off, that she started me on Synthroid ( thyroid hormone) immediately, even before I could get an appt. to see an endocrinologist. I always tell her ( my Dr.) that she changed my life that day. The difference in the way I felt on the medication was unbelievable. It was like a cloud, or fog had been lifted from me. That tired feeling went away, and I started feeling like I did many years ago.
So fast forward several years, one biopsy, and many drug dosage adjustments and here I am today. Still with the lump (we ultrasound regularly and watch for changes), still on the synthroid (dosage changes based on blood work) and still overweight.
Today I had an appointment with my endocrinologist Dr. which lead to my choosing the post title that I did today. I never was one to get right to the point! So the nodule has grown alittle, my blood levels are off alittle and I'm about the same weight as last visit 6 months ago. I asked her if my medication and blood levels are somewhat regulated, would I be able to lose weight like everyone else. She said it can be harder for a patient with hypothyroidism to lose weight, but it is possible. "Calories in, calories out is what it comes down to" she said. Boy have I heard that one before! She did suggest adding another thryoid drug called Cytomel, to what I am currently taking. I have been doing some reading about it, and some people have felt better, more energetic and report faster weight loss after taking it along with their Synthroid. I am going to try it and I'll see her again in three months and she will check my blood work, ultrasound and see how things are going. I know I'm not a perfect eater on the BFC, but I have changed so many habits, and I just had hoped to see more progress with my weight loss.
So my question to my fellow BFC devotees is this: Do you think calories matter on the BFC? Can you be following the 15/6 S/C daily totals and still overeat? My breakfast today was 2 slices of ezekial bread, topped with some reduced fat cheddar cheese, chia seeds and 2 poached eggs, some almond breeze and benefiber in my coffee. That was nearly 500 calories. When I'm hungry for a snack, I grab some cheese and almonds, both high in calories. When I track what I eat on fat secret (which I love by the way) I can measure four things. I pick sugar, carbs, fiber and calories. I noticed my calories are often nearly 2000, even when I am within the S/C range for the day. I'm wondering if I need to cut back the food to lose at the rate that some of you are losing. Let me know your thoughts! Goodbye for now!
Al long time ago the doctor told me that I needed synthroid too. I took it for many years and thought it was doing nothing. One day I stopped taking it - just to see if I was right. 6 months later I went back to the doctor and they took a blood test and I was normal, then I told the Doc that I stopped.
ReplyDeleteIn my case it was the wrong diagnosis. I am glad it makes you feel better and hopefully with the other one too it will all help.
The calorie thing?? Although we don't look at the calories on the BFC - I think it matters some. Try to eat some snacks that are a bit less on the calories, like either the cheese or the nuts instead of both. or some celery w/one or the other. Maybe that will help.??
You just have to play with your menu and see what will work better for you.
Have a great day :-)
I am enjoying following your blog along with the other BFC blogs. In regards to your calorie question, I would say that calories do matter, at least they do for me. I follow the BFC and also keep track of calories. I stick to between 1200-1500 calories a day. Never going below 1200. Anything over that and I don't lose weight. I have lost 30+ pounds doing this. Everyone has to find their own calorie range through experimentation. Stick with it - the low sugar and low carb works for a lot of people.
ReplyDeleteEmily
So I dont think they matter on the BFC, until you get down to a "Normal" weight range. I have never looked at calories on this plan, just the sugar and carbs. I know ppl insist it does matter and that low sugar & carbs mean low calorie, but I dont look at it. It has been pointed out that some nuts I love are high in calories, as are avocados. But I dont think I have a particularly high calorie diet either.
ReplyDeleteI have taken synthroid for several years and it has also been adjusted many times. I was actually excited to go on it thinking I would surely lose weight, I think I lost maybe 4 lbs:( I had more of a hair loss, dry skin issue. I can always tell when I need to up my dose because my hair starts falling out.
ReplyDeleteCalories, that nasty word. I believe that we have to be honest with ourselves about what we are eating. Every person has a different number of calories they can eat each day without gaining weight, or actually losing weight. I do not count calories on this plan. I would guess my 2 eggs, 3 bacon, sandwich thin with real butter adds up to several hundred calories. BUT....and this is a big BUT, realistically you could eat 1000's of calories a day on this plan by eating all high fat meats, cheese, nuts, etc. and I find it hard to believe that you would continue to lose. There has to be a happy medium. Just my humble opinion which does get me into trouble:) If you have access to a body composition scale it will tell you your basic metabolic rate. That is the number of calories that your body needs just to function. That could give you a starting point to shoot for on calories per day.
Pattie - It is funny that you posted this yesterday, because I am temporarily cutting back calories starting today. Now that I am in a healthy weight, if I eat lots of high calorie things I do not lose weight. I pretty much maintain, though, which bodes well for eating this way for life.
ReplyDeleteLadies, as always you make great comments. If I'm to be honest, I think I do overdo the cheese and nuts. I'm probably a little to liberal with the mayo and sour cream. Going to try and be more consious of this going forward.
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