Hashimotos & Weight Loss

[Denice]

Hello. I am new here but hoping to find kindred spirits.
I am in my late fifties, female and I suffer with Hashimotos Thyroid Disease for over 30 years.
I was always an active kid with normal weight range until puberty when I started being about 20 pounds or so overweight. At 26 I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism, which I was later told was Hashimotos. Finally when I was in my late thirties I decided to get my act together and get off the extra weight, I lost 28 pounds by cutting calories and walking for an hour 5 days a week, and stayed the same weight range for almost 20 years. Fast forward in my early 50s I had a bad back injury, it put me out of commission for 5 months. I gained about 20 pounds during that time, then when I wanted to get back in the swing of things I developed plantar fascitis. Walking became so painful, then my thyroid meds went wonky and they could not seem to get me regulated, the weight was just piling on. I was eating about 1400 calories a day and doing farm chores 5 hours a day and gaining weight. I finally found a doctor that is helping me with both regulating my thyroid numbers and weight loss. I started this new journey on September 21st, and I have lost 22 pounds since then.
Hoping to share with others along my journey and hear about theirs.

 

[Trusylver]

Well done with your loss so far, while conditions such as these make loosing harder, you are a good example of showing that it is not impossible.

 

[Denice]

Well done with your loss so far, while conditions such as these make loosing harder, you are a good example of showing that it is not impossible.

No it is not impossible, but logically I wonder how long I can stay on this very restricted diet, in order to lose I am eating 1000 calories a day, and cutting out most of the foods I love. I am seeing that as I am getting older it is more difficult than ever to lose. I am guessing maintenance is after I reach my goal is going to be about 1400 calories a day or less. This disease has killed my metabolism. I am as active as a person with all my medical conditions can be, and I am in Florida so I spend quite a bit of time outdoors with the animals on our farm, mucking, grooming, feeding, mowing, and raking, I walk our dog 3 times per day. I also do stretching and a little yoga before bed.

 

[Trusylver]

how much of your farm work involves lifting ? building strength boosts metabolism. Also what is you mix of macro nutrients ?

do you know your current bodyfat % and current weight ?

 

[Denice]

how much of your farm work involves lifting ? building strength boosts metabolism. Also what is you mix of macro nutrients ?

do you know your current bodyfat % and current weight ?

Well I never really calculated how much is lifting, but I drag around a cart that is like a wheel barrow except you pull instead of lift, it holds up to 400 lbs, I have to drag it quite a ways to dump when I muck out stalls&coops. I cannot use a regular wheel barrow because I have 2 herniated discs and I cannot lift that much weight up that way. I make several trips. I also lift and dump and refill about 8 "5 gallon" water buckets per day. I stack bales of hay and 50 lbs feed sacks in the barn. I can tell you that my morning chores take about 90 minutes and I am really sweating about 30 minutes in. Evening chores take about an hour, and I walk the dog 3 times a day for about 15 minutes. This doesn't include that I have a 2000 sq ft home that I clean daily (I am a neat freak) I do move furniture when I vacuum, and dust. I still do the tile floors on my hands and knees. I also garden and pull weeds in my spare time. We have 3 acres and I walk all over the place daily. I break a heavy sweat at least twice per day. I think my doctor said my BMI was 28 but he also said I am very muscular, my calves are like rocks, I have a bicep bump, and my fore arms are like steel. I do not carry my weight in my stomach it is more like all over weight, even though there is some fat over my core you can easily feel my ab muscles. My largest area of fat is in my upper thighs, but not my rear end. My current weight is 187.

 

[Trusylver]

The reason i was asking is that not all farm work involves lifting.

BMI is a poor guide especially for those who have a good amount of muscle which it sounds like you have, this is why finding out your bodyfat % is more helpful than BMI. By knowing how much your lean mass is calories can be calculated based on that number.

Actual weight on the scales becomes less important when you are muscular, measurements of key areas are a better guide to progress.