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Evergreen5

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Hi, I am new and looking for some advice/reassurance in my weight loss quest. I am 42, a wife and mom, and 3 years ago when I weighed 105 lbs., my doctor told me I had a serious thyroid problem and put me on Synthroid. That drug caused me to gain over 30 lbs. in a short amount of time, made me exhausted beyond belief plus a host of other issues including blood sugar problems. I finally fought hard enough that they started me on a natural thyroid med which cleared up most of the side effects, but after a time because my blood pressure went up and I had heart palps, they refused to prescribe any longer. I am now off all meds and feel great, like a real person again, except that I cannot get this stupid weight back off, mostly centered around the midsection. I do bicycle riding, walking, hiking and have started strength training. Also, I am a vegetarian, but eat only a limited amount of low fat/fat free dairy (not every day). I drink only water, herbal tea and one cup of coffee a day. I have never been an over eater, I tend to not eat enough because I get busy. It is frustrating to be a healthy eater and not have weight come off because of medication. I am sure age plays a part, but if anyone has any advice on how to fix this I would welcome it. Wishing I had never let a doctor convince me to take that medication. After starting strength training, I seem to be bulking in my arms and upper legs. Will this eventually slim down if weight starts coming off?
 
Hey. Sounds like you are doing a lot of the right things. Have you ever counted calories? You may not feel like you are eating too much, but there are a lot of calories in little things like salad dressing that really add up. How often do you get cardio exercise? and for what duration? It should be at least 3 times / week and for at least 40 minutes to really see any difference, but I would recommend more if you want to see more immediate results. Strength training is also very important. Muscle is your calorie burner ... more muscle = more calories burned.
 
Thanks. I don't eat salad dressing. If I have a salad, I usually put just lime or lemon juice on it or homemade salsa (I steam my veggies or eat them raw). I decided to chunk the coffee and see if that helps as I read it can negatively affect insulin resistance. I will try the calorie thing. After breakfast and lunch today I have eaten 348 calories. Should I aim for 1000 or 1200?

I do at least 30 minutes per day of cardio and am building up to more, but on weekends I usually get in an hour or two riding my bike across town. I guess it is just going to be a long process.
 
Hey Evergreen,


How long have you been off of the meds? It does sound like you're doing a lot of things right. I would actually say that you're maybe going a bit low on the calorie intake... but if it's a choice between 1000 or 1200 per day, then go for 1200. Just keep at it, it might take a while!
 
Off all meds since February. I have been bouncing between 133 and 138 since then. This is a time I really wish I was a meat eater for more protein, but I just can't stomach it.
 
Hey!

It's a great thing that you started thinking & acting for yourself, instead of relying on doctors -.-'

:) good job on that!


I suggest you listen to the guy who said you should count calories. Usually I don't like that approach, but it might give you an objective view of the situation.


However, if it turns out that you're still not overeating, and yet remain big, you should check out your liquid intake. I found somewhere that people who are big in volume could be retaining water, which was the case for me, so as soon as I limited my liquid intake (this includes water, juices, coffee, vegetables, soups....), I lost like...3.6 kg in one week (about 8lbs). So if you lose or gain that much weight so quickly - it's probably water. Just limit your liquid intake to under 6 cups per day.


Also, it might be the hormone imbalance in your body, in which case calorie counting and/or liquid intake control will not be of much help. But on that subject you should, yes...consult a doctor.


I'm looking forward to read about your progress ;)
 
If you are looking for some help with insulin resistance, it is well documented that a few tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar daily can be helpful in htat regard. Grapefruit also helps to lower insulin resistance as does resistance training (weight training) and other excercise.
 
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