New, Autoimmune, Paleo and Motivated!

NikkiAnamCara

Hello! My name is Nikki. I just joined My Fitness Pal today, to link it with my FitBit Flex.

I've been overweight for years...as a matter of fact, the last time I was really happy with my weight was when I got married 25 years ago. It went up about a few pounds every year up every year. Nomatter what I tried, and believe me, I tried almost everything, I couldn't seem to lose and keep it off. I've known that I have Hashimotos Hypothyroidism and other autoimmune conditions, and stay on top of keeping my thyroid levels balanced, but it wasn't helping with the weightloss.

I tried Atkins, and as soon as I went off the induction (very low carbs), the weight would start creeping back up almost immediately.
I did the Master Cleanse diet and lost about 10 pounds which came right back on.
I tried HcG (drops, not the injections) - lost 30 pounds, came right back on.
I've done Weight Watchers
I've done Overeaters Anonymous, although I knew I wasn't over-eating.
I've done doctor-supervised diets, fasting, low-carb, hi-carb, low-fat, hi-fat and everything in-between.
I went on vacation and, while still doing yoga and hiking, gained 19 pounds in 19 days (and I wasn't drinking, eating junk food, etc.)
I've spent thousands of dollars on doctors, diet plans, supplements...

And then, I went to a naturopath, and told her, "You're my last hope. I cannot go into senior citizenship at this weight. If you can't help me, I'm going to see the surgeon about a lap band."

The first thing she discovered was that my cortisol was high, and DHEA was low. She put me on DHEA supplements (5 mg/day), vitamin D and B, and suggested I cut out as much refined sugar as possible. I immediately shot up 10 pounds and FREAKED OUT! She suggested I stick with it 2 more weeks. I did, and the 10 pounds came off. Then 5 more. And somewhere in the process, I found my energy and started riding my bike 2, 3...up to 16 miles a day a few days a week. And, more weight came off. When winter came, I switched to cross country skiing. When spring came back around, to hiking. All in all, I lost 50 pounds over 7 months.

And then in May of last year, the weight started coming back on. I was logging food, going to the gym, doing 7 - 8 mile hikes on the weekend. First 10 pounds. Then another 10. Then the 19pounds in 9 days I mentioned. My naturopath had decided to close her practice after 15 years. I worked like crazy from late November, through the holidays, and by the second week of January, had lost the 19 pounds. But the next day, despite sticking with my diet and exercise plan, it started coming back, and in a week, 5 pounds had returned. I felt lost and hopeless!

A friend recommended another local naturopath (I'd tried to find one myself, but wasn't getting any results from her approach). The new naturopath looked at my blood work and, after about a half-hour conversation, suggested that I try a Paleo diet to heal my immune system of leaky gut syndrome, reduce inflammation. I've been sticking with the eating plan (easy! So nutrient and fiber-rich that I'm not hungry. And I have a little raw chocolate bar if I'm craving something sweet besides fruit). I also purchased a personal far-infrared sauna (about $150 online) to sweat out toxins (again at her suggestion). I don't know if it helps, but it sure feels decadent to have my own personal sauna!

The weight is coming off again! It's so nice when your body responds as it should: eat right and exercise = lose weight!!!

I'm looking for friends who also have autoimmune conditions and are following a whole foods/Paleo type of plan to share our progress and challenges and support each other as we achieve our goals, whatever they are.

TheContraryAthlete

Hi Nikki...I too have Hashimotoas along with a whole other heck of a lot of auto immune mysteries. None of my doctors were listening or helping me...I was a short distance triathlete, and nothing was working for me. My body was even starting to shut down. I found a fantastic Integrative Health doctor who is definitely steering me in the right direction. I am currently mostly paleo (with a few other restrictions thrown in... like no gluten, dairy, soy, rice, or egg for me) and I have been feeling great.

I still have flare ups, but as long as I stick to my diet, things do what they're supposed to do. I'm even starting to exercise again!
Send me a request, and I'd love to share my journey! It's hard, but we can do it! :flowerforyou:

DaveneGfit

Nikki feel free to add me! Like you I have tried almost everything under the sun and it wasn't until I actually started to teach myself what was good for my body that I started to change. It sounds like to me you have been on quite the journey and I applaud you for continuing to press on! I eat mainly paleo myself and I know how essential it is to have people to support you

lindsey1979

Nikki feel free to add me! Like you I have tried almost everything under the sun and it wasn't until I actually started to teach myself what was good for my body that I started to change. It sounds like to me you have been on quite the journey and I applaud you for continuing to press on! I eat mainly paleo myself and I know how essential it is to have people to support you

Nikki -- add me as well. I've had a fairly similar story (see below). The one thing I'd add in there is if you've been checked for insulin resistance?

I've been eating Primal, which is sort of a variation of Paleo, or some people call it Paleo-permissive. For example, with Primal, you can eat dairy if it agrees with you (don't have any adverse issues with lactose, casein, etc.), though they aim for full-fat varieties over low fat versions (cream, butter, cheese, full-fat yogurt, whole milk, etc.). But strict paleo adherents will say no dairy at all. For more info on Primal, check out marksdailyapple.com

I find that I just feel waaaay better eating Primal, and I think that's something you'll find with a lot of people who love the Paleo/Primal lifestyle. However, I now understand why it feels so much better to me. After years of bouts of major fatigue and weight gain/difficulty losing weight, the only thing that had helped was switching to Primal. Although the fatigue had gotten better, I was still really struggling with losing weight (I had a good 30-40 lbs to lose). After eating at a deficit of 700+ calories/day and not losing any weight, my doctor was finally convinced to look into it further. He finally believed me and that "eat less and move more" wasn't enough for me and something was up.

A few specialists later, and I was diagnosed with both Hashimoto's thyroiditis (thyroid condition) and insulin resistance. Primal works great for Hashi's as it's an autoimmune disorder and they think is triggered by certain foods -- gluten seems to be the most popular of the suspected culprits.

I suspect that a lot of people that love Primal have experiences like mine -- they've had undiagnosed conditions for years -- either digestive issues, thyroid issues, lymph issues, etc., but they haven't been severe enough to be diagnosed by their doctors. They start Paleo/Primal and all of a sudden a lot of their symptoms clear up and they feel awesome.

As for weight loss, I know a lot of people that have done great body recomp and weight loss through Primal eating and exercise, though that may be accomplished just easily with a similar macro level. Usually, for Primal people, it ends up being a high fat, moderate protein and low-ish carb diet. The carbs are adjustable based on whether you want to lose fat (then lower the carbs) or are already at a good weight and just want to maintain or gain muscle or focus on performance (then can have more carbs). Eating Primally just sort of lends itself to these macros generally since you're really only getting your carbs from vegetables, some fruits and occasional starchy carbs like sweet potatoes.

I cook Primally, and I don't find it difficult at all. Vegetables, often in butter or coconut oil, tons of herbs, full-fat cheeses, tons of protein (love me a good steak), fruit on occasion (I'm low carbing it for the insulin resistance so I limit my fruit intake), dark chocolate on occasion, certain nuts (almonds, macadamia, etc.), bacon, etc. Shoot, I make a mean vodka sauce and instead of serving over pasta, I use spaghetti squash -- it's really good.

So, yeah, you're giving up grains so if you're a big bread, pasta or baked goods/sweets person, that part may be difficult. I have dark chocolate from time to time and I find that satisfies my sweet tooth. But, personally, I don't miss the bread, pasta, rice, etc. at all anymore. If I want to do something that they'd normally be served over -- like my penne alla vodka or a nice curry, I just make the sauce and serve it over spaghetti squash. I find it to be an awesome sauce delivery vehicle.

I'm not sure why Paleo/Primal gets so much gruff on this site, but I love it and would highly recommend it to anyone.

cahndoit

I am in the same boat- struggling with Hashis and just wanting to feel better. I have recently gone gluten free. I am looking at the paleo diet as a possibility for me. Also, trying to increase my activity in general, which has been hard, bc I feel exhausted all the time.

zataba

Hi! I've been doing Paleo since January. I've been following the Whole 30 program which started with a strict 30 days. Other than a glass of milk with dinner, I eat Paleo. I feel great! I have more energy, I sleep better, and some of my joint pain and inflammation has gone down. I have lost 20 pounds in less than three months. I did not have to count calories or points. It does take a lot of planning and cooking, but I've found some great recipes and have incorporated vegetables into my diet that have now become favorites - roasted sweet potatoes, roasted cauliflower, kale chips. Yum! I don't find that it is all that restrictive once you get used to it and once you've cleansed your body of the sugar and processed food. I think it's something I can do long term while certainly have a treat of something non-Paleo now and then.

Several of my co-workers are doing it to and loving how they feel and are losing weight too. I would encourange anyone to try it for 30 days and see how you feel and what your results are! I'm happy to answer any questions.

jenc555

I am just diving in to the Autoimmune Paleo Diet (AIP) after realizing that I have not felt better even after removing gluten and dairy (3 years). I have been working with a nutritionist for about 3 months and have been logging everything and eating around 1400 calories. I have only lost about 4 pounds, and I'm realizing that my Hashi's and Celiac are huge factors and it's the type of food I am eating that needs more attention.

spradlin91

Hello My name is Dawayne and I am trying to get to 185 lbs from 245. I want to lose this weight so that I cna live a healthy lifestyle once again.

blake281

Hi, my name is Whitney, and I am on my second day of autoimmune paleo. I was diagnosed with Hasimoto's thyroiditis ten years ago. I am now 33 years old and taking 224 mcg of Levothyroxine daily. I am in the middle of tests to determine if I have multiple sclerosis as well.

The high dosage of Levothyroxine and the possible MS diagnosis have motivated me to take control by changing how I eat. I cut out gluten last August (with a few slip-ups since then). I have definitely noticed an improvement in my IBS issues, but I am going full AIP for a few weeks to see if my Hashi symptoms improve.

Please add me on here -- I would love to have support from other autoimmune fighters!

jpkkmfj

Hi Whitney,
My name is Robin, I too have Hashimoto's and have MS, lucky us! I started Paleo two weeks ago. My daughter got me thinking I should at least try to see if I feel better. I have lost 7 lbs. and I feel like my IBS issues seem to be better too. I miss convenience foods, just cause I don't have a whole of energy yet. I am motivated, wondering if your energy is up since you started Paleo lifestyle. I am walking about 4 miles 4x a week. (bad knee, limited) I hope that you do not have MS. It seems to have it's highs and lows, I just never know when I going to feel good or bad. If you do end up being diagnosed with MS, the best piece of advice I can give you is, listen to your body. When your tired, lay down and when your not go for it! I wish you the best, God bless,
Sincerely, Robin

Steph_135

Hello! I was wondering where you found "the meal plan" for Paleo? Was it in one of the books on the subject?

I was eating Paleo for the past week, but had super intense stomach pains. I'm pretty sure it's cause I wasn't eating enough.

Since then I've been eating grains again, but have kept the foods I was eating while Paleo.

I want to get back to the Paleo, cause my naturopathic doctor recommended it for me as well. I've tried EVERYTHING else, so I really want to give it a decent chance (but feel like I am not starving!!).

lindsey1979

Hello! I was wondering where you found "the meal plan" for Paleo? Was it in one of the books on the subject?

I was eating Paleo for the past week, but had super intense stomach pains. I'm pretty sure it's cause I wasn't eating enough.

Since then I've been eating grains again, but have kept the foods I was eating while Paleo.

I want to get back to the Paleo, cause my naturopathic doctor recommended it for me as well. I've tried EVERYTHING else, so I really want to give it a decent chance (but feel like I am not starving!!).

Why aren't you eating more on Paleo? If you're looking for just calories, then stick with the calorie dense foods like nuts -- those can add up quickly -- or starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes. Otherwise, you should be able to eat quite a bit in the realm of veggies, fruits, meats, etc.

Steph_135

Lindsey, I have no idea! I would eat till I was feeling full, but it tended not to be very much calories! Maybe I was skimping on the fats and oils. My protein count tended to be around 80 grams. Carbs around 65 grams, and fats about 75. Off of Paleo, I got 115 g protein the other day. Anyway... I didn't have any nuts cause I hadn't shopped for those, but maybe that would help. Thanks again.

lindsey1979

Lindsey, I have no idea! I would eat till I was feeling full, but it tended not to be very much calories! Maybe I was skimping on the fats and oils. My protein count tended to be around 80 grams. Carbs around 65 grams, and fats about 75. Off of Paleo, I got 115 g protein the other day. Anyway... I didn't have any nuts cause I hadn't shopped for those, but maybe that would help. Thanks again.

Oh, okay, I understand what you're saying now. Yes, feeling full and still being lower on the calorie side is pretty common with Paleo (especially if you're strict paleo and cutting out all dairy -- otherwise, butter, ghee, cream, etc. are your friends and great for cooking veggies in or making sauces). I think a lot of people experience this why many lose weight on it, even though that may not be the exact intention of the plan.

If you're just trying to up your calories, definitely get more in touch with the oils (coconut, avocado, olive, etc.) and nuts (macadamia, almond, etc.). They'll pack a wallop of healthy fats and calories. Starchy veggies are also great for that -- like sweet potatoes. If you're using any dairy at all (like butter), I've got a killer recipe for cheddar bacon sweet potatoes biscuits. They turn out more like a cross between a biscuit and a twice baked potato, but they're so tasty! Especially with a little grass fed butter on top!

Also, I personally would up your protein a little -- aiming for 0.8 g per lb bodyweight (or 1 g per lb LBM if you know your LBM). I can struggle to hit that myself, though I'm aiming for 135 or so). I'd definitely recommend a whey protein supplement for that -- it's so much easier to drink your calories! I like the Optimum Nutrition whey, in either Extreme Milk Chocolate or Vanilla Ice Cream, myself. Each scoop is 24 grms of protein and an easy way to get more protein in your diet when you're already feeling full.

Steph_135

Great ideas Lindsey! Thanks.

I have been using coconut oil a lot more now (used to use grapeseed - can't use olive cause I get a reaction to it).

Thanks for the recipe offer, but I am (cow) dairy-free mostly. I love goat products though. I am trying to avoid that now as well. I recently bought a goat whey protein powder that is amazing! I was making shakes with that and coconut milk (unsweetened, in the carton), and bananas, flaxseed, etc, and they were amazing! I will keep doing that for a while, since I spent so much money on the whey.

Planning to pick up where I left off with Paleo tomorrow morning. Have a nice week.

NikkiAnamCara

I actually eat more Primal than Paleo - check out Mark's Daily Apple site - that's where I find most of my inspiration. Good luck, and feel free to add me as a MFP Pal!