I'm new and need help!

Arrista
Arrista Posts: 12 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi all!

I'm 31, soon to be 32 (Jan 28th). I'm 5'6", work in a call center and do ALOT of knitting. I currently weigh about 210lbs, although until the start of 2012 I had weighed about 187.5lbs. There had been a few fluctuations and have tried loosing weight, but nothing really stuck and I'd always go back to 187.5 lbs. In college I was down to 160lbs and I'd like to at least get back to that... really I should likely be looking to be between 140lbs and 150lbs. I'd really like some help/support here and have a few questions to start right off the bat...

1) I suffer from an underactive Thyroid which is what seems to have added alot of weight. I'm taking meds for it, but they don't seem to be helping with the weight loss. Suggestions?

2) I also suffer from migrains, have for 15 years or so. My Dr. has me on vitamins and a blood pressure meds (I don't have a blood pressure issue, but they help with migrain prevention). The issue is that I live in Southern Ontario which can have very unstable weather and I work in an enviroment with florecent lighting. What I'm getting at is this time of year in perticular I still get migrains a fair bit and I don't want to work out when I get the feeling that I'm getting one (which is most days). Anyone have this issue or any suggestions how to counteract this?

3) Has anyone found a difference in motivation between setting your ultimate goal vs. setting you goal in small incriments?

4) Will you be my friend on here? I know there are alot of posts for this, but I'm new to the community and wanted to ask the questions above as well.

Thanks so much for your help in advance!!! Looking forward to meeting people and the new me :D!
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Replies

  • Arrista
    Arrista Posts: 12 Member
    Anyone?
  • FitBeto
    FitBeto Posts: 2,121 Member
    forever-alone-face.png


    But nah for real, I will help!
  • sammie190489
    sammie190489 Posts: 45
    Hey!

    Feel free to add me!

    What diet are you doing? I've was on mine for two months and lost 25lbs - Doing NO excercise at all I might add!!!

    I found that having an overall goal was easier for me than having an incremental one, purely because it made me stick to it (Until a family bereavement which has meant I've had a month off ) But back to it now!!
  • stephdeeable
    stephdeeable Posts: 1,407 Member
    I don't really have any advice about the medical things, but as for your third question,...when I first started it was all about "losing 150 pounds!", and sometimes it just seemed so far off and so hard to obtain that it could be discouraging. 2 pounds a week doesn't feel like a lot when I was focusing on this huge goal. Now I am making smaller goals and it really helps a lot with my motivation and attitude. I am currently concentrating on 10 pounds at a time. Just got out of the 290's, and now I'm working on the 280's. I would recommend something more like that, because 10 pounds feels much more attainable than 150, and it is a great boost everytime I meet that goal.

    Feel free to add me as a friend as well!

    Good luck with your migraine issue as well...I only get them when it turns to spring, and again when it turns to fall, I couldn't imagine having to deal with that all year long! :(
  • tbetts23
    tbetts23 Posts: 303 Member
    Hey. Add me:flowerforyou:
    I have the thyroid thing going on as well. Weight loss is doable. I've been at it since Feb. 50# lost is so close I can taste it. :love: the best advise I can give you is to get your blood work done regularily to make sure your meds are right. It's a long road but you can do it.
  • Arrista
    Arrista Posts: 12 Member
    Thanks so much all! I appreciate it... I think I'll start out with 10lbs inccriments and see how it works!
  • Arrista
    Arrista Posts: 12 Member
    Sammie, I'm not really doing any diet. I'm on my second go at this, I orrigonally signed up and then didn't use MFP after that so at the moment I'm just trying to make better choices on what I eat and tracking as accurately as possible to figure out where I'm going to need to make changes.

    I've tried the GI diet, and it wasn't bad but I'm sooooo not a diet person! I have the GI Diet book and a weightwatchers cookbook at home so I'll be trying to add those recipies into my cooking routine. I tend more to read a diet book for the information and take the info with a grain of salt (I don't belive in cutting one thing out because it's 'bad') and then pull what I think will work or is a common and healthy thread that I see in several books. Ex. Eating fresh unproccessed food and whole grains, not drinking calories (I LOVE POP :frown: ) and tracking what you eat, then go from there. Maybe I'm way off base with this, but I want a healthy lifestyle that I can maintain over the long haul.

    Does that make sense?
  • Marcieb21
    Marcieb21 Posts: 127 Member
    Hi. I work at a call center too! I feel that because I am sitting all day for my job it has made it a little more difficult for me to lose weight then previous times when I had different jobs(restaurants etc.) But it is possible.
    Feel free to add me! :D
  • cici1028
    cici1028 Posts: 799 Member
    Feel free to add me for support/motivation.

    When I first started, it was hard to look at the big picture and how many pounds I had to go. Definitely set small goals and you'll get there!
  • jennfranklin
    jennfranklin Posts: 434 Member
    Feel free to add me! :)
  • llangstraat
    llangstraat Posts: 130 Member
    Feel free to add me and I will support you in anyway I can. I also suffer from Migraines and at the suggestion of my doctor after trying a gazillion other things, started taking 750-1000 mg of Magnesium daily and it has helped tremendously! If you decide to try Magnesium though, purchase a quality brand from your local health food store or research it on the internet. Not all Magnesium is the same.
  • Arrista
    Arrista Posts: 12 Member
    Llangstraat, Thanks for the magnesium tip, I'm deffinately going to try it! May I ask, do you do any working out or at least streching or anything during a migrain or just wait for it to pass?
  • vcferlita1
    vcferlita1 Posts: 61
    I used to get really bad migraines too. Turns out it was my BP. I work in a CC too, so I'm pretty sedantary which doesn't help my weight loss. Hard to get moving though. Good luck.
  • ambsnic17
    ambsnic17 Posts: 305 Member
    Hi there!! I was reading your post and I can def relate to some things you are experiencing. I have a thyroid that is boarder-line underactive. I'm not on any medication or anything. When I first started my weight loss in August of this year, I was doing weight watchers (WW) and then saw the commericial for the insanity workouts. So I started doing both together. WW didn't seem to really be working for me, so I asked around and decided to stop WW and start MFP. Since being on here I have lost 7 lbs, doesn't seem like a lot, but it is to me since I wasn't really seeing the weight loss through WW. I also suffer from migraines. Light, noise, any movement, talking makes it worse and I def don't feel like doing ANYTHING. My migraines start b/c of stress/tension. I have found though that excersicing and eating better have helped my migraines except for my "lady time" every month. I personally find it easier to set small goals of 5lb. increments b/c I'm the kinda person if I don't reach my goal (or even look like I'm not) then I could give up easily, so the 5lb. goal is def do-able for me. I want to lose a total of 40-50lbs. So when I think of that, I always tell myself that I'll never get there, but the 5lb. I can do that!

    Feel free to add me if you'd like :)
    Good luck,
    Amber
  • TennisQtpye
    TennisQtpye Posts: 110 Member
    Feel free to add me
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
    With migraines and thyroid issues you might want to see a proper licensed nutritionist. If you don't, I would definitely suggest taking it easy at first - small to moderate calorie deficit and not too crazy on the exercise... at least until you know how your body is going to react to it. You don't want to risk messing up your thyroid more or triggering more migraines.

    Steve Troutman's site is the very best info you'll get anywhere: http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/
  • Jeffersz
    Jeffersz Posts: 36
    I started getting migraines which I'd never had before, turned out it was my blood pressure. Low calories/fat/cholesterol and high fiber/protein have worked well for me, 17lbs in 8 weeks with very little change in activity, and the BP looks great with no headaches!

    Don't overwealm yourself, pick reasonable milestone goals and stick to the plan no matter what. When you see those goals get met, you'll be super glad you did. :)

    Feel free to add me if you wish!

    -Jeff
  • ShainsMommy
    ShainsMommy Posts: 1 Member
    Hello,
    Please feel free to add me as a friend.
    At such a young age, i have battled with knee problems for a good part of my life. I was supposed to have surgery quite a few years ago and i never followed through with it, Anyway, that has caused me to be very limited at times on my workouts.

    You CAN lose weight just eating healthy.

    So many people use the word "diet"...but diets are usually for a certain period of time, and then they stop. "eating healthy" is a complete change.

    There are 2 pieces of advice I would like to share with you

    #1. You should tr your best to eat about every 3 hours. After 4 hours, your body goes into "starvation mode", and it will store calories, thinking it will need to use them later. Usually..if i have gone without a meal for quite some time, i will eat something like a salad, or something lower in calories, so if your body DOES try to store them...there wont be very many bad calories, or a large amount of calories for your body to store.

    #2. If you stick to a pretty regular "healthy eating" schedule..you can easily lose anywhere between 15-30 pounds in the very first month! But dont be discouraged when you drastically slow down after that. Dont lose motivation!

    Feel free to add me as a friend
  • raelorien
    raelorien Posts: 71 Member
    Feel free to add me.
  • wildfirediva
    wildfirediva Posts: 212
    Try to get a good estimate of your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). Don't set you calories too low. (They should ultimately be below your TDEE and at or really close to your BMR). [There are several on line calculators but remember they may be off by a bit, but it is a good place to start.]

    Monitor and track your nutrition closely (good quality calories, consistently) . Really make that your focus for the 1st month or 2. Clean it up (plenty of clean eating websites). Try to get at least 80-100g of protein a day and plenty of water. Track your migraine triggers and add a good multi-vitamin supplement.
    In this same 1-2month period STEP AWAY FROM THE SCALE. Try to limit it to once a week (if not less). Your weight fluctuates daily and while it can encourage it can also discourage. (After all your goal should be getting healthy, weight loss with come with it.)

    Make daily efforts to increase your activity. I often work in an Emergency Dispatch center (lots of sitting). I keep water at my desk and do my best to move during breaks (when I can take them.). During my lunch (usually 30 min) I pack my lunch (which only takes about 15ish min to eat and I walk the rest. Make efforts to park further in parking lots and take your cart all the way back to the store instead of just leaving it in the lot.
    I do a lot of squats, lunges and resistance exercises in front of the tv at home. I also have resistance bands on my chair at work and get a little in here and there.

    Feel free to add me. My nutritional regime at the moment is Clean Keto. I have not dropped that many lbs since on MFP but I have dropped several inches and fit into clothes much better (lots less muffin top).

    One day at a time.
  • dorianaldyn
    dorianaldyn Posts: 611 Member
    Feel free to add me too.

    Have you ever tried botox for your migraines? I've heard that can help. I haven't had that many migraines in my lifetime, but I can guarantee there'd be NO WAY I could exercise when all I could bear was to be in a dark room with a cool compress over my eyes and absolutely no noise from anyone or anything - which is how I feel when a migraine strkes. I would also suggest speaking to your HR department to see if there are any changes you can make to your work area that would trigger fewer of them - the lighting is tough, but maybe some antiglare screens on your computer screen or perhaps moving your workstation to a spot where the florescent lighting was less direct?
  • Healthydiner65
    Healthydiner65 Posts: 1,448 Member
    Even in a call center you can stand and do leg lifts with a headset on. Sitting you can use water bottles as weights to do arm exercises.Keep plenty of fruit and vegy's for when you get bored(it can get very boring in a call center).Walk around the call center on breaks and lunch.And bring your lunch.You can make it the night before. A crockpot is a lifesaver for making chicken breasts for burritos,quesadillas etc! Good Luck!
  • Arrista
    Arrista Posts: 12 Member
    Thank you all soooo much for the support. I can't tell you how much a relief it is to see that a) I'm not alone and b) that this is an active site with so much helpful information!
  • shar140
    shar140 Posts: 1,158 Member
    Track your migraine triggers

    Especially if it's related to what you eat. I can't see your food log, but reading #1 and #2, my first thought is a gluten sensitivity, as those are both symptoms. What are your other health complaints? An elimination diet would help you determine what your triggers are.
  • Arrista
    Arrista Posts: 12 Member
    I have tracked my triggers and my Doc and I have taken care of most of them, however one of the big ones is a weather change. Living in S Ontario Canada, in the fall and spring is really tough. Stress and poor sleeping habits as well. My Doc says all of my blood work is normal now with my vitamins (Iron, D3, and B12 plus my thyroid meds) and I don't get sick from eating bread. Could this still be a gulten issue?
  • strawmama
    strawmama Posts: 623 Member
    I thought I had all my migraine triggers nailed down too, but I still got them nearly once a week. Went low-carb and haven't had one at all this past month.
    I also have a slightly under-active thyroid. The meds do nothing as far as weight loss, but they did stop the weight gain.
    I sent you a friend request.
  • faceoff4
    faceoff4 Posts: 1,599 Member
    Feel free to add me as I am always welcome to help motivate and add any help I can. Goals are hard as you want to set them high enough to reach for something, but for those that exercise and dieting dont come natural to, I have seen that making it too hard will only result in people to stop trying. So there is definitely a balance to find there. Just be positive and use MFP and you will learn alot about yourself, nutrition, exercise, and from great friends here who all do a great job motivating!
  • Phoenixchichima
    Phoenixchichima Posts: 416
    I'm old & I need help lol (well, 52)
    1) dont know about underactive thyroid.
    2) or migraine triggers, although when I was younger & got them working out reduced frequency a LOT. havent had one in years (touch wood)
    3) yeah, working out w/headaches sucks but the increase in oxygen to your brain & relaxed blood vessels & neck muscles will help. working out/exercise just helps overall
    4) I'll be your friend but I dont know how to knit ;)
  • Phoenixchichima
    Phoenixchichima Posts: 416
    ps, my friends & I have better luck with short term goals. we post what we want to lose overall. but between ourselves we work at being compliant w/diet & exercise for a set period of 4-6 weeks with start & end dates. mind you the start dates are w/in days of the previous end dates. but its just 4 weeks, you know? NOT 73 lbs.
  • MsEmmy
    MsEmmy Posts: 254 Member
    Just a quick reply, but have you cut out caffeine? That was a major trigger of migraines for me, along with job stress which caused tachycardia and so contributed to migraines. The thing was, I never really drank coffee and only the occasional cola anyway so didn't think it would make a difference but it was drastic. I now only drink decaffeinated tea and have cut out cola, left the job that was stressing me and haven't had a migraine since :)

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