maracuya23

There can be a correlation between gluten issues and hypothyroidism, particularly Hashimoto's. Perhaps because both are autoimmune diseases. I am definitely someone who does better without gluten. I did have additional gluten/ celiac's type issues (bloating, nutrient malabsorption, other digestive distress, skin issues)…

The blog "weightless" by Margarita Tartakovsky has a refreshing perspective on weight and body image that might resonate with you. And you're not alone- I know so many women who have struggled with the same issues, especially while in college. If there's one thing I wish I could go back and change, it would be talking…

I don't know that diet specifically. I am generally a big fan of reading about all kinds of approaches, though, since it's nice to see studies and reasoning behind why different authors advocate different methods. Usually, they have something worthwhile or thought-provoking to say (even if that thought turns out to be that…

Your diet doesn't need to be perfect, or planned. Your exercise doesn't need to be perfect or planned either. Just dive in. One snack, or meal, or set of squats, or a sun salutation, or day of accurate logging. Just do one thing, and then another as you think of it. Gradually, they'll just become habits. Or set a simple…

I'm all for donation/ selling for the most part. There's a possibility I might get pregnant in the near future, and part of me wants to hang on to my fat clothes because they'd fit again with pregnancy (there's no way I'd otherwise regain). Anyone else hang on to theirs for possible pregnancy?

For what it's worth, all my levels of nutrients came back in the normal range. All were the absolute rock bottom of "normal" according to the lab ranges. Supplementing helped me feel enormously better, and my numbers are more midrange now. It might also be worth trying to give yourself a maintenance break for a few weeks.…

Has your doctor checked to make sure you're not deficient in iron, vitamin D, and B12? Being low in any could also cause fatigue by themselves. And you need good levels of all of them to be able to properly convert the T4 in your meds to T3. Worth checking, especially as those deficiencies are common and easy to correct…

Great post. I'll throw in one more. When eating something you didn't prepare yourself (restaurant, potluck,etc), try and log the ingredients used instead of looking for a generic entry. For example: take out stir fry: add carrots, onions, peas, chicken breast, cooked rice, estimate on the oil (skew high), soy sauce It's…

Did you ask the researchers why there was such a large discrepancy between the two body fat estimation methods they used on you? They might want to rerun, as that DEXA scan sounds like it was miscalibrated.

For me, one of the biggest challenges was realizing that I'd spent MANY years vaguely believing those magazine headlines at the checkout line: "drop 10 pounds this week", "20 lbs off by summer!", etc. Sure, rationally, I knew they weren't true, or if true setting me up to yo-yo forever. Almost a year in now, and somewhere…

I'm another person who gave up gluten cold turkey and feels vastly better for it. My approach was to start making a list of what I could eat, instead of what I couldn't. I generally cook things that are naturally gluten free instead of making substitutions to recreate wheat dishes. So, lots of latin american food (corn…

It's frustrating, for sure. The best thing you can do is get your levels stable, and focus on getting the best nutrition you can so that your medication can work as well as possible. Trying to quickly lose weight, seriously cut calories, or seriously step up exercise all can impact your thyroid function and cause cortisol…

The first year or so on thyroid meds is a serious adjustment, and with Hashimoto's it's especially likely levels will fluctuate. When I started medication for hypothyroidism last year, I was getting my levels checked every 6 weeks until they stabilized. Since thyroid medications are strongly weight-dependent as well,…

Try and estimate based on ingredients and add them individually- roughly 2-3 cups stock/ broth, ounces of whatever meat or protein you had, cups carrots/ sprouts/ basil. The hardest measure is a guess on the rice noodles, just estimate as best you can.

Definitely accurate logging as a first step. I've found that the entries that are directly copied from the usda database are the most accurate (these usually include a number for potassium, and do not have a star next to them if you're on the web version of mfp.) If you haven't already, you might consider a general checkup…

There is a slightly modified version of this test available as well that takes more like an hour. It's basically measuring how much CO2 you produce as a proxy for how quickly your metabolism is working. I went in fasted and very first thing in the morning, and they had me in a complete hood to capture everything I exhaled.…

I had my RMR tested at a university hospital's exercise physiology research lab. If you're trying to find a place that will do the direct breath measurement type of test, as opposed to the bodpod method (where they estimate based on body composition, which can be substantially off for hypo folks.)

Definitely don't take too much magnesium citrate- it is a laxative at higher doses. I usually take 125mg, which is small. The laxative form is about 1700mg.

It's taken me about 11 months to lose 21lbs. The first several months, I was undermedicated, so that made it harder. I second the suggestion to have your RMR tested directly- it's super helpful information. The other big thing that has helped me is taking a closer look at my nutrition, and working with my Dr to address…

I tried everything to get more regular sleep. More than one visit to a doctor to try to address the issue, with no solution. For me, after years, simple magnesium citrate before bed finally did the trick. I guess I was/ am often a bit low on magnesium. I hope you can find what works for you- that random erratic sleep…

I do supplement because my tested levels of things like iron always come up low. To bring iron levels up without supplements, try lots of green leafy veggies, beets, and cooking in cast iron pans. There are some helpful googleable lists of iron-rich foods too (I can't quite stomach chicken livers myself, but they're…

Oh man, sorry to hear! Hopefully with a diagnosis it will be easier from here on out to start feeling better! Two general thoughts: First, I'd ask your endo for more specific info on your tests: look at your own labs. TSH, Free t3, and free T4. If your endo just ran TSH, it's not the whole picture, and it's also possible…

If you're still symptomatic, it might be worth a second opinion. Some doctors use a TSH of 5 as a cut off for hypothyroidism, while more recent guidelines and specialists use a TSH of 2, which can be a substantial difference. You might also check for other potential underlying causes- things like iron deficiency can cause…

Gluten intolerance (Celiac's, or just intolerance) can definitely also cause bloating, distention, generalized intestinal distress, and your diet has lots of wheat-based foods in it. I am not at all a fan of fad diets, and am a passionate foodie, so am the last person to want to give up any kind of food. I had the same…

That's tough, I'm sorry! On the up side, with a diagnosis and treatment you can start feeling a lot better. It's slow, and sometimes frustrating finding the right medication and dose. Once you get there, you'll feel a thousand times better. For diet, have your doctor check you for nutritional deficiencies (ferritin,…

I found it helpful to have my doctor check my nutritional status for various things (vit D, iron, etc). I'm hypothyroid, and folks with the condition are often low or have trouble properly / fully absorbing all of the nutrients from food. In my case, a good multivitamin and some extra vit D on top has really helped me feel…

Agreed with folks above on both the healthy food can be awesome and make small changes. For food, spices are amazing! Maybe try cooking or preparing one new thing every week or so- a new mix of salad (spinach, dried cranberries, a few walnuts, grilled chicken, a little tasty citrus dressing?).

You might also check on your vit D and ferritin levels. Low levels of either can make you feel exhausted as well.

Congratulatons! The very best thing you can do is ask your doctor what your calorie goal should be. You could start getting in the habit of just logging everything (without restricting calories at all, unless your doctor okays it) right now. If it is something of a habit, and you've already loaded a lot of foods you…

Challenge him to perfect roast chicken. And sauces. Definitely art from his perspective, and still quite healthy for you to enjoy, especially if you serve your own portions of sauce. Plus, he can make stock with the carcass, and that is a great springboard for all kinds of richly-flavored but still low cal soups. I also…