Favorite Brands and Products for Eating Thyroid Healthy and Losing Weight

Naughtythyroid Youtube channel

Just in case some of you are wondering what foods tickle my pickle. I love good food so i am sure most of you will enjoy these if you decide to ever try them or incorporate them into your pantries.

Snacks:
celery
wasabi peas
gluten free pretzels
white chocolate raisins
TCBY kiddie cup of white chocolate mousse with a topping of cookie dough
Nabisco rice thins
Blue diamons nut thins
hummus
pittetes
protein smoothie (vegan) warrior blend vanilla
peanut butter
berries
goat cheese

Breakfast
organic cage free eggs omelets with veggies and cheese
smoothies
atkins shake
tea (never sugar)
gluten free bread (whole foods has an amazing one) with organic unsalted butter
goat cheese, french cheese
v8 low sodium

Meals
Tuna mixed with veginaise
salad of greens with: (not all at once!)sliced almonds, goat cheese crumbles, salmon, tuna, sunflower oil cold pressed, fresh squeezed lime, peas, corn, flax seeds, walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, and fresh berries
atkins shake
protein shake with coconut milk, cinnamon, vanilla extract and berries
broth soup

Rare indulgences:
pork (i love pork but ill avoid carbs with it) with fried yuca
gluten free pasta with veggies (peas, corn, string beans, peppers) mixed with organic butter OR virgin olive oil and herbs (thyme, parsley, basil, garlic, and pepper)
gluten free pizza made at home with a topping of goat cheese or french cheese and chopped peppers, fresh basil and sliced tomatoes
gluten free blinis (crepes) with home made (meaning no additives and almost no sugar) jams of berries (my mom makes blueberries and raspberries)

Chips,et. al:

Pirates Booty
Veggie Stix
Sweet potato chips

* i go out of my way to make sure that i get a gluten free product. i also do not add salt to anything because usually i mix it with something (like cheese) and it probably already has salt. i am also avoiding Soy as much as possible.

Helpful Tips That I Have Received From Others

NaughtyThyroid Youtube

In the course of this journey many people have shared their experience and knowledge with me. Most of it i have dismissed because it did not make sense to me or was too hard for me to use at this point.
However, some tips were either reminders on excellent habits, easy twist to something obviously helpful and or something that really was innovative.

As always i make up my own mind and decisions based on my abilities, tolerance and personality. I like to say...if its so simple then why isn't everyone in great shape.

I try to add one thing at a time and do it for as long as necessary until it becomes a habit. so i build habit on habit. The reality for me is that i quickly let go of good habits so i find myself constantly back in square 1 and rebuilding habits that i know work and are good for me. It is a process for me and always will be.

I hope that some of this is helpful to someone.

The Tips:

-drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up. i've heard these variations; ice cold, room temperature, with a slice of lime. i drink room temp because of my sensitive teeth

-celery sticks are great snacks. i love them with hummus or peanut butter

-stay hydrated! the key of course is knowing what the right amount is for you. It is said that you should drink half your body weight in ounces. The tip i received was to have bottles full each morning that add up to the correct number and this way you know every day if you met your goal AND it is a visible reminder throughout the day to drink water. currently i use 2 bottles of smart water (50 oz each)

-keep your body moisturized and use sunblock every day

-before eating in the morning do at least 30 minutes of cardio

-1 cheat day per week ( i cant indulge in this because i can undo a weeks worth of diet in one day)

-non food rewards. Maybe a new item of clothing for every 5 lbs lost. My current "wish reward" is the Finis waterproof MP3 player so i can swim longer and harder

-Take your vitamins daily (i have a list of my favorite supplements in one of my previous posts)

- Don't eat after 7pm ( i am a night owl so this one is not something i can do) or stop eating 3 hours before bedtime

- detox your body (i like to detox by juicing)

- eat salads and soups

- sign up for events so that you can have a reason to workout (mudrun, 5k, bike ride, mini-tri, etc)


i will add more tips as i remember them

April 2014 Habits

Naughty Thyroid Youtube

This month i am away from "home" again and that means i do not have my trainer to push me physically.

I am trying the Paleo diet...it makes sense to me and basically works with the guidelines that i follow already.

So i could have joined a gym but i know that if i could self motivate then my P90 videos would work. The reality is that P90 is great for a few days to help me maintain but i do not push myself enough on my own so i cant count on myself if i want to get back on a weight loss schedule.

I am in a big city right now (Atlanta) so i went on Groupon and searched around for some classes that i have been interested in but could not find back home. Hot yoga, kickboxing, Aerial classes and ballet for adults!

I bought a package for hot yoga and kickboxing. I began yesterday and i have scheduled 2 classes per day (yoga and kickboxing) and i am optimistic that i will see some movement in the scales.

Chatting with someone after class today about weight loss i was reminded of how depressed and anti social i was a year ago. Group classes a year ago? No way! now i am almost hopping up and down looking for any class that might interest me.

earlier this month in addition to my trainer i began to take belly dancing classes. i am generally clumsy so zumba is not something i am yet willing to try but after all of the yoga and my new flexibility i wanted to see if i could at least follow along...and it has been great. i am not the best nor am i constantly unable to follow the moves. it is fun and a great reminder of how far i have come. 

14 month mark

It has been 14 months since i began my fight against the 100+ lbs ...

I reached -60lbs by december and then i went on a wonderful trip to Russia where i drank and i ate to my hearts content...for 3 months! I was working out about 2xs per week and regular walks daily. I gained 6lbs but that is a miracle considering how much alcohol i consumed (daily) and then during my first week back i gained 4lbs!
I was upset with myself initially but then i realized that i had given my body a chance to catch up and really adjust to -50lbs and that could only mean good things for my skin and letting my body adjust to a lighter me. It was also a good test of my new habits.
Every day i thoughts about exercising, even if i did not have time to exercise then i made sure i walked alot, i was mindful of my portions and not over indulging, especially on days that i did not exercise. My conclusion was that i had developed better habits but i was still not where i needed to be to continue to lose weight on my own or to maintain an ideal weight on my own.

and so i am at a halfway point...but the next 50 are not as impossible and the mountain in front of me does not seem as daunting as the one that was in front of me last spring.

YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Stretch Marks and Loose Skin From Weight Loss

NaughtyThyroid on Youtube

I have researched this topic since before i even began to lose weight. As i gained weight the markings crept up and while not my biggest concern...it certainly was a constant reminder of how much i was pushing my body past its limits.
Now that i am -55lbs i am very glad that i was concerned since the beginning because most people seem to ignore or wait to address this problem when and if they reach their goal.
I have sensitive skin that scars easily so i have always been paranoid about my skin and i will admit to being vain and wanting to keep my skin as youthful as possible.

So what should you be doing before/during/after weight loss for stretch marks and loose skin?

• Moisturize 2xs per day. this will help your body adapt to the changes that are occurring and keep it supple
• Products i am a fan of: Palmers massage lotion for stretch marks, Palmers Tummy Butter, Scar Zone and Nip+Fab
• Daily Body Masque/Scrub: Used coffee grounds. Save the used grinds in a container for your shower. Directions: Wet body, apply coffee to problem areas (the wetness should help the coffee stay in place. i basically slather it on using my hands) leave it on for a few minutes. Then wet hands and in circular motions massage your body (i re wet my hands often). then rinse. The coffee has anti aging properties, closes your pores, tightens skin, etc. Sometimes i also add ground oatmeal and dehydrated milk to the "mask" to nourish my skin

 I can tell you that so far i am very happy with how my skin is adapting to the changes. A big part has been a slow weight loss that has allowed my skin time to catch up/ keep up. The scar zone cream really is amazing for the stretch marks so i am confident that in the end i will be happy in that department. i am hopeful that keeping my skin well fed will let me get to my goal with happy skin

Losing Weight With Hypothyrodism

NaughtyThyroid YouTube Channel

I have been taking hypothyroid medication for 10 years, it has helped to get a handle on my energy but everything else is still an issue. Especially my weight, i have gained 100 lbs in the last 10 years. 

Last year i was so unhappy that i moved in with my mom, stopped working and just gave in to my body and rested. Then on new years i made a promise to give it my all this year and try to find a solution of learning to live with my body as it now is (meaning a slow thyroid, not my 244 lb body) and not the way it was when i was younger.
I've been a health nut for years but especially since 2006 after reading "The Thyroid Diet", i really began to research and educate myself to make better choices for my body and to avoid aggravating my condition. A great part of the research has been the internet and forums where i read peoples experiences and advice.
Now that i have lost 50lbs i decided that i needed to share my experience because it may help someone else, although i have not discovered anything new or some miracle way to lose weight i do think it is important to share.
In my searches i am always discouraged and disappointed by the absence of hypothyroid individuals in the weight blog world who have managed to lose 100 lbs and share their journey. I use many forums and they have been helpful in different ways but i have also had to step away from groups because it is discouraging to read about others putting in the same effort as you and losing 2/3xs more weight than you.
Losing weight is a difficult journey and many say a life altering experience.  
Losing weight with a hypothyroid? there are no words to describe it. the reality is that having a slow thyroid adds a plethora of concerns and hurdles.
No energy, no desire, dry skin, loss of hair, bad memory, and my favorite...depression.
I have read many times (in weight loss articles/forums) that you will succeed in weight loss when you do it for YOU, when you think you are worth it, etc. and i think "gee thanks i'm sure that with my depression tendencies that wont be a problem".
Well meaning people giving advice on what i should/should not be doing drives me insane because i think "you don't get it!", my body is broken, people don’t get that. We have a failure to communicate, we are speaking in different languages, that is the key for all of us.
Even amongst us we are each unique and each of our bodies has gone bonkers a different way.
Take into account; gender, age, genes, ethnicity, means, education, location...we cant compare to one another but at least we can share the flashlight we are using to guide ourselves.
Case and point...my sister also has a slow thyroid, she gained about 10 lbs then with the meds they went away and she does not have weight problems she manages her body like any normal person (and we have the same everything!) she struggles with energy and she is very good about exercising, supplements, healthy eating, etc. This has meant that even my own sister can’t understand exactly what i am going through. she understands better than most...but she doesn’t know what 244lbs is.  Even worse are others who say ...well SHE i'snt fat-you need to stop eating fast food! (i think i have developed a twitch in reaction to people thinking that if i stop eating garbage then i will be thin) I do not eat crap.

What i can tell you is that in the last 8 months i have come to terms with what my body now is and needs and i have learned to speak this new language that my body is communicating in.
For ME (remember everyone is different) it means a very low calorie intake, regular exercise but it has taken me almost a year to begin to come to terms with all of these extremes.

why am i sharing all of this stuff? 

because i had help (I NEEDED HELP) and i want to help others get their bodies back.

I hung up any pride i thought i had and left it somewhere last year. i admit i have no desire, no motivation, i don't care, etc. i need help. i cant be trusted to do the right thing for myself. given the choice i will always choose my bed!  

Having said that, here is a list of the (professional) people who have helped me get where i am:

• trainer- 5xs per week for 60 min sessions each day. when i travel i use the power 90 videos (from the guy who does P90X), these workouts are not optional it is part of living. In addition i bike/swim/volleyball/flag football at least 3xs per week (usually more)

• MD- monthly checkups for my thyroid and overall health. The office i go to specializes in weight loss and internal medicine. I get weekly HCG shots (useless) but for $12 i get checked by the nurse and she tracks my stats. It is reassuring to know that some health professionals are keeping tabs on my progress. I do not follow his pre printed 1200 daily calorie advice, it is too much for me. I am honest with him, he knows what i am up to and he just warns me to keep my protein intake high so that my body doesn't eat my muscle and of course to watch for fainting, dizziness, etc. i have had none of these symptoms despite a grueling daily workout and other activities which proves to me that i am at the right range for my body.

• sports masseuse- we put our body under a lot of stress; the weight, the exercising, LIFE. He helps maximize and shorten my recovery period, as well as getting rid of the ascorbic acid build up so that i can continue to grow muscle. I go at least 2xs per month depending on my activity and soreness level. If this is not a possibility for you then i suggest you become familiar with the foam roller and use it 2/3xs per week for similar benefits. 

Now some of the other important thyroid stuff:

Thyroid support/nutrition: Read the Thyroid Diet to get an idea of what you may need for your body. These are my personal choices for what i feel my body might need to be healthy (not just weight loss). Dr Levines Ultimate weight loss formula, centrum silver multi vitamin, Tonalin CLA, Acetyl-L-carnitine, Hammer tissue rejuvenator, Coenzyme Q10 , omega 3-6-9, L-Tyrosine, raw thyroid tissue tablets, d3, selenium, vitacraves immunity support gummies. An additional piece of advice...when purchasing supplements avoid the tablet form because they usually include palmoate/magstearate and its not good for you. so ideally you want capsules. i also use Sun Warrior warrior blend protein powder- it is plant based, gluten free, non GMO, etc. and it has ALL essential amino acids.

Hair loss: Rogaine for women (im starting to have nightmares of my hair falling in clumps) the MD said it is a side effect of the thyroid medication (REALLY? GRRR) and he suggested a multi vitamin. geee thanks. i also use Cholesterol hair conditioning cream

Dry skin/stretchmarks/loose skin: Palmers cocoa butter massage lotion for stretch marks, palmers cocoa tummy butter, Nip+Fab Body Slim Fix and scar zone scar diminishing cream, and my latest addition is coffee grinds as a daily body mask. Hindsight is 20/20 and i have read too many stories with regrets regarding their skin so i am taking all cautionary steps

The "FOOD"/Diet:

*juicing- healthy as anything you can find, if you can juice for 60 days...it will do it. i lack the self control and discipline. The longest i went was about 10 days. However, you really do feel cleaner, lighter, more energized. I try to juice daily and whenever i feel i have the control ill go a few days if i can. juicing is messy and does take planning ahead of time. my quick/lazy solution is v8 low sodium, especially the small 4/5oz cans that can fit in my purse. i truly believe that food can heal you and there are worse things than having some v8 for a snack. the calories are super low so it also helps me when i need to keep my count down but still want something filling.

*salads- if you eat 3 meals a day of salads and light protein, some nuts, and sensible dressings....it worked for me but i am not a bunny rabbit and i got tired very fast

*soups- broth like soups homemade are filling, warm and generally low calorie...(im not a fan)

*calorie counting....watch your portions (drove me insane bc of how tiny my portions were)

My current "plan": i am keeping (trying) my calorie count around 800 during the week and around 1000 on saturday and sunday. i am attempting to keep my weight loss between 2-3lbs per week because i want to give my skin time to keep up with the changes. For me the thing that works best is removing options, if i don't have to think about cooking then i don't think about what i am missing or might want, etc. Now i have my routine and that's that. so breakfast and dinner is an Atkins protein shake (160 cal), a sensible lunch(~300 cal) and after my workout i make a protein shake that is around 200 calories. i also have a fiber shake about 2xs per day (0 calories) and my 97 ounces of water/tea. 

 

I started a youtube channel (naughtythyroid) for the same purpose. thinking that it would be quicker to just do a video and share tips...well lets just say that until very recently my willingness to get in front of a camera has been NILL and i still do struggle with low energy and just general lack of desire (even if it for a good cause) 

I want to reiterate that we are each different and so the answer is slightly different for each of us but there are multiple options to get to the happy place, it took me a long time to find a road i was okay with. i sill struggle with cravings or sometimes flat out hunger pangs and it is hard to always follow my calorie quota and just "cut" myself off for the day. For now i would rather feel hunger than eat salads 5xs per day but one day i am sure i will make the tastier choice