Losing Weight With Hashimoto’s: Update #1

It’s been about 6 months since I started taking selenium on a daily basis and about 2 months since I started dieting and exercising. Just this past Friday, I had a medication follow-up visit with my doctor. I left her office feeling like I was walking on air. I had lost 6 pounds since my last visit with her in April and 12 pounds since I started this weight loss journey. She said my lab results looked great. I told her I’d been using my Fitbit and synched it with MyFitnessPal. She uses both as well and she gave me tips on certain functionality in the app, as well as nutritional tips like adjusting the macros from 50% carbs/30% fat/20% protein to 50% carbs/25% fat/25% protein. She was almost as excited as I was and she was extremely encouraging and motivational.

It has not been easy and I’m sure it will get harder. Have I cheated? Oh, yes, I have. In fact, that evening after my doctor’s visit, hubby and I went out for a big Mexican meal. But, I don’t kick myself when I do cheat (or celebrate). Tomorrow is another day and I continually vow to do better when I fail. I do allow myself more leeway on the weekends, with only a 250 calorie deficit instead of 500. After all, Sunday is pizza night. But I do it in moderation and so far I’ve only backslid on my weight once. I picked myself back up, hopped on the stationary bike, and worked off some of those calories.

I’ve started walking the 0.6 miles from the light rail station to work instead of taking a shuttle. It isn’t easy, since it’s uphill (both ways, there’s a hill between the station and my building). Slowly, but surely, I’m feeling stronger. I’m feeling muscles under there that I used to be well acquainted with when I was an athlete, *mumble mumble* pounds ago. I ride my stationary bike in the evenings. I make small changes to add more activity to my day. I sync and check my Fitbit app frequently throughout the day so I get feedback on how I’m doing. That spurs  me to get up and move a bit or lets me know I’m right on target. I plan my meals to stay under my calorie allotment for the day and I log everything (including coffee creamer, vitamins, etc) in MyFitnessPal. If I want to eat more, I have to earn it with exercise.

I am not pushing myself too hard yet. I know I can do more. But, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis has been devastating my body for so long that I know I need to heal a bit physically and lose some weight before I really push hard. Besides, I have to balance work, home, and my health, so I’m pacing myself.

My Fitbit is my best friend on this journey, with MyFitnessPal coming in a close second. Without their constant feedback and encouragement (yes, Fitbit will send you encouraging alerts on your cellphone and/or email), this would be a lot harder. For the first time in a long time, I feel hopeful that I can succeed in taking back my health and getting back in shape.