I know, I know. I’m supposed to be proud of what my body has
done and the beautiful story my stretch marks tell, and blah blah blah. I just want to stop feeling people look at my belly. I don’t want my brain to
tell me the questions that people aren’t actually asking…
“Are you pregnant again?”
“How much weight have you even lost?”
“Are you even trying?”
It’s been a roller coaster ride trying to lose this
weight. I gained 60 lbs during my pregnancy. I lost 30 in
the first month post partum. The rest has been a struggle. Three times I have
gotten within 5 lbs of my goal, and given up.
BUT this time is different. I think I have finally figured myself out! Let
me tell you about it, and I promise I have nothing to sell you.
While looking for some "before" photos, I realized that I'm not in many photos... Well many that I know of because I delete them when I see them. Also, the photos I am in, I'm covering my stomach with a kid.
Step One:
Every January, I do the Daniel Fast. The diet part is
basically eating vegan, gluten free, and paleo all at once. It’s a very strict
and difficult diet, but I usually lose about 15 lbs during that time and it
stays off for a while and I’m able to keep some healthy habits throughout the
year because of it. Also, it is a great way to commit to God’s way at the start
of each new year.
Also during January, my best friend and life partner (in all
things female), Anna, started a health plan to change her life. We started
texting each other throughout the week, giving updates on our progress and
encouraging one another. She started seeing results almost immediately after
eliminating foods that weren’t good for her particular body. That made me start
thinking…
Meanwhile, I had never attempted to work out during this
time, but tried it this go round. It did not work for me! I ended up so exhausted
and drained the last week of the fast that I barely made it to the finish.
Step Two:
Still thinking about Anna’s healthy lifestyle and her
awesome results, I started doing some research on my own needs. I have
Hypothyroiditis and Hoshimotos. The only thing I knew about those conditions
from all the doctors I had seen in the 16 years since diagnosis was "Take your
Synthroid or you will gain weight, be grouchy, and sleep all the time." Following that one rule, my
levels had stayed the same, until I got pregnant. Then, within a year,
my needed dosage had tripled. So on top of lack of sleep, taking care of my super
active twinkies, and working full time, my thyroid was slowing down.
I decided to start my own health plan based on what my body
needed. No diet, shaker bottle, workout video, or trainer was going to
“one-size-fits-all” fix me. I needed something to work for my body. I made a
list of the foods that are bad for someone with hypothyroid- some even blocking
the positive effects of Synthroid (exactly what I was eating on the Daniel Fast), I made a
list of foods that were good for some with hypothyroid (Many of the things I was avoiding on the Daniel Fast). No wonder I was so drained! My body wasn't correctly
digesting the foods I was consuming, even if they were good foods.
Another thing I found that diminished the effectiveness of
my medicine was coffee. How many of you take your meds in the morning with very
little water, then immediately drink a cup of coffee and eat breakfast, or even
switch the order all together? I did! I should have been taking my meds an hour
before eating or drinking anything, but especially caffeine. Oops.
I also found that thyroid problems are linked to gluten
intolerance but also a love and complete lack of self-control with pastas and
breads. Yep, that was me 100%. If I was eating pizza or spaghetti, I could seriously
eat the entire thing if someone else didn’t stop me! Then the next day, I would have what I like to call the Carb Hangover. Also, since Celiac disease runs in my
family, I decided to keep my new diet gluten free.
Step Three:
A fourth tidbit that I found interesting is a link between
Hypothyroidism and Adrenal Fatigue and joint soreness. That means that I can go
to that hardcore boot camp, meet you at Crossfit, or do a BA Jillian Michael’s
workout ONCE. I will give it my all, but then my body shuts down for a good
week or so and I just sleep every night like I just competed on American Gladiator. In
order for me to stick to a fitness plan, I need to keep it fairly painless and
simple. Since my gym time is 5:30 in the morning, I go two to three times each
week (still trying to work on that part). I do an interval cardio workout for
20-25 minutes (chart below of what I mean by interval workout), then low impact
weights and abs. I mostly work on my back and abs because they are still so
jacked up from my pregnancy. On the days
that I don’t go to the gym, I do some yoga, jumping jacks, planks, and squats.
Also, the girls love to be held (at the same time) and dance, so that’s the
ultimate workout!
Step Four:
Just eating healthy foods was not enough. That was where I
had always given up. I would get to that plateau and not see anymore results
even though I was continuing to work just as hard. In February, I hit that point again, had
a snow week stuck in my house, and gained back five lbs. I had to change
something else if I wanted to EVER meet my goal! So, I started counting
calories on top of eating the healthy-for-me foods. I also started counting the
ounces of water I drank daily (I work toward 100 oz a day, but even if I don’t reach
that I’m still drinking a ton of water).
In order to have my daily nutrients without going over my calories, I
started using protein shakes for breakfast (I am using Low Fat Muscle Milk
because it was fairly cheap and it is super yummy) and sometimes a GNC Whole Foods smoothie (It's pretty gross).
Step Five:
I have found now, that to keep seeing results, I need to
keep making small changes. Once I succeed in one area, I add a new challenge. I
am now able to stick to my calorie and water intake, so I’m trying to limit my
sodium and cholesterol intake. I use the app MyPlate and MyWater to track all this, but I know there are lots of app choices.
Step Six:
I did it! I met my goal. I have lost 20 lbs since January 1st.
Those last 5lbs were the hardest thing to beat for two years, and I wasn’t
happy with my body, but now I feel so much better because I know that I can do
it! I wish I had taken measurements and deliberate before photos, but I was too discouraged by what I saw... dang it.
Step Seven:
I may be the same weight that I was before babies, but I
know my body will never look the same! I have found a few helpful, maybe a little
weird, but working tricks. I use a sugar scrub with peppermint oil on my whole
body in the shower. This exfoliates, gets the skin cells working and regenerating, and it
really wakes me up. After every shower, I rub vitamin e oil with lavender oil
on my stomach, sides, and thighs. This gives that skin elasticity and is
supposed to tighten it. Then (this is
the weird part) I use Extra Strength Preparation H as lotion on my stomach,
sides and thighs. Hey, it is meant to tighten skin… and I have seen a huge
difference in the saggy baggy elephant belly! Tony has even agreed that it works. That's proof people, because he is a major skeptic!
Step Eight (the next step):
Stick with it, Jodi! And keep making healthy changes. I have had
to learn that this is my life and my challenge and it is not going to look like
everyone else’s. Every body is different and needs different care. I had to
find what worked for me, and I have to keep doing that.
And actually be in pictures!
No No Foods for Hypothyroid: gluten, white sugar, high fats,
soy, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, spinach, brussel sprouts, asparagus,
kale, cabbage), peanuts, almonds, flax seed, strawberries, peaches, grapes,
mustard, garbanzo beans, tofu, black tea, green tea,
Yes Foods for Hypothyroid: iodized salt, wild caught fish,
meat, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, dairy (for some), eggs, blueberries,
blackberries, apples, bananas, pineapple, squash, zucchini, tomato, black
beans, kidney beans, quinoa, brown rice
(There are more foods on both lists, but these are the ones that I need to be reminded of constantly. Also, there are different views on the cruciferous veggies but I feel much better without them.)
Interval Cardio: rate your workout from 1 to 10, with a 10
being your most extreme effort (giving it all you’ve got). Work out one minute
at each interval and on your last interval around 20 minutes, add in your level
10.
5
6
7
8
9
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5
6
7
8
9
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5
6
7
8
9
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5
6
7
8
9
10
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4
3
2
1
My problem before was trying to be work at a 10 all the time. Like
I said, I could do it… but only about once a month. That didn’t help.
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