Hi all,
While a lot of you know my story of finally, in desperation, having bariatric surgery, after trying everything else possible, and in spite of (supposedly being treated properly for thyroid disease), I continued to gain weight...
I had to get on here and say Yippeee, since I got on the scales this am and am at the lowest weight I have been at in years!
After the surgery in 1997, I had lost 135 lbs (starting weight 384.5) and got down to 249 lbs...then suddenly the weight loss stopped, no matter what I did to try to get it to budge...I worked out several times a week, no change...eat practically NO fat, no change...
Then about November 2000, I started having all kinds of health problems that I was sure were related to my thyroid, including, I gained back 58 lbs (back up to 307) in approximately 6 months...but of course my doctor and the nurses at the er, where I went when I was having lots of thyroid symptoms, that made me conclude that I was getting ready to have a heart attack...told me that there was nothing wrong with my heart or my thyroid, because at 3.48 my tsh was "in the normal range", so I was perfectly normal...lol
Well, I saw the nurses rolling their eyes at each other, which made me angry enough to decide that I had to get to bottom of all of it...the only thing they came up with was that my iron was extremely low...so I just needed to get over thinking that something was wrong and just "try harder"...well, I did try harder...I started searching for answers and found them...I then started trying to retrain my doctors, which went over like a lead balloon...lol
So then I started switching doctors, which helped, because each doctor seemed to get me a little better, but, still were pretty ignorant on thyroid disease...I started seeing my current doctor about 1 1/2 years ago and he has gradually upped my thyroid meds from approx. 3 grains of armour, to 8 grains armour and 12.5 - 25 mcg of cytomel (they leave it up to me and how I am feeling!)...in that 18 or so months, I have lost the 58 lbs I gained back...
No ridiculous diet, no eating like an anorexic, no exercising 2-3 hours a day, like I used to, with no results! As I have felt better, I am doing more, so am probably burning more calories, but as far as my diet, there is nothing at all that I don't eat! If I want cheesecake, I don't have to eat artificial anything! I eat a small slice of (real) cheesecake!
I have said many times, that I don't want to follow some ridiculous diet...I wanted to be fixed, so that for once in my life I could eat like normal people...I think I am there! I want to eat fruit, I want to add butter to my veggies and not watch everyone else at a birthday party, eat cake and ice cream, while I said no...only to either not lose or worse yet, to go without all the things I love and gain!
My weight this am was 248.5, so is lower than my lowest, after the surgery!
For the most part, I eat a healthy diet...I eat lots of leaner, but not fat free meat, lowered fat, but not fat free dairy (I used to drink fat free milk, but have gone to 2 %), watch trans fats, but eat fatty fish, nuts, butter and olive oil, lots of salads and veggies, lots of fruit...and if I want chocolate, I have a little bit of chocolate, if I want a chocolate chip cookie, I have a chocolate chip cookie or 2, I eat all the "forbidden" foods in moderation...I watch my carbs, if I eat bread, it is the higher in fiber bread, not low carb...the ones I have tasted, made me think, if that was all I could have, I might as well just get 2 sponges off of my kitchen counter to use as bread!
When I want rice, I eat rice, when I want pasta, I eat pasta, but these higher glycemic foods, I eat small portions and balance them out with lots of protein and veggies...I also eat the brown rice instead of white, whole grain bread, instead of the carmel colored (supposedly healthy) wheat bread...the perfection outlet here in town has one called honey crunchy oat that is to die for...lol...is nutty, a little sweet and wonderful!
We just had pictures taken at the school (I work at my kids school in the after-school daycare program), so as soon as we get them back, I will post a new one...I also keep saying that I am gonna get out the clothes I had on in my "before surgery" pics, and have new pics taken, and I will...I figure having the same clothes on, will really show the differences, more than another outfit...but I also want to have pics taken in clothes that fit me! I bought my first "real" (no elastic waist) jeans in years, last winter and just recently bought new ones 2 sizes smaller! Still far from perfection, but definitely getting closer...lol
One thing that gets me about having things finally strightened out, I don't have all the allergies to things that I had before...I gave up wearing make up, because even the most gentle ones caused me problems, especially with my eyes, and now I can wear just about anything with no problem! I am gradully trying lots of things, that I had considered myself allergic to, for years and am ok with everything I have tried...I doubt I will try taking sulfa drugs again though, after the severe allergic reaction that I had to that! lol
Finally being able to lose, really helps in the motivation department...when you know depriving yourself is going to work, it is much easier to do!
My best advice, is get a good doctor and get your numbers where they need to be for you and some fats are good for you...make sure you get enough of them and get rid of refined carbs substitute as much as possible and substitute whole grains...and stay away from artificial sweetners as much as possible...they cause more problems than they are worth...I wouldn't endorse any of them and don't go out of my way to use any of them...
Hugs, Bee
384.5 (6/1997)--249 (6/1998)--307 (5/2001)--248.5 (9/2004)
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