30 pounds this summer!

I started on this journey back in June. I found out I had hypothyriodism and Poly cyctic ovarian syndrome, and both of them were adding to my weight and making it near immpossible for me to lose weight. But with my medicines and an immediate change in my lifestyle I have lost 30 pounds this summer! Yay me! School is starting up again, and I only thing I've nervous about is keeping it up and getting my exercise.

Congratulations!  Hopefully you can use the satisfaction you feel now to motivate you to stick to it when school starts.  Plus, exercise can be great for stress relief once the term really kicks in!

congrats!! keep doing well! with school, I just try to make sure its part of my routine so I dont feel tempted to skip. I plan out the times I will go ahead of time so I dont have to find time. Hope that helps!!!

Congratulations on your success!  I too have hypothyriodism and have gained roughly 30-40 lbs withing a year, what methods did you find to help you loose the weight?

Me, too, the hypothy and the pcos, not the weight loss 

I would love to hear some specifics about your plan and the exercise and foods you eat.

Thanks for the motivation!

That's wonderful!  I did the same thing... 35 pounds this summer.  But I also teach and go to graduate school.  I've already found it hard to get my exercise in.  Do you, or anyone else have any tips? 

I also have hypothyriodism, and am finding losing weight a big issue.  Please share your plan.  Thanks

I've lost about the same amount of weight since late April and I too have hypothyroidism along with fibromyalgia.  It has been a struggle the whole time and I seem to be at a plateau even though I need to lose another 25lbs.  It's frustrating so any info you have to get over the stall would be helpful.

For me, I lost the initial 30-35lbs by cutting out dairy, sugar, and most carbs.  I weigh my proteins and eat between 7-10 ounces of protein a day, preferrably in 2 separate meals, sometimes over 3 meals.  Fruit is minimal; maybe 1 apple or six strawberries or 1/2 a grapefruit per day.  Veggies I don't eat the ones high in natural sugar or starch.  I read everything for sodium count and try to avoid high sodium foods as well.  I basically prepare all my own food, eating out can be too challenging.  I can't exercise heavily as it sends my body into extreme fatigue and soreness, but I do swim for about 30 mins three times a week, and also do wii fit (hula hoop exercise is fun and helpful with the waistline!) and walking my dog each day.   The big thing I've learned is to drink alot more water.  That has really helped.

That said I'm doing all this and now losing maybe a 1/2 a pound a week or less, when I used to lose 2-3 (in my first week I lost 7lbs but that was mostly water weight I think).  So I'm wondering if medication can help me bridge that gap.  I'm also finding my - ahem - bowels are not co operating and that has been  problem for me. 

I'm really scared that this will be it and I won't get much lower no matter what I do and I am also scared that just by eating more normally, I'll gain all this weight loss back.  I can't change certain medications I take that cause weight gain so I'm fighting an uphill battle, both with my medication and with hypothyroid problems.  Any help for what worked for you would be appreciated!

Yes, I too have hypothyroidism.  I have found that I cannot count exercise in my calorie burn.  I have to eat low calorie, even though I run 35-40 miles per week, and do some other weights, swimming, etc.  I try to get the most bang for my calorie by eating satisfying things like large salads, air-popped corn, and black or other beans.  I eat a small amount of nuts, and try to get some red meat a few times a week.  Eggs (1 egg plus two whites) are great, too.  I have lost about 10 lbs, that seems pretty miraculous to me...I just couldn't lose an ounce.  Slow gain seemed to be my lot in life.  I only have about 3 lbs to go, and yep, it's very slow.  I am happy when I lose 1/2 lb per week. 

I guess I'm trying to come to a "new normal", that is, that I will never be able to pig out or eat all that I want, but it certainly gets easier over time. 

Hang in there!

I also have PCOS and that's made my weight-loss journey pretty slow. I started April 27 at 168 and I'm currently 154. I eat a well-balanced diet and indulge in sweets sparingly (with the right portions). I exercise regularly with weights and cardio. I also drink plenty of water. But you have two big obtacles and seem to be doing great. What meds did the doc put you on for PCOS? Do you have any specific recommendations to overcome this obstacle?

Congratulations on your success! I know how hard it is to have that desired weight. I'm very happy for you.

Congratulations!!

I too, have PCOS and find it so difficult to lose any weight! I have lost 10lbs in almost 3 months with diet and exercise and medication. I know I am headed in the right direction but have trouble staying on track when I don't see fast results.

What kind of diet plan did you follow? What medications are you taking for the PCOS? I would love to hear how you did this!!

Don't stress. Take it one day at a time and I'm sure you will do fine. Look at how far you have come!

I too have hypothyroidism and PCOS and have found success with managing my calories, both on this site, and also with the Weight Watchers point system.  Being active almost every day has allowed a huge success for me this summer, but mixing it up has worked best.  I do strength training classes at my local gym, mix it up with cardio, and ride my bike outdoors 14km 2 to three times a week.  The only suggestion I would make is not to cut out dairy for two reasons.  For one, milk, especially chocolate after a workout, is crucial to build up necessary proteins lost in working out, and also rebuilds necessary glycogen which is lost during a workout.  The other is that, especially in women, osteoporosis is so prevalent and calcium is the only way to prevent it.  I used to be afraid of adding the calories to my day with dairy products and now with drinking one or two average sized glasses of milk every day, I have found the pounds coming off even more.  Dairy is also known to help maintain weight.  I am no longer on PCOS meds but still take a low-dose med for my hypothyroidism.  Hope this helps.

hey i am so glad i joined this group.

i was just talkign to a friend online and she was just telling me that the PCOS messes up ur hormones and i was like well i have that too but i never knew it would stop u from losign weight.

what meds does the doc prescribe for that

how must i eat to deal with this PCOS?

The meds I was on for PCOS was metformin.  It is an insulin drug given to diabetic patients.  PCOS doesn't have anything directly related to diabetes or insulin but it can indirectly, although it in no way means that you are a diabetic.  It is a known fact though, that the metformin helps to reduce cysts in PCOS patients.  I didn't change my eating in any way to deal with the PCOS.  I changed my diet because of trying to lose weight and in turn, with the weight loss and the consistency of exercise in my daily routine, that my PCOS has all but disappeared.  I have had two successful pregnancies and live births - both such miracles.  And now I am continuing to work on counting calories and losing/maintaining my weight.

Way to go Skinnygirl on the loss of 30 pounds.

I too had hypothyroidism ( Hasimoto ) not (Graves)  two years ago and I also had what they called a cysticmatic body .  I had went from 132 pounds on a 5'4" medium frame to 211 pounds... gaining 3 to 5 pounds a day as I was working out at the gym at the time 5 times a week for hours .   You named it I did it and I ate right as well.  I had to go in for emergency surgery with the oncologists and what was supposed to be one surgeon working 3 hours in and out surgery, it took 2 surgeons 6 hours and I spent a week in Saint Jude's Hospital waking up to find that they had cut me in four different directions more of less ( 278 staples) in which I was allergic to the staples and the latex so the skin around my incisions was turning black and was pushing the staples out and I had Hugh blisters all over my body from the latex.  In and out  Yea right!    but in the long run they had saved not only my life but my sanity as well because I didn't understand why I was gaining so much weight.  I was going crazy and almost took the ladies at the gym to the funny farm with me.  Make a long story short.   I wouldn't let them radiate my thyroids or put me on medicines ,I told them to give me a chance to straighten them out myself....So I bought some Thynodine at the health food store and started eating dry Seaweed mixed with oriental Rice crackers.... After  a while I went back and had to take the test all over again for my thyroids and my T3 and T4 was back to normal.  Which it blew their minds... I get tested every three month now and when ever my Thyroids are off I go back to the Thynodine and Seaweed mixture.  Two year later I have  gone from 211 pound to 143 pound and I am still working on my weight...  But I am 47 years old so it will go a lot slower for me .... I quit the gym and bought a Bow-Flex Tread-climber , Free weights , Pilate ball , bands , mat , Reebok stair stepper and a yoga DVD.   So I work out at my house and I also watch what I eat .  I don't eat anything processed or drink anything sweet including Lipton Ice tea and Soda's.  I also live on a farm and raise my own organic food (Big Garden ) and I eat wild game such as Venison, bison, turkey , chicken and beef that is all raised or shot by me.  I also quit white potatoes and started raising sweet potatoes in its place which is much better.  My eggs are organic from my chickens and are big Brown eggs with rich yokes.  My vegetables also consist of yellow, red , green and brown bell peppers, broccoli, green beans, butternut and Acorn squash, Tomatoes , okra, zucchini, yellow squash, hot peppers ,  , spinach, and some corn.  Would like to plant more but seed from the olden days are getting hard to come by so I use what I grow over and over again without chemicals of any kind, that are all old fashion no hybrid or GMO.   I don't use MSG or regular sugar or  salt.... I use honey from my own bees or Stevia, and I buy a salt from the health food store called Celtic sea salt which is very good and is full of minerals....I also buy organic milk , butter , plain yogurt and Whole grain;  I mainly make my own breads.  You wouldn't believe what a difference it makes.... NOw I know if you don't live on a farm it could get expensive but their are local farmers markets around so choose mainly things that poison can't go through the skin from them.  Apples, carrots, roots plants, tomatoes , bell peppers from the health food store because of thin skin or poison can seep into.  If you have Full circle or other organic foods in your local grocery store buy them there, because they would be cheaper.  Also eat 4 to 5 small meals a day and use a salad plate for portion control instead of regular dinner plate.  Count your calories and  remember rice the size of a light bulb, meat 3 Oz's or the size of a deck of cards.  Also find out if you are a carb , protein, or mixed type by testing your food and seeing which one makes you tired after eating up to 2 hour afterwards actually you will feel tired min's after eating if it's not for your body type.  Then start adjusting your percentage until you find the ones that work for you.  God Bless you and Good Luck !   I hope I have helped you somewhat.  You will get your weight down it will just take time and you don't want to lose no more than 2 pounds at the most a week for long term weight loss and then when you get to your weight you want to go on a maintenance plan because by then you will know what will work and what won't and if your on Med's they should be adjusted by that time.

You just keep going girl you are doing great

MsFixMyself 

I believe firmly that if we worry too much about what's going into our mouths that we can become overly obssessed with food and calories and it can turn into a depressing, downward spiral.  All foods can be eaten in moderation and if we pay attention to portion sizes and eat healthy fats on a regular basis and a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, then there should be success.  That's the way I live and I still enjoy the odd sweet treat because I don't believe in depriving myself in any way.  And I'm still losing weight and maintaining my inch loss, staying active and eating right.  The overall bottom line: Everything in Moderation!  You still need to live.  That's just my philosophy but I hope it helps.

That's great! Keep up the good work!

As for myself, I've lost 27 pounds this summer.