The Weight Loss Resistance Test Results Are In!

I was a nervous wreck while I was driving to the doctor.  Can you believe I have been dieting and trying to lose weight for over 15 years? I have been faithfully tracking my food, exercise, and weight for a very long time and knew in my heart something wasn’t right with my body.  What would happen if the doctor didn’t agree? What if all of the tests for weight loss resistance came back saying everything was fine?  What would happen if he couldn’t help me reach my health and weight loss goals?

Weight Loss Wake Up Call!

I replayed my interview with Brianne over and over in my head and I swear I could have recited the blog Weight Loss Wake Up Call!  It was such a crazy coincidence that I am going to the same integrative health clinic she went to.  Even crazier that I just happenstanced on her Facebook post days before my appointment.  If the doctors at the clinic could help her balance her hormones and lose 5 dress sizes in a few months, they should be able to help me lose my last 50 pounds.  Right?

Lab Results!

As soon as the doctor sat down I knew I was in luck.  My lab results had notes, marks, and highlights all over them.   The doctor said he found a few things that could be tweaked and would greatly improve my body’s ability to lose weight.  Alleluia!

Iodine Levels

My iodine level was very low.  It is my understanding that iodine is needed in order for the thyroid to work properly and your body uses iodine to make thyroid hormones. It is also very important for your metabolism.  I read a blog about the Signs and Symptoms of Iodine Deficiency and can say I have eight of the ten symptoms of iodine deficiency!

***Quick word of caution, I have read several times that we should be careful not to supplement with iodine without a physician’s guidance.

Pregnenolone – what’s that?

I had never even heard or thought about a hormone called pregnenolone but based on my research I think it is the hormone of my dreams!   Many doctors believe that pregnenolone supplementation is a very effective weight-loss tool.  It keeps the brain healthy and metabolism high! Pregnenolone is believed to block the effects of cortisol which prevents stress and abdominal fat. I have blogged about my issues with my belly fat in  The Pursuit of Ketosis – Day 4  and my cortisol and adrenal fatigue issues in How I Gained Over 100 Pounds and My Best Advice To You and Untangling the Weight Gain & Loss Web – Adrenal Fatigue. Well, guess what?  I have an extremely low level of pregnenolone.

Thyroid Levels

When the doctor told me one of my thyroid levels was off, I wasn’t surprised.  I had already written about my crazy thyroid in How I Gained Over 100 Pounds and My Best Advice To You.  Since I cannot tolerate traditional medicines, I have been taking homeopathic thyroid medicine for a few years. I am in a much better place than I was, but I had a feeling it wasn’t where it needed to be.  As it turns out my T3 was low.  I read that a higher T3 level would increase my metabolic rate.

Thyroid Issues

Girls Need Testosterone Too!

I have to admit,  I thought testosterone was for boys.  When my doctor told me mine was low, I was very surprised.  When he told me healthy testosterone levels could improve my energy level, lean muscle mass, and weight loss efforts, I wanted to start taking it in mass quantities as soon as possible.  I came across a blog Testosterone for Women’s Weight Loss that left me even more optimistic about testosterone supplementation.

Someone Just Give Me More Vitamin D!

I have tested as being deficient in vitamin D on and off throughout the years.  Recently, I have been on a pretty high dose of D combined with K (for better absorption) and thought I was in a good place with it. The lab results showed I was still deficient in vitamin D! I have read in Web MD’s blog and Dr. Weil’s blog, and it seems like some extra vitamin D could really help my weight loss efforts.

The Prescribed Weight Loss Plan

The next few months of my weight loss journey should be exciting!  It’s hard to believe that I have been deficient in five different hormones and vitamins that could have been causing my weight loss resistance all this time.

If it feels like you are doing everything right and you are not getting results, please journal your food and exercise and use it as a tool to communicate with your doctor.

I look forward to reporting back to you with some amazing results!

 

Take Control Of Your Health

An Update On My Weight Loss Resistance Story

My weight loss resistance story was first published in October of 2018. I did exactly what the doctor ordered to combat my weight loss resistance and all but religiously took the suggested supplements and stuck to the Whole30 diet for two years.  And still, the scale barely moved and it always seemed like I was taking one step forward and a step or two backward! – ugh.  And as anyone who has tried to lose weight for years upon years knows, it was very frustrating and I felt absolutely defeated.

My Weight Loss Story Has A Happy Ending

Just when I had all but given up and thought that my weight loss resistance meant I would never lose weight, a friend introduced me to a diet and wellness program she had been doing for months.  By that point, I was skeptical of all diets and weight loss plans, so I told her I wasn’t interested at least five or six times.

Then, I hit rock bottom.  I was hit with several big health concerns that were all caused by excess weight and inflammation.   I was ready to go right back to the diet I had been doing and not getting good results with (don’t ask me why).  Then,  my husband hit me with the motivational quote, “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” – Albert Einstein.  Then, he suggested I call my friend back.  Luckily, I did.

I started the program and within a few weeks, my inflammation was reduced so much that my wedding ring that had been all but cutting off my circulation a few weeks prior, fell off when I was washing my hands!  And, I dropped almost an entire shoe size! And the really amazing thing is my two health concerns that were caused by inflammation diminished!

Oh, and the weight started coming off at a rate well over a pound a week.  Best of all the scale wasn’t taking a step backward for what seemed like no reason! Wow, the above sentences have a lot of exclamation points but I couldn’t help myself!

So what happened to my weight loss resistance you might ask?  My best answer is I don’t know, but it’s not holding my weight loss efforts back now.

And when you love something you love to talk about it!  Message me anytime.  I would love to talk to you to see if I can help you get great results too!

 

I’ll be there for you!

Tanya 

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My Whole30 Experience (Day18)

I awoke refreshed, full of energy, and hungry.  I quickly remembered it was Day 18 of the Whole30 and was looking forward to a day filled with Tiger’s Blood.

Drew woke up late and then announced that he won an award for good behavior and was allowed to take a toy to school for show and tell.  His first toy of choice was a water gun and his second pick was a bow and arrow.  This is just a glimpse into my life as the Drewster’s Mom.  It took some time to talk him into an appropriate toy option and by the time we left the house, I was starving!

I grabbed a Chomp’s Beef Jerky Stick and devoured it on the way to school.

When I got home, I had my usual Chicken Pot Pie Soup for breakfast and even sat at the kitchen table and ate it mindfully.  Well, I should be honest.  I was mindful but I did squeeze in a few google searches.  Why is this mindful eating such a struggle for me?  How do you do it?

Whole 30 Chicken Pot Pie Soup

When I finally sat down at my computer, I thought about keeping this blog simple today and posting my meals and calling in quits.  I decided that wasn’t fair because there is so much more to the Whole30 and any diet or lifestyle change than the food you put in your mouth.

It’s day 18 of my Whole30 and the big weigh-in is 12 days from now.  I am already scared, nervous, and bracing myself for disappointment.  I’ve already told you I’m a type A overachieving Superfreak and a world-class daydreamer.  What you don’t know is – I have a really hard time losing weight – and I mean very hard time. Throughout this sixteen year journey, I have been on more diets than I can remember and have been in at least a dozen different diet groups.  I’m always the one who loses the least weight. The really unfair part is, I’m always the one that follows the rules to a T and doesn’t cheat a bit.

Weight Loss Help

I probably haven’t told you about this because I try not to think about it.  I have been diagnosed with PCOS, insulin resistance, sleep apnea, treatment-resistant thyroid issues, adrenal fatigue, an autoimmune disorder, and the MTHFR gene mutation.  Each and every one of the diagnosis makes it more difficult for me to lose weight.

In my 16-year weight loss journey. I have fought tooth and nail and have had a few victories. I’ve lost over 60 pounds and kept it off.  I changed my eating habits, increased my exercise, found better ways to handle my stress like yoga and meditation, and taken several supplements. It wasn’t easy but I’ve lost the PCOS, insulin resistance, and sleep apnea diagnosis.  My blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure are pretty much perfect, which is a real feat for a 46-year-old special needs mom who is overweight.

Take Control Of Your Health

I know I have plenty to be thankful for and I am doing a good job in my circumstances, but it will still sting when everyone announces their weight loss total and mine is a fraction of theirs.  How can we keep ourselves from comparing ourselves with others? If you know, please share with me.

For lunch, I had leftovers from yesterday’s dinner at Zoe’s Kitchen and it was fantastic! I Love Zoe’s Kitchen and it is one of my best Whole30 compliant finds. I found myself in a real conundrum because I was full once I ate what was on my plate, but had planned on eating a fresh fruit medley too.  I pondered it for a few minutes and decided not to eat the fruit because I wasn’t hungry.  Very proud of myself.  What do you do to stop yourself from eating once you are full?

Around 5:00 I was out running errands and needed a snack.  I love RX Bars because they are tasty and have 12 grams of protein.  Luckily I had one tucked away in my glove compartment.

I would love to post a picture of my dinner for you but I only have a partial picture because it was a hot mess.  I sat down with a plate of zoodles with Rao’s spaghetti sauce and rotisserie chicken around 7:00.  I took one bite of the chicken and it didn’t taste right, so I decided not to eat it.  Once you’ve had salmonella you just don’t take chances with chicken.  Before I took two bites of the zoodles, I received a text that Taylor needed to be picked up from her tennis match so I jetted out to get her and grabbed an Epic Turkey Almond Bar for the road.  Around 8:30, I finished my zoodles and a handful of black olives.  Not the perfect Whole30 dinner with a glossy photo but it was my real world Whole30 dinner.

It’s 9:15 and I’m sitting down to check my box for day 18 in my journal and record a huge Non- Scale Victory.  I did not get PMS this month! Amazing that food can do that for you – isn’t it?

 

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Ditch the Wheat, Drop the Weight!

I have written about my gluten intolerance and how it has impacted me a few times throughout this blog and specifically in Are You or Someone You  Love Gluten Intolerant?, as well as, told my story on www.facebook.com/tanyaweightlossconfessions.

This is What An Expert Is Saying About Gluten:

Since it is such an important and potentially impactful topic,  I have asked an expert to chime in with information on how gluten can negatively affect your weight loss.

Meet Dr. Sarah Axtell, ND

Dr. Sarah Axtell, ND is a  naturopathic doctor, who provides holistic supportive health and wellness consultations for the entire family. She helps people who are facing many different chronic health conditions, such as hormonal imbalances, autoimmune diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, anxiety, and weight loss resistance. Dr. Axtell believes strongly in addressing you as an individual, not just your symptoms. She specializes in addressing the root cause of illness by utilizing effective, natural therapies including clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, detoxification, and biotherapeutic drainage. Dr. Axtell practices at Lakeside Natural Medicine in Shorewood, WI.

Ditch the wheat, drop the weight

Ditch the Wheat, Drop the Weight

Weight loss is more complex than the “calories in, calories out” model. Simply counting calories and working out at the gym often does not cut it. Balancing hormones (thyroid, adrenal, and sex hormones) along with reducing inflammation are key factors for effective, sustainable weight loss. This can be achieved by ditching the wheat (gluten).

Ways Eating Gluten (the inflammatory protein in wheat) Can Make You Fat, Sick and Tired:

Leptin resistance

Leptin is a hormone that tells your brain it is full. However chronic inflammation from eating gluten-containing foods impairs the brain’s ability to receive leptin’s appetite suppressing message, causing leptin resistance. This can lead to overeating and weight gain.

Gluten is one of the most inflammatory food proteins

It can trigger inflammation in any organ system, establishing an environment for weight gain and chronic disease. Consuming a whole-foods, gluten-free diet will help you eliminate the excess swelling and fluid that accumulates in your tissues from food-induced chronic inflammation.

Increased Cortisol= increased belly fat

Inflammation increases levels of your stress hormone, cortisol. Increased cortisol leads to fat storage, especially in the midsection. This is one of the underlying mechanism for the infamous “wheat belly.” In addition to increased abdominal fat, excess cortisol can lead to a “wired but tired” feeling and insomnia, further exacerbating the vicious cycle of weight gain and obesity. See here why Insomnia is Making you Fat.

Insulin Resistance

Gluten-containing foods such as cookies, breads, cakes, pastas, pretzels, rolls, and crackers have a high glycemic index and spike your blood sugar. Your pancreas results in a release of insulin to reduce blood sugar. When you constantly eat these high carb foods, your cells can become resistant to insulin. This insulin resistance promotes fat storage and can make it very difficult to lose weight. Inherently gluten-free foods, such as meat, nuts, seeds, fish, and vegetables are low glycemic and will not contribute to this state of insulin resistance/fat storage. *Note many gluten-free processed foods (GF breads, GF pasta, GF bagels, GF cookies, GF crackers, etc) can actually be higher glycemic (ie. higher carb) than their gluten-containing counterparts.

Leaky Gut

When the lining of the gut is inflamed (from gluten, for example), small gaps open between tightly woven cells of the intestines. This allows an influx of undigested food molecules to enter the bloodstream where they are considered foreign invaders. The immune system then attacks full force and systemic inflammation ensues. This inflammatory state contributes to swelling, pain, heart disease risk and weight gain.

Thyroid Dysfunction

The molecular structure of gluten is similar to that of the thyroid. When the immune system attacks gluten, it can also trigger antibodies against your thyroid (resulting in Hashimoto’s). This is called “molecular mimicry.” Many people are unsuccessful at losing weight due to thyroid disease. Thyroid medication is only one piece to the puzzle when it comes to addressing hypothyroidism and thus boosting metabolism. If you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s), a strict gluten-free diet is a must!

Ditch the wheat, drop the weight

Increased Cravings

I commonly hear “I am addicted to bread” in my office. There is legitimacy to this. If you are eating gluten and are in fact too sensitive to it, your body may produce drug-like, opiate-like molecules (called exorphins). This can lead to a temporary high or sense of euphoria, leading to more cravings. Unfortunately, for many, the 80:20 rule does not work. Like an alcoholic ditching alcohol, individuals with a gluten sensitivity need to give up gluten 100% in order to heal.

Caution with GF Diets- the Potential for Weight Gain

 A gluten-free diet does not necessarily equate to a healthy diet. Snacking on certified gluten-free cookies or making gluten-free pasta regularly will not aid in your weight loss efforts. In fact, many gluten-free products are higher in carbs than their gluten-containing counterparts (thanks to the very high glycemic white rice flour, corn starch, tapioca starch, and potato starch added to these GF processed foods).

Healthy Advice for Going Gluten-Free

A good rule of thumb is to stick to the perimeter of the grocery store and avoid the inner aisles. Don’t get sucked into the gluten-free aisle with gluten-free bread and gluten-free crackers thinking its better for you. Junk food is junk food, whether it’s gluten-free or not.

The key to staying lean and healthy is sticking to lower carb whole foods- eggs, meat, fish, poultry, nuts, seeds, vegetables and low glycemic fruits (berries are best!).

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