need advice

[twatkins36]

Has anyone had any experience with thyroid problems and trying to lose weight?  I am taking medicine for my thyroids and I just cannot seem to loose any weight or do feel any difference in my cloths.  I have been on this plan since January 16, 2007 and I must admit that I messed up 3 times already.  My downfall is sweets!!!   Anyway, I don't feel any change in my clothes at all. 
Can someone offer any advice? 

Terri

[Queenie]

Ahhhhh, Terri -

Miss Niki will jump in here and tell you her story - very similar - but the long and short of it is - YES!!!  You can and will lose weight, EVEN WITH A THYROID CONDITION, on LDL...

OK, Niki - You're up to bat!

Carolyn

[DEBBIEWEBE]

Terri,
Niki and I both have hypothyroidism.  We have both posted on the medical boards.  I have to ask you are you still drinking diet soda or using artificial sweeteners?  I started LDL back in august and fell off the wagon over the holidays.  I never wanted for pasta, potatoes, rice, or bread but I never lost my craving for sugar.  I blame that on diet soda.  This go round I gave up pop and have not had a craving for sweets in over a week.  Im not sure if its the caffeine or the sweeteners that give me trouble but I have kicked sweets so far.  I have lost weight both times.....17 the first time I was on LDL and 4 lbs this time which brings me back to my original 17 lbs lost.  Unfortunately I gained a few lbs back over the holidays but I am ready to have my habits cemented in place before next Thanksgiving comes. I know its slow to come off but eventually it will.  Talk to Niki she has had thyroid problems longer than me and has successfully lost all her weight.
Love and God Bless
Debbie

[DEBBIEWEBE]

Terri,
Roger will also tell you..............YOU HAVE LOST.....THE SCALE JUST HASNT CAUGHT UP YET!!!
Stick to it.....and if you are not hungry do not eat or snack.  That helps me most.  Sometimes Im just thirsty.  When you are so used to snacking all the time its just a habit.  Without cravings I am more conscious of my hunger and I try to ONLY EAT WHEN IM HUNGRY!!!  I try to stick to eating at Mealtimes but if Im not hungry for dinner I just skip it and go to bed.  Then I will see a loss for sure.  I always try and have a hearty breakfast though and if I dont I eat a HEARTY LUNCH.  DInner is most always light.
Give it up to God.  He will take your worries about LDL and hold them till you become a believer.
Love and God Bless
Debbie

[twatkins36]

Thank you Debbiewebe and Queenie for the posts. 
I do not drink diet soda anymore, however, I do drink diet green tea and I do drink coffee with artificial sweetner in it.  (two cups every morning).  Do you believe it is the sweetner?  Oh and I use it in my decaffinated tea that I make at home.  What do you suggest that I use instead of splenda? I usually cannot pass up on the sweets when they are around me.  If I do not see them, then its not a problem but it is around me then I cannot resist.  Its almost like a alcoholic but with sweets, I cannot stop with one piece.  About 5 years ago, I lost about 70lbs but then I gradually gained half of it back and now I cannot seem to loose any at all.  It is very discouraging  when I start a new "diet" and not loose anything anymore.  I go to the specialist on Friday for my thyroids, hopfully he will give me some insight on whats going on with me.  I guess I will fight this for the rest of my life.

Thanks again,
Terri 

[DEBBIEWEBE]

Terri,
Yes I think for me it is either diet soda, artificial sweeteners, caffeine ( I used to think the caffiene made me hungrier/wanting more sweet too so it might be your tea)  and dairy always bothers me if I have too much cheese.  Let me know if you notice any difference.  You might not be eating enough fruit. Eat more fruit till you dont crave the sugary fattening desserts.
Debbie

[twatkins36]

I do not snack at all during the daytime.  I eat a banana for breakfast, lunch is usually my protein and some veggie soup.  Dinner at home, I eat a banana and maybe some corn on the cob or broccoli around 8:30 or 9:00 I eat some popcorn.  Is that too much you think?  Its hard on the weekends for me.  I will do better on the weekends. ( I will plan ahead on weekends).  I will definitely keep it up and I will continue to pray about it as well.

Terri 

[twatkins36]

I know I need to eat more fruit but I am not that crazy about fruits.  I am hoping that this summer I will do more smoothies, I am too cold to have them now.  I do not crave the sweets really, its just when something sweet is in front of me, I cannot resist it.  (not hungry for it, just want it....I feel like I just have to have it...that sort of thing.) If it wouldn't be there then I am okay.  (not sure if you understand what I am saying, I am weird..... sorry. 

Terri 

[DEBBIEWEBE]

To me it doesnt sound like you are eating enough. Are you eating until full?  When you first start you are not supposed to cut back on portions until all your cravings are gone.  It might take some time.  Looks like you might need a few more veggies or salads in there too.  And ahemmmmm I didnt SEE ONE BEAN!!!!
Niki will have something to say about that Im sure!!!  Seriously.....you cant be on this plan and NOT LOSE.  You build it.....they will come!!!!!  Seriously if I eat enough for breakfast and eat enough at lunch....Im hardly wanting any dinner.  I hold off on breakfast and lunch for as long as I can.  I dont seem to be starving when I first wake up so I dont push food.  I eat only when hungry and then I eat until Im full.  Then dont eat again till Im hungry.  Dont wait till youre STARVING or you will more than necessary.
I will say some prayers for you.  I Seriously went back to SQUARE ONE a week ago monday and just dealt with it ONE MEAL AT A TIME.  By end of DAY TWO I was back on track mentally.  You can do it Terri.  If Ive heard them say it once Ive heard them say it a million times on these boards.  You didnt gain it in one day dont expect to lose it in one day.
Love and God Bless
Debbie

[DEBBIEWEBE]

I hear ya....I DISLIKE FRUIT TOO......but i made myself eat it till I started to crave it instead of the sugar.  Once you dont crave the sugar anymore....dont eat it or eat it less.  It will make a big difference in how long it takes you to break your sugar addiction.  Just remember though whenever you DO have a taste for something SWEET make it FRUIT!!!

[twatkins36]

Thank you again,
Yes i do eat plenty of beans, in my veggie soup is lots and lots of beans, carrots., peas, corn etc.  I love beans and cooked veggies.  Okay i will try and eat more in the morning because I am hungry at lunch time at work.  (but I am full when I finish my lunch) 5:00 when I get home I am hungry again.  I will eat more fruit, I only like a few things so I will eat more of what I do like.  Well I know it works because I do not crave any breads, pasta or anyting, except for the special treats that come across my way.  Its worth trying.  Thank you again.

Terri

[DEBBIEWEBE]

Terri,
Try eating the soynut butter on cornthins with bananas on top for breakfast.....They are delicious if you dont like the cold smoothies.  Sometimes I make the smoothie without any ice.  The Banana smoothie I made is good.  Try drinking it at night before dinner.  Then maybe you will feel like having less at night.  Think of it as your happy hour drink lol  Please let me know how you are doing.  I just know you are on the right track here.  You sound very much like I was in the beginning.  You just have to figure out whats gonna work for you.  I was exactly the same.  I only craved sweets and none of the other bad carbs.  You are also in the same boat as me with kids around.  Its hard to not buy them the snacks the like but then you are forced to live in a house with snacks.  Thankfully their snacks dont tempt me any more.  Or that is until PMS week.  Just ask them around here...I get a little nutty.  But now I mark the calendar so Im expectin it instead of wondering WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH ME????
Love
Debbie

[robnveronica]

I found these in our local store and the kids LOVE THEM!!! By General Mills: Fruit ripples..in either strawberry apple or cinnamon apple.
Ingredients: dried apple, 2% or less apple juice concentrate, apple powder, cranberry powder, citric acid, natural flavor (notice how far down natural flavor is! and yes could be sugar, but at least you know it's very little since is 6th in list!!) and sodium sulfite (as a preservative)

They are basically a dried fruit apple! my kids love chips and I figure these are definately healthier!
Also maybe you could find apricots (dried of course! and without added sugars!) these are ways you can try to get extra fruit into your day.

For another "Sweet treat" try some regular popcorn made with cinnamon and splenda...much like a kettle corn with out the sugar!!

Good luck!!
Veronica

[Jeanie Partington]

Hey Veronica!  Tell me more about that popcorn.  It sounds wonderful.  Do you pop the popcorn and just add the Splenda and cinnamon to dry popcorn?  Do you spray olive oil on it first and then add the dry ingredients?  It sounds yummy and I would love to try it.  Share the recipe!

[robnveronica]

1) Do you have a popcorn maker?

As long as not hot air popper...just put some olive oil in the pan and then sprinkle some splenda and cinnamon in the pan and then put your unpopped corn Kernels in the bottom. Cover and shake while waiting for it to pop away!
Comes out sweet and cinnamony with out being over done!

There you go..simple and sweet!

[Forever Young]

Terri,

Yes, I understand what you are saying about IF IT wasn't there you would not have the desire for it.  I think I have resorted to calling it...VISUAL TEMPTATION.  I have that same problem sometimes.  If IT wasn't there...I would NOT have thought about having it...but it IS there...and I have SEEN it...and now I WANT some of it.

Sounds just like Adam and Eve in the garden, doesn't it.  The enemy has NO new tricks...just the same old ones he uses over and over and over and over.....

Have you tried the frozen grapes?  They are really sweet and seem to be about the most satisfying to me.  I try to go get a baggie of them when I want something sweet.  If you don't like them, what fruit (s) do you like?  Perhaps if you keep them handy you can train yourself to get them and leave the temptations alone.  (I have to watch this myself.)

Have you tried the Hot Cinnamon Apple?  It is really good.  You can add as much Splenda as you want to make it as sweet as you desire.  It is even good for breakfast.

Hope you have a good day.

Love,

Jeanne

[Tori]

Frozen blueberries are also a delicious snack!

[twatkins36]

Thank you all for the wonderful information.  It was very helpful.  Yes you might call it the visual tempation, because it doesn't bother me if it is not around, or see someone else eating it.  I will take your suggestions and see if that helps.  I will let you all know how its goes on Friday after the Dr. 's appointment.

Thanks again,
Terri

[Jeanie Partington]

Veronica, I just bought a microwave popcorn popper and I am going to fix it.  It sounds delicious.

Oh, and Terri, just keep trying to find your way.  You and I are still so new at this.  I love it that we can ask questions and have such wonderful people give us such wonderful advice.  I know that you will get it fine tuned and suited to your particular needs.  I always make sure to eat enough that I am not hungry because when I am hungry, I GET PITIFUL!!!  And when I am feeling that way, that is when I think about old bad habit foods.  Fortunately, there is usually a way to make LDL foods that approximate the old ones that we used to love.

Jeanie

[tcasola]

Terri,

I have nothing useful to add to this topic - but I wanted to say you and your daughter look like sisters.