Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nutritionist, nor personal trainer. Never take medical advice over the internet. Seek the advice of your doctor before following any of the recommendations made during this series.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Thyroidectomy Weight Loss: Rules
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nutritionist, nor personal trainer. Never take medical advice over the internet. Seek the advice of your doctor before following any of the recommendations made during this series.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Thyroidectomy Weight Loss: Everyone is Different
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nutritionist, nor personal trainer. Never take medical advice over the internet. Seek the advice of your doctor before following any of the recommendations made during this series.
Monday, February 20, 2017
Thyroidectomy Weight Control: Introduction
Everyone's situation is different. Nevertheless, I think I can help.
This is the beginning of the Thyroidectomy Weight Loss series. Tune back in every day to learn more. Advance to the next day to see the next video in this series.
Example Topics:
Am I right? Will exercise and diet lead to weight control after a thyroidectomy? Check in every Sunday to see the results.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nutritionist, nor personal trainer. Never take medical advice over the internet. Seek the advice of your doctor before following any of the recommendations made during this series.
This is the beginning of the Thyroidectomy Weight Loss series. Tune back in every day to learn more. Advance to the next day to see the next video in this series.
Example Topics:
- Setting Goals
- Understanding Fat Cells
- Tired versus Exercise
- Creating Rules
- Magic Formula
- Motivation
- Shrink your stomach
- Drink water
- Soda versus water
- Protein Drinks
- Juicing
- Weight Watchers
- Avoiding Exercise Injuries
- Eating healthy fast food
- Food Labels
- Gaining muscle
- Cheat calories
- Body Confusion
- Calorie Counting
- Cardio versus Resistance
- Fruit and Veggies
Am I right? Will exercise and diet lead to weight control after a thyroidectomy? Check in every Sunday to see the results.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nutritionist, nor personal trainer. Never take medical advice over the internet. Seek the advice of your doctor before following any of the recommendations made during this series.
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
January Weight Update
You will hear many people complain about weight gain with a Thyroidectomy, and complain they can't loose weight.
I gained fifty pounds leading up to the surgery. Before you fall out of your chair - I am 6'4", fifty pounds is s lot but not as much as you might think. The gain was mostly poor eating, lack of exercise, increased stress (hey! I have cancer!) and my thyroid doing crazy things to me.
Immediately after surgery I lost 14 pounds, felt great, and was confident I would drop the other 36 pounds.
But then I experienced "the crash" and was tired all the time. I slept instead of exercise, and ate to stay awake. I put back on 13 of those 14 pounds.
I have been forcing myself to the gym as much as my exhaustion can bare it I have lost a pound, which puts me at -2 since surgery.
I wake up in the morning and try to pull myself out of bed, but many mornings I can't. When my Fitbit says I only got 5 or 6 hours of sleep? I can't do it. But even when the fit but says I got 7 or 8 hours it can be difficult.
I read from many people who reported this feeling of exhaustion and I was convinced it would not happen to me, but it did. I remain convinced that if I could exercise regularly I would get more energy, I would therefore eat better, I would therefore loose weight, and I would therefore sleep better and I would return to my Pre-thyroid-problem self. That's my theory and I am not discouraged yet.
Tune back and I will try to provide further updates.
I gained fifty pounds leading up to the surgery. Before you fall out of your chair - I am 6'4", fifty pounds is s lot but not as much as you might think. The gain was mostly poor eating, lack of exercise, increased stress (hey! I have cancer!) and my thyroid doing crazy things to me.
Immediately after surgery I lost 14 pounds, felt great, and was confident I would drop the other 36 pounds.
But then I experienced "the crash" and was tired all the time. I slept instead of exercise, and ate to stay awake. I put back on 13 of those 14 pounds.
I have been forcing myself to the gym as much as my exhaustion can bare it I have lost a pound, which puts me at -2 since surgery.
I wake up in the morning and try to pull myself out of bed, but many mornings I can't. When my Fitbit says I only got 5 or 6 hours of sleep? I can't do it. But even when the fit but says I got 7 or 8 hours it can be difficult.
I read from many people who reported this feeling of exhaustion and I was convinced it would not happen to me, but it did. I remain convinced that if I could exercise regularly I would get more energy, I would therefore eat better, I would therefore loose weight, and I would therefore sleep better and I would return to my Pre-thyroid-problem self. That's my theory and I am not discouraged yet.
Tune back and I will try to provide further updates.
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Sleep and Fitbit Update
If you follow this blog, you have noticed the frequency of posts has dropped off. This is for two reasons. First, my blogging phone app no longer works with the latest ios release, so, it is less convenient to blog. And second... life goes on. We have this thing that happens, we get past it, and then we go on with our lives. While thyroid cancer is a big deal and will regularly be on my mind, it is no longer front and foremost. I have other things to deal with: getting my son to drive and get him ready for college, holidays, vacations, and more. Thyroid cancer becomes an after thought - something that I remember only when I look in the mirror and see the scar. And that is good. It is the way it should be.
I struggle with being tired, not getting enough sleep, not having much energy, and therefore struggling to get to gym daily. If I don't get to the gym, then, I am not doing well managing my weight. And if I am tired, I am turning to bad snacks to snap me out of it.
I have worn my FitBit for going on 4 weeks now and I am seeing information about my sleep that I never knew.
For example, I go to bed, do a last check of the email on my phone, and then go to sleep. My plan is always to get 8 hours sleep (or come close to it).
What I learned is that I am spending way too long checking the email on my phone. It isn't just a quick five minute check. Some nights I am spending 20-30 minutes! And that eats into my sleep time.
Next, the fitbit tells me I loose up to 45 minutes of sleep per night. I can see when this happens: My wife comes to bed, my daughter gets up for work, my boys head out to school, and my wife gets up before I do so she can have the shower first. There are other interruptions: The cat jumps on the bed, the dog barks at something outside, someone gets up in the night to use the bathroom, or (like last night) my wife wakes me to tell me someone is downstairs (it was the dog snoring).
I might go to bed intending to get 8 hours sleep, by the time I check my cell phone and have all the disruptions, I wake with only 6 3/4 hours. If I stay up late helping the boys with their homework, I get even less. And then I wonder why I am tired all day long!
My wife says "This isn't anything new. It has always been this way. So why are you tired now?" And that is a good question. But it hasn't always been this way: my daughter hasn't always had the early shift, and I am staying up later at night than previously. Even so, it is difficult to believe that these changes make me want to nap at lunch time and sleep all weekend.
I am going to try to reverse this problem by getting more sleep and taking a sleep study in March. Stay tuned and I will provide updates.
I struggle with being tired, not getting enough sleep, not having much energy, and therefore struggling to get to gym daily. If I don't get to the gym, then, I am not doing well managing my weight. And if I am tired, I am turning to bad snacks to snap me out of it.
I have worn my FitBit for going on 4 weeks now and I am seeing information about my sleep that I never knew.
For example, I go to bed, do a last check of the email on my phone, and then go to sleep. My plan is always to get 8 hours sleep (or come close to it).
What I learned is that I am spending way too long checking the email on my phone. It isn't just a quick five minute check. Some nights I am spending 20-30 minutes! And that eats into my sleep time.
Next, the fitbit tells me I loose up to 45 minutes of sleep per night. I can see when this happens: My wife comes to bed, my daughter gets up for work, my boys head out to school, and my wife gets up before I do so she can have the shower first. There are other interruptions: The cat jumps on the bed, the dog barks at something outside, someone gets up in the night to use the bathroom, or (like last night) my wife wakes me to tell me someone is downstairs (it was the dog snoring).
I might go to bed intending to get 8 hours sleep, by the time I check my cell phone and have all the disruptions, I wake with only 6 3/4 hours. If I stay up late helping the boys with their homework, I get even less. And then I wonder why I am tired all day long!
My wife says "This isn't anything new. It has always been this way. So why are you tired now?" And that is a good question. But it hasn't always been this way: my daughter hasn't always had the early shift, and I am staying up later at night than previously. Even so, it is difficult to believe that these changes make me want to nap at lunch time and sleep all weekend.
I am going to try to reverse this problem by getting more sleep and taking a sleep study in March. Stay tuned and I will provide updates.
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
Sleep and FitBit
I recently saw my primary doctor and complained of symptoms of hypothyroidism: tired, low energy, and irritability. He told me my thyroid levels were fine and suggested I needed a sleep study. The sleep study is scheduled for March.
I wore my fitbit to bed for the first time last night. I was in bed for 9 hours, 13 minutes (that may seem like a long sleep, but, I have found more sleep fights brain fog). Slept 8 hours, 28 minutes. Restless 41 minutes, awake 6 minutes, and had a 92% sleep efficiency. This isn't the same thing as a full sleep study, however, it is reassuring that the number doesn't indicate anything bad!
I am looking forward to seeing what the sleep efficiency becomes when averaged over a period of time instead of just one night.
I wore my fitbit to bed for the first time last night. I was in bed for 9 hours, 13 minutes (that may seem like a long sleep, but, I have found more sleep fights brain fog). Slept 8 hours, 28 minutes. Restless 41 minutes, awake 6 minutes, and had a 92% sleep efficiency. This isn't the same thing as a full sleep study, however, it is reassuring that the number doesn't indicate anything bad!
I am looking forward to seeing what the sleep efficiency becomes when averaged over a period of time instead of just one night.
Friday, December 23, 2016
December Update
Life gets busy and moves on. The thyroid cancer (that once was center stage) fades and drifts into the back ground. There have been many things I have wanted to write about on this blog, but other priorities have taken over. And that's the way it should be. We move on instead of dwell. We focus on new challenges.
My bloodwork at the end of November said I was slightly hyperthoid, but all my symptoms were hypothyroid.
The doctor cut my thyroid medicine from 175mg to 150mg on weekdays and 175mg on weekends.
I then met with my primary doctor and gave him my symptoms post "crash". I am tired all the time, no energy, brain fog, and short tempered. He diagnosed that I may have a sleeping disorder and has referred me to a lab for sleeping test. That test will happen in March.
My weight is up 50 pounds since I started having thyroid issues. I have been able to keep 6 pounds off after surgery, and I know I need to get the rest off. I suspect that if I am having sleeping issues it is related to the weight. And if I can drop the weight, I should be OK.
The challenge however, because I am so tired I sleep more. I sleep more, so I don't have much time to work out. And I look to bad snacks to try to snap me out of the feeling of being tired. All of that is bad and is a rut that may be difficult to get out of. Perhaps this sleep study will help.
Aside from feeling tired? Life is back to normal. It is crazy and hectic and busy and that's OK. My wife has been an excellent partner and coach. When I get too tired and feel like I can't move, she kicks me in the butt and gets me going. There is plenty of work to do with the kids, the family, and around the house and it is good I have someone who can keep me going.
My bloodwork at the end of November said I was slightly hyperthoid, but all my symptoms were hypothyroid.
The doctor cut my thyroid medicine from 175mg to 150mg on weekdays and 175mg on weekends.
I then met with my primary doctor and gave him my symptoms post "crash". I am tired all the time, no energy, brain fog, and short tempered. He diagnosed that I may have a sleeping disorder and has referred me to a lab for sleeping test. That test will happen in March.
My weight is up 50 pounds since I started having thyroid issues. I have been able to keep 6 pounds off after surgery, and I know I need to get the rest off. I suspect that if I am having sleeping issues it is related to the weight. And if I can drop the weight, I should be OK.
The challenge however, because I am so tired I sleep more. I sleep more, so I don't have much time to work out. And I look to bad snacks to try to snap me out of the feeling of being tired. All of that is bad and is a rut that may be difficult to get out of. Perhaps this sleep study will help.
Aside from feeling tired? Life is back to normal. It is crazy and hectic and busy and that's OK. My wife has been an excellent partner and coach. When I get too tired and feel like I can't move, she kicks me in the butt and gets me going. There is plenty of work to do with the kids, the family, and around the house and it is good I have someone who can keep me going.
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