Days 5 – 11 ~ 9 pounds lost! Whoot!

So I have learned SO MUCH on this plan so far I can not even tell you in one post (ok, we all know I’m going to anyway). First and most important, my thyroid is not as “stable” as I thought it was. The author of The Plan, Lyn-Genet Recitas,  has you take your temperature every morning (I have two thermometers because I’m usually in shock at low my temp is), and temperature is a sign of how your thyroid is doing- or reacting. Other signs for me personally of having thyroid issues include feeling tired- so tired that I feel like I have the flu. Also I feel depressed and have no appetite at all. Around Day 3/4/5, I noticed that I was so tired. I went to bed early and even missed one of my favorite classes at the gym. I slept for over 12 hours. I started to take the temperature thing seriously- the first few days I wasn’t even paying too close attention- my temp was down to 95.5 and I had missed a meal for loss of appetite. I actually thought I was coming down with something because I was so tired. Then suddenly I had a thought: was I eating other goitrogenic foods like spinach that were bringing me down?

 

Apparently I was eating several. Kale and broccoli are also on that list- they are supposed to have less of an effect when they are cooked. The goitrogens are compounds found in some foods that have been proven to interfere with thyroid function by blocking the enzymes that produce thyroid hormones (Recitas, 41). This is supposed to be deactivated when cooking- but, I have found through research on my own that the goitrogens are only reduced by 1/3 when cooked. My thyroid must be really sensitive to these sorts of foods because not only did I have a drop in temperature for a few days, but I was exhausted, feeling low, and had no appetite. I even missed a meal just to go to bed.

 

After a whole day of avoiding these foods, my temperature went back up to 97.5 (my temp doesn’t seem to go higher than this- but over 97 is at least acceptable) and I started feeling better and losing weight again. Steak has been the only other thing I had a small reaction to – but since it was during my thyroid issues, I plan on testing it again to see if I do indeed have a difficult time digesting steak. It seems to be mostly the foods on the goitrogenic list that I have problems with. Pork has tested fine. Interestingly enough, when I went to the doctor after my birthday and he told me about the book and inquired about spinach- I stopped eating raw spinach and lost 6 pounds in one week. The next week after that, before I started the plan, I couldn’t lose a single pound. I have been recording what I eat for some time now so I went back to see what I was eating- I ate sweet potatoes every single day that week. That is also a goitrogen. I plan on testing it, but it doesn’t look like I’ll be eating those often.

 

The author of The Plan, Lyn-Genet Recitas, talks constantly about eating a variety of foods. If you stop eating a variety of foods, and stop testing foods, your weight loss will stall. One of my main problems is that I am pretty boring- I don’t want a variety of foods. I find a food I like- such as spinach or sweet potatoes- and I eat that food every single day. This isn’t healthy. Your body needs a variety of friendly foods to encourage weight loss. I am starting to worry about the amount of variety that my vegetables (which are eating at lunch and dinner) are going to consist of- so far I can eat squash, onion, garlic, mixed greens, romaine lettuce, zucchini, and carrots. I can’t just eat those every day. I have to find other vegetables to eat too or my success after the plan is over will be limited. I guess I’m feeling a little overwhelmed- after the 20 days is over, will I be able to incorporate everything I’ve learned into a healthy lifestyle that works for me?

 

Day 5 was a test for rye that I didn’t participate in- I already have made my decisions regarding wheat/gluten and I stand by them. I did follow the rest of the day which included leftover dinner salad with goat cheese and pumpkin seeds (wow, I didn’t realize how much vegetarian protein was in pumpkin/sunflower seeds. What a great way to get your protein for the day!), soup, apple, chicken with spicy apricot glaze and grilled zucchini with orange oil (not my favorite) and grated manchengo. Also a beet and carrot salad (that I have given up trying to eat now). I made myself eat it a few times, and I realize I’m not following the plan to the letter, but beets and carrots just can’t be done. Sue me.

 

Day 6 was similar except I tested steak with roasted squash, kale and manchengo salad.

Day 7 Was a rest day again- flax granola, leftover dinner (kale/squash salad) with soup, chicken with lemon garlic sauce with mixed greens as well as a vegetable mix of carrots zucchini onions and mushrooms. One ounce of chocolate. Whoot!

 

Day 8 was a bread test. I ate everything else except the bread and was doing just fine. Sunflower seeds, avocado, mixed greens and an apple for lunch (same flax for breakfast), homemade hummus (I added black and red pepper and made it hot. Like mouth burning hot- just ask my mom LOL) chicken again and the vegetable mix from the day previous.

 

Day 9 I was doing fine. This day had the same flax breakfast, baby romaine with goat cheese, avocado, sunflower seeds, and chicken with roasted squash (YUM!) and the plan chopped salad. The plan chopped salad is baby romaine, zucchini, carrot, apple, avocado, sunflower seeds, and cilantro. This was delicious! Are we noticing a pattern here with the greens and vegetables and chicken?

Day 10 I tested a pork roast that I made and it turned out fine. I had flax seed for breakfast (again!) leftover squash and plan chopped salad, then the pork roast with salad/sunflower seeds, avocado, and lemon oil.

 

Day 11 Today was a good day. I loved the food today (except for the flax granola breakfast that will change starting tomorrow, yeah!), then the leftover salad from the dinner the previous day, hummus, chicken with garlic and lemon, mixed green salad, and vegetable timbale.  The vegetable timbale was zucchini, onion, goat cheese, carrots, mushrooms and goat cheese layered together like a lasagna. It isn’t something I thought I was going to love, but I did! I also had some wine, chocolate, and balsamic vinegar (on my salad soo good)! So I am feeling fine right now!!!

 

Eight days to go. Wow. I’ve come so far. This book has really educated me and changed my life. I would just like to take a moment to point out to all the doubters that 9 pounds in 11 days is pretty conclusive that this book does work and that I CAN do this myself. I would also like to point out that ONE of the FIVE MILLION ENDOCRINOLOGISTS I’VE SEEN SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME ABOUT THE GOITROGETIC FOODS. NOT AN ALLERGIST. NOT A GASTROENTEROLOGIST. The thyroid is what endocrinologists are supposed to study- I have seen several (and have appointments with two more scheduled) but NOT A ONE mentioned that certain types of food can block your thyroid. I could have gone to an allergist and a gastroenterologist and chances are- they wouldn’t be able to help me either. I’m not allergic to these foods. You could say that there are  “intolerances”  there- but really most of my food issues are related to my thyroid- so far. There is the questionable steak issue- but being that I didn’t have a severe reaction (no stomach ache or bloating) how would a gastroenterologist ever help me figure any of those out???? None of the endocrinologists figured out it was food related. But, my PCP- just a regular doctor with no extra special training figured out that my issues were probably food related. Go figure.

 

My message is this: Listen to your body. It’s trying to tell you something. Food is everything- and nothing is as it seems. Screw everyone that tells you that it’s just a plateau or that you don’t have any symptoms/you are fine. YOU are the best person to diagnose yourself and help yourself. You can do this. I did it, and I am doing it. I’ve lost 28 pounds so far this year alone. If I can do it- so can you. (I didn’t say it would be easy- but you know where to find me if you need me!) Stay healthy and happy my friends! LIVE!