I really don't understand meal plans. I mean, conceptually, I get it. When you're starting a new eating plan, an expert tells you exactly what...
Read MoreWhole30 + Autoimmune Wrap-Up
From October 2 through October 31, 2012, I documented my Whole30 and autoimmune protocol, including the when, what, where, and how much of my sleep, activity, food, and mood. Although I follow the Whole30 guidelines 90% of the time anyway, I went all-in for 30 days to give my body a chance to stabilize after enduring adrenal burnout and a thyroid medication experiment.
As the Whole30 crew is so good at reminding us, context matters, so if you’re not familiar with my checkered past, you might want to read these previous posts:
- A Healing Experiment: to deal with adrenal and thyroid issues
- The Thyroid Experiment and Update on the Experiment
- Weight & Body Image Stuff: I Love My Body and Why is Thinner Better?
- N=1: or why self-experimentation is a pain in the butt but the only option
- Not familiar with the Whole30? Learn all about it here and get extra help with the Whole30 Daily.
Whole30: Self-Care Edition Posts
Here are my (mostly) daily updates from throughout the month. For my thoughts on the experiment overall, read my post “My Autoimmune Protocol Experiment.”
One of my fave food experiments of the month: Golden Cauliflower Soup
Burpee legs! I got dirty doing a backyard workout of burpees!
More Like This...
December
27
Posted by
30 Reasons To Whole30
Over the years, I've done a handful of Whole30 re-sets, and everyone of them has (a) been different from the others and (b) incredibly eye-opening...
Read More
I made the cauliflower soup a few days ago, it is TO DIE FOR. I almost has a cheesy taste to me. Throw in some steamed chopped broccoli after you’ve pureed everything and it would be a perfect sub for broccoli cheese soup. Man, I’m salivating just thinking about it now!
Hello Melissa,
I found your website/blog without really trying. What caught my attention was that you had your thyroid removed. I had mine removed in 1990. I am still fighting my weight. I keep remembering an RN telling me that everyone that has their thyroid removed gains 20 pounds. At first I thought she was just talking, but she wasn’t. For me, it became true. I actually gained 30 pounds, but today I am down to 20 pounds more than I was before the operation. The way to shed weight, even without your thyroid, is to write everything down and keep to a limited number of basically…the dreaded calorie. I will tell you first that I eat only organic everything. I have fiber, fresh greens & fruit each day, protein in some form, etc…everything we know we should eat. I limit sweets. Now, I will revolt you, I am sure. I can lose weight with Weight Watchers. Somehow having to weigh in helps me. Have you ever? Well, anyway, I like your blog. I have not read all of it, but I like it. I too am curious about inflammation in the body. I try to address that too since it is the cause of so much disease. I just thought I’d write and let you know you have another person reading your site. Take care. Sheryl Kirk
Thanks for writing! If you read my posts, you’ll see I have been tracking my food intake, exercise, etc., and I was also a WW member. I like their approach alot, but the reliance on packaged food, grains, and dairy eventually turned me off — but I think they have a good approach to the psychology of weight loss.
Hope you’ll keep reading…
Thank you for writing this. Great documentation and proof that this works.
Ever since I found your blog, I have been reading every free second to catch up. After telling my regular physician for years about not feeling right, and questioning my thyroid, I took it upon myself to see a specialist. Not to my surprise (I am freakishly good at detecting body weirdness), I was SPOT ON and was diagnosed.
Love, love, love the posts and just received “Well Fed” and “It Starts With Food” on Monday. So I am on my way…
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but good on you for taking charge of the situation. Best of luck to you — It Starts With Food should really help a lot, and I hope you have fun in the kitchen with Well Fed. Keep us posted on how you’re doing!
I was diagnosed with hyohotyrpidism when I was 8 years old 67 years ago and have been on medication to keep my thyroid stable ever since. Once, after a very serious surgery, I forgot to take my pills for a few months and became very tired and somewhat retarded. I couldn’t remember what I’d been doing an hour previously, would hop in the car to grocery shop and a block from home, couldn’t remeber where or why I was going. My phone number even evaded me. As long as I take my thyroid pills, Im fine but if I forget to take them, I’m in trouble. I know when my thyroid is out of balance. So, is this a serious or mundane form of hyohotyrpidism?
Hi, Sandy. Whew! I’m sorry to hear about your hyphothyroid experiences. It’s rough stuff sometimes.
You wrote: “is this a serious or mundane form of hyohotyrpidism?”
The one thing I’ve learned for sure during my thyroid adventures is that everyone’s experience is different, so labeling is hard.
You might want to reach out to Mary Shomon — she’s an expert on thyroid issues.
http://www.thyroidcoaching.com/
New reader to your wonderful blog! I love this day-by-day post. Did you ever do this with the regular Whole30, without the AIP? I’d love to read that, too, if available.
I’ve done the Whole30 a bunch of times without the added restrictions of the AIP. There’s a Whole30 tag that will give you every post I’ve ever written about my Whole30 experinces… http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/tag/whole30/
Mel,
My husband and I finished our whole30 challenge and feel great. Thanks for Well Fed; we’re huge fans! We were already active athletes (long distance runners, triathlons in season) and healthy-ish eaters. Removing the grains + sugar were big changes for us. I had my thyroid removed 9yrs ago because of tumors. I’ve been fine for years on the same dose of Synthroid. So, I’m now (wk 5 still whole30 diet) experiencing hyperthyroidism symptoms, crazy night sweats, etc. I’m wondering if you had shifts in your thyroid needs after such a dramatic diet change? I don’t want to go back, nor do I want a medicine change to induce hypothyroidism. I know you’re not a doctor; I’m not asking for advice, per se. I’m more or less curious if you/others have noticed their T3/T4 needs changed when switching to a paleo diet. Thanks!
Congratulations on your Whole30! That’s awesome.
There are lots of stories of people needing to adjust medication — for thyroid, diabetes, etc. — when they change their diet and/or exercise programs. It’s a good idea to have some blood work done and perhaps adjust your meds. If your body is functioning better and has reduced inflammation, you may not need as much Synthroid — which is a good thing, right?
You might also want to read The Paleo Diet for Athletes (http://www.amazon.com/The-Paleo-Diet-Athletes-Nutritional/dp/160961917X) to get more insight into how to tweak the paleo/Whole30 guidelines to support your endurance activities.