How can I lose weight seems the be the most frequently asked question that I hear?

It seemed no matter what diet I tried, I couldn’t lose the weight. No matter what exercise I tried, I couldn’t shed the weight. What I was missing and what I didn’t figure out until much later is that there were many things at play with my weight loss battle. The thyroid medication that I was taking was synthetic T4. I needed my T3 to be converted as well. See, my T3 was my energy hormone and I suffered from this horrible imbalance of my T4 not converting to T3 which lead to my adrenal fatigue. My system was so over worked, I had a lack of nutrients and my body was severely imbalanced. The adrenal fatigue put my body in a battle and my cortisol levels were out of this world! Cortisol add fat around my mid-section. So, the harder I exercised, the more “cortisol”-fat added to my stomach. Then let’s mention the leaky gut. My gut played a vital role in my autoimmunity. 95% of all thyroid diseases are autoimmune. Most often undiagnosed. I needed to get my gut fixed. The only way I was going to start to put my Hashimoto’s in remission is to start working on my gut. The 70% of my immune system is manufactured in my gut. Like an onion, I started to work on each layer that needed to be addressed, peeling it back, layer by layer. Did I have food sensitives? Many people have food sensitives continue to eat these foods that causes a leaky gut, candida and ph imbalances. Gluten, dairy, soy, eggs and processed foods are just to name a few. Also, no matter how much I worked on my foods and exercise. It wasn’t going do me any good if I continued to use household cleaners, under arm deodorants and fluoride toothpastes. The list can go on and one. I needed to start reading labels and not allow these toxins on my body. I was fighting an uphill battle for my life. I started by the elimination process. Uncovered what foods bothered me, fixed my gut, slowed down my exercise and switched my medication to Armour. I started eating clean, fermented veggies, low carb and healthy high fat. Reading food labels, if it was artificial or made in a lab I avoided it. If I couldn’t eat it, I didn’t put it on my body. I avoided all environmental toxins like the plague. I added vital vitamins and minerals that my body was missing and probiotics. This wasn’t a “diet” it was a lifestyle change. A complete overhaul of my life in every aspect. I had to start listening to my body, and not one of those a dietary theories. I couldn’t  force foods that didn’t agree with me on myself because someone else thought they were healthy. Dietary theories are meant to be a starting point, your body will give you further directions. This is what lead me to writing my books on Hypothyroidism. Recipes that I’ve used and created for your  Mind, body and spirit. These recipes not only nourish your body but feed your spirit.  A survivors cookbook guide to kicking hypothyroidism booty

I added more things like:

• Olives
• Avocado
• Cooked Cruciferous vegetables (Limit this to no more than 2x per week)
• Fermented foods
• Fatty fish (e.g., wild-caught salmon trout, tuna and mackerel. )
• Chicken and Turkey ( organic hormone & Antibiotic free)
• Grass Fed Beef
• leafy greens 
• Nitrate free bacon
• Nuts, such as walnuts and almonds
• Seeds, such as pumpkin, chia and flax
• Coconut Flour, Almond Flour and hemp seeds
• Chia Seeds
• Kelp and seaweed
• Celtic or Himalayan sea salt
• coconut
• coconut oil
• organic butter ( preferably Grass fed)
• ghee
• Bone Broth
• Eggs: Look for pastured or omega-3 whole eggs. ( if you don’t have a food allergy)
• Cheese: Unprocessed cheese (cheddar, goat, cream, blue or mozzarella).
• Fish oil (EPA/DHA)
• Magnesium
• Vitamin B Complex
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D3
• Zinc
• Ancient Nutrition- Bone Broth Collagen Loaded with Bone Broth Co-Factors

 Studies have shown that this lifestyle change will; 

• Cholesterol. This lifestyle change has shown to improve triglyceride levels and cholesterol levels most associated with arterial buildup.
• Weight Loss. As your body is burning fat as the main source of energy, you will essentially be using your fat stores as an energy source while in a fasting state.
• Blood Sugar. Many studies show the decrease of LDL cholesterol over time and have shown to eliminate ailments such as type 2 diabetes.
• Energy. By giving your body a better and more reliable energy source, you will feel more energized during the day. Fats are shown to be the most effective molecule to burn as fuel.
• Hunger. Fat is naturally more satisfying and ends up leaving us in a satiated (“full”) state for longer.
• Acne. Recent studies have shown a drop in acne lesions and skin inflammation over 12 weeks.

Metabolic syndrome

There are many studies showing that a lower -carb diets improve markers of metabolic syndrome such as blood lipids, insulin levels, HDL-cholesterol, LDL particle size and fasted blood sugar levels, and that the improvements reasonably are even greater when carbs and protein are restricted to a larger extent – i.e. when a more ketogenic approach is applied.

You may see some limitations on your performance when you first begin this lifestyle change, but as your body fully adapts to using fat as the primary source of energy – all of your strength and endurance will return to normal.

Many people ask if carbs are needed to build muscle. Of course they’re not. If you’re asking this question, I will assume you know how you gain mass.

As a precaution, you should always check with your physician if you have any concerns about starting a new way of eating. You should especially be weary if your family has any pre-existing kidney or diabetic conditions– as the higher intake of proteins will put strain on your kidneys.

High cholesterol, high blood sugar, and heart disease is not something you need to worry about. High fat, low carb diets are well-known and documented for their improvements in cholesterol, blood sugars, and reduction of heart disease.

Overall, eating a high amount of fat, moderate protein, and low amount of carbs can have a massive impact in your health – lowering your cholesterol, body weight, blood sugar, and raising your energy and mood levels.

Once you’re in the mindset to start a more realistic, healthy approach at losing body fat – a low carb lifestyle doesn’t seem as bad. Give it a few weeks to get over the initial hump, and those cravings for carbs will go away.

Some studies have shown links between artificial sweeteners and sugar cravings, so if you drink diet sodas or if you use a lot of artificial sweeteners – try to throw them out and reform your eating philosophies.

EAT. ENOUGH. SALT.

When you are eating lower carbs your body doesn’t retain water the same way, so sodium and other important electrolytes get flushed out quickly. You need to replenish these or you will feel awful – it can even lead to heart palpitations, panic attacks, and other different scary things.

Salted bone broth or stock is a great way to replenish your electrolytes. In addition, you should supplement potassium (I use a light salt which is half sodium and half potassium – works great and you can find it in your spice aisle) and magnesium to avoid lightheadedness, cramps, headaches, etc.

DRINK YOUR FAR SHARE OF WATER.

Water Boosts Metabolism

Lots of people don’t realize the true importance of drinking enough water everyday and how it can impact both your health and your weight loss efforts. “Water’s involved in every type of cellular process in your body, and when you’re dehydrated, they all run less efficiently — and that includes your metabolism. Think of it like your car: if you have enough oil and gas, it will run more efficiently. It’s the same with your body.”

“Your metabolism is basically a series of chemical reactions that take place in your body,” says Trent Nessler, PT, DPT, MPT, managing director of Baptist Sports Medicine in Nashville. “Staying hydrated keeps those chemical reactions moving smoothly.” Being even 1% dehydrated can cause a significant drop in metabolism

Aim for at least 100 ounces a day – especially in the first couple of weeks until your body adjusts.

(Necessary internet disclaimer:  there is such a thing as too much water so don’t get silly about it)

To make it a littler easier to calculate how much water to drink everyday, here are the recommended amounts for a range of weights. Remember to adjust for your activity level.

 

Life is an experiment. Be kind to yourself. People really don’t know what you are going through. Be patient, love yourself and step forward without judgement on those who have no clue. Reach for happiest with every breath you take. Trust your heart. Keep your faith and walk ahead!—Audrey Childers