Search the Community

Hi there! Newbie here. So. Here is a LONG story shortened. 36 female Mother of 2 Work from Home Thyroid Cancer @ 20 Thyroid (and all the goes with it) suppressed for medical reasons (to avoid more cancer) so my metabolism sucks but I try not to use that as an excuse... I play the cancer card ALLLL the time though ;-) High weight 250 (probably a bit more but around there I stopped weighing myself) Last year cleaned up my eating a bit, moved a little more and lost about 40lbs Current weight 220 (it was 210 but I got a little depressed and lost all will to move and eat things that weren't greasy and cheesy) Trying to get back on track, getting WAY overwhelmed on the interwebs. Eat this not that, muscle confusion, DOMS, rest days, intermittent fasting, keto, paleo, walking, running, go barefoot, get a yoga mat, buy a Fitbit (that one I did)... my brain is fried. I came across this program/site/community a while ago and am back to see if it can help... I've lurked on this site for a little while. Never committing, never joining. The time has come. I have finally had too much. Too much information, to much trial and error, too many tacos... I digress. I'd like some input from people, ladies or gents, that are similar. Anyone with thyroid issues? I've searched the boards and haven't come up with many posts. Also, I want to know if anyone has done the private coaching. Likes? Dislikes? Worth the $? And how it's different from the Academy. Also, thoughts on the Academy in general. I am about 99% sure I am going to get Academy and really looking hard at the private coaching (depending on cost). I know, I know... it's an investment in me, and my health and all that. If I say I don't have the money I am saying it's not a priority...that being said, my kids like to wear shoes and eat lunch, so it would be a credit card charge and a long time paying it off I imagine (although I don't know the cost yet)... So yeah. In a nutshell; tell me all the things that you think about all the things I've thought and I will read them all! Looking forward to learning and making progress, big and small, with all of you.

Back Story: Goals Over-arching goals: 1. 150 sweets challenge. I will eat less than 150 sweets in 2016. Drinks count. 2. 366 days of greens challenge. I will eat greens every single day this year. 3. 36600 push ups challenge. 100 Push ups a day. Bonus: Glad if I can do. I wouldn't beat myself over it. 1. Ending 2016 with an NF post. I missed it last time, and I plan to carry it through the year this time! 2. Ending 2016 with at least 40 consecutive weeks of creative writing. This Challenge: Food I think the main problem with food for me last time is still sweets, and my plan is to return slowly. So here are my food goals. 1. Greens everyday. I'm talking about leaves too. Fruits (squashes, eggplants, okra, etc. don't count.) 2. 3 sweets a week only. Liquid calories, such as juices, count as sweets. Exercises I still exercise regularly, but I have been doing the minimal work while eating like crazy, so here is my new exercise goals. 1. 100 push ups, everyday. At the airport, at the hotel. Doesn't matter. 100 push ups. Every. Single. Day. 2. 40 min of walk/ jog/swim everyday. 3. Weight training/ body weight training, 3 days a week. 4. Wild card once a week-- this includes any fun physical activity such as dancing, soccer, basketball, ice skating, water-tag, badminton, etc. Life I haven't been slacking on academic writing, but creative writing is another story. I want that back in my life. 1. 30 min of creative writing. 6 days a week. 2. 30 min of academic writing. 6 days a week. I will redeem myself in battle. Just you wait!!!

Yoooooooooooooo g'morning. Okay, first I'll start explaining my topic title. Normality? What the f? Don't you want to STAND OUT?!?! Be indestructible? Lift all the barbells? KILL ALL THE ORCS? Chill out, man. I currently suffer from a few medical conditions (ie. severe hypothyroidism, lyme disease, adrenal fatigue, hypoglycemia AND hypotension, quite a well-filled sandwich) and it's basically killing me. My medication for Lyme interferes with my thyroid meds, etc etc. In short: ITS NOT 100% RIGHT AND ZEN AND YIN/YANG IN MY BODY. So, what to do about it? I tried a few things, and now I'm finally on the right track. ALRIGHDY SOOOOOOOOOOO, first. - I'm slowly converting my eating habits to a Paleo lifestyle (currently at academy level 7), as this is extremely important for my thyroid health. I still eat dairy, because I used to eat that A LOT, but I'm slowly wourking it out of my diet. I keep a food log, but I don't count calories/macros/nutrients just yet, as I want to get used to the type of foods first. (I will start tracking on Tuesday 05/05). ALSO I DRINK LIKE 4 LITERS OF WATER A DAY IT'S INSANE. Secondly, I'm not really in a physical state to work out, sadly. (I remember when I could squat my bodyweight, sadface) and I'm not allowed to either. I do go for a walk often, and I have daily yoga practices. I'll occasionally blend in some leg lifts when I'm lying on my bed with the worst headache, but that usually doesn't work out And I sleep between 12 and 14h a day now, doesn't leave much time to love anymore, let alone work out Then, then then then, What's most important to me NOW, is that I get back to health. Back to being able to go to school full-time, to be able to concentrate and when I go to university next year in September, I want to be able to say ''I'm healthy now, I can have a fresh start.'' As opposed to this half-ass whatever-it-is. Lastly, I'm a little overweight, this came naturally even though I was on a starvation diet, because of my thyroid. Now I get medication, so I hope it won't be too hard to lose the excess pounds that piled up throughout the last few months. However, that is NOT my main goal right now. Health first, appearance after. And who knows, maybe it'll come off by itself just like it magically appeared I'll TRY to post daily! Be healthy everyone xoxo

I have a low thyroid (hypothyroidism). I was hoping I could find some others that have the same issue, or even hyperthyroidism to learn about how others deal with fluctuating energy levels and/or hormone changes. How have you changed to stay healthy and what is the hardest part about dealing with your health problems?

Forgive the choppiness of this post, but I am trying to get all this down as quickly as possible. There is something in my brain that says I can't achieve my fitness goals because of my thyroid issues (my doctor has been messing with my levels lately, and I let this get into my head in bad ways). That said, as Loren says "How fit do you want to be and what are you willing to do to get there?" I want to find out just how fit I CAN get, so here is my main goal and challenge goals... MAIN QUEST - 15% BodyFat by next summer - strong and lean and ready for an active summer of outdoor stuff with the wife and the boy! I'm currently around 36% body fat, and I am not strong or fit (though so much better than last year) Specific Goals: 1 - Complete a whole30-adjusted-version of the DOM chapter in 4-hour-chef (want to become proficient in the kitchen) 2 - CrossFit at least 3 times per week (and no more than 5 times per week) with two performance goals: master double-unders (10 consecutive doubles unders) and running form (measured by video footage critiqued by xfit coach - working with BarefootDawsy on how to better measure progress and goals with running form / mobility) 3 - sleep 7 hours a night (I need more than 7, but 7 is huge progress for me) Side goal - dedicate 2 hours per day to business studies - I'm working on my CAIA certification and on having businesses of my own. MOTIVATION - A life fully lived, that is my motivation! Not being embarrassed at the swimming pool; being able to hike for miles and miles; running, jumping, playing, throwing, lifting... I plan to be around for my family as long as possible, and that requires a fitness fix. I really like my family, and they seem to need me (providing food and shelter and stuff)... I want to be around and to be a good example so that maybe the kiddo doesn't go through extended sedentary phases like I did... LIFE FULLY LIVED - that is my motivation - longevity and confidence and energy, God willing.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of my favorite stories of all time and for my first NF Challenge, I want to invoke Aang and laugh at gravity. {For those who aren't familiar: The show was originally written for kids and aired on Nickelodeon, but it was so good much of the regular audience was made up of over 18s. My local bar in Brooklyn actually packed in a huge crowd when they played the final four-episode finale. The premise of this world is that there are four main superpowers in existence, and four separate nations or groups of people: The Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads. Special people from each can "bend" their own group's element. Fun fact: The bending styles are based closely on four Chinese martial arts, respectively: tai chi, hung gar, northern shoalin, and baguathang.} My friend and roommate, C, introduced me to this show the very same week she took me and our other roommate, L, to a medley martial arts class. We joked about what kind of bender we'd be and I was the last one to figure mine out. C already knew she was Waterbender (a natural at Tai Chi, sensitive, graceful) and after a few classes not even the giant dudes could knock L down, even though she's tiny. She's totally an Earthbender. It wasn't until we started using holds that I found I could escape almost any situation, particularly with spinning moves. I'm a goddamn Airbender. Fast forward a year, I'm no longer in New York (which makes me happy and sad at the same time) and no longer taking martial arts classes (which just makes me sad). I will again once I'm settled into a new city, but for now while I'm being a bit nomadic I have to do my Airbender training solo. And Airbending is a lot of acrobatics. In the past I've done exercise I didn't love: Running, swimming laps, lifting weights—along with (excessively) restricting food. It never works for long because eventually my resentment that I have to slog through it every single day outweighs the benefits and I start making rude hand gestures at the whole endeavor. The irony in all this is that the times I've been fittest in my life have been when I've done only the things I like. Mostly? Acrobatic, gravity defying stuff. Here on in I will no longer be dragging myself to a gym. I will no longer fight myself. I am going to do what I enjoy. I need to ditch the desire to be routine. Many people seem to take comfort in consistency and repetition. For me routines are shackles. So instead of trying to do a series of movements or circuits a certain number of times a week I'm going to learn specific tricks. Task 1 Upside down things 1: Learn to drop into a backbend. Aim to practice every day, with a minimum of four times a week. My starting count in an up-from-the-ground wheel is a max of 10 "mississippis" in this pose, I'll aim to stay up just a few longer than feels comfortable at the time and take a count at the middle and end of the challenge. 2: If I master drop-backs before the end of the challenge, I'll move on to practicing my crow/frog stand and bound headstand balance times. I'm currently at about 3 "mississippis" for each. Points up for grabs in first 3 weeks: Strength: 2 Stamina: 1 Dexterity: 1 Task 2 Get bendy Splits are a mainstay of acrobats, ninjas, and basasses of all stripes, including Airbenders. And I want in. My starting yet-to-split measurements are right leg front: about 30 centimeters left leg front: about 30 centimeters horizontal: about 23 centimeters To get lower I'm going to do the following stretches (each for a total of at least five minutes) throughout the day as I take breaks from working and/or before bed: Forward bends Butterfly Pancake Pigeon with quad stretch Frog stretch Reclining Hero Points up for grabs in first 3 weeks: Strength: 1 Dexterity: 2 Task 3 Slash at the thyroid monster with food I have a bit of a tendency to restrict my eating when I want to see results and it's problematic, especially because I have a mostly-dead thyroid. In my early 20s (I'm in my late 20s now) while my thyroid was secretly doing the hereditary death-rumba, I found that to lose about a pound a month I had to workout at least an hour a day, seven days a week, and eat less than 1200 calories a day. I did this on and off for years until my thyroid totally died about a year ago and I gained at least 30 or 40 pounds in a couple of months while barely eating at all. It was awesome. Of course, once I got on the right thyroid medication and threw out the grains, things started to change without the need to starve and exercise to exhaustion. I promise to eat. I will eat when my stomach rumbles. EAT. EAT. EAT. Like Appa and Momo. Points up for grabs in first 3 weeks: Constitution: 1 Life goal Fight the complacency beast I'm a freelancer, which means buckets of freedom, and that's great. But to get more (and more interesting) work I need to do some hard self-promotion including cold emails, and that blows. I'd rather bathe in leeches than "network" but I really like having a bed indoors, so I will spend five hours a week pursuing new work. Points up for grabs in first 3 weeks: Charisma: 1 Wisdom: 1 Ready? Set? Yip yip!

Hi everyone! I am very new to this group. (I posted this in the intro section too!) My name is Kim & I am 40 years old. I am happily married with 4 kids and have struggled with my weight for a few years off and on. I am not hugely overweight - maybe about 20-25 lbs over approximately. I am 5'5" and currently 155 lbs. Two years ago I had very good success where I got almost down to my goal. I was at around 138 and looked in the best shape I had been in a long time. I was doing some circuit type weight training, sometimes an extra cardio session later on in the day some days, eating healthy. We hit some financial stress and I totally fell off the wagon. I have been on thyroid meds for many years and lately had my tests done to see if any changes, my doctor said that my TSH was a bit low and so we adjusted for that but then got the more accurate tests done (T4, T3 I think) and he told me to go back on my regular dose. I feel a bit lost with this because I am on a dessicated thyroid med, most docs don't have a clue on how to adjust for this. I may have to go back to a naturopath to see what to do. Not sure if it's the hitting 40 thing or if it's the thyroid what but my body just doesn't want to let go of this extra weight I've packed on! It's very frustrating! I am extremely healthy otherwise, infact my cholesterol was one of the best the doctor has ever seen. I will say I don't have as much energy as I did a couple years ago so that might have something to do with it. I have been consistently exercising - back to midday circuit training with weights. Eating very clean with the odd cheat (I feel I need it) and NOTHING has changed. I take my inches and weigh myself once a week same time of day and I am beyond frustrated right now!!!! Any suggestions would be very helpful! Thanks! Kim