Sam’s Story: Success Beyond The Scale Update #5

Hi friends! Well, I’m still alive! 🙂

I’ve been doing well as far as the diet is going. I definitely feel like I’ve gained some energy back and I don’t feel as tired as I was. I would be lying if I said everything was sunshine and rainbows. It’s been hard, but I know I am reframing how I see food and that is crucial in living a healthy lifestyle.

The deeper I’ve gotten into my true. Weight Journey has shown me that I have developed some very unhealthy coping mechanisms. I meet with my therapist weekly on Mondays, and I have always had a tradition of “self-care” on Mondays. Usually, I’d go get Chick-fil-a and a large Coke to make myself feel better after a rough session. Now I feel like I am left alone with my thoughts after rough sessions. I can’t depend on junk food to soothe me anymore. I am really focusing on diving into my feelings and it’s hard.

Becoming more mindful & understanding my thyroid

I spoke with Susanne at my recent appointment about working on my metered breathing and meditation, especially before a meal. I had not previously tried that before and I feel like it really makes you more conscious. This has helped so much because it has just made me that much more conscious of my food choices and the feelings I have before I sit down for a meal. (Dr. Bitner’s SEEDS® includes metered breathing – you can read more about that here.)

Susanne and I also spoke about my thyroid and she explained that I have Hashimoto’s disease. Essentially, my body’s immune system is attacking my thyroid, resulting in a slightly underperforming thyroid. Having some clarity on my thyroid has been so gratifying because I was misdiagnosed with hypothyroidism for two years. I can’t tell you how frustrating it was to bounce from doctor to doctor without having any real explanation. Susanne’s explanation of what the heck the thyroid even does was SO helpful! I feel empowered with knowledge and a plan!

Having a team behind me

Going to true. is so convenient because the providers actually talk to each other! When I was being passed around at my last doctor’s office, they wouldn’t communicate with each other so I would have to start explaining all of my medical histories from scratch each time. Susanne said at one point, “Dr. Egan wanted me to talk to you about your thyroid and explain more in-depth.” I had a moment where I thought to myself, “Wow, this is what a doctor’s office should be like.”

I felt understood and heard by everyone in the true. office  for one of the first times in my life.

Sometimes having to re-hash your medical history can feel like re-living trauma, so not having to completely re-tell it is so nice! It feels like a luxury, but that should be how all healthcare feels.

The diet, my results, and what’s next

I’ve been sticking to the diet pretty strictly, but I am really trying to question hunger and cravings. My husband ordered a burger at dinner one night (which I’ve been craving) so I had a bite, and I really tasted it. The burger was definitely tasty, but it wasn’t as good as my mind cracked it up to be. It feels good to question and understand that it’s really not that great.

Even though I’ve been sticking to my routine and diet, I can feel myself starting to plateau a bit. When I have dieted in the past, I have about 2-3 weeks where I lose 7-15 pounds, and I keep doing the same thing, but the weight hasn’t come off as consistently in the following weeks. At this last check-up with Susanne, I have pretty much just maintained my 7-pound weight loss. I gained some muscle and dropped body fat – so that is good, but no official weight loss this week. It’s hard when I hit this point because I feel like I’ve busted my butt trying to stick to my guns and not seeing results sucks. Usually, this would be the time that I would sit on the couch with a brownie and cry.

But, that’s not what this is about. The biggest difference is support. I know Dr. Egan and Susanne have my back and if we need to start thinking about diet medication, I know they will support me 100%.  Losing weight can feel hard and isolating, but it doesn’t have to be. I don’t feel anxious or nervous when I go in to step on the scale because I know there is no judgment or disappointment if I don’t hit the perfect numbers every week.

I’m hanging in there! Thanks for following my story so far! You can read my previous entries here if you want to catch up. – Sam