What I ate today...

Was total crap. I usually do this though - The day before I start a type of diet, or just trying to eat correctly, I consume everything that is sight. I ate pretty damn good til the evening. After dinner (which was barbecue roasted chicken and stir fried vegetables) I had my favorite Ice Cream and a WHOLE block of chocolate. 


Just thinking, I have a great idea on what not to eat, and what is good - I am just completely unprepared!! What the hell am I going to have for breakfast?? maybe 2 boiled eggs (160 calories) with a slice of toast (100 calories approx) fingers crossed the bread I do have has no bad ingredients. I hate being unprepared. And this was a really bad post.

I feel sick. I wonder why...

Calorie counting and Exercise!

Along with healthy eating from foods that are good for the Thyroid, that will hopefully get the Thyroid pumping and speed up my metabolism, I am going to also count calories, as I am in desperate need to lose fat.

I have read that people's Basal Metabolic Rate (which is the rate at which your body burns calories throughout the day to maintain normal body functions) with an under active Thyroid is 10% lower than normal. My BMR is 1660 calories. But take away 10% of 1660, equals 1490 calories. Thou shalt not consume less calories than your BMR. Those special calories keep your body functioning ie. digestion, blood circulation, respiration etc. WE NEED IT.

Here is how I'm going to do it!!!: 
For me to maintain my weight, I will have to eat 1990 calories per day.
To lose weight, I personally can only take away 500 calories so it doesn't go below my BMR (which, remember, you shall not do or bad things will happen!).
This means I am making a deficit of 3500 calories a week - therefore I should lose 0.5kilos in a week by eating habits.
On top of this, I'm going to go to the gym 6 times a week. Maybe 7 times, we'll see. My work out regime 4 days of the week is an hour on the treadmill at 5km per hour and 20 reps on 3 weight lifting machines and 30 minutes on the cross trainer/elliptical trainer. From a calorie burning calculator I have found, it says I burn 870 calories. The other 2 days, I do classes. If I did my calculations right, I burn around 450calories on the first class and 450 calories on the second class too. Sounds right. So, In a week, from exercising, I can burn 4380 calories. Thats almost 0.75kilo. On the calorie burning calculator it also has everyday activities as well. Plus on average, the everyday person burns 2000 calories per day without exercise. Once again, I'm just going to take off 10% to be on the safe side. therefore, 1800 calories. Does this mean I really can lose 1.5kilos per week? *Big grin*

For you to figure this all out for your wonderful selfs, here are the calculations:
Firstly calculate your BMR. (sorry, it's in metric measurements)

Females

BMR = 655.1 + (9.56 X weight in kg) + (1.85 X height in cm) - (4.68 X age in years)

Males

BMR = 66.47 + (13.75 X weight in kg) + (5 X height in cm) - (6.76 X age in years)

Betty's example: 655.1 + (9.56 x 72) + (1.85 x 158) - (4.68 x 23) = 1528 BMR

10% of 1528 = 1376 BMR

DON'T FORGET TO TAKE OFF 10% OF YOUR RESULTS!

Now you need to find out how many calories you need to maintain weight - Now, just pick your area of exercise from the list below and do the math! Easy! Then because of our thyroids, take away 10% from your result.

Example: Betty weighs 160lbs and does light exercise every day. 160x13=2080. 10% of 2080 is 208. 2080-208=1870. Jenny needs to eat 1870 calories to maintain her weight!

FEMALES

Very Light Exercise

Multiply your weight in pounds by 12

Light Exercise 

Multiply your weight in pounds by 13

Moderate Exercise

Multiply your weight in pounds by 14

Moderate-Heavy Exercise 

Multiply your weight in pounds by 15

Heavy Exercise

Multiply your weight in pounds by 16

MALES

Very Light Exercise
Multiply your weight in pounds by 13

Light Exercise 
Multiply your weight in pounds by 14

Moderate Exercise
Multiply your weight in pounds by 15.25

Moderate-Heavy Exercise 
Multiply your weight in pounds by 16.5

Heavy Exercise
Multiply your weight in pounds by 18

DON'T FORGET TO TAKE OFF 10% OF YOUR RESULTS!

Now it depends on how much you want to lose.

To lose 0.25kg (1lbs) a week, minus 500cal from your BMR

To lose 0.5kg (1.5lbs) a week, minus 700cal from your BMR

To lose 1kg (2.2lbs) a week, minus 1050cal from your BMR

To lose 1.5kg (3lbs) a week, minus 1400cal from your BMR

To lose 2kg (4.5lbs) a week, minus 2100cal from your BMR

Remember! DO NOT GO BELOW YOUR BMR!!! so it could be lower than the lowest one I've got up there, but exercise will do the trick!

Now for us with under active Thyroid, we need to exercise to keep our metabolism working. This website has everyday activities that calculate how many calories you burn per day.  

Example:

Betty's BMR calculations are 655.1 + (9.56 x 72) + (1.85 x 158) - (4.68 x 23) = 1528 BMR.

10% of 1528 = 1376 BMR << This is Betty's BMR (which you don't go below)

Betty weighs 160lbs and does light exercise every day. 160x13=2080. 10% of 2080 is 208. 2080-208=1870. Betty needs to eat 1870 calories to maintain her weight!

Betty can only deficit her calories by 494 daily to not go below her BMR.

Betty needs to get rid of 206 more calories daily to have shed 0.5kg by the end of a week. This is where exercise comes in!

This is all probably a whole lot of bull, as I'm just putting a whole lot of info all together, hoping to create a magical eating plan! Like I said, I'm not a specialist in this field!

Soy beans.

What Hashimoto's Disease sufferers shouldn't eat and why? why why why?

There is everyday food that in our fridges right now that can really mess up the function of our Thyroid. And in that food contains Goitrogens.

"Goitrogens are naturally-occurring substances that can interfere with function of the thyroid gland. Goitrogens get their name from the term "goiter," which means an enlargement of the thyroid gland. If the thyroid gland is having difficulty making thyroid hormone, it may enlarge as a way of trying to compensate for this inadequate hormone production. "Goitrogens," like circumstances that cause goiter, cause difficulty for the thyroid in making its hormone"

There are two categories of foods that contains these evil little guys and they're soybean-related foods and cruciferous vegetables.


Soy bean related foods are:

• Soy beans
• Soy Milk
• Soy Meal
• Tofu
• Tempeh
• Soy Flour
• Soy Yogurt
• Soy Bean Oil
• Theres so many other soy products out there. Just check the ingredients on packaging to check. And if it does have soy it is most likely going to have 'Soy' at the beginning of it's title. 
• There is also soy soaps and other soy products that you don't consume. I'm going to avoid them anyway, as whatever you put onto your skin can seep into your blood stream.

Plus, studies have found that Soy is linked to infertility, breast cancer, hypothyroidism, thyroid cancer, and many other disorders. And personally, tastes slightly disgusting.


Cruciferous Vegetables have been associated with decreased thyroid function.

"Cruciferous vegetables can potentially be goitrogenic (inducing goiter formation). They contain enzymes that interfere with the formation of thyroid hormone. Cooking for 30 minutes significantly reduces the amount of goitrogens and nitriles. At high intake of crucifers, the goitrogens inhibit the incorporation of iodine into thyroid hormone"

Cruciferous foods to avoid:

• Horse Radish
• Land/Garden/Water Cress
• All Mustard seeds
• Kale
• Collard Greens
• All kinds of Broccoli
• All kinds of Cabbage
• Brussel Sprouts
• Cauliflower
• Bok Choy
• Komatsuna
• Turnips
• Canola
• Rapeseed
• Rocket leaves
• Radishes
• Wasabi

Some websites have mentioned avoiding fluoride and chlorine. This is in our water and toothpaste. I'm not going to bother too much with this one. I do believe that if you have a filter tap, this does filter out the fluoride and chlorine.


Other food to avoid is:

• Millet
• Peaches
• Peanuts
• Spinach
• Strawberries
• Caffeine
• Smoking
• Alcohol
• sweet potatoes (Kumara)
• excess sugar (especially refined white sugar)
• Milk products (The casein in milk products can cause harm to the endocrine system and throw off the thyroid hormone in the body. There is also the question of the antibiotics and hormones given to cows which are found in milk and can interfere with the entire endocrine system)
• Iron supplements should also be taken with care. Mercury is also bad for those with an underactive thyroid as it can block the thyroid hormone production. Calcium, magnesium and aluminum can also interfere with thyroid function if taken in excess.
• Stay away from Bad fats (Saturate and Trans fats) also cut out animal fats as much as possible. 

As I am typing this out, it has reminded me of what my mum has done to her diet that has made her lose 17kilos (37lbs). My mum went to the doctor and was told that she had very high cholesterol and was told to cut out dairy products and red meat. She has an under active thyroid. Perhaps I should also adopt vegetarianism into the diet 6 days a week?

For an entrée, here is some quick information about Hashimoto's Disease and hateful rants from me.

Here are some bits and pieces I have collected from Wikipedia. 

"Hashimoto's thyroiditis or chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease in which the thyroid gland is gradually destroyed by a variety of cell and antibody mediated immune processes" 

Easily (and childishly) put, your body saw the thyroid as an intruder and decided to torture it with a life long death. Thank you little murderers, for years of depression and low self esteem. ugh. Oh and this confuses me, as long as your thyroid is active, the body will continue to attack it?

"If untreated for an extended period, Hashimoto's thyroiditis may lead to muscle failure, including possible heart failure"

Does this mean I spend money (partially government funded - I am thankful) on medication that keeps my thyroid active but my body ruins it all anyway? Warning, rude tantrum. Fuck, fuck, fuckity, fuck.

"Symptoms of Hashimoto's thyroiditis include weight gain, depression, mania, sensitivity to heat and cold, paresthesia, fatigue, panic-attacks, bradycardia, tachycardia, high cholesterol, reactive hypoglycemia, constipation, migraines, muscle weakness, cramps, memory loss, infertility and hair loss."

And there it is, in bold - The Devil itself.