TF and weight loss--is there such a thing? - Page 2

[chloeM]

Ive done both ways, the lower grain TF and and eating more grains. Ive come to the conclusion if we are not thourougly healthy and the digestive system is not working ultimatly than either way will not produce long term results. I am not a big person(around a size 2) but gaining a little weight makes me aggitated. i have been focusing more on full body healing and it all starts in the gut.This is not everyone but I can tell from my experience that if there are alot of unwanted bacteria in the gut we dont digest grains so well and they will putrify in the gut and cause weight gain or too much loss, Good bacteria in the gut is what digests the grains and when we have a good amount of good bacteria in our guts our weight should balance out. Making sure we dont eat too much for our size and physical activity is also necessary.

[Ruthla]

No matter what your diet, the weight isn't likely to come off until your thyroid problems are under control. So for right now I suggest you focus on healing your thyroid, and trust that the weight will come off in time.

Also, don't forget about exercise! That both boosts the metabolism AND lowers appetite.

[nicolelynn]

Hmm...is some of it just that our metabolism slows as we age...something like a pound a year gain is kinda normal?

I mean...my Mother eats almost the same diet and portions that I do, but she wears a size 14 (at 47 and after 4 children) and I wear a size 5 (at 25 and I haven't had children yet). She even exercises more regularly than I do. She is 2 inches taller than me, but she was a size 3 when she was my age.

One must note though that even though she isn't a size 5 she is a glowing picture of health and at 47 everyone thinks she is 35. The TF diet and exercise count for something.

[HerbanGirl]

I'll chime in to say that whenever I've gained weight, I notice that I've been eating more grains. Last week I noticed I'd gained a few more pounds (I'm currently about 20 lbs overweight) and after a couple days restricting grains, the weight started coming off. Then I spent a weekend with girlfriends and drank quite a few cocktails, which also packs on the pounds of course!

I'm having trouble staying low on grains right now though - it really takes a week or two of being really strict before my cravings go away. Anyone have advice on how to help the cravings?

[red moon]

Remember that HEALTH is your goal, and weight loss would be a side effect. Rather than let your weight guide you, maybe just track your energy and over-all feeling in your body (watch for sluggishness, exhaustion, lethargy, skin glow/ complexion) I think you said you felt healthier when you were eating a vegetarian diet. Maybe you could kind of lean back towards that and just incorporate raw milk, cod liver oil, really top quality eggs and butter into a more veggie based diet. Of course you will avoid dietary disasters now, like soy/ harmful oils, so maybe it will be the best of both worlds! I cant say enough about herbal infusions! Check out susunweed.com to learn more. I like to work in a way of adding on rather than restricting, so just choose all your favorites and run! And meet chickweed: the herb of choice for weight loss! Eating frequent salads of it and taking tincture of fresh chickweed can help bring you to the weight that is right for YOU!
Good luck! Stay nourished!

[Chicharronita]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

No matter what your diet, the weight isn't likely to come off until your thyroid problems are under control. So for right now I suggest you focus on healing your thyroid, and trust that the weight will come off in time.

I'm coming to this position lately. I know something is wrong with my digestion after eating so much soy and so little fat for almost 10 years. Two years of eating TF isn't going to cure that right away. In the meantime, while I get educated, I'll minimize my grain consumption.

There was an interesting letter in the current issue of Wise Traditions about a 2003 study on how Candida Albicans may trigger the onset of Celiac Disease. A protein found in the cell wall of Candida is similar to gluten. As a result, the immune system can confuse gluten found in grains for the cell wall of the Candida and then mount a response against the gluten.

Here's a synopsis of the study.

[barose]

Originally Posted by HerbanGirl

I'll chime in to say that whenever I've gained weight, I notice that I've been eating more grains. Last week I noticed I'd gained a few more pounds (I'm currently about 20 lbs overweight) and after a couple days restricting grains, the weight started coming off. Then I spent a weekend with girlfriends and drank quite a few cocktails, which also packs on the pounds of course!

I'm having trouble staying low on grains right now though - it really takes a week or two of being really strict before my cravings go away. Anyone have advice on how to help the cravings?

When you say "grains" do you include rice? I ask because I've looked up "grain free diets" online and at least two sources do not count rice as a grain. I'm wondering what you do and not not include as grains.

[barose]

Originally Posted by Chicharronita

I'm coming to this position lately. I know something is wrong with my digestion after eating so much soy and so little fat for almost 10 years. Two years of eating TF isn't going to cure that right away. In the meantime, while I get educated, I'll minimize my grain consumption.

There was an interesting letter in the current issue of Wise Traditions about a 2003 study on how Candida Albicans may trigger the onset of Celiac Disease. A protein found in the cell wall of Candida is similar to gluten. As a result, the immune system can confuse gluten found in grains for the cell wall of the Candida and then mount a response against the gluten.

Here's a synopsis of the study.

I believe that because even when I eat gluten-free bread and pasta (something I just cant do) I have the same GI reaction as I do when I eat gluten. Since my gut is a bit more healed (sill have a ways to go) I am able to tolerate small amounts of bread now - very small, limited amounts.

I just never seen it explained that way before. TY for the link.

[chloeM]

thyroid is often a problem. If you have stuff going on in the gut thats not suppose to than malabsorbtion can take place. The thyroid gland produces the hormones, the gut is meant to absorb an amount of the hormones. IF our guts are not working the way they are supposed to than they wont absorb it properly. We really need to heal the gut, not the thyroid. When there is not enough beneficial bacteria, It leads to Leaky gut, candida and bacterial infections or colitis. These leave holes in the intestines. The proteins ( casein and gluten) will produce an immune system reaction when exposed to those holes. Body Ecology suggest you kefir young coconut milk to heal the gut and move on to milk kefir. I am now on the milk kefir and am tolerating it, but healing the gut takes time and doesnt happen over night.

[newcastlemama]

Originally Posted by barose

When you say "grains" do you include rice? I ask because I've looked up "grain free diets" online and at least two sources do not count rice as a grain. I'm wondering what you do and not not include as grains.

I count rice as a grain. I am trying out buckwheat and amaranth, which as I understand, are more like seeds.
Maybe those people do paleo-eating. Some people think paleo people ate wild rice....

That is interesting about celiac and yeast...I have gluten intolerance but I am not sure to what severity. I started a candida diet and supps so maybe that will help the issue.

About the tyroid issue-I got throughly check out 9 mos ago for this, but my problem was my adrenals. (They can have some of the same symptoms) I need to get more thyroid info together for my dad though. He has always struggled with his weight (depsite doing low-fat/"heart healthy" diet). The dr told him he had "a little thyroid problem" : but the dr is not doing anything about it.....just keeping him on those statins (and then telling him he needs to lose weight at his checkups!!!) Just imagine how bad his thyroid is really if a mainsteam dr said it is a little off!

Jen

[kdmama33]

Originally Posted by newcastlemama

I count rice as a grain. I am trying out buckwheat and amaranth, which as I understand, are more like seeds.
Maybe those people do paleo-eating. Some people think paleo people ate wild rice....

That is interesting about celiac and yeast...I have gluten intolerance but I am not sure to what severity. I started a candida diet and supps so maybe that will help the issue.

About the tyroid issue-I got throughly check out 9 mos ago for this, but my problem was my adrenals. (They can have some of the same symptoms) I need to get more thyroid info together for my dad though. He has always struggled with his weight (depsite doing low-fat/"heart healthy" diet). The dr told him he had "a little thyroid problem" : but the dr is not doing anything about it.....just keeping him on those statins (and then telling him he needs to lose weight at his checkups!!!) Just imagine how bad his thyroid is really if a mainsteam dr said it is a little off!

Jen

There is so, so much information on this site that would be helpful for both you and your dad.

www.stopthethyroidmadness.com

Tons of info on adrenals (and how the relate to thyroid) for you, including supplementation ideas. Be sure to check out the boards, too. There's a sub-board for men with thyroid problems, with a lot of knowledgeable people to answer questions and offer ideas.

[newcastlemama]

Thanks kdmama. I think I have my issue under control. I started treating it 9 mos ago and feel really good, sleep/awake cycles are normal and all that. I will check it out for my dad though.

Oh my gosh--it even has psyciatric disorders on there! My dad is prone to depression and had a major manic episode about 2 years ago.....Why are drs in the dark!!!!!!!

Jen

[mootopian]

Wow, great answers!! I would add that it never helps me to go on a "diet", only to focus on the yumminess of what I'm eating instead. Some good substitutions:
*Twice the butter on half the bread - this may not make sense in terms of calorie math, but for some reason it works. Grassfed butter is more satisfying.
*Snack on almonds (yum, tamari!) or handfuls of shredded coconut when you get the munchies. Both are satisfying on the carb plane (and the chewing plane), but contain the good fats you need to lose weight.
*Eat live culture sauerkraut. It is delightfully crunchy and always seems to curb my appetite.
*I did a substitution process from chocolate to carob to really fancy Medjool dates over the course of a few months. I found that I was able to break a rather obsessive chocolate addiction this way.
*More fats, less carbs, no sugar. Once you get "over the hump" of the sugar DT's, sugar cravings will largely subside.
Good luck - I hope this helps!