4 Good Habits for Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s

If you have Hashimoto’s or hypothyroidism, you know that those chronic conditions come with a whole host of troublesome symptoms: weight gain, inability to lose weight, brain fog, sore joints, hair loss, anxiety, depression…just to name a few!

In my health and healing journey with both Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism, I’ve found one thing to be true: experts can tell you what to eat, when to sleep, supplements to take. But, if you don’t get a handle on your HABITS around health and wellness, none of the other information will matter.

Think about it. How many times have you tried to start a gut-friendly meal plan, only to fall back into your old ways within a few weeks? Maybe you tried a workout program that was too hard, too long, too intense, and quit in the first week?

I promise, if you work on your HABITS around your thyroid health, you’ll start to see healing and improvement rather quickly! My experience has taught me that there are four different areas that you should focus on when building good habits for thyroid health: nutrition, fitness, support, and mindset.

You Are What You Eat

For many years (years!!), I had appointments with endocrinologists, who would tell me “nothing is wrong with your thyroid”, or “eh, levels look ok, but check back in 6 months”. But once I received a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism (along with severe nutrient deficiencies), I set out on a path to figure out how to heal my body.

Thankfully, at the time I was working with a functional practitioner who believed in medication + nutrition for supporting my diagnosis. She gave me resources about the Auto-Immune Protocol (AIP), and I went to work!

WOW, even though I had been eating “healthy”, the AIP diet was very, very different. It required lots of changes in my ingredients, how I cooked, less baking than I was used to. It was such a big shift!

Had I known then what I know now, I would have recognized that there are different ways to get into a nutrition plan that supports Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism. Some people need to immediately strip down to the basics and go with the AIP plan (that was me. My health was in such bad shape, I needed major intervention, and fast!)

But, for other people who don’t have the same severe nutrient deficiencies and other symptoms, there are other ways to get started on the nutrition journey. 

In Commit 66, a program that I designed to build healthy habits for Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism, we use an anti-inflammatory meal plan. This plan can be much less restrictive than the AIP plan, and is definitely easier to follow. One can always move to AIP if it’s needed, but an anti inflammatory plan is a more approachable way to get started.

In Commit 66 we build the new habit of eating anti inflammatory by 1) starting out with easy recipes (fast, quick, and delicious), and 2) giving a family-favorite meal a makeover, so that it’s anti-inflammatory. For example, some of my clients really love spaghetti and meatballs, so I give them a way to make that dish, while taking out all the gluten, dairy, but keeping all of the flavor and satisfaction!

The key to building habits around nutrition is to follow an easy-to-do plan, and to make things simple and easy. For those of you who are foodies (that’s me, too!), there is plenty of time down the road to start playing with recipes and new dishes. But at the beginning, building solid habits around what to eat, and when, will ultimately help you to see the results you’re looking for!

Working Out with Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism

Depending on how old you are, you might still think that cardio is the best way to lose weight. **It’s not!** When you have Hashimoto’s or hypothyroidism (or you’re over 35!) , you need to approach fitness in a totally different way. 

Intense cardio increases cortisol in the body, which contributes to more inflammation. Without an autoimmune disease, a body can handle this. But, with an autoimmune disease like Hashimoto’s, our bodies aren’t equipped to fight against the additional inflammation. 

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t exercise! Early on in my healing journey, doctors told me everything from “workout more”, to “run further”, to “you can only do gentle yoga”. The challenge for me was that working out was something that was necessary for my mental health, not just my physical health. (I blame my mother…she’s in her 80s, and still running 15 miles a day, so working out is in my blood!)

Building a fitness habit with Hashimoto’s or hypothyroidism is easy when you follow a plan that was designed to be low-impact, with heavy weights. The low-impact exercises will be easier on your joints, and release less cortisol, keeping your inflammation low. The heavy weights will help you to build muscle (and don’t worry, you’re not going to get huge like a body builder!). The strong muscles support your joints, which need the extra support, and will boost your metabolism. Faster metabolism = weight loss!

And what better way to build the fitness habit than by following a program designed specifically to be low-impact/high-weight…that also lets you work out from home?! If all you have to do is crawl out of bed and press play on a streaming workout, you’re much more likely to stay consistent, and build the habit of working out and moving your body everyday!

Support For Your Anti Inflammatory Lifestyle

Early on in my healing journey, I definitely felt ALL alone. I didn’t know anyone else with Hashimoto’s or hypothyroidism. My closest connection was my sister, who made sure to eat organic fruits and vegetables. But she wasn’t struggling with the same symptoms, so it was tough for her to relate.

If you’re in the thick of it right now, you know what I mean! Suffering with brain fog everyday, exhaustion that doesn’t go away no matter how much you sleep, sore joints that make it hard to get out of bed…well, you want someone to commiserate with who understands!

Slowly, I found some groups and blogs, where other people could relate to how I was feeling. But, it was tough to find a single place where people were focusing on nutrition + fitness at the same time. I really wanted something for both!

No matter what your focus, it’s 100% important to find support if you’re going to build sustainable habits that help you heal, lose weight, and finally feel better, you’re going to need a supportive group for the good days and the bad!

Mindset Needed for Healing Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism

Mindset is everything. I wish I would have known this years ago! I spent lots and lots of time researching anti inflammatory meal plans, gut-friendly recipes, low-impact workouts, and more.

What I learned quickly is that someone can tell you exactly what to eat, when to eat, how to workout. But if you don’t have the right mindset, you won’t build the habits that are necessary for you to see change and progress.

Here’s an example. I used to LOVE baking. When I started my antiinflammatory nutrition plan, I felt like I would be ok without all the baked goods (or I’d find alternatives). Then, the holidays came around. For me, the holidays used to include tons of baking – bars, cookies, pies. I loved to bake and share with my family, friends, and neighbors (and eat some, too!)

That first holiday on my new meal plan was tough! I spent a LOT of time feeling sorry for myself. Sad that I couldn’t eat my favorite cookie recipe. Frustrated that my gut-friendly baking wasn’t turning out as expected. Mad that I had to work so hard to come up with alternative recipes and ingredients.

It was a sad mindset. And that’s not a good mindset for staying on plan!

Fast forward many years, and now I KNOW how great I feel when I eat to support my body. I feel grateful that I have the resources, knowledge, and ability to pick up special ingredients and recipes. I’ve even made it a game with my family – guess which of my baked goods are also good for you (not filled with sugar, dairy, or gluten)?!

I’ve learned to create a healing mindset. One that reminds me how important my habits are to staying healthy, energetic, and at a healthy weight. A mindset that supports me on days that are hard (and believe me, there are many!) when I feel deprived, frustrated, or different.

Putting It All Together

Building habits around nutrition, fitness, support, and mindset can feel super overwhelming at first. Not only are you working through a diagnosis of a chronic condition, but you’re having to change many things about your lifestyle, too!

This is exactly why I designed Commit 66. This is a program designed to build strong, sustainable habits for your thyroid and overall health, so that you can have all-day energy, banish brain fog, and finally lose weight! We focus on each of these areas: nutrition, fitness, support, and mindset.

BUT, the program helps you build habits slowly (have you ever heard of habit stacking?) When you build habits at a reasonable pace, they’re more likely to stick. And when it comes to habits that are designed to keep you healthy for the rest of your life, you want them to stay around forever!

Commit 66 gives you all the tools you need to build these sustainable habits: 

• Nutrition tools: anti inflammatory meal plans, food lists, recipes, portion tools, and nutrient-dense superfood smoothies!)
• Guide Book: printable booklet with program details, daily journal pages, goal setting, and so much more!
• Private virtual group: for the SUPPORT that you will need every step of the way
• Streaming workout programs: basic, low-impact program, plus more than 1000+ programs to follow as your fitness level improves
• Private coaching: with me! To help you stay on track throughout your journey
• Extra resources: eating out, cooking for your family, bonus stretching and relaxation resources…PLUS, Commit 66 stickers for a daily reminder on your laptop or water bottle

In all my years of trial-and-error, the best thing I learned was the importance of building SUSTAINABLE HABITS for good lifetime health with Hashimoto’s or hypothyroidism. The habits you build around nutrition, fitness, support, and mindset will help you every step of the way.

If your goal is to feel better, more energetic, more clear-minded, and to finally lose weight, building good habits is the ONLY way to go! 

And Commit 66 can help! Click here to get more program details, and to find out when the next group is starting. If you’re ready to feel great, and build habits for life, this is the best way to go!