How I lost 55 lbs with hypothyroidism

Have you tried losing weight, but nothing seems to work? Maybe you’ve gone to the doctor, but they’ve told you your labs look normal. So what are you supposed to do when you feel like you’re trying to work out, eat healthy, and still the weight goes nowhere? I’ve been in your shoes (truly!), and am so passionate about using my journey to help you get unstuck. Read on to learn how I lost 55 lbs with hypothyroidism, and discover the tricks and tools I used, too!

Weight loss was the ONLY goal

The ONLY thing I wanted was to lose weight. 

Maybe that’s vain, or not part of “body positive” culture. I didn’t care. Weight was creeping on, I felt thick and heavy in my own skin, and I was desperate to lose weight.

But no matter what I tried, nothing worked. And I was beyond frustrated.

The early symptoms of hypothyroidism

It all started in my late 30s. I worked at a fast-paced technology start up in Denver, CO. The hours were grueling, and I was juggling life as a single mom. Some days my manager would schedule meetings at 6 pm. She was a mom, too, but had a different (ahem) “dedication” to her job.

The stress of the job was definitely getting to me. It seemed like I was particularly unable to handle the constant pace that was required. I knew that I was smart and very qualified for the job. But the physical ailments that kept cropping up left me feeling inadequate in my position everyday.

I struggled with extreme exhaustion. I was losing hair every day. My joints were so sore, I often joked that I had arthritis. I tried to laugh about it, but it was incredibly painful. Every joint hurt, especially my hips, knees, and hands. It took me about 15 minutes to roll out of bed and stand up straight every morning. 

And the weight gain. Oh, the weight gain. I would practically LOOK at food, and gain 10 lbs. I was most certainly drinking a lot of coffee (hello, life in a start up!), with full-fat Coffee Mate Vanilla creamer. But it wasn’t enough to pack on 2-3 lbs a week. 

So, I started trying everything I could to reverse these weird physical issues. I stopped eating after 6 pm. Started running more. Cut back on calories and fat. Drank ALL the water. Worked out harder. Stopped eating carbs. 

But literally nothing worked.

Enough is enough

During this time, I met a girlfriend for dinner, one night after work. I remember feeling cute in my teal sundress and wedge sandals. It was summer, the weather was warm, and we met at a local restaurant in the city. We shared appetizers, and enjoyed some dirty martinis. (Extra olives, please!)

My friend lived close enough to walk to the restaurant. Since the weather was nice I walked her back to her house, before heading to my car. On the way to her house, we laughed and snapped pictures of each other in front of the pretty brownstone buildings. It might have helped that the martinis made us feel light and fun!

The next morning, my friend shared pictures from the night before. My stomach sank. I couldn’t comprehend who I was looking at. I saw a blonde woman in a teal sundress and wedge sandals, but could barely recognize that it was me. My face was bloated, puffy, and I looked so heavy.

I couldn’t believe that it was ME.

At that moment, I knew I had to do something. I had to figure out what was driving all of the physical symptoms and the weight gain. Enough was enough.

Things I tried

For the next three years, I tried all.the.things. I started with my regular doctor, then checked in with my gynecologist. Could it be hormones? I met with a cardiologist, because I was having weird heart palpitations. A rheumatologist thought I might have rheumatoid arthritis. An endocrinologist took an ultrasound of my thyroid.

The result was always the same, regardless of the doctor. Come back in 3 months. Must be part of aging. Labs look normal, you probably need to eat less. Workout more! Everything looks totally fine!

But I wasn’t fine. I was still gaining weight, exhausted, and felt like I had a full-body flu.

In desperation, I reached out to a functional medicine practitioner in my area. Her specialty was women’s hormones. I was only 38 at the time, but was convinced it had to be early menopause. (Because, what else could it be?!)

This particular experience was more different than any of the 25+ appointments I had previously. Teresa (the functional practitioner) asked me hundreds of questions about everything. My lifestyle. My growing up years. Family health history. Digestion and bowel movements. What I ate/drank. How I worked out. My stress levels. How I was coping with being a single mom.

She then proceeded to take 16 vials of blood, for testing. (Trust me, that’s a lot of blood).

A few weeks later I went to Teresa’s office for the test results. She sat me down in a chair, then pulled up so close to me, our knees were almost touching. She looked in my eyes and said “Ashley honey, no wonder you’ve been feeling so terrible. You have hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s disease.” She went on to tell me that I had severe deficiencies in Vitamin D, and other essential nutrients.

Let the healing begin

I had finally been given a diagnosis. A reason for all of the weight gain and mystery symptoms. I was so relieved! I finally felt like I had been heard. Someone recognized that I was not fine, and she set out to do something about it. 

From that day forward, I started to learn that it was about much more than just losing weight. It was about healing my body from the inside out. And it all needed to start with healing my gut. My poor gut health was making all of my symptoms worse, so I started there.

Because of the severity of my symptoms, I started on a very restrictive diet plan (autoimmune protocol, or AIP). This diet cuts out major inflammatory ingredients like gluten, dairy, soy, corn, sugar, and alcohol. It also removes potential triggers for inflammation like nightshade vegetables (peppers), eggs, nuts, and seeds. (A sustainable, anti-inflammatory diet isn’t this strict. Click here to see what foods you can eat, and what foods you should avoid).

Two weeks into eating this way, I began to feel SO much better. I couldn’t believe it! The bloating started disappearing. My brain fog began to clear. And while weight loss wasn’t instant, it eventually started to happen!

Not meant to be a long term solution, I ate with the AIP plan for about 18 months, then began adding a few things back in (slowly!)

Healing is a lifelong journey

Once my weight started to come off, and many of my symptoms slowed down, I transitioned to a less restrictive diet. I like to say that I now eat paleo-ish. To this day, I eat an anti-inflammatory diet. This means plenty of meat and lean protein, veggies, low sugar fruits, some healthy fats, and carbs (but specific ones!). 

I’ve always loved cooking, so I created ways to enjoy my favorite meals…anti-inflammatory style! I eat using portion control (SO much easier than you might think!) I create treats and desserts that are anti-inflammatory, so I never feel deprived.

I fill my body with whole foods, but I also take supplements and medication that support my health and weight goals. I drink my probiotics EVERY day…partly because they help me, but also because they taste amazing! I also use my probiotic superfood powder in delicious desserts, like cookies, pudding, and smoothies. (Remember, deprivation is not part of this plan!)

And, I move my body EVERY day. I work out less than I used to, and lift heavier weights than before. I follow a workout program from beginning to end, because I leave that planning to the experts. I stopped doing cardio, and I walk more.

All of this is how I lost 55 lbs with hypothyroidism, and kept it off! And it will help you, too! You don’t have to be stuck where you are. Weight loss IS possible. And all-day energy can be yours. Don’t stay stuck anymore. Start with the easiest anti-inflammatory plan ever by clicking here. Try it out with your family. See how YOU feel, and see how your family enjoys eating the same foods. Then, come back and tell me all about it. I can’t wait to hear your story!