Getting On The Right Track

In April last year, I decided that I was going to eat much more healthily and eat organic foods if possible, where the budget allowed. I've been doing this as much as possible and the store cupboard is now full of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, which I snack on quite regularly and which I use to make our own granola and granola bars.

However, I haven't been cutting back particularly, as just the thought of being on a diet makes me want to eat, so needless to say, I haven't miraculously lost any weight.  I have in fact, put a little weight on, especially since our holiday in Tenerife, when we ate out quite a bit, and shifting it again is hard work.

Despite attending numerous exercise classes every week, walking the dog daily and now getting out to the CS twice a week, where I'm not able to graze from the kitchen cupboards, the pounds are not shifting and I'm starting to get a bit despondent.

I think a lot of the problem is metabolism and the fact that mine has slowed down considerably as I've got older, so that despite exercising regularly, weight just doesn't come off very easily.  I also know that it's definitely not going to get any easier as I get older still and have decided this month that I am going to do something about it.

It was recommended to me a few months ago, by someone at the gym, that what worked for her when she lost weight was drinking hot water and lemon first thing in the morning.  As a starting point, I've decided that I'm going to give this a go, (when I remember!) as I've read that it gives the metabolism a kick start into burning calories.

I tried it for the first time the other week, before supper (as opposed to first thing in the morning), and I must admit that it did seem to help me avoid wanting a dessert or to snack after my evening meal, which was progress.  I'm hoping this is a good sign and have bought some lemons in the weekly shop this week, in order to continue the practice.

In addition, I'm going to invest in some dietary supplements that I've also read good things about. I've been dabbling with one or two for a while now, but not really taking them all that regularly, so I obviously haven't seen any obvious results.

I did start to see some results from one in particular, but then decided that it was just too difficult to take, as the tablet was huge and impossible to swallow without a struggle. After researching on the internet, I've come up with a liquid replacement for the huge tablets and I've ordered a bottle and find it so much easier to take, so it is working well from that point of view.  It's very early  days to say whether it is having any desired effect, but I'll keep you posted.

I've also found another supplement that is supposed to help support normal thyroid function and in addition encourage more efficient metabolism.  As I've mentioned here before, I have a hypoactive thyroid and take thyroxine to boost my thyroid function. This supplement I think can be taken alongside in small doses, to provide extra support and I've read rave reviews about it's effects from people who've taken it and who also take thyroxine, so I'm quite looking forward to seeing if I get any positive results.

More so, as I've had some other particular problems lately, that I think are connected to my thyroid and I'm hoping this will help rectify them too. I will, of course, also be seeking my doctor's opinion on these problems, as I will need to get my thyroxine levels checked very soon and I will probably take the opportunity to ask his advice on the supplements at the same time.

I realise that nothing beats a balanced diet, which I believe I eat, and that there's a whole industry out there whose raison d'etre is to convince you that you need to take this and that.

Having said this, I have genuinely come to believe that I've just got to a stage in life where my body just needs the bit of extra help that some of these products can offer me, and although it means spending a bit of cash, I'm happy to give it a try and see if I get any results.

The products themselves have mostly very natural ingredients, so I'm happy from that point of view, and I don't think they have any serious side effects, so if I can benefit from them I am happy to proceed.

Does anyone else take any dietary supplements?  If so, how effective do you find them to be? I'd be interested to hear your experiences.