The hormone issue

I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I'm not talking about the huge squat I did this morning lol. Rather, the fact that now I know what has been wrong with me and why I haven't been able to get lean all these years. The culprit? my hormones!!!!

I was going to keep my issue personal but I figured I'm not the only one with this problem and if I can help someone else identify they may have hormonal issues, then I'll put myself out there. So hopefully this doesn't come across as some indulgent piece of writing but rather an account of what I've been going through in the hope it will help you function better too. 

For the past year I've probably written many times about how tired I've been feeling and perhaps how I've felt I've been overtraining. But lately, I've been feeling alot tired and really have no go in the morning. And even less go in the afternoons. Pretty sure my tiredness also contributed to my lack of enthusiasm and inspiration for Go Figure too.

I have also been getting these crazy cravings for salt and sugar. Luckily I haven't got an obsessive trait that I go pig out on heaps of sugar, cakes, lollies but rather just eat what I need to. In most cases, it has been icecream and I do stop at one bowl.

I'm not a big icecream eater but have been having at least one bowl every 2 weeks which is very unusual for me. Plus have noticed I've been sprinkling salt on my food which I've only really started this year. Another strange trait for me.   Later I found out from doc that craving salt is a thyroid issue. Other signs are dry skin and hair, brittle nails, there are more but I forgot!

In the past 4-6 weeks I've been doing my own 6 week challenge. Well trying to that is while dealing with my tiredness. Have been doing my morning cardio, training hard in the gym and eating well and I know how I should be looking. But not much has changed eventhough I have honestly put the work in.

This is really frustrating and I'm sure many ladies out there will know exactly what I'm talking about. When I look at myself, I know I'm holding water (and yes fat) on my upper body but my legs and butt are lean thank goodness. Some ladies might notice they are opposite ie have bigger legs and leaner upper bodies.

I've had enough of my struggle and wondering why things aren't happening so decided to go and see a hormone doctor about a month ago just to see exactly what's going on with me. I know its not just about having more iron so I have more energy. It surely isn't that simple but many people think its the iron that'll make us feel better.

I figured my hormones would be out and maybe I just need a top up of whatever was missing. Little did I know I was alot out !! Quite a shocking result really.

The results came back this week and as it turns out I have the double whammy of an underactive thyroid and adrenal fatigue! I won't go into the nitty gritty of it all but some hormones are way way below normal and some are over the edge abnormal, and my cortisol is way high at night eeek. Interestingly one of my Estrogens is way high and estrogen is the naughty hormone that makes us hold water and fat. So there's one of my culprits of stunted weight loss.

I said to my doc its a wonder I don't just lie down all day with the lack of hormones and energy I have. He said that I'm lucky I have the muscle mass and good insulin sensitivity as that's how my body channels the energy into what I have to do. So yay for muscles! Imagine if I didn't eat well or train and what state I would be in. I would be a big fat unhappy slob :(

A good analogy my doc gave to me referring to my thyroid is that 'its like putting the foot flat out on the accelerator and only going 60km.' Now who wants to go 60kms. Not me!!! I want to go 200km - fast!!.   I want to be a well oiled lean mean machine.

Ladies, this is why its important to keep weight training no matter if you're feeling tired. Training keeps your body active and keeps the testosterone up. Interestingly eventhough most of my hormones are down, the testosterone is still good and that must be due to the weights.

Now that I know that I have a problem, I'm feeling so much better as I can only improve from here. I'm working with the doctor to balance my hormones which will hopefully get me looking and feeling much better. Afterall, with so much work I'm putting in the gym and clean eating I do year round, I should be looking a heck better than I am now.

So the moral of the story? we lead stressful lives and we demand alot of our bodies. We usually put up with the tiredness as we race through our daily life without even thinking how far we're pushing ourselves. We push and push, we want more muscle, less fat but the more we push the more nothing happens because we may have exhausted our adrenal glands (like moi).

We change our diets thinking that is the answer to loosing more weight. Nothing happens, we eat even less and nothing happens. We get dispondent that eventhough we're good on the diet, why aren't things changing. I think this point is especially true for the bodybuilders and eternal dieters.  Some athletes compete in too many shows expecting to change because they diet for a long time.  The diet itself can cause hormonal issues so you need to be aware not to go too hard on yourself.  Conversely, sometimes its not about the diet, its about our hormones and how efficient we are.

If you know something is wrong with your body and you're not functioning as you should be, then perhaps you should talk to your doctor and get more specific help to make you feel better.


Onwards and upwards to a leaner me!!
Lisa, Go Figure
25 November 11

p.s I'd love to hear feedback from you and if you've been displaying similar symptoms to me.  Email me or write your comments on facebook please.