I wouldn't count the oil you use to cook with since it mostly stays in the pan. I switched to an olive oil spray for cooking during P1 and then made sure I got 2 tsp on salads, etc.

Since you're losing just fine it probably didn't hurt you (4 lbs a week is great!). So you could either cut down and see what happens or just continue as you are doing and if you start having an issue adjust from there.

This week when I saw my coach and she looked at my journal she said I'm not getting enough Olive Oil. I was doing 1 tsp with lunch and 1 with dinner (on salad or veggies depending) So I said I am following the sheet! LOL She said they have had success at the clinic and she was herself successful (100+ lbs lost) using Tbsp's instead of Tsp. So I am trying that this week... I have also had major issues with the big "C" and she said upping the serving to 2Tbsp will help that. I think each clinic addresses those guidelines differently... Ill let you know how it works for me next week.

Dr Tran Tien's first book had 2 TBSP oil.
It's really not the fat that makes us fat. For the insulin resistant, it is the Carbs (or the carb/fat mix).
I had to slightly increase my fats on P1 due to thyroid, so I'm close to that amt myself. Weight is steadily coming off!

Timely answer on oil for me! Cooking for extended fam this week has meant an increase in my oil. I guess i'll see if any problems arose at my weigh-in on Weds! My brain has played a few tricks with me lately about craving nibbles/bites as i'm so close to goal...but the Beck Book is doing its trick! I have such a short time to go to build in some of the things i'm missing (dairy, avocado)...so I don't want to cheat myself!!!

I tend to roughly follow the 2 tsp guidelines. If I notice that I've had a few days of heavy oil consumption (kale and zucchini chip, vegetable salad made with lots of oil, etc) then I try to eat things that don't require so much oil for a few days. So far I've not noticed that being an issue.

I don't use oil much for any veggie salads and I have a Misto for kale or zucchini chips. Just a slight mist & then I massage the garlic olive oil into kale leaves. For those items, I've found less is more. I've never loved salad dressing that much so I guess I don't miss it.

I've been steadily losing my "up" lbs since restarting P1 on July 28. I'm so happy the scale remembers how to move downward. i thought it was broken in that direction!

My thyroid test was weird. The doc had misunderstood me at first and didn't realize he was testing me "off" meds since I hadn't had any for approx 2 weeks. TSH wasn't as high as it had been prior to medication but was higher than I want it to be. It was within the "normal" reference range but I still have symptoms. LDL went up a bit, which is also connected. He didn't return my call. I have a back-up plan in case he doesn't order me back on Rx, but I'm giving him a chance first. DH reminded me that docs like this one are dealing with so many super sick people that they sometimes aren't the right doctor for somebody like me who wants stats to be "optimal". I know how I feel & I've had body aches and been more tired since my meds ran out.

The books Why Do I Still have thyroid Symptoms When My Lab Tests are Normal? and Stop the Thyroid madness have really helped me understand that just like diets & dieting, everyone is different thyroid-wise.

Interesting about your thyroid issues, Lisa. I have hashimoto's thyroiditis and have been on meds for 11 years. The dosage has steadily gone up over the years. I didn't talk with my Dr. before starting this diet though and am wondering what effect, if any, it will have on my levels. I'm into my 5th week. I will see her on the 20th. We'll see if there is a change and if she has an opinion on the IP diet.

Any low cal diet can be hard on thyroid, not just IP.
Many of the functional medicine doctors are recommending eliminating gluten for hashimotos. It seems to help most autoimmune issues. More mainstream docs just don't know enough about the subject.

Lisa, I'm sorry to hear about your thyroid troubles--and especially sorry you seem to have the all-too-common challenges with getting a physician on the same page about what management means with these issues.

For what it's worth, I have found (through 10 years of thyroid issues myself) that I've never been able to feel good without an endocrinologist (specialist, not a GP) willing to manage to my symptoms rather than strictly the lab results. As you have pointed out, all metabolic issues (weight loss included) are *highly* individual and it's critical to find a healthcare professional who will treat you as an individual rather than simply applying a template. They are out there! Takes some looking sometimes.

I have taken to "interviewing" endos whenever I move and have to find a new one. I set up an appointment and then talk with them about their approach, opinions on certain 'hotbutton' thyroid issues that can be really revealing about a doc's general philosophy, what lab tests they would plan at what frequency (it's really important to me to measure free T4 and T3, not just TSH) etc.

I understand the impulse to give your doc the benefit of the doubt, try to keep working with him/her...but, In my experience, most of us "put up with" far more than we ought to when it comes to our health. I unfortunately don't know anyone in St Louis, but best of luck to you.

`sj

I agree about the endo. I had to make mine was on the same page before I continued treatment. The anti-thyroid drugs made me gain 30 pounds in 2 months and made me feel terrible. He agreed to monitor me much closer because I was very sensitive to the dosage. I am positive I could not lose weight unless my dose was correct.

Interesting info on thyroid - I'm learning more about it's function, etc., since two of my sisters have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer this year - one had a total removal and the other a partial.

Lisa - glad to hear the up pounds are coming off. Keeping my finger crossed for you!

Thanks. I'm in the process of making appts to interview docs. My selection will be integrative or functional medicine doctors, who spend much more time learning about health and wellness. My GP and I just aren't on the same page at all anymore. He won't order tests I want ordered & pushes things I don't want (example: addressed "high" cholesterol [total was slightly elevated], although my HDL:LDL ratio is exemplary, as are my triglycerides. He didn't check CRP, which is a much better indication of troubles).

The kicker was when he said he just wanted to monitor thyroid, although I consider it elevated & feel like crap (tired, achey muscles and joints, foggy-headed).

Oh Lisa, sorry. I wish doctors would get their heads out of the numbers and listen to how a patient feels. With thyroid, even a little drift in numbers can cause us to feel so bad!

I agree with all you guys on the numbers and levels of blood tests. Yes there is a range of 'normal' but not everyone feels well or functions well at those levels. What is normal for one person may be too high or low for another. I'm so glad I found my MD and Rheumatologist who are also seriously into functional medicine and other modalities. Wow, it's been 32 years now with my same MD... He is semi retired, I don't know what I will do when he really does retire. He is such an active guy on all the topics I feel strongly about, clean water initiative for our lakes, Physicians Against Nuclear Arms, Fitness accessibility for all, Brain Injury Society, supporter of local cooperative radio, etc...

Liana

Lisa, I see an endo on the east side that also has an office at Christian NE. He dx me with Hashimotos two years ago due to high antibodies and low T3 (I think?) and started me on Cytomel to see if we could prevent total thyroid meltdown. He seems to be more on the cutting edge of looking at a patient's functioning/symptoms vs. just their numbers. Currently, I am on a break from the meds as I have been losing weight fine without it, and my regular GP (who runs the IP clinic) suggested I get to goal weight and then have all my levels taken again. PM me if you want more info.