I am excited to announce that my temperature is rising!
Two years ago I first read two of Matt Stone's books - "Eat for Heat" and "Diet Recovery 2." (Both can be found on Amazon.com)
After reading these books, I started considering myself a chronic dieter. Not that I intentionally dieted, but for decades I have skipped meals. This bad habit started in college and continued for decades. When I read these two books, I started keeping track of the foods I ate and when I ate them. I was shocked to learn that I was only eating 600-800 calories every day. And most of these calories were eaten after 4 PM.
I have heard for years that a lot of overweight people eat very few calories. Now I had proof. I started tracking my calories two years ago and I definitely see a pattern. When I start eating early in the morning and eat consistently through the day, the weight starts to come down. On busy weeks that I think I don't have time to eat so I skip meals, the weight starts to creep back up.
After reading these two books, it reminded me of another book that I had read years ago, in 1997 called "Lean and Free: 2000 Plus" by Dana Thornock. In this book, you learn to heal your metabolism by eating around 2000 calories per day, plus other activities. I pulled that book out and read it again with new eyes. This book is similar to Matt's books in serveral ways, especially that they both stress that each person is different. Everyone needs to learn to listen to their intuition when it comes to eating.
Both Matt and Dana list indicators that let you know your metabolism is healing. Matt mainly uses very obvious indicators like body temperature and frequency and color of urination. Most of Dana's indicators are more subtle.
I like Matt's indicators. They are very easy to recognized every day, and even at different times of day. I started regularly taking my temperature. When I started two years ago, my temperature was regularly in the low 96s upon waking and high 96s in the late afternoon. I learned from Matt's books how to manipulate the temperature throughout the day, mainly by eating anti-stress foods. I didn't do this consistently for the two years, but just did the best I could, week by week.
Six years ago I was seeing a physician who specializes in hormones. She diagnosed me with hypothyroidism. She put me on a prescription and had me take my temperature every morning. I really didn't understand why I was taking my temperature, but now I do. At that time, my temperature was in the 95s every day. After a few months, we started traveling and it was hard to keep up with the prescription, so stopped taking it. And stopped taking my temperature.
Then two years ago I found Matt Stone's books about how to change your metabolism (thyroid) with diet (and a couple other things). And I am finally seeing results.
Both Matt and Dana warn that you may start gaining weight for a few months, but this is a necessary step as your body heals itself. Sure enough, I gained 25 pounds. I tried to not be discouraged and stick with the eating plan. I am so glad I did.
This week, my morning temperatures have hovered right around 98 and my evening temperatures have been 98.6 or a little higher.
I also have lost 8 pounds in the last two weeks.
I sometimes wish I had been more consistent with this from the beginning two years ago. But I know that by building up to this a little at a time is best for me and I just focused on doing the best I could at the time.
I am ecstatic! I love knowing how to heal my metabolism simply by changing my food habits. After decades of abusing/starving myself, I feel that my body is finally healing.
WARNING: The three books I mentioned here give advice that is different than what is being preached by the "experts." This information will not resonate with everyone and that is alright. If you choose to read these, please keep an open mind. Listen to your intuition. You really are your own expert. Trust yourself.
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