Dear, Mergirl:
You've touched on a topic that is sensitive to me, for three main reasons:
1. I have my own frustrating experience with the topic
2. The conflicting "expert" opinions (books, magazines, television, websites, podcasts, etc.)
3. Some of the diet-related comments on this forum
In fact, item #3 was a major reason I previously quit this forum. In the past, I had a different profile name, and, out of extreme frustration, I deleted all of my posts and stayed-away for a good while.
(Yes, the topic of 'Diet' gets me
that heated. In fact, I'm not sure there's another subject that troubles me even remotely as much.)
Anyway, eventually, I came back. This time, under a new profile name and with the intention to avoid the topic of diet. Lately, though, I've broken that promise to myself, by engaging in a few diet-related posts. I've done so without too much angst, so I thought I would roll the dice again.
First of all, you need to eat.I'm not trying to be Captain Obvious with that statement. Nor am I trying to be funny. Quite the opposite. It's important that you keep that thought paramount in your mind, since you "keep losing more and more weight." You need calories.
Second, focus on eating food.These days, with the many trendy, named diets (in my opinion, if a diet has a name, it's probably a fad), people with say or write "Eat REAL food." This induces an eye-roll in me, every time. Food, by its very nature, is real. So, unless you have a confirmed allergy or sensitivity to something, eat things that grow in nature and you can recognize and pronounce. You know what corn is. But, perhaps not Azodicarbonamide.
A sweet potato has vitamins, trace minerals, protein, etc. Plus, it has them in a complete package that your body recognizes. Contrast that with some highly-refined, processed food, such as a doughnut or something similar. The doughnut will likely have some synthetic vitamins that have been added-back to the refined flour used in its creation. It will also have a little iron, a little calcium, and even have a little protein. But, of course, we cannot say these items are equal, even if they shared the same nutrition profile.
Third, eating organic is not required.Would organic be better? Perhaps. It depends on who you ask, who the grower is, where the food is grown, etc. Like nearly everything else, there are opinions (often heated) on all sides of the debate. Remember that even organic farmers have to treat their crops to avoid pests. You would do better, in my opinion, to eat conventional spinach, versus not eating
any spinach. Do the best you can do, given your budget, available time, lifestyle, etc. As the saying goes:
"Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good."Fourth, beware of extremes.Should you decide to follow some trendy diet, for whatever reason, I would urge caution for any eating plan that has you either
omit or
rely on an entire food group (
e.g. carbohydrates) or macronutrient (
e.g. fat).
Fifth and finally, pilot your own ship.I've read many comments on this forum where people want to be told what to do. Whether it's which herb(s) to take, which antibiotic(s) to use (or, if they should be used at all), or what to eat.
Unfortunately,
YOU are responsible for figuring-out what to eat! It stinks, I know. I'd like to have the "magic" answer, too. But, it doesn't exist. Not to the level we would all like, anyway. The best we can do is make some general recommendations that would seem to do well for most. For example, author Michael Pollan's advice:
"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." That's probably a good start.
From there, experiment and see how you look, feel, and perform. Of course, check-in with your Doctor, too. Over time, your energy level, body composition, quality of sleep, and other markers should provide a feedback mechanism for you to make changes, if any.
Keeping a food journal would probably really help. Like, a lot. But, many people see this as too much work. It's really not and wouldn't need to be done forever. Just a few weeks would likely be helpful. The potential benefits far outweigh the perceived inconvenience. It also helps many people discover that they eat way more than they realize.
So, for what it's worth, those are my opinions. I'm not a Doctor, Nutritionist, or other healthcare professional. Take what's helpful and leave the rest.
. . .
Oh, as for broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables and their potential impact on your thyroid, please consider the following:
/nutritionfacts.org/video/overdosing-on-greens/nutritionfacts.org/2016/02/09/how-to-cook-broccoliWith relation to human energy needs, it was not until 1894 that the kilocalorie was used in medical physiology texts. It was 18 years later, in 1912, that vitamins were first discovered. Think of the many millennia that passed, prior to these discoveries.
Now, surviving isn't the same as thriving. And, admittedly, the foods we have today are not the same as thousands of years ago. But, the larger point is we made it this far without the aid of diet books, without diet "experts," and we certainly weren't killed-off by broccoli!
Keep it simple, find your own eating plan, and be your own expert. You can seek the opinions of others, sure, but you cannot abdicate your responsibility or your health to them. That shouldn't seem scary, it should feel empowering. You have the control.
Best of luck and health,
The Dude