Everyday Systems

Hello everybody,

I've been trying (and failing, but mark it and move on) to start No S ing. The quality and supportiveness of feedback and advice on these boards has been impressive.

Since you're all such an intelligent, informed, and pleasant bunch, it seemed easier to come to you with a question than to do my own research (I know, lazy!).

My thyroid is kaput, and I have to wait at least an hour after taking my medicine (first thing in the morning) to eat. This usually becomes about 2 hours as I prepare for the day, make breakfast, get distracted, etc. The "Have breakfast right away to kick start your metabolism!" crowd always makes me wonder if this at-least-partly-necessary delay is shooting me in the foot, metabolically.

I know it's really a question of optimization, since exercising and eating less will inevitably help, but it makes me wonder. Does anybody know the answer to this one?

Thanks,

Moxie

Could you switch and take your medicine right before bed? Then you could jump start your day with breakfast the next morning.

I usually either don't eat breakfast or have it after I've been awake at least 2-3 hours. Don't pay attention to the experts; pay attention and do what works for you.

Because I have a long commute, I have fallen into the routine of having water and coffee first thing (cafe au lait, really, so there's a serving of milk in my two cups), and breakfast about 2.5 hours after I get up, once I arrive (and most days, after I've exercised).

You do what works. If you can close that gap a bit and see a difference, good for you. If you can't, don't worry. Look for where else you can make a difference.

I think a lot of there's a lot of what my husband and I call "over-optimizing" in food research. (That's our term for trying to squeeze too much out of a situation, so that you totally lose the big picture, or make yourself crazy worrying about small details.) In food research, some things make a difference... in lab-controlled environments where all other factors are held constant. But we don't live in a constant world, and everything interacts. So, pay attention to the big picture (eat less, move more) and don't worry about smaller details.

(That's one thing I like about No-S. It keeps the focus on the big picture - 5 green days a week, don't be an idiot. And that actually works.)

Moxie,

I'm in the same situation as you, where I take my thyroid medication when I get up and then I have to wait for breakfast. In the evening I take another medication and my vitamines (when I remember) because my doctor said that I shouldn't mix any other medication with the thyroid one (it seems that even vitamins could counteract the thyroid medication effect).
I usually end up having breakfast when I get to work, but sometimes I'm not that hungry. Breakfast is the meal that I would find the easiest to skip (and I would be saving calories!) -- but it seems that it's the most important meal of the day -- but it would be nice to cut out some easy calories.

Amy

Hi, Moxie...

I had a situation like yours once. I set my alarm for 4:00 AM, swallowed my pills with the glass of water I had on my nightstand, and then rolled over and went back to sleep. (That was no problem for me! ) Then, when the regular alarm went off at 6:00, I got up and ate breakfast.


I realized this morning that I eat my oatmeal out of fear--fear that a bowl of Rice Krispies will walk off and leave me at 9:00 AM, and then I will get faint. I eat at about 5:45 AM, and then again at 11:30 AM. That is a long stretch! So...there is no way I intend to skip breakfast.

I don't have any medicine I have to wake up early to take now, but it worked at the time. But, my vote goes with what the others have said: "Do What Works Best For You."

Thanks for the feedback, everybody. I'll go ahead and quit worrying.