The South Dakota Cowgirl

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A confession about health

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I started trying to chronicle my weight loss journey about a year ago and I have had few, if any, measurable results (which is why I quit confession).

I went so far, over a year ago, to have my thyroid tested because I had a lot of symptoms of being hypothyroid. The numbers came back within acceptable ranges, which I know doesn’t always mean your thyroid is functioning properly.

The older I get, it seems the more little things I’m plagued with- like gout for instance. I’m lucky unfortunate enough to be blessed cursed with it due to genetics. Yay. And, I’m also a sufferer of Raynauds Syndrome which is extra exciting since I live in the frozen north. And my mother of course has RA.

Does anyone else feel this way, or is it just me?

smart healthSince then I’ve gone through several workout plans (all of which are interval training because it’s always been my favorite) and of course if you know me, you know I’m not really sitting around eating junk food. I’m eating clean, healthy, fresh foods and I do not have a sweet tooth.  I purchased a Smart Health Watch that tracks my daily steps, calories burnt, and how many miles I walk. It also can check my heart rate when I workout.

Most days before I get up to the barn I’ve walked between 5 and 10k steps, just doing chores and running around the place. By the time I’m done riding I’m up to 18-25k steps (because it reads all my posting as steps, which is fine because we all know you burn a lot of calories riding).  All those steps, in addition to working out, and I had to go up yet another size in my jeans. #itisokaytocry

So, back to the doctor I went, since I am now the heaviest I’ve ever been. Keeping in mind that I suffer from hyperhydrosis, have dry, brittle hair that falls out in clumps, dry brittle nails, skin that feels like sandpaper (despite putting straight coconut oil on it three times daily) and I can only ride about three horses a day before I need a nap, capitulate and take one. #fail

This time we ran quite a few blood tests- Vitamin D, kidney function, uric acid, thyroid tests and an RA panel just to be sure I don’t have my mother’s illness. What we discovered is a vitamin D deficiency and a sluggish thyroid – both explain my lack of energy and the reason I feel like I’ve been run over a by a truck when I get up daily. And they thyroid explains my inability to lose weight. I can seriously eat a 1200 calorie/day diet, burn off 2500 calories daily and gain two pounds by weeks’ end.

I have now been started on Armour Thyro (which is pig thyroid – hooray for pigs!). I’m hoping it will help me reclaim my life – my weight and my energy.  I’ve been on it exactly three days now. 

I don’t write this post to complain. When life throws you lemons, you make lemonade, that’s just how it should be. I write it to ask any of you that may suffer with hypothyroidism, what I can expect from the medication. Is it wishful thinking to believe I’ll be able to shed this extra 20-25lbs I’ve gained? Or should I learn to be content with it? Will my hair stop being dry? Will my skin clear up? How long should I expect it to take before I feel better? 

Happy Trails and Healthy Living! 😉

About ~The South Dakota Cowgirl~

Jenn Zeller is the creative mind and boss lady behind The South Dakota Cowgirl. She is an aspiring horsewoman, photographer, brilliant social media strategist and lover of all things western.

After a brief career in the investment world to support her horse habit (and satisfy her mother, who told her she had to have a “real” job after graduating college), she finally took the leap and stepped away from a regular income; trading the business suit once and for all for cowgirl boots, a hat, and jeans. She has not looked back.

When Jenn first moved to The DX Ranch on the South Dakota plains, she never imagined she’d find herself behind a camera lens capturing an authentic perspective of ranching, and sharing it with others. Jenn has always been called to artistry, and uses music, writing, images, home improvement, and her first true love of horses to express her ranching passion.

Horses are the constant thread and much of her work centers around using her unique style of writing to share her horsemanship journey with others in publications such as CavvySavvy, the AQHA Ranching Blog, the West River Eagle, the family ranch website, and her own website.

Using photography to illustrate her stories has created other opportunities -- Jenn’s brand “The South Dakota Cowgirl” has grown to the level of social media “Influencer”. This notoriety has led to work with Duluth Trading Company, Budweiser, Wyoming Tourism, Vice, Circle Z Ranch and Art of the Cowgirl, to name a few. She also serves as a brand ambassador for Woodchuck USA, Arenus Equine Health, Triple Crown Feed and Just Strong fitness apparel. Her photography has been featured by Instagram, Apple, TIME Magazine, The Huffington Post, and Oprah Magazine. Jenn’s work has been published internationally, has been seen in several books and has graced the covers of several magazines.

Jenn became a social media influencer by accident when she started to explore Instagram as a way to share her life on the ranch with folks that don’t get to experience it. It’s grown into an incredible platform that she uses to empower women, create an environment for self improvement and share life on the ranch.

When she’s not working, she loves to drink coffee, play with her naughty border collie named Copper, start ranch colts, and run about the country chasing cans. Her mother still thinks she doesn’t have a “real” job.

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Comments

  1. NC Cowgirl says

    Wow I had no idea you have Raynauds too. I have it as well and living here in NC is hard enough for me so I couldn’t imagine living where you do when it gets as cold as it does for so long. I’d die! I can’t go outside when its 45 or colder with out hand warmers and feet warmers in thick insulated gloves. Heck even with all that my fingers still turn yellow and go completely numb. Its such an awful feeling and a pain in the butt when you can’t feel your hands to do outside chores with horses. 🙁 I wish there was a cure for it.

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