Hashimoto's Thyroiditis dieting help

ellewfr0st

Hi, everyone. I have hypothyroidism, but I'm relatively young for it (19-years-old and was diagnosed when 14-15). I'm 140lb and want to lose about 10-15lb max, however, I've consistently dieted and logged calories for several months and still have had no results. My fitbit + myfitnesspal combo have me at a 500-800 calorie deficit daily since January, but I still haven't lost any weight or inches around my body. Definitely not complaining - I'm feeling in shape and great energy-wise lately - but does anyone have tips on how to make the results visible?

I try to eat at least 1400 calories so my metabolism won't crash, but well, I guess it already has. I also tried the gluten-free thing for 4 months, but that did nothing, too. Plus a blood test said it wouldn't do anything for me anyway. I am pretty active (run 1-3 miles a day plus light weights and yoga), but I know for a fact my T3 and T4 levels are not the best.

Basically I'm at a loss. Too much exercise? Too little? Too much food? Too little? Wrong macronutrient ratio? Thanks.

kam26001

Are you working with an endocrinologist for this?

Lyrica7

Speak with your Dr if your free t3 and free t4 are low

ccsernica

If your T3 and T4 levels are off, see an endocrinologist and take care of that first. CICO always works, but this messes badly with the CO half of the equation. And you need to have them properly balanced for good health anyway.

malibu927

Get your numbers under control and make sure you’re logging everything as accurately as possible. If you don’t have a food scale, you may want to consider purchasing one to weigh everything on.

ninalemon

See your endo if it is Hashimoto’s ( which is an AI condition) and make sure you get your meds balanced, it could take awhile to get things figured out (do blood tests every 3 months while figuring things out). I have done much better on Armour Thyroid (which is actually pig thyroid) than on the synthetics.

Also, I have found what I eat makes a huge difference in my AI conditions (I have several, it is not uncommon to have multiple AI conditions, you may want to check if you have others). Dairy is awful for me, it is a huge cause of inflammation for me. My symptoms are the most manageable when I eat plant based with lots of cruciferous veggies (the cruciferous veggies being bad for Hashimoto’s is a myth).

I don’t lose weight quickly, but, for me, this is about health overall, in time the weight will come off.

MoveitlikeManda

Iv been getting really down with my weight after dropping almost 40lbs from June 2016 to December 2016 I the suddenly started gaining and am up 56lbs from then. Hasi/hypo diagnosed july 2017.

I saw my doctor2 weeks ago who looked at my blood results from the begining of November one of my numbers had gradually gone up at every blood test, I have no idea which are T3's and which are T4's etc, but the one thats got worse started at 6.4, next bloods up to 8.2, next bloods up to 9.7.....then the bloods in November were up to 14 and nobody bothered to let me know, when I rang for my results I was old all ok.

she up'd my dose and having bloods done again in 8weeks.
she said firstly I have no idea why this has been missed and I am so sorry, no wonder you are feeling so unwell and in pain etc

Im desperate to get this under control so I can get back on track with my weight as I have shown I can clearly do it when my thyroid is not out of wack so its getting me down its taking so long to get it sorted

ritzvin

Continue the medication trial and error with your doctor (thyroid medication can be tricky as far as which will work for you and what dose).

Other than that, make sure your logging is accurate (ditto on the food scale recommendation above if you don't have one).

Fuzzipeg

I'm sorry you are having all these problems. I looked and think you are in the US, you stand a better chance of getting things right for yourself over there. (I'm in the UK which makes a difference) I strongly suggest you look into the site, Stop the Thyroid Madness, it also supports a book, they like the Hypothyroid mom, keep up to date with current science, both provide lists of doctors who are, have been recommended as being supportive of persons with Hashimoto's and other thyroid conditions. I hope you can find one on the lists which is very close to yourself, but until you do some thoughts.

It seems you have had some allergy/intolerance testing done. This reported gluten would not be an issue and you tried avoidance to be sure. Were you able to make 6 months because it can take this long for the effects to be removed from your system, or at least those who are shown to be reactive then if one is re-contaminated it takes as long again. Have you heard dairy can be an issue? Generally it is the protein, casein which is the problem. I tested positive and abstained for only 48 hours and felt so very much better. You can substitute with rice or other milks but avoid soy because it can in many with thyroid issues cause problems, this goes for all things soy.

You are doing exactly the right thing trying to reduce your trigger foods. Our guts tend to be more pervious than is usual. If you can look into repairing leaky gut and the use of digestive microbes these could help you. One support site says there are 300 possible symptoms which a person can have, fortunately most only have a few. You have done a marvellous job not having gained too much weight, sorry its more than you would like.

A common digestive issue for we thyroid people is either slow transit and sometimes overly fast this causes our digestive biome to become out of balance, which is why I suggested using digestive microbes. If you are able to use olive oil, cocoanut oil in your cooking these are high in salicylate and this works to reduce the level of less helpful microbes. Some of us have lower than adequate digestive acids, some find it helpful to use HCI and pepsin, this also helps to give a better microbe balance. Some of the beneficial microbes in the gut aid the conversion of t4 to t3 the active for of thyroid hormone.

Along side having the digestive issues mentioned most of us have lower vitamin and mineral levels than is optimum. If you are able try a good multi vitamin and mineral supplement, (I gather your national supplement
makers do not prepare their products to medical standards, some of ours are proud to say they do) The primary minerals we need is iodine, usual intake is 150 micron a day, works out at about 1/4 of a teaspoon over the year but it is essential. selenium is also required. If you eat fish salmon is good because you achieve omega 3 as well. There are many vitamins which are often low in people like us. Vitamin d, e, b group, some are b 12 deficient because they lack the enzyme to protect it to the place it is absorbed. This goes to show our microbes are vital.

You raise the issue, to exercise or not. If you have lower than usual adrenal output then exercising is more problematical. By reading your tsh, t4, reverse t3 and t3 to know how much t3 can attempt to get into your cells, as well as your antibodies, (antibodies set up inflammation which slows weight loss which is why identifying triggers is essential. There was another test I came across which is helpful but it's slipped my mind for now. Looking at these results together a good doctor or specialist should be able to identify if your thyroid is your primary problem or if it emanates from other endocrine gland working less well and support you properly.

Too often we are told synthetic t4 as in levothyroxine or syntherod is enough, it is if you have a good enough system to make the conversion t4 to t3 active form, the conversion also happens in other places in the body so all one's eggs are not usually in one basket so to speak. Some of us need a synthetic t3 because we do not convert enough others get on better with natural desiccated thyroid, there seems to be two different grades, the manufacturers are consistent within their own products but if you are ever given these products you are best advised to stay with the same one all the time because if you change brands it is possible to have a stronger or weaker formula. Oh, some of us can have problems with fillers and binders in the synthetic form.

I'm so sorry this is very complicated, so much information. Its more complicated than the normal mortal has any understanding of. I hope you are able to resolve your "other" than weight worries. A common issue is painful, irregular menses, when your thyroid balance is good, life should be less painful. Pain is not what nature wanted for any of us women its counter productive if you think about it. Breathing related problems can be related to thyroid levels too.

Start your research with the two sites I suggested, make notes, always take an interest in how your specific body works, only do what is right for yourself, you are the only one who matters in all this, you have your own compliment of symptoms from the possible 300, which may not always be reflected by others with the same diagnosis. You can also widen your search to include medical papers as you look for your personal symptoms and set about resolving them. Hope you find the very best and most knowledgeable doctor.

All the best and good reading.

CSARdiver

Look to your logging first and ensure you are being as accurate as possible. Weigh everything.

Your weight is an output of behavior and despite whatever predators will try and tell you hypothyroid is no different. There are a multitude of charlatans out there looking to make a quick buck selling "thyroid diets" and other such nonsense.

Thyroid impacts your BMR/REE by ~5% and this is in the most extreme circumstances. This amounts to 70 kcals/day out of your 1400 kcal/day caloric budget.

What hypothyroidism will impact are you satiety and appetite triggers - also impacting your intracellular uptake (water weight). You also don't have a lot of weight to lose, so this will go slowly - at a .5 lb/week rate to be healthy.

You need to know your full thyroid panel - TSH, fT3, fT4, rT3 with your optimum TSH at 0.2-2.0.

pinaycoco

taylorwf09 wrote: »

Hi, everyone. I have hypothyroidism, but I'm relatively young for it (19-years-old and was diagnosed when 14-15). I'm 140lb and want to lose about 10-15lb max, however, I've consistently dieted and logged calories for several months and still have had no results. My fitbit + myfitnesspal combo have me at a 500-800 calorie deficit daily since January, but I still haven't lost any weight or inches around my body. Definitely not complaining - I'm feeling in shape and great energy-wise lately - but does anyone have tips on how to make the results visible?

I try to eat at least 1400 calories so my metabolism won't crash, but well, I guess it already has. I also tried the gluten-free thing for 4 months, but that did nothing, too. Plus a blood test said it wouldn't do anything for me anyway. I am pretty active (run 1-3 miles a day plus light weights and yoga), but I know for a fact my T3 and T4 levels are not the best.

Basically I'm at a loss. Too much exercise? Too little? Too much food? Too little? Wrong macronutrient ratio? Thanks.

I also have Hashimoto's. I lost 10kg last year but gained 4kg back as my Hashimoto's got worse. I'm determined to reverse this. I would love to add you! We can do this!