Not losing weight - down to ~800 cal/day

Iknowsaur

800 will make your body store excess cals as fat. and weight. i was going on 1500 to 800 and i gained!! so im back to 1300 and i workout two hrs aday, cardio and pushups stick to under 1500 for weight loss no matter what you do

Stop giving people poor advice, please.

SLLRunner

Also, the low calorie diet I'm on now is following the guidelines of an established 21-day detox program. I'm eschewing lean proteins (fish, egg whites, etc.) for the first 11 days, and on day 12 I will add those back in. Right now I'm on cooked veggies, raw veggies, certain fruits (berries) and protein shakes...plus an approved amount of fat (coconut or olive oil) per day. So it's pretty hard to go over 800 calories per day, even if I try.

I am trying this b/c several people in my thyroid patient forum found this to be the only method that worked for them to lose weight, after they'd tried everything else in the book.

You do realize that any weight you lose on that "detox" will be water and once you start eating normally again you will gain it back? Please tell me you know this.

800 calories a day is dangerously unhealthy. Besides perhaps some problems with your thyroid medication, which you need to discuss with your doctor, you are most likely overestimating your calorie intake.

Besides this, 15 pounds is not that much to lose. You need to do it slowly.

SLLRunner

800 will make your body store excess cals as fat. and weight. i was going on 1500 to 800 and i gained!! so im back to 1300 and i workout two hrs aday, cardio and pushups stick to under 1500 for weight loss no matter what you do

Nah. If you were really eating 800 calories a day you would not have gained weight. It just doesn't work that way. Excessive exercise is not good, and eating 1300-1500 calories on two hours a day cardio is even worse. You eat more to fuel your body not to lose weight. It all it took to lose weight was to eat more then all of us who spent years pigging out would not have been fat. In fact, we would not even have an overweight society.

ironanimal

You need your thyroid medicated, and not by a holistic health person. Talk to an actual doctor about correcting your thyroid issues through careful adjustment of medication.

nosebag1212

lmao @ not losing weight at 800 cals, sorry not gonna fall for that, nice try, you're obviously not counting properly

SLLRunner

lmao @ not losing weight at 800 cals, sorry not gonna fall for that, nice try, you're obviously not counting properly

I agree. I have found through my own experience that I can THINK I am eating a certain amount then realize that I've been overestimating the calories, which I why I'm not losing weight. Do that enough of that and it does kill the calorie deficit.

lindsey1979

Ignore the people who say this isn't possible, they obviously know nothing about hypothyroid and all the other conditions that can go with it like insulin resistance and various vitamin deficiencies that can make it very difficult to lose weight.

Your thyroid levels could be fine now, but there could be a whole host of other issues that are still out of whack from being hypothyroid. Please have your adrenals checked (DHEA in particular), insulin resistance and common vitamin deficiencies like vitamin D, magnesium and iodine. If these are out of balance, you can still see a lot of the hypothyroid symptoms even though you are not actually hypothyroid anymore -- difficulty or inability to lose weight being one of them.

skraparas

Thanks for all of the advice! I am working on finding a better doctor but they are like a needle in a haystack. I've already been to four endocrinologists and one GP...gearing up for endo number 5 and hoping he is the one that lo

skraparas

That looks at more than basic thyroid bloodwork and shops me away bc I'm now within "range." My physical activity includes walking walking everywhere (even to get groceries) bc I don't have a car, standing all day at work (at a standing desk), walking 2 miles to work every AM and 2 miles gain in the PM, Zumba, yoga, hiking and salsa dancing.

meeulk

If you're on the right dosage of thyroid replacement hormones, you'll lose weight. (I am losing!) It might be slow and you may have to work harder, but it'll come off. Hypothyroidism messes with your metabolism big time, so you have to work to increase it. Increase it by starting with eating the correct number of calories.

If you are eating 800 calories a day, your body is well into starvation mode and isn't going to give up lbs easily. You have to eat enough to feed your body and meet your body's daily caloric needs (ie. breathing, heart beating, etc.). At LEAST 1200 calories.

Lesa_Sass

That looks at more than basic thyroid bloodwork and shops me away bc I'm now within "range." My physical activity includes walking walking everywhere (even to get groceries) bc I don't have a car, standing all day at work (at a standing desk), walking 2 miles to work every AM and 2 miles gain in the PM, Zumba, yoga, hiking and salsa dancing.

You have yet to comment on how tall you are and how much you weigh.

anavrivera1

I think you should consult you primary care physician. Something is not right, you have not lost weight when you are watching what you are eating. I don't think 800 calories is good for you but It is just my opinion. Please seek medical attention to resolve the issue there might be some health issues.

katylil

800kcal a day is not enough for ANYone.

Calculate your BMR and make sure you're eating at least that every day.

mandyneedtolose

A calorie deficit is what you need. But also 800 calories a day is WAY to low! The body needs your BMR to stay running. Food is fuel for your body. At 800 calories you are putting your body into starvation mode. Once in the mode everything you eat the body will store as it doesn't know when it will get it next food. So by eating so little you will cause your body to store whatever you put into it and thus there could be a weight gain. People think that by eating so little it is really helping the losing weight process but really it isn't. Eat more to weigh less! Add in protein, and lots of water. Those will help keep the metabolism kicking. Eating 800 calories a day will get you know where.

slepygrl

If all that you say is true. Then go to a doctor. Get some blood work.

greenstar888

First of all, on your profile it says your goal is to lose 15 pounds so you can't be that overweight. What is you BMI?

Secondly, if you are having issues with your thyroid and/or other metabolic disorders, you should be talking to a doctor and a naturopath. Your first priority should be restoring your health. A vegan, high carb, high raw diet done properly under the guidance of a nutritionist and doctor will help with that.

Lmans77

Get health under control then worry about weight.

After that, what is the obsession with healthy fats and protein? Eat real food. Arguably, fat is not "clean" and is processed. Real food will have all the fat and protein your body needs. Plus fat, unless PRECISELY measured, can jack up those calories QUICK. I'm just not believing you are eating 800 day in and day out. That is nearly impossible to sustain. I have done it, only so I can really go all out at a party, etc and by that time, I NEED to eat. Plus, I have to still control it at the party. It's easy to binge on 4000 calories at one sitting, thus wiping out a whole weeks deficit if you have a lower TDEE like me.

easjer

You won't lose weight if your thyroid is jacked up. There are deficiencies which thyroid problems can create, and your self-medication and prescription is only messing up your metabolism even further. I think it's unlikely that you are actually only eating 800 calories a day and not losing something, even with a screwed up thyroid and messed up meds. And consistently eating as little as you are is going to really screw things up.

I think when you get settled with a doctor and a treatment plan, you'll be in better shape. But until then, you are causing damage by what you are doing.

AliceDark

800 calories isn't enough to keep your body functioning. Since you're having trouble finding qualified professionals who can advise you, you need to start doing some serious research and educate yourself about proper nutrition.

Please keep going to see doctors and dieticians until you find a treatment team you can work with. KICK and SCREAM until you find someone who will listen to you. (It's been my experience that most doctors are pathetically under-educated about nutrition and can give some horrible advice.) Print out a week or two of your food journal and bring it in to show the doctor what you're eating. If you have any other underlying medical issue, like thyroid problems, the rule "calories in vs. calories out" isn't necessarily the whole weight-loss story, and you need to get the other issues under control before you can address weight loss.

Please don't listen to some of the quack nutritional advice in this thread! You don't need to be gluten-free unless you have Celiac disease. You also don't need cleanses, low-fat or vegan diets, either. You need to be eating a variety of foods that will provide enough nutrition to keep your body functioning. That's really it. Protein and fat are GOOD. Carbs are good too. All three play different roles and you need all of them to live.

lindsey1979

800 calories isn't enough to keep your body functioning. Since you're having trouble finding qualified professionals who can advise you, you need to start doing some serious research and educate yourself about proper nutrition.

Please keep going to see doctors and dieticians until you find a treatment team you can work with. KICK and SCREAM until you find someone who will listen to you. (It's been my experience that most doctors are pathetically under-educated about nutrition and can give some horrible advice.) Print out a week or two of your food journal and bring it in to show the doctor what you're eating. If you have any other underlying medical issue, like thyroid problems, the rule "calories in vs. calories out" isn't necessarily the whole weight-loss story, and you need to get the other issues under control before you can address weight loss.

Please don't listen to some of the quack nutritional advice in this thread! You don't need to be gluten-free unless you have Celiac disease. You also don't need cleanses, low-fat or vegan diets, either. You need to be eating a variety of foods that will provide enough nutrition to keep your body functioning. That's really it. Protein and fat are GOOD. Carbs are good too. All three play different roles and you need all of them to live.

The one exception I'd add is that if you have an auto-immune thyroid issue (like Hashi's) or have insulin resistance (which given your difficulty losing weight and hypothyroid, may also be an issue), gluten and carbs may be an issue. Some thyroid specialists believe certain foods trigger the auto-immune response and gluten is the most popular suspect (though some suggest avoiding lactose, casein and lectins as well -- or at least eliminating them initially and adding back in if you see no issues). Similarly, if you end up having insulin resistance (which is not uncommon for untreated or undermedicated hypothyroid -- it's a common secondary effect), carbs will likely need to be restricted as well as you'd have an exaggerated insulin response.

But, whether these are relevant in your case will depend on your bloodwork and medical advice. Good luck finding a thyroid and metabolism specialist -- they can be very hard to find!

oneloopygirl

No. I've already been to four different endos and none of them had a clue. They are not trained in nutrition. The message I got is that there is no reason I should be fat if my calories are below a certain daily amount, and I exercise. Not the case.

A decent endo should be able to refer you to a trained nutritionist. My husband has had thyroid issues that were caught in his teens. His endo referred him to a very nice and well trained nutritionist. Any doctor who is unwilling to help or make referrals isn't a good doctor.

And thyroid issue or not, if you don't eat enough, you won't lose weight. Eat small balanced meals/snacks several times a day. Keeps the metabolism a little more even, which is beneficial to someone with thyroid issues.

skraparas

I'm 5'2" and over 150 lbs. I'd like to lose 30. It's a health issue not a "looks" issue.

Andreaviolet89

First thing I would do is eat at least 1200 calories a day. The second thing I would do is get your thyroid tested.

skraparas

As I've said, I have autoimmune thyroid disease and am being treated, but the docs shake their heads and say they can't do much if your levels are in range, which mine technically are now. I've also been told by them that thyroid problems are no excuse for the weight...sigh. That's one of the reasons I wanted to lose before my next big six mont appt. in a few weeks. It's humiliating.

AliceDark

The one exception I'd add is that if you have an auto-immune thyroid issue (like Hashi's) or have insulin resistance (which given your difficulty losing weight and hypothyroid, may also be an issue), gluten and carbs may be an issue. Some thyroid specialists believe certain foods trigger the auto-immune response and gluten is the most popular suspect (though some suggest avoiding lactose, casein and lectins as well -- or at least eliminating them initially and adding back in if you see no issues). Similarly, if you end up having insulin resistance (which is not uncommon for untreated or undermedicated hypothyroid -- it's a common secondary effect), carbs will likely need to be restricted as well as you'd have an exaggerated insulin response.

Excellent point. I was concerned that the OP has a lot of stress and anxiety surrounding food and is already cutting out lots of foods. Seeing other people tell her that she should be vegan or that fats weren't "clean" made me a little worried that their advice would be triggering for her and that she'd end up restricting even further.

OP: what I was trying to say is that food isn't the enemy. I'm totally on the same page as you in terms of avoiding artificial sweeteners and "fake" foods -- I stay away from them as much as I can too. But you need to make sure that you're taking in enough good, real food! You know that what you're doing is extreme and shouldn't be necessary, so obviously you have another factor that is interfering.

Andreaviolet89

As I've said, I have autoimmune thyroid disease and am being treated, but the docs shake their heads and say they can't do much if your levels are in range, which mine technically are now. I've also been told by them that thyroid problems are no excuse for the weight...sigh. That's one of the reasons I wanted to lose before my next big six mont appt. in a few weeks. It's humiliating.

I have thyroid problems and thyroid has a HUGE effect on your weight, its actually how they found out mine was hypo. I think that you need to find a different endo because that is a basic side effect that any doctor would be aware of.

lindsey1979

As I've said, I have autoimmune thyroid disease and am being treated, but the docs shake their heads and say they can't do much if your levels are in range, which mine technically are now. I've also been told by them that thyroid problems are no excuse for the weight...sigh. That's one of the reasons I wanted to lose before my next big six mont appt. in a few weeks. It's humiliating.

Skraparas -- I pm'd you. Your story sounds very similar to mine as I have an autoimmune thyroid issue as well, had a very difficult losing weight while being told by 4 different doctors everything was "fine".

lindsey1979

As I've said, I have autoimmune thyroid disease and am being treated, but the docs shake their heads and say they can't do much if your levels are in range, which mine technically are now. I've also been told by them that thyroid problems are no excuse for the weight...sigh. That's one of the reasons I wanted to lose before my next big six mont appt. in a few weeks. It's humiliating.

I have thyroid problems and thyroid has a HUGE effect on your weight, its actually how they found out mine was hypo. I think that you need to find a different endo because that is a basic side effect that any doctor would be aware of.

I totally agree, though sadly I was told much the same by a couple of doctors as my TSH level was "normal" most of the time. Sadly, some docs can't look beyond TSH.

deksgrl

I hope you can find a doctor who can help.

olekskr

Hi , have you considered it may be something other than your thyroid? Have you had your liver tested? I would also recommend going to see a naturopath, Good luck.