eating cals back? for ppl with hypothyroidism only pls

GymAnJuice

hi guys, in a book i'v recently purchased "the thyroid diet" by mary j shomon, it recommends not eating the calories back from exercise unless it's for an hours worth of exercise for weight loss. i know in here it is most definitely advised that you eat the calories back. what are your thoughts, experiences from that? thanks in advance

shakybabe

I don't eat them back but I allow myself a treat when I got choc cravings in PMT week eg i get gluten free choc brownie which is about 190cals, so if I do 500-600 cals in exercise I can have one if I'm craving chocolate but I don't eat the remainder back.. rest of month I try and snack on healthier things!

If I'm not exercising or not able to I keep calories low that day around 1,000 by cutting additional carbs (cereal, GF bread, potato with dinner etc) I only allow these on days I have exercised too, If I'm really cravings carbs and chocolate bad like PMT week and wanting chocolate spread on GF toast or chips, I try and burn 800-1,000cals in exercise so I still have at least a 500cal deficit.

I have congenital hypothyroidism (from birth) and currently going through peri-menopause, I'm managing not to regain and got about 5lbs left to go when the water comes off from this months TOTM!

GymAnJuice

if you don't mind me asking, how much are you loosing a week? so far i'm loosing 1lb a week but that is with doing jillian michael's 30 day shred (which is kicking my butt as i'm obese), which from what i understand for someone with hypoth is good. i'v been diagnosed for more years than i can remember but this site is the first time anyone has explained that it's different for me to lose weight than most ppl. btw your doing well having lost that weight

MmmDrop

I eat anywhere from 1800-2000 calories a day total. But then I do at least an hours worth of Zumba every day burning 600-700 calories & kettlebell strength training every other day that burns another 250-300 calories. I eat back enough calories to have around 1100-1200 NET calories after the burn.

I have had a full thyroidectomy, but my meds are pretty optimized at the moment with Synthroid 150mcg day & Cytomel 25mcg (split and taken twice a day).

I've lost 17 pounds just since January 11th (the day my meds were optimized) which is about 2 pounds a week. And I feel absolutely amazing. I've noticed that if I eat less than 1100 net calories, I feel like garbage.

incendia3

I've been backing off on my workouts a little bit and just sticking to Jillian Michaels' 6 Week 6 Pack (awesome!) which burns about 430 calories for me. I do that 5 days a week and on the 6th day I do a relatively quick run. I'm eating under 1400 a day which really works for me during the work week. My Synthroid was increased to 200 MCGs 6 weeks ago and as of yesterday my total TSH is down from a 5 to a 0.16 from my last labs. I've lost 6.5 lbs in the last 3.5 weeks. This is the first drop in weight I've had in 16 months since my total thyroidectomy and I was running 3-5 miles a day the whole time. So, for me, tracking my calories and keeping them relatively low along with a shorter but more intense workout is really working out.

You're absolutely right, though, we lose weight differently. My body has changed completely since my surgery. It's not as easy as calories in vs. calories out anymore. I've found it just takes some experiementation.. Try working out more and eating your calories back. Try only eating half of them back. Try a little less workout and eat less calories. We are all different. Try something new every two weeks and see what makes the biggest difference.

Also, you're doing great! There's nothing wrong with losing 1 lb per week. I would have killed for that kind of progress this past year. Keep up the good work

tecallahan

Agree - 1 pound a week is perfect!! Keep doing what you are doing. If you plateau, you may have to shock back the weight loss, by not eating back for a day or two.

GymAnJuice

thanks guys, i wasn't expecting to get anyone to respond so really pleased you all did :flowerforyou:

jadedone

I eat back around 100-200 calories. My target is 1600 on a no exercise day, and 1700-1800 on exercise days. My tracker started at the beginning of the year. I am losing 2 a week (which does seem surprisingly fast. I'll go with it for now!). This is a bit faster than my MFP goal of 1.5, but I feel like I am eating enough, and I do around 4 hours of exercise a week, so I am not going crazy there either -- my calorie deficit from my supposed basic metabolic rate is around 700.

shakybabe

if you don't mind me asking, how much are you loosing a week? so far i'm loosing 1lb a week but that is with doing jillian michael's 30 day shred (which is kicking my butt as i'm obese), which from what i understand for someone with hypoth is good. i'v been diagnosed for more years than i can remember but this site is the first time anyone has explained that it's different for me to lose weight than most ppl. btw your doing well having lost that weight

To start I only lost 3lbs a month then dropped wheat and lost 7lbs in the first week, 18lbs in that month (sept 2011) .. was losing 2lbs a week reguarly for a few months but then it slowed down. From Dec I've been having problems with my TOTM been a week late and spending half the month in water retention at the minute so been back to 2-3lbs a month, but as I only have about 5lbs to go I'm not so worried as I'll still meet my June goal date, even if only lose 2lb a month for the next 3 months... dropping the wheat and going low carb definitely help speed up the process.

sollyn

Hi, I am the same as you. I had no idea that we were different. I try not to eat back my calories. But if I have overindulged I try to rectify it with a walk or something energetic.

capricorn0120

I eat back calories sometimes but not all the time. Only if I'm really hunrgy. I am finding it hard to lose weight. When I started MFP I lost three pounds. It's now 2 weeks later and I haven't been able to lose anything and I've been working out almost everyday. I figure if I eat back the calories all the time it's of no benefit to me.

kagero1976

I do eat my exercise calories, but I don't exactly calculate it that way logically in my head. Based on some recommendations by a really informative website, I first figured out my BMR. That is the amount of energy you would use if if you just lay in bed all day. On days when I don't exercise, I multiply that by 1.2. That is the amount of calories I burn on those days in theory. On the days that I exercise, I multiply BMR by 1.4. That is the amount of calories I burn on those days in theory. I took those numbers and subtracted 500 each day. That is my goal calorie intake for that day. I should lose a pound a week based on that. I adjusted the MFP "goals" to be that calorie level. I don't enter my exercise into MFP at all. I find it too confusing that way. For me, it happens to be around 1500 calories a day. I think this is a nice reasonable level. I tried 1300 a day but found it to be a bit too restrictive that way. I was more likely to rebel and eat something I shouldn't. With 1500, if I am careful, I can have a little something sweet each night and it makes me feel like I am not being deprived.

Because I am analytical, I even go one step further and created a little chart that shows what I should be burning each day, what I eat each day, my calorie deficit each day, and my total calorie deficit. Everytime that calorie deficit reaches 3500, I know I should have lost a pound of fat whether it shows on the scale or not and I chart that. Sometimes it won't show on the scale. Sometimes the weight of muscle gain is bigger than the fat loss. Sometimes there is more water in the system. Sometimes there is a lot of undigested food. I expect weight on the scale to follow a wave pattern but get lower over time. If I find that it isn't doing that, then I can adjust my intake a little bit. I think one needs to give it time though. If you know you are doing everything right, it is just a matter of time. I've starved myself too many times and lost weight quick only to gain it back. It has to be something you can sustain for the long term:-)

PS- I also don't eat gluten. Several years agoI had been off gluten for several months at one point and then went back on it. At the time I was exercising a lot and actually gained weight during that time (about 8 pounds). I went off the gluten and it came back off. This was even counting calories that I gained weight. Gluten just doesn't mix with me and there is a strong link between gluten intolerance and thyroid issues.

sollyn

I have also started to cut out bread and dough cake etc. This does seem to have made a difference, I was stuck for a few weeks and am now slowly losing again. I have also noticed that I don't seem to be suffering with as much indigestion either. I am even thinking that I may be able to reduce the amount of omeprazole that I am taking. This will be good as you need the acid to properly digest food and kill off bugs.
I eat a treat when I have exercised. Not much, maybe even just one square of chocolate, but darn it tastes good and makes me happy!
Keep up the good work everyone, and don't forget to measure, That gives a more complete picture.

ginnylee74

I do eat my exercise calories, but I don't exactly calculate it that way logically in my head. Based on some recommendations by a really informative website, I first figured out my BMR. That is the amount of energy you would use if if you just lay in bed all day. On days when I don't exercise, I multiply that by 1.2. That is the amount of calories I burn on those days in theory. On the days that I exercise, I multiply BMR by 1.4. That is the amount of calories I burn on those days in theory. I took those numbers and subtracted 500 each day. That is my goal calorie intake for that day. I should lose a pound a week based on that. I adjusted the MFP "goals" to be that calorie level. I don't enter my exercise into MFP at all. I find it too confusing that way. For me, it happens to be around 1500 calories a day. I think this is a nice reasonable level. I tried 1300 a day but found it to be a bit too restrictive that way. I was more likely to rebel and eat something I shouldn't. With 1500, if I am careful, I can have a little something sweet each night and it makes me feel like I am not being deprived.

Because I am analytical, I even go one step further and created a little chart that shows what I should be burning each day, what I eat each day, my calorie deficit each day, and my total calorie deficit. Everytime that calorie deficit reaches 3500, I know I should have lost a pound of fat whether it shows on the scale or not and I chart that. Sometimes it won't show on the scale. Sometimes the weight of muscle gain is bigger than the fat loss. Sometimes there is more water in the system. Sometimes there is a lot of undigested food. I expect weight on the scale to follow a wave pattern but get lower over time. If I find that it isn't doing that, then I can adjust my intake a little bit. I think one needs to give it time though. If you know you are doing everything right, it is just a matter of time. I've starved myself too many times and lost weight quick only to gain it back. It has to be something you can sustain for the long term:-)

PS- I also don't eat gluten. Several years agoI had been off gluten for several months at one point and then went back on it. At the time I was exercising a lot and actually gained weight during that time (about 8 pounds). I went off the gluten and it came back off. This was even counting calories that I gained weight. Gluten just doesn't mix with me and there is a strong link between gluten intolerance and thyroid issues.

Could you please tell me what web sight you got your information. I would be interested in looking at it.

Thank you,

fiberartist219

Personally, I tried eating the calories that MFP recommends and I find that I need a lot more than that if I want to function and be a friendly human being. I get crabby when I'm hungry.

I follow a more intuitive eating plan, so I can't really tell you if I eat back my exercise calories or not since I don't log, but I can tell you I'm a lot hungrier and eating more since I've started resistance training.

I love Mary Shomon as an author, and I'm so glad she wrote her books, but like any other kind of advice you get, you just have to try it out and see if it works for you or not. She's not a doctor, nor does she claim to be. She just likes to tell everyone what worked for her and what she's been hearing from other thyroid patients.

kagero1976

Ginny, the website I read a lot of good nutrition and exercise information was www.hussmanfitness.org

There is a lot of information on it so be prepared to read for awhile. It promotes the Body for Life program although the person who wrote the website isn't selling anything. I don't follow the Body for Life eating plan, I count calories. I based my calories off of the recommendations of this website, though. I am following the Body for Life exercises(which I also found for free). Reading all the information about what your body does when you exercise and the process that happens when you lose weight really made me feel a lot better about losing weight slowly and only using the scale as one tool to measure progress:-)