Not losing ANY weight : ( Could it be hypothyroid?

typeaimages

I'm sticking to the 1200 calorie diet and also working out (cardio/circuit training/treadmill) 4-5 times a week for an hour at a time. I haven't lost anything.

I have hypothyroidism and I'm wondering if my inability to lose is maybe related.

Last time I went on a diet/exercise regime I lost weight fairly quickly.

Any advice?

EatClenTrenHard

no its not hypothyroid.

how long you been on the diet.

candyastra

I have hypothyroidism and I've lost 100lbs in the past year! Did you do your calculations and find out your TDEE & BMR? Maybe you're eating too few calories which can cause weight gain

bpotts44

Too few calories cannot cause weight gain.

EatClenTrenHard

http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/

count calories more precisely.
only use digital scale, and use metric units as measurement.
dont use "handfuls, cups, oz, pieces, half, pinch" etc.

typeaimages

I've only been on the diet for about a month....but I haven't lost anything. Not one single pound.

omma_to_3

Maybe you're eating too few calories which can cause weight gain

Eating too few calories certainly doesn't cause weight gain. It might hinder your weight loss, but if you're eating less than you're burning, you're not going to gain.

For the OP: when was the last time you had your thyroid levels checked? Do you take your meds routinely, and in the recommended manner? How sure are you of your calorie intake and your calorie burn during exercise? The vast majority of the time, that is the cause of no weight loss - underestimating your eating while overestimating your workouts. But thyroid can certainly have an effect! I have Hashimoto's and my levels can change rapidly. You should have them tested at least once a year - preferably twice. Some people have better results on different brands of meds too, though I haven't tried that myself.

DanielleRN8

While hypothyroidism can make it difficult to lose weight, it should not cause you to not be able to lose weight. What was your last TSH level? Are you taking your Levothyroxine every morning on an empty stomach?

JinxRita

I have hypothyroidism as well, and I am currently unmedicated. I haven't been exercising (for shame, I know) but have been eating the proper amount of calories for the most part. I've still been losing weight. Check the kinds of food you're eating, and maybe up your calories?

kenazfehu

It might be worth getting a checkup of those thyroid levels if you haven't in awhile. Otherwise, you have to be patient. It can take the body quite some time to adjust to new habits. It could be that your body is holding onto everything right now, but if you keep feeding yourself appropriately, you will adjust at the cellular level and start metabolizing fat.

Just don't undereat and over-exercise; be sensible.

typeaimages

I just had my levels checked last month and they were fine, I take my medication regularly, yes.

I'll just have to keep at it. My diet is pretty good, lots of protein....probably too much dairy, I should probably check that at the door. I love my cheese, though!

adk88

I found, personally, 1200 calories was not enough for my body. I was losing 1.5 lbs per week with 1450. I switched to 1200 calories for three weeks and did not lose a single pound. I switched back to 1450 and started losing again.
I agree that it does take time for the body to adjust, and I am not trying to say that you might be eating too little. Just sharing what was the case with me.

Shas2228

I am hypothyroid as well.. I have hashimoto's thyroiditis. I know we actually shouldn't be eating anything with gluten (I can't afford that though). It might be WHAT you are eating. Stick to lots of produce and lean meats and stay away from anything processed. Lots of water. See if that helps. If not you may need to go to the Dr... and I just saw your comment with dairy. That's gotta go, I limit mine. I've invested in weight watchers cheese sticks (cheddar cheese, 70 cals). I've noticed when I eat too much dairy my weight loss decreases.

sinkingthinking

Possibilities off the top of my head: Muscle mass increase masking the fat loss, due to all the exercise and protein. Night Eating Syndrome. Miscounting calories.

A lot of people have that last problem. E.g. forgetting to consider the calorie content of fruit juice (as much sugar as fizzy soft drinks), tea or coffee, and thinking certain healthy-looking foods like granola or low fat yoghurt (also frequently full of sugar) don't count; drinking a lot of calories absent-mindedly; licking fingers and 'testing' food as you cook it; trying bites of other people's food when offered to you etc., are all reasons I've heard that people under-estimate their daily intake.

californiagirl2012

I'm sticking to the 1200 calorie diet and also working out (cardio/circuit training/treadmill) 4-5 times a week for an hour at a time. I haven't lost anything.

I have hypothyroidism and I'm wondering if my inability to lose is maybe related.

Last time I went on a diet/exercise regime I lost weight fairly quickly.

Any advice?

There is no mystery to weight loss, everyone thinks something is wrong, their metabolism is broken, they have low thyroid, they have menopause or whatever issue, they are as unique as a snowflake, whatever. I thought a lot of these things once too but once the doctor helped resolve the health issues for me I learned there is still no magic pill. Most people eat more than they need to and are not at good at estimating calories as they think they are. Most people have a lower BMR than they think they do. The only way to know for sure is to go to a lab and have it tested. It doesn't seem fair to have to eat less and feel a little hunger. It's hard to face the truth of it, very hard. It's not fun. It's drudgery at times. But if you learn to enjoy your smaller amounts of food (necessary to lose weight, since the reason we got fat in the first place was eating too much whether we knew it or not), and rejoice in your victories it can be done.

All I can do is share what worked for me. I achieved my goal at age 50 after beating my head against the wall for 15 years. Yeah anyone can do it, but I can tell you that you are up against a lot when you are older and I believe females have some unique issue to face with hormones and such. The sooner you can get a handle on it the better. DO NOT GIVE UP. As I got older and the weight piled on (and I didn't feel I was eating too much!) everyone kept telling me to give up, this is what happens when you get older. I'm small, and I didn't realize how small I was until I lost the weight. Everyone said I had big bones. I looked hefty because I worked out. Once I lost the weight I realized how small I really was and that small people don't need to eat as much as big people. HINT: If you are short you are probably small.

Your body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but if you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale; water retention, digestion, hormones, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose or gain weight when they eat more or less because of these fluctuations.

Losing weight requires tremendous patience. You will not lose it when you want it or where you want it. The body does its thing. Some apparent plateaus can last a month or so. You cannot make it happen faster. You must focus on two things; calories and exercise. Nothing else matters. Scales and metrics don't matter. The day in and day out grind of exercise and calories are all that matters. It is not very exciting until things fall into place. You get your victories and you ride one victory to the next.

The scale is a trend tool. The scale is good but put it away and only check once a week and only use it as a trend tool. It will fluctuate, it does not matter. Take front side and back progress pictures at least once a month. You will see differences that the metrics won't tell you and it's that little bit of NSV that will keep you going until the next victory.

To say eat more is wrong.

To say eat less is wrong.

To find the exact calories needed for YOU to be in a healthy sustainable calorie deficit is the right answer. Wait, if you need to adjust by 100 do it, wait, adjust, wait, adjust, wait. The tortoise wins this race.

All that matters is calories. A healthy balanced diet within a calorie budget for a deficit that is right for YOU is all that matters for weight loss. Don't make it complicated.


Also people play mental accounting games with calories just like with finances. Make steps to make sure you are making accurate measurements. Packaged foods can have MORE than they say but not less (they get in trouble if less so they would rather error with MORE).

If you typically intake sodium at a certain rate your body adjusts, but if you make a sudden change then you will see a spike.

Exercise is for making your lean body mass pretty (especially lifting weights) for when the fat is gone. Losing fat with no muscle is ugly and cardio alone will not make you pretty. You cannot out exercise too many calories.

It really is about calories. I tell people this all the time and they say "Well if calories are all that matter why do you eat so clean???!!" Well, because it makes me feel better, sleep better, and perform better at my sports.

Too many changes at once can be hard on some people. I've always eaten healthy so it easy for me to simply eat less. Eating at a calorie deficit is hard on people; even a small deficit puts your body in a state of flux with hormones and such. Everyone is different. Some people can handle a deeper calorie deficit than others, this is not right or wrong, it just is. Stress in your life affects your hunger hormones; lack of sleep, fatigue, job stress, family stress, financial stress, etc. Add in emotional eating issues and it gets even more complicated. Most people can only handle so much change/stress at once, they try to do too much and fail. Sometimes it might be a better strategy to eat at maintenance and make some small changes first, it really depends on how much stress you are taking in at the moment.

What is the exact number of calories for you?

We’ve been trying to figure out an exact NUMBER of calories that everyone should be eating, without recognizing that everyone is slightly different. In truth, the calories aren’t the end game. Your body is. So the EXACT amount of Calories that are right for you is the EXACT amount that will allow you to maintain your ideal bodyweight no matter what some calculator or chart says.

In other words, an online calculator might tell you that you need to eat 2,500 calories
per day to maintain your ideal bodyweight. But the only way to know for sure if this is
the right amount for you is to test it out. If you gain weight or can’t lose weight eating
that much, then you know you need to eat less to lose weight no matter how many
calculators and text books say otherwise.

This doesn’t mean your metabolism is broken, it just means the estimate of your needs
was just a bit off.

-John Barban (The Body Centric Calorie Guide from the Venus Index and Adonis Index Manuals)

The good thing is you don't have to worry about the starvation mode myth if you are fat. Only skinny people have to worry about starvation mode. It does not mean you have the capability to eat at a large calorie deficit if you have emotional eating disorders or other issues going on, but at least you don't have to be afraid of it anymore.

The Theory of Fat Availability:
•There is a set amount of fat that can be released from a fat cell.
•The more fat you have, the more fat can be used as a fuel when dieting.
•The less fat you have, the less fat can be used as a fuel when dieting.
•Towards the end of a transformation, when body fat is extremely low you
may not have enough fat to handle a large caloric deficit anymore.

At the extreme low end, when your body fat cannot ‘keep up’ with the energy deficit
you've imposed on your body, the energy MUST come from SOMEWHERE. This is
when you are at risk of losing lean body mass during dieting (commonly referred to
as ‘starvation mode’). This happens at extremely low levels of body fat, under 6% in
men and 12% in women [Friedl K.E. J Appl Phsiol, 1994].

-Brad Pilon and John Barban (from The Reverse Taper Diet in The Adonis Index and Venus Index manuals)

Lifting weights is KEY. I recently had my DXA scan done and at 51.5 years of age I have the bone density of a super athletic 30 year old. That is a direct result of lifting for over 30 years. Now if that is not scientific proof that lifting weights keeps you younger I don't know what is! Also I believe it is why most people think I look much younger than I really am.

Start lifting now, lift heavy and change it up often, find a lot of weight routines with free weights, make it fun, embrace it, make it part of your life. Only 3 days a week is all it would take. Crank up your tunes and learn to love it, because your body will love it and it will make your quality of life better in many ways, especially when you get older like me.

Because of this I don't have to worry about osteoporosis. If you wait until you are older and your bones start to deteriorate it's a bit too late, you can't get back what you lost, and you can only start a resistance routine that will prevent further damage.

If you are female you don't have the hormones to get big naturally. I lift heavy and I'm still really tiny. My lean body mass is only 104 lbs and that is fairly heavy for a 5'1" female, and quite a bit of this is due to my having very dense bones from 30 years of lifting, not all muscle, and I'm still quite tiny.

My muscles really are not that big, but they show a lot of definition because I'm quite lean. If I gained some fat then I would have a softer more toned look (which is OKAY too!). Then if I gained more fat I would look bulky and hefty like I did most of my life until last year. YOU CAN HAVE WHATEVER YOU WANT. Lean and ripped, soft and toned, or hefty, it all depends on how much fat you leave on your body. Calories are the only thing that changes fat. Exercise is for changing or maintaining your lean body mass only. Lifting weights will give you the best bang for your buck for shaping your body. I finally changed my shape by putting lifting first and cardio 2nd. You cannot out exercise too many calories.

Angie_1991

Let's see your diary.

ash8184

I have hypothyroidism too and have lost almost 100lbs in the last 15 months or so.

Are you changing up your exercise? Also, I would echo the comments about going to get your BMR checked. I did and found out my BMR is under 1200 cals/day so in order to lose, I HAVE to eat under 1200 and exercise (which I know a lot of people on this site will frown about, but it's what was prescribed by my dietitian).

You might also get a heart rate monitor to be sure you're getting your heart rate up during exercise. Try adding in some intervals.

jennfranklin

Are you boosting your calorie intake every fourth day? If not, it is very important because it helps your body from going into starvation mode. Your system gets use the the intake of calories, and in so many words gets bored! Change it up a little!

Ge0rgiana

Depends. What's your free T3 and free T4 look like?

a_crotty

PCOS symptoms mimic VERY closely hypothyroidism symptoms, worth checking it out.

Mokey41

I am hypothyroid as well.. I have hashimoto's thyroiditis. I know we actually shouldn't be eating anything with gluten (I can't afford that though).

What's to afford? Just quit eating wheat products. You don't have to replace them with gluten free things.

Ge0rgiana

I have hypothyroidism too and have lost almost 100lbs in the last 15 months or so.

Are you changing up your exercise? Also, I would echo the comments about going to get your BMR checked. I did and found out my BMR is under 1200 cals/day so in order to lose, I HAVE to eat under 1200 and exercise (which I know a lot of people on this site will frown about, but it's what was prescribed by my dietitian).

You might also get a heart rate monitor to be sure you're getting your heart rate up during exercise. Try adding in some intervals.

No, you should NOT eat under your BMR.

denise33027

I also have a hypothyroid.....avoid all gluten and lift heavy. Worked like a charm for me. Good luck!

Ge0rgiana

I just had my levels checked last month and they were fine, I take my medication regularly, yes.

I'll just have to keep at it. My diet is pretty good, lots of protein....probably too much dairy, I should probably check that at the door. I love my cheese, though!

So, your fT3 and fT4 are well into normal range? Like, fT4 is WELL above 1.0? If that's the case, and you're not having any other symptoms, I'd go ahead and look at other things, like if you're eating enough, logging correctly, etc.

05saleengirl

Depends. What's your free T3 and free T4 look like?

Finally someone said it. THIS is correct. If your blood .work is low, meds not right....yea its very hard to lose the weight. I have it myself. And recently had to readjust my meds...lowered them actually because tok much can have a hypo like effectt on some. And once I got my meds right...the weight loss is picking back up....and ivr done nothing different. Still exercising still eating clean.

05saleengirl

I just had my levels checked last month and they were fine, I take my medication regularly, yes.

I'll just have to keep at it. My diet is pretty good, lots of protein....probably too much dairy, I should probably check that at the door. I love my cheese, though!

Ok, what is fine though? Just being in range is not enough. Is your ft4 no more than mid range? And your.free t3 Atleast in the upper 3/4 of the range? Also have you had your reverse t3 levels checked? I had that issue...blood work looked good..in paper...but u wad sick as hell. Look at http://WWW.stopthethyroidmadness.com lots of good info