Weight Loss/Fat burning for hypothyroidism? Help me. :(
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I have hypothyroidism and the only way I lost weight, was to basically eat under, or very close to, 1200 calories.
I also worked out 5-7 times a week.
Hypothyroidism really is a *****. I'm so over it! I'm currently taking 100mcg of Synthroid per day and the side effects aren't fun.1200 calories seems way too little and i've been advised against that since i lift. The same goes for working out more than 3 times a week. Its not recommended to do more than that if im lifting! What side affects have you noticed? I haven't noticed any. I'm sleeping a lot more than i should but anything could have caused that!
Cardio is a scary word for me. I heard that unless its HiIT it doesn't exactly promote muscle growth!
I'm off to see my doctor monday and i plan on being there for hours getting myself sorted!!!
Seriously, well done to all of you who have lost weight with hypo. Its near impossible!!
Side effects of eating under 1200 calories, or exactly 1200 calories and exercising 5-7 times a week? At the start I was kinda tired, but then my body got used to it. I'm tired whether I over exercise, or not. Apparantly I'm on the right dose of Synthroid, but then why do I feel like hell? At the moment I work out 4-5 times a week and eating between 1300-1500 calories per day and my weight isn't going down at all.
Its total torture isn't it?! You never know how many calories to eat or what to do. What exercise are you doing? Maybe your body needs more fuel? I also get EXTREMELY tired. I could probably sleep for 24 hours straight given the opportunity (unless i actually want to sleep - then my body won't allow me to)! I wouldn't mind adding 30 day shred into my mornings, but most people who advise against too much cardio with strength training! I'm currently doing NROLFW and might take a 30 day break to do 30 Day Shred before moving onto the next stage.
I've noticed a lot of people say good things about Armour. It seems to be better than Levothyroxine anyway! Do they prescribe it to people with low TSH? I might mention it to my doctor!0 -
Taking my medication as I should. Same time every day, full glass of water, empty stomach. Regularly getting blood work done. Oh yeah and HARD WORK AND PORTION CONTROL. Forget all of those stupid diet fads. Just because you're hypo, doesn't give you any excuses! If anything, you'll lose slower than people without. I've lost 18 lbs in almost 80 days, just by logging my calories.0
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It is not impossible. Seriously, stop making excuses. I'm proof it's possible, and my diary isn't perfect and I rarely work out.0
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i used to be low hypo.....until i lost a bit of weight and strangely enough my doc told me i could stop taking the pills.!!!! my levels came back to normal ( 1.9 )
anyways, what worked for me was.. eating lots of protein and vegetables and fruits ...BUT cutting out bread and other wheat products...even gluten free grains can slow down my progress..
and eating clean. minimally processed food. i went through a lot of chicken, beef, turkey, salads, roasted veggies and no potatoes or high Glycemic Index fruits.
well that and walking, thats what got me to losing 16 lbs. Ive been taking a break and maintaining right now until i get my mojo back and lose 16 more lbs...but thats it....its working.0 -
I have hypothyroid also. I was diagnosed in February and I have to say I was relieved when I found out why I felt the way I did. Since starting medication it has not been such a struggle to lose or at least not gain weight. Are you on medication? If so have you have regular blood tests to make sure it is at the right level?0
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I too have hypothyroidism...If you're taking medication to counteract the under active thyroid and it's at a therapeutic level, it shouldn't make any difference. We tend to use this "disorder" as a crutch when in fact, our meds "fix" the problem if we're taking them and having our blood-work done regularly to be sure our meds are on track. If you're not getting your blood-work done regularly, then I have to ask why not? Is your thyroid medication at a therapeutic level? If not, get with your doctor to adjust it.0
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The first and foremost rule is to stay on top of your testing and make sure you are taking the meds as directed.
Secondly, stop messing around with fad diets! Get some real nutrition, and make sure you eat enough... I recommend setting your weight loss goals to 1/2 lb per week. It's slow, but that's the reality for most of us. If you set your calories too low or mess around with these silly cabbage soup shenanigans, you're going to mess up your metabolism even worse. You need to eat real food when you are hungry.
Third, get some exercise. I'm glad to hear you are doing NROLFW. That should be good for you. Building muscle in general seems to be helpful for me. I don't lose much weight, but my body feels better and looks a hell of a lot better when I do that.
I did eventually lose some weight... I think the keys for me were to get regular sleep, only eat when I'm hungry (but not when I'm tired) and to get off some extra medications that I didn't need anymore (with doctor's consent, of course).
I lost about 18 lbs over the course of a year. It didn't happen consistently, and it took some time, but you should know it is possible.
Also, keep in mind that eating right and exercising is good for you, regardless of if you lose weight or not.0 -
PS. if you haven't done so yet... get yourself to a library and read up on it. Mary Shomon is a great author on the subject. She is a patient herself. Of course, don't read her books like a bible... read some others too just so you can compare and contrast the info and decide for yourself.0
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I'm hypo as well. I stay consistent on my taking my meds, I have my levels checked (for me, every 6 months or once a year at the longest), and stay aware of symptoms that indicate my levels are off (tired, weight gain, TOM issues). I take B12, iron, and vitamin D per doctor's orders since I am deficient in those often.
As long as my levels are good, I'm able to lose weight with diet and exercise at the slow & steady pace. I eat 1800-2000 calories a day.
Sounds like you really need to see your doctor about your levels. You could also check into switching to Armour. Some people do better on that versus Synthoid.0 -
Can you tell me how you found out it was not hypothyroidism? My Doc diagnosed me last year. Put me on the meds but I had really bad side effects so I stopped taking it. My doctor swears they were not from the meds but within a week of stopping the meds my knees didnt hurt, my ankles didnt feel like they were giving out while walking down stairs, and my hair softened (literally would break if i touched it). I researched different things that would interfer with idodine absorbtion and am trying to avoid them as much as possible. Any information would be appriciated.
Side note: My t3 level was 4.6, which 4.5 is still considered normal.0 -
bump for later0
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I was diagnosed w/ Hypothyroid but please what does TOM mean?0
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Can you tell me how you found out it was not hypothyroidism? My Doc diagnosed me last year. Put me on the meds but I had really bad side effects so I stopped taking it. My doctor swears they were not from the meds but within a week of stopping the meds my knees didnt hurt, my ankles didnt feel like they were giving out while walking down stairs, and my hair softened (literally would break if i touched it). I researched different things that would interfer with idodine absorbtion and am trying to avoid them as much as possible. Any information would be appriciated.
Side note: My t3 level was 4.6, which 4.5 is still considered normal.
Most doctors do not consider 4.5 as normal.0 -
I am hypo as well. In the past I have been able to lose weight as long as my levels were within normal range. I was on 137 mcg of Sythroid for the past 2 + years however lately I have been feeling tired, having a terrible time losing any weight and have a ton of hair loss. I had my levels rechecked last week and even though my T3, T4, and Free T3 and T4 were within the normal range my TSH was 5.47. My doctor likes to keep my TSH close to 1 because that is when I feel my best. My Synthroid was increased to 150mcg and my levels will be checked again in 6 to 8 weeks again. I at this point I can deal with the lack of weight loss, but the fatigue and extreme hair loss is what is really bothering me the most!
Best of luck to you! Weight loss is nothing new to me and in the past I have lost 120 pounds while hyop so I know it can be done, the important thing is staying on top of your lab work and making sure you are taking your medication first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and staying away from dairy products for at least an hour after you take take is, as dairy counter acts the effectiveness of Synthroid.0 -
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Most doctors do not consider 4.5 as normal.
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Nor does mine. My doctor likes 3.3 and below however I feel at my best with my TSH as close to one as possible so that is the therapeutic level he shoots for.0 -
I have hypothyroidism and the only way I lost weight, was to basically eat under, or very close to, 1200 calories.
I also worked out 5-7 times a week.
Hypothyroidism really is a *****. I'm so over it! I'm currently taking 100mcg of Synthroid per day and the side effects aren't fun.1200 calories seems way too little and i've been advised against that since i lift. The same goes for working out more than 3 times a week. Its not recommended to do more than that if im lifting! What side affects have you noticed? I haven't noticed any. I'm sleeping a lot more than i should but anything could have caused that!
Cardio is a scary word for me. I heard that unless its HiIT it doesn't exactly promote muscle growth!
I'm off to see my doctor monday and i plan on being there for hours getting myself sorted!!!
Seriously, well done to all of you who have lost weight with hypo. Its near impossible!!
Side effects of eating under 1200 calories, or exactly 1200 calories and exercising 5-7 times a week? At the start I was kinda tired, but then my body got used to it. I'm tired whether I over exercise, or not. Apparantly I'm on the right dose of Synthroid, but then why do I feel like hell? At the moment I work out 4-5 times a week and eating between 1300-1500 calories per day and my weight isn't going down at all.
Its total torture isn't it?! You never know how many calories to eat or what to do. What exercise are you doing? Maybe your body needs more fuel? I also get EXTREMELY tired. I could probably sleep for 24 hours straight given the opportunity (unless i actually want to sleep - then my body won't allow me to)! I wouldn't mind adding 30 day shred into my mornings, but most people who advise against too much cardio with strength training! I'm currently doing NROLFW and might take a 30 day break to do 30 Day Shred before moving onto the next stage.
I've noticed a lot of people say good things about Armour. It seems to be better than Levothyroxine anyway! Do they prescribe it to people with low TSH? I might mention it to my doctor!
I'm doing 30-45mins of cardio, 4-5 times a week, with the occasional weights in between.
I've read really good things about Armour.. not sure if we have it here in New Zealand?! I'm going to make an appointment to see my doctor next week and find out. There's a med called NatureThroid as well.. I think. Might ask about that one, too.0 -
I was diagnosed with hyper last year, lost weight, was already low, then changed my diet and within about 6 months gained and gained and gained. Paleo seemed to help me feel better but I still felt that diet had more fat and calories then my body was use to especially after a vegan diet and the binging from being hyper. So far, in the past 5 weeks I have seen the first weight loss I have had in months...I have not really changed my excercising too much but lowered my calories, fat, and added back grains but gluten free ones. I am down almost 6 pounds and after feeling like all I would do was gain, that feels pretty awesome. Oh, and with the excercise, it needs to be regular and I try to do at least an hour of cardio.
Other suggestions, see a naturopath or switch doctors.
Good luck to you, I know how frustrating it can be.0 -
I suggest you to stop taking those weight loss pills..i already asked to my doctor and he said "weight loss pills could harm your body in the long term, pills mostly just showing a temporary result and will make those fat back again"..I use diet solution program, and i've lost 15 pounds so far!! 4 pounds to go to achieve my ideal weight!!0
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I was diagnosed 2 years ago (at the age of 21 and only after a series of tests due to memory loss!!) My levels are dangerously low, at the minute Im on double dose of thyroxine but hope they mention a decent level so I can go back down to the usual 50mg but cant see it happening any time soon! Firstly its lovely to meet people with the same condition, I dont have anyone over where I live with the same thing and its scary trying to explain to people that at 21 I rely on medication daily to stop me losing my memory!! So if anyone wants to add me please feel free!
Next on to the weight loss. Ive struggled since I was diagnosed and where I used to lose a consistant 2lb weekly I gain, then lose a bit, then gain it back and then some, I stop, I lose etc etc. The only thing that has worked for me lately is hiring a personal trainer. It took just under a year to lose 2 stone before I gained a stone back etc but in the last 4 weeks since having a PT Ive lost 4 inches round the waist and 2 inches everywhere else. I see him once a week, train a further 2 days a week in the gym on his programme he sets me, do sit ups at home, drink green tea, no carbs after 6pm and just this week started upping my protein
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what's your calorie goal? maybe higher it abit say lose 1lb a week, eat some of extra cals which u burnt. I have an under-active thyroid and i lost the weight 4 stone in 7 months, 1 stone on me own and 3 stone with fitness pal Ask your doctor about your thyroid levels and maybe ask them about your medication levels see if it's anything to do with it.0
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I don't know if i missed it but are you exercising? HIIT and weights help you burn fat. Make sure you are eating clean. Stay away from fad diets and pills. I have multiple conditions resulting in my body apparently not being able to lose weight and i have had the most success from HIIT, weights and eating clean. Limit junk and processed foods.0
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I was diagnosed w/ Hypothyroid but please what does TOM mean?
TOM means "time of the month". My cycle is terrible when my levels are off. It's a symptom that's not mentioned as often as fatigue, weight gain, and hair loss, but for a lot of women, their cycles are irregular. Mine was overly heavy and weight loss did not help it. Once my thyroid levels went to normal, boom, cycle normal.0 -
I don't use hypo an excuse, i use it as a reason to try harder.
I usually eat clean with no grains or dairy but i do have off-days like most people.
I'm on levothyroxine and will be going for my 3rd blood test on monday. (my first test was the basic one and they found nothing, then i got diagnosed after asking for the full blood panel.) I'm going to hope my doctor will adjust my dosage!!
I find gaining muscle isn't too much of a challenge. Its just getting rid of the layers of fat hiding it thats hard!
Jewelsliveey, i didn't think i had side effects Though at the very start i seemed to be shedding a lot of hair. It's stopped now though. Definitely going to ask about armour!!
0MissErin0 - yep i eat clean (mostly), lift heavy and do HiIT!! Its been good for muscle building and helped a wee bit with fat loss. What REALLY worked for me is Whole30, but its very strict!! I'll be doing it again next month!
I would highly recommend Whole30 to people but be prepared to make a lot of sacrifices. (The more you sacrifice, the more you succeed!)
SCOUSERWENCH- I always eat back my exercise calories. Though i recently got a HRM and realised i really underestimated calories burnt during strength training!! I know eating too little was a problem for me in the past. But i think i might have met my ideal calorie intake now. I just gotta stop going over it!!
lynz4589- Memory loss? Is that a hypo symptom? I thought i was just a bit dim!! (short-term memory loss - i've been known to stop and think what year it is!) :P
KetMed28- I don't believe in weight loss pills anymore. The last ones i tried made me throw up violently every day i took them. They all have horrible side affects and never work. I now think of them as bullimia in tablet form and won't be going back!
I noticed i'm not the only one losing hair. I got a new hairbrush 3 days ago and its now FULL of hair (though my iron is also very low). My boyfriend told me today that i could actually make a wig from the amount of hair he's found all over the house!
TOM has become crazy too. 2 weeks of it and its really unpredictable!! Anyone else like that?0 -
Mines weird too. I started noticing something was wrong when i stopped getting periods. Though at this stage i was in a torture chamber of a gym, and they had me on a horrible starvation diet where i could only eat 2-3 portions of chicken, turkey, or fish with veg per day! (i cheated on that diet by eating protein bars and left that place!) The pill regulated it but now its gone crazy!!TOM means "time of the month". My cycle is terrible when my levels are off. It's a symptom that's not mentioned as often as fatigue, weight gain, and hair loss, but for a lot of women, their cycles are irregular. Mine was overly heavy and weight loss did not help it. Once my thyroid levels went to normal, boom, cycle normal.0 -
Are your TSH levels good? I find that when mine are 0.6 - 1.0 I feel the best.0
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My TSH levels are actually my main problem. I think everything else was fine!!0
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Hypothyroidism seems to affect people very differently. I was diagnosed in June with levels of 10.9 (apparently i have been suffering for a while without a diagnosis. I thought being tired and indecisive was due to the stress at my job). I still have not reached the normal range. My doctor is still adjusting my meds. My first test showed i was down to 6.4, but my target is supposed to be .5 to help me lose the 70 lbs I have gained over the last 3 years. I noticed a marked difference after taking synthroid for 8 weeks or so. I am less tired and scattered, i still get tuckered out now and again, but i see the light at the end of the tunnel. While i know i am not at the right hormone levels yet, i have actually been able to start the MFP program on a 1300 calorie a day and while i am only a week into it, it seems to be going well. I would be thrilled to have some of you add me as friends for support as i am still very new to this whole thing.0
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Have had Hashimoto's Thyroiditis for about 8 years. Have been on 175 to 200 mcg. Atrial fib problems have complicated
things and I have to stay on the lower range or else I go into afib too much
Important to not just check TSH level, get the Free T4/T3 and rT3 checked, as well as cortisol and adrenal
There are a few interesting blogs on youtube from dr Mark Hyman of UltraWelness.com talking about hypothyroid, well worth watching. And here is an article on T3
http://thyroid.about.com/od/loseweightsuccessfully/a/weight-loss-diet.htm
Feel free to add me as a friend. I am still looking for answers on how to lose weight as I have been unsuccessful
Even on a 1200 a day diet eating clean and very active lifestyle including exercising
There has to be a way!0 -
I feel your pain! I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism several years ago and have had a very difficult time losing weight. Like you, I have tried so many things...what is finally working for me is to get serious about several things : I cut way back on sugars and high glycemic carbs. I purchased a FITBIT that I sync with MFP and it helps me track my food, calories burned, steps, stairs, etc. I realized I was in a denial about my food intake and I was exaggerating my exercise. With the FITBIT and MFP everything is in black and white. I exercise on the elliptical 6 days a week and do hiphop dancing on the 7th day. I do crunches on an exercise ball, but haven't added in strength training yet...I've read on here that strength training will increase muscle that in turn increases your metabolism. I love this site since you can learn from others who are being successful and get encouragement for the hard times of the journey. Best wishes for your success!0
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Thanks for the link!I have Hashimotos and have had it since I was a kid. The biggest change for me was about 2 years ago when my doctor switched me from levoxyl to armour thyroid. Make sure you don't just get TSH bloodwork, make sure they do T3 free, T4 free, antibodies etc... Also have them check your B12, when you are hypo you are often deficient in B12 and D. Go to www.stopthethyroidmadness.com it's the best resource I have ever found. I am 5'6, 125 lbs and eat up to 1800 calories per day on excercise days. I have been able to eat much more calories since switching to a mostly clean diet (my diary is open) and I follow a 40% protein, 40% carb and 20% fat diet. Also go to a doctor that will check you for adrenal fatigue, I had it and it had to be taken care of before he switched me to armour and I am on a fairly decent dose. Before I switched to armour I was on 150mg of levoxyl. Hope this helps a little.0
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