Hypothyroidism and weight loss

I have had my thyroid removed several years ago and I am taking synthroid to supplement. Talk to your doctor and get blood work done if you haven't done it yet. You might need a higher dose of T3 or T4 hormone. Also choose healthy food eat lots of greens and add exercise. It is true that when your hormones are off it is much harder to lose weight but what your mind can do to your body is much worse!! Stop thinking that slow progress is due to the thyroid and refocus your thoughts and analyze your diet and your workout plan. You might be surprised how much your mind regulates your health and your overall well being. Think positive eat less but more often and exercise !!!


Best of luck!!
Yazi

Have you guys gotten medication from your dr? When I started taking meds weight started falling off so easily. There are also a lot of good natural thyriod OTC meds.

I have Hoshimotos Disease which is a form of Hypothryroidism. I take Armour Thyroid and it has done so well for me. I love that there aren't the nasty side effects like the synthetics. I too had an easier time dropping the weight once my body was in a better balance. adarns.. what do you take to help you stay balance that is OTC and natural? Because i have the Hypo, i also have a slow adrenal gland. Does anyone else have this same issue?

I had my thyroid out in 2003. It is a hard fought journey to lose the weight but it is possible. You need to make sure you medicine is regulated because having a higher TSH will cause you block on your weight loss. It isn't your thyroid that makes you gain the weight, it is the symptoms that come along with it, such as depression and stress. I feel very lucky to have the number two Endocrinologist in the world for my doctor and he is the best. You can do it, it just takes time and real determination to eat right. Your thyroid is your regulator in your body. It is like the motor in a car. The car won't run without it and your body can't run properly without the meds. Work on getting the meds straight and the other will fall in line.

i had my thyroid removed a couple of years ago and my doctor advised me to do extreme calorie counting and lots of excercise in order to lose weight. he says we have to realize that our bodies aren't going to react to conventional diets. once the weight is lost, keep doing the excerise but add small amounts of calories at a time and monitor any weight gain. if you gain weight, restrict to where you previously were. we may need to cut and additional 100 calories and do an additional day of cardio. i been testing my own body to see what works. i've found that when i do low carb, i feel so restricted that i don't sustain the diet very long. i've also started the insanity workout program along with a low fat, low cal diet. i don't feel deprived eating like this. also, no more eating after 7. this is a battle but i have friends that are in the same boat and have been successful losing over time. be strong and hang in there. for the first time in the last two years, i've noticed changes in my weight and my boday. good luck

I was diagnosed in 2000. What I have found over the years is that as long as my levels are in a range that is good for me (under 2 is where i'm best), I don't have a problem losing. If your levels are in the right range for you, you should be able to lose. If you are not losing have a discussion with your dr. Anything under 5 and over 1 is "Normal". If I'm over 2.5 I'm off -- not only does my metabolism come to a screaching halt, my blood pressure goes up.

PLEASE do not use any OTC if you have been diagnosed. Getting your levels in the right place can take months! The last time I was off it was a good 6 months to get in a good place. Be sure you speak up about your symptoms with your DR. Also, check the instructions on your meds --mine I need to take an hour before food and not with any vitamins. Iron will stop the absorption of my Levoxyl.

HTH!

YES! I was diagnosed last year with hypothyroidism. I'm having a tough week with gaining 4 lbs this week; and I've been in my calorie range and working out everyday. My dr switched me from armour thyroid to a new medicine, but I haven't filled it yet because I have this fear of gaining weight, as he said was a side affect. I find I have better results with low carb diets, not restricted but monitored. I have more proteins and veggies and it boosts my metabolism. Glad to find someone else in the same boat!

Yes, controlled carb is the way to go with Thyroid issues.

Eating whole, unprocessed natural foods is the way to keep the metabolism stoked. Processed foods and chemicals mostly stop the metabolism and reek havoc on the body as a whole.

I am struggling right now with getting a new doctor to listen to me with my thyroid issues.

I just got blood work taken for Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Just curious what a "controlled carb" diet would look like? What percentage do those of you that eat this kind of diet have your carbs percentage set at in your "goals" section of MFP? :huh:

A controlled carb plan can look like several things.........

Doing a structured plan such as South Beach, Atkins, Primal Blue Print, etc...........as there are many others.

It can also be your own plan.............eating adequate protein and fats, lots of veggies and some fruit. Basically a pretty natural eating plan.

I have been told eating 150 grams of carbs per day or less is a controlled carb plan. Different levels work for each person, you will have to find what works for you.

I've been on Armour Thyroid for almost 8 weeks now and I'm feeling pretty good. I also started taking a multi-vitamin, which I've never done before so that could be helping as well. I'm participating in a 60-day challenge at my local gym to lose weight, something I haven't done in at least 8 or 9 months and the first two weeks I lost 4 lbs and 3'' off my waist. I'm feeling pretty good about that.

I'm Hypo as well and have had a hell of a time figuring all this out...what the numbers mean for me. This whole thing has been like a crazy science experiment. Weight loss is simply calories in/calories out. Burn more than you take in and you WILL lose weight. The law is true but getting it to work consistently has been the tricky part. Here is what works for me.

Consistency. I can't stress that enough. 2 weeks is the bare minimum I give a change before I judge it. My body is stubborn but it can't fight physics forever.
I found my numbers (BMR and TDEE). The estimates were way off. I had to find my TDEE by experimenting. From there I took my cut.
My macros are set to 40/30/30. This simply works best for my body. I'm also pre-diabetic so that plays a role in this ratio working for me as well.
I have to NET at least my BMR. My body rejects too little fuel. It's not having anything to do with that mess. I have to eat enough.
The type of foods I eat matters tremendously. I eat semi-clean. If my body spends too much time processing crap food it doesn't run well. I personally need things to be consistent and eating healthy fats, whole grains, lean protein and fresh fruits and veggies gives my body the best chance at working for me, not against me.
I use my muscles to the best of my ability and do cardio for vascular health. Cardio burns cals but to see the changes I want to see and again, consistent as possible results, weights are my friend.

All this being said I have about 2 weeks each month when I actually lose weight. The other 2 I'm up 5, down 5...but that IS consistency! It happens every month, I expect it and my body and I have come to an agreement about it. I don't flip out and start changing everything because "Oh crap I'm doing it WRONG!" and it lets go of fat for the other 2.

Good luck on your journey to your best health!