Hypothyroidism Hinders Weight Loss.. Thoughts?

I don’t know anything about iron deficiency but if your thyroid is underactive that can definitely make it difficult to lose weight because your thyroid hormones affect your metabolism. You need to have your levels checked by your doc and will mostly likely need to take meds to regulate it. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about 6 months ago. Since I’ve started meds I’ve lost ~25 lbs and definitely notice a difference in my energy levels. It can take a while to get the right dose of meds so my progress has been slower than I’d like. I’m hoping once we get the right dose of meds and my metabolism is where it should be I’ll see more and faster progress.

What do you mean by "out of whack"? Has this been tested? Are you taking thyroid medication? I know that having your thyroid low can also interact with the way that your body processes and absorbs certain nutrients. Before mine was leveled out i was consistently low in: Iron, B6 & B12, Folate, Vitamin D. Even with supplements these were not improving.

Once thyroid was leveled out i didn't need to supplement at all.

Cheers!

I am hypothyroid and take medicine for it. My doctor said the levels I was at likely wasn't responsible for my weight, but ever since I started the meds I have lost 90 lbs. But I've also become extremely active and totally changed my eating habits, so I think it's a combination, but I do think the meds have made it partially possible. Having your levels where they should be definitely helps!

I am also hypothyroid and even with correct medication I find that I struggle to loose. This is with calorie counting and with regular gym.

On googling this several months ago I've found some articles that show research into this and showing how even with controlled meds its difficult due to insulin resistance as the thyroxine only regulates the T3 thyroid hormone while some of the other thyroid hormones are still low.

Even then the recommendation is still eat clean, count calories and exercise. No miracle cure yet!!!

It hasn't bothered me since I started dieting and exercising. I've lost 12 pounds in a month and a half. I'm not on any pills. The doctor suggested some but it was for life. If I started them, I could never go off them. SO I said no and Ive been doing it on my own. SO far so good.

I am hypothyroid and take medicine for it. My doctor said the levels I was at likely wasn't responsible for my weight, but ever since I started the meds I have lost 90 lbs. But I've also become extremely active and totally changed my eating habits, so I think it's a combination, but I do think the meds have made it partially possible. Having your levels where they should be definitely helps!

You've become extremely active because you FEEL better!! And yes it does too effect your weight. Silly doctor!

I would say it hinders weight loss if left untreated, or incorrectly treated. I went to my highest weight when I spent about a year with undiagnosed hypothyroidism (but was still not overweight, BMI wise), but the weight came off once I was medicated. I do not have issues losing weight now, and my metabolism seems to be pretty efficient, so I do not think it hinders weight loss unless it is untreated or wrongly managed. I think it would be easy to use it as an excuse though.

Can you go into detail about your diet changes to lose the weight? Low carb or low fat? Please give us an idea on how you ate when you lost weight.

Untreated or undertreated hypothyroidism hinders weight loss. Your energy levels suck, you feel horrible and your metabolism is crippled.

Once my Synthroid dosage was titrated to an appropriate dosage and I began weighing my food and eating at a moderate caloric deficit, I saw the scale start to move down instead of up.

My entire family has an iron deficiency problem. A nice little trick to adding more iron is to invest in a few cast iron skillets. Cooking your food with cast iron adds significant amounts of iron to the food.

You probably need to see a doctor and have your TSH levels checked and your iron levels checked to see if you are also anemic. Being anemic can make you tired, exhausted, and if your TSH levels are too low, then that will also cause you some trouble. Having hypothyroidism will slow weight loss and make it more difficult, but it shouldn't hinder. This really sounds like something that you need to discuss with your PCP, you should probably be started (if not alreay are on) levothyroxine and ferrous sulfate and have them be monitored and adjusted as needed. Good luck!! (I am a nurse if that helps you out anymore, this is the standard we go by for people who are both anemic and hypothyroid)

I too have Hashimitos thyroid plus have nodules that have to be rebiopsied:)
Whn I began mfpna dew years ago, I did great ! Lost 30 lbs...then from out of nowhere, I think its called menopause, hit! The weight immediately came back and I cannot lose for the life of me! I'm 55, and do Beachbody Rockin body program with Shaun T 6 out of 7 days a week now finished a month of the Hip Hop Abs ,, and Nothing! I dont even log it anymore because its just part of my daily routine now as is (mostly) healthy eating..I do have off days...I am sooo frustrated but my thyroid doc attributes it to menopause and says one of these days my metabolism will kick back in:( im on a 13mcg daily dose of levoxyl and have had Hashimotos for almost 20 years..I just plod along..hoping the scale will move someday..after reading some posts I may try eating less...maybe the tdee doesnt work in this case wih these issues. :sad:

My entire family has an iron deficiency problem. A nice little trick to adding more iron is to invest in a few cast iron skillets. Cooking your food with cast iron adds significant amounts of iron to the food.

HAHAHAHAHAHHHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks. You made my day!

I have Hypothyrodism and I am on a higher dose then I was... I have lost 30 lbs and going down.. My doctor put me on 88 and will probably have to go up more.. The key is I dropped all my white, wheat and sweet. I occasionally have a sweet but if I do its low carb.. I keep my carbs between 50-100 each day I never go under 50 because that is dangerous. I eat high protein with lots of veggies and some fruit. After a couple of weeks it isnt hard to say no to bread and stuff like that. I feel much better and more energized.. Plus losing inches.. it is hard but you can do it.. I would definitly get your thyroid checked out though because it is almost impossible to lose weight with a bad thyroid.

My younger sister has hypothyroidism and is anemic, and last year she lost 50 pounds in about 4 or 6 months. She said the biggest change that she made was drinking lots and lots of water and just moving around more. For a bit of reference, she eats a ton. Sunday night we went out to a buffet with my boyfriend and another friend, and she ate more than the guys COMBINED. She's 5'11", currently weighs around 140 but she looks like a lot less.