Calories?
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I'm glad we are all helping each other. Community is key!0
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I'd ask your doc what your numbers are for TSH, Free T3 and Free T4. Never settle for letting them tell you you're "normal." Kaiser uses 4.0 as the ceiling for TSH, while the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology recommends 3.0. The old standard was 5.0.
My old doc and I came to the conclusion that I function and feel better at the lower end of the normal range. My new doc has listened (I can very persuasive--or downright annoying).
My levels still fluctuate, but I try to stay between 1 & 2.
I always eat at least 1200, but usually try to stay below 1600, even on hard exercise days. Its easy for me to gain. I try to stick to complex carbs, and try to get more protein than the norm. I do much better with a lot of protein. And it helps keep me full. I avoid added sugar and get lots of fruits and veggies (usually in the form of smoothies I make). I also make sure I get at least 7 hours of sleep a night (unless I get called back in to work).
The pills aren't magic. They help and treatment will eventually work, but you need patience. Anyone who tells you that you'll be "back to normal" right away or implies you should be, needs some compassion.0 -
Interesting. My primary care physician didn't want to give me synthroid when I was at 4.43 because he said the number used to be 5.0, with a certain tone. He gave me some synthroid because my mother has hypo, but there was a lot of tone implying, "You don't really need this." When it stopped being so awesome (constipation, bloating, sleeping more, moody as hell), I got a referral to an endo who said he aims for 1.0 and looks more at .33 as the absolute floor.
My endo said 1200-1400 calories a day. I set myself to 1300, eat back my exercise calories, and don't go over or under by 100. Seems to be okay so far, but it's only been a short time. I make sure to get at least 15g a day of fiber and try to limit sugar to being 10% of my calories (4 cal/g=32.5g of sugar for 1300 calories). My goal was something I could live with forever, so I'm okay with carbs being part of my diet, just not loads of sugar.0 -
I am at 1438 per TDEE-5%. I actually lost more weight upping my calories slightly. I take synthroid…my endo won't switch me either (same reasoning). I am actually feeling a lot better so I'm not interested in "switching" at this point (just remember that everyone is different so do what works for you).0
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I got a dx of Hashi after I suddenly put on a ton of weight. I was/am very active, eat healthy (a little too much but still) and was up to over 250 pounds. I lost 45 pounds almost as quickly once I started taking synthroid. And there I have stayed. So frustrating. I feel like hypo has given my body a new set-weight that it really doesn't want to go under.
That said, once I started tracking all my calories and added heavy, compound lifting I have been losing - and I usually eat back most of my workout calories. Plus, I am not the most accurate counter.
For me, (especially before synthroid) unless I am really, really active I gain weight. I run 35-60 minutes 5-6 days a week and lift weights. When its not winter I also bike and walk for transport and garden and hike..... but then as soon as winter rolls around and all I can do is run on the treadmill the weight starts coming back.0 -
^^^This. Before I was diagnosed w/ Hashimoto's, I first lost a lot of weight (I was thin for the first time in my life), then gained it back plus 20 lbs. more. It felt uncontrollable, but when I started logging everything I eat accurately & honestly, I saw that it was directly related to how many calories I eat.Once I started tracking all my calories and added heavy, compound lifting I have been losing.
Now I eat at a deficit & I'm losing. Really, really slowly, but I'm losing.0 -
I have been stuck for 3 months and I'm so frustrated. I can't remember my numbers but my TSH was a bit over 3 last time and he refused to do anything even though I've lost 1/3 of my hair and haven't dropped a pound in months. He just tells me to eat less and exercise more. Never mind that I try to average 1200 calories net (some days I'm low, some I'm higher--consumption is around 1350) and exercise an hour a day, 5-6 days a week. Since raising it to 1350, I've gained 5 lbs then stuck there in the same 5 lb up and down range, but I'm hesitant to lower it. I allowed myself more calories for several days over the holidays and thought that was the problem (even though adding up all of the extra calories *might* have been worth a pound or two) but since then, I've been really diligent and still can't lose. I was hoping the increased calories would prove to be the magic that everyone touts on here...eat more, lose more. Instead I gained and stalled.
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I have Hashimoto's and I'm on 100mcg L-Thyroxine. I use Fitbit + HRM to estimate my burns, average more or less 500 kcal deficit daily ( eat about 1800-1900 kcal, burn 2300+ ) and I am just about maintaining 68 kg ( I'm 170 cm tall - 5 ft 7 ).
I have tried almost everything in the past - fasts, Cambridge diet ( 400 kcal / day ), low fat, low carb etc. etc. Nothing has ever worked. At least eating about 1800 kcal I am not feeling like I am about to faint and ( usually ) don't get crazy strong cravings.0 -
I had iodine radiation for my Graves and went hypo...taking the same meds you are. I lost 55lbs but i had to keep mine to a strict 1000to do it. I ran a lot as well. I would still like to get lose 15 more, the last pounds are hanging on strong though. I just started incorporating weights to see if that will help. Best of luck!0
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Have you considered switching to armour thyroid? I have Hashimoto's as well and tried every combination of synthetic prior to switching to armour and it has been vastly superior in every way. Low calorie, low carb is definitely not the answer as it causes your T3 to slow production - I average anywhere from 1550-2000 calories depending on the day/my activity level and am able to lose. Honestly the key has been a balanced diet that is a bit higher in protein with good complex carbs and healthy fats - but the most important factor for me and being able to eat more (besides switching to armour) is lifting weights. If you are not doing it, you should start - there are a lot of beginner programs - start with bodyweight or dumbbells, increase ultimately to barbells - complex lifts (bench press, squat, Deadlift, overhead press , rows etc...). The more muscle you have the more you will burn and the more you can eat - regardless of your thyroid condition if your levels are stable and in range.
^this. I too have to have 1400-2000 calories and higher protein. It took me a while to find the numbers that work but this is it. 1200 made me crabby and gaining weight.
Also when did you last have your levels checked? If you are losing weight ask your doctor at what level of weight loss you need to have your levels rechecked. Mine is every 10 lbs of loss. My dosage has changed 3 times in the last year as I have lost weight.0 -
I also had Graves after the birth of my son and it never got better just worse, so they removed the thyroid. I had lost 75lbs before having my son and gained 50 of it back thanks to the stupid thyroid. I'm currently in the process of losing again but its been slow and painful to say the least. If I get a pound once every few weeks, that's a big win for me. I eat no more than 1500 calories a day except for special occasions. I workout on my elliptical 6 days a week and am currently trying the 30 Day Yoga Challenge. I'm slowly coming to understand that its going to be forever a painful process that most likely I'll never win. My doctor says I'm doing great and to keep going, just to understand there will be set backs and what not.0
