Metabolism? Thyroid? What to fix?..Don't know whether to try meds, eat more, eat less, exercise more

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ladybug77707
ladybug77707 Posts: 39
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello, everyone - I am hoping someone can help me sort through some of this.

Let me share a bit about my situation. I am 48 years old, and up until the last year have been the SAME weight (124 lbs, 5'6") for over 25 years. I had a consistent workout plan which I varied from time to time, as well as ate pretty healthy and pretty much anything I wanted. It worked for 25+ years! Over the last year, things have gotten really........WEIRD. I gained five pounds in six months and felt my body composition changing with the way my clothes fit, so I am trying new things to see if I can get back to what was 'normal' for me. I went to an RD and they used the MED GEM and found my RMR was 950, and it was 1150 for normal day-to-day activities with no exercise ('normal' for my weight, height, and age would have been 1240 and 1490, respectively). So this is about 23% BELOW expected for my metabolism. I went to a naturopath who checked my thyroid levels (also had other symptoms which indicated thyroid), and she said I was in the normal range, but on the low side of normal, and would see me back in a few months to discuss whether or not I wanted to try and treat the thyroid issue ("suboptimal thyroid" is the term she used). It sounds like it isn't something that HAS to be treated, otherwise she would have told me right then, right??? Sooo............if I want to increase my metabolism back to what is normal for me and closer to the estimated levels for someone my age, height, and weight, how do I approach this?? I've tried everything except the thyroid treatment - eating more, eating less, exercising more, exercising less - I try one of these for a few weeks and then give up when nothing changes, not being certain that what I am doing is the right thing and will make a difference. If I knew exactly WHAT to do, I am usually GREAT about having the motivation to do it. But I honestly don't know where to start.........do I eat more for months? Do I eat less for months? Change the exercise? Take the meds? I just am soooo lost! Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Lady
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Replies

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    Holy wall of text. I wasn't able to read that.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
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    I would get my thyroid checked by an actual MD. There are medications for this; I take one. They should check not just TSH but T3 and T4 levels as well; a full panel.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    Have you tried any kind of strength training?
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    I don't think your thyroid is low enough to explain all that is going on with your body. I realize you are a pretty healthy individual with no chronic disease of any sort but to help me troubleshoot I found this class to be the best.

    http://patienteducation.stanford.edu/programs/cdsmp.html
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    See a real doctor......
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    Do you do any kind of strength training?
    Do you know what you consume?

    Eating more will only lead to weight gain. If you want to lose the excess pounds you've gained you'll have to eat at a deficit. I know it sucks to have to eat less than you used to but that's the first step. A gain of 5lbs in 6 months is only 100 calories a day. Could be that you've decreased your activity just slightly and/or increased your intake slightly without realizing it. Honestly I wouldn't stress too much about the metabolism thing. I'm not sure how accurate those tests are. The thyroid condition is concerning but I'd try to tackle the weight gain with diet before getting on medication you don't necessarily need.
  • goddessofawesome
    goddessofawesome Posts: 563 Member
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    BrianSharpe wrote: »
    See a real doctor......

    ^^ Yup.

    OP I'm confused as to why you didn't go to an endocrinologist. Also what exactly did your blood work say and did she explain it to you?

  • ladybug77707
    ladybug77707 Posts: 39
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    Ok, maybe I didn't share enough......the person I saw IS a doctor - a DO, not an MD. But still a doctor. She did test my TSH as well as T3 and T4. It was the T3 that was on the 'very low side of normal' to use her exact words. I had seen an endocrinologist before and the lab results were pretty much the same, though he said if it was in the normal range, even if low normal, he doesn't usually advise treatment. Thus my dilemma. I dont' want to go on any medication if I don't have to - but yet I also don't want to have a treatable problem and not treat it if it will help me.
    -
    I also include strength training in my routine and have for years. What I am doing now, though, is trying to increase the strength training while decreasing the cardio. In the past, I would do 40 minutes of cardio 4 X a week. Now I am trying 20 minutes with intervals and high intensity, and bumping up the strength training to 3X a week for 40 minutes (as opposed to 2x a week for 20). I'm afraid to decrease calories by much because of the whole 'going into starvation mode' thing and don't want to wreck my metabolism and make it any worse.

    JGnatga, going to take a look at what you posted. Thanks to all who also replied :smile: . Any additional thoughts with this added information that I shared??
  • chaoticrunner
    chaoticrunner Posts: 32 Member
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    I have thyroid issues myself. There are actually a lot of foods that can have an effect on your thyroid levels. For instance, soy products. If you're someone who drinks soy milk, cut it out and see how you feel in 6 weeks. It takes about 6 weeks to notice any real change in your thyroid levels. Do some research on other dietary influences and really examine what you're eating. You probably won't be put on replacement hormones unless you are significantly out of range. There are too many risks, particularly for your heart, involved with that.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    A doctor of what? Try and get a referral to an Endocrinologist. If your DO is an Endo then perhaps get a second opinion from a non DO, so you have two different evaluations and treatments to consider. That's really the only answer to this; Thyroid condition therapy is not something you can find an answer to on MFP.
  • jrose1982
    jrose1982 Posts: 366 Member
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    Try sticking with something for more than a few weeks. Especially strength training.
    Focus on things like energy levels and strength, more than weight. You'll see quicker results in those areas, so you'll be less tempted to give up. Weight is only one measurement of health. Keep talking to your doctors about thyroid and metabolism and anything else you worry about. But whatever has changed means you have to change too. And this isn't going to happen in just a few weeks.
  • ladybug77707
    ladybug77707 Posts: 39
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    Thanks, everyone. I know it isn't an overnight solution, but given that I don't know WHAT to do, it's hard to stick with anything longer than a few weeks if it doesn't appear to be working..........I'm always ready to try my next strategy on the list. Will also do more with the thyroid issue just so I have all of my bases covered. Thank you all for the input! :)))
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
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    Isn't there an easy way to check your thyroid based on your morning body Temp? 10 minutes first waking for 10 days? If the temp is below 97.8(maybe) then you may have a thyroid issue. Yes, No?!? Maybe so??
  • ACSL3
    ACSL3 Posts: 623 Member
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    DO = MD i.e. similar training and stringent licensing and medical boards
    DO does NOT = naturopath

    Did she call herself a naturopath? It's fine for her if that's what she wants to be called, but most DOs that I know would be extremely insulted if you called them naturopaths.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    _Terrapin_ wrote: »
    Isn't there an easy way to check your thyroid based on your morning body Temp? 10 minutes first waking for 10 days? If the temp is below 97.8(maybe) then you may have a thyroid issue. Yes, No?!? Maybe so??

    My temp is lower than that even when I have been up for awhile, and my blood work always comes back in the normal range.
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
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    I cannot remember where I read this; but between Dr Atkins interview on Larry King (circa 8-10 years ago) and a site referencing this I thought it was something of a marker. Most folks would just go to their doc; just throwing it out there. Not sure of the accuracy or even the body temp hence the 'maybe'.
  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,369 Member
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    I'm going to suggest perimenopause. Just because many women experience things getting really WEIRD with their bodies when the hormones start to nosedive.
  • TheRealNoodlette
    TheRealNoodlette Posts: 132 Member
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    ythannah wrote: »
    I'm going to suggest perimenopause. Just because many women experience things getting really WEIRD with their bodies when the hormones start to nosedive.

    Yes, that was my first thought, too. Just one of the many things we women get to look forward to as we age. I would recommend reading books/websites by Dr. Christiane Northrup to start.

    If you are concerned, I would recommend you see an actual endocrinologist, who can rule out hormone imbalances (e.g. insulin, estrogen, etc.). Best of luck!
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
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    The only thing that really affects your metabolism is exercise. That's a temporary increase.
    Building muscle is a long-term increase, but it's not as much of a change as you might think. Fat burns 2 cal/lb, muscle 6 (at rest). Links to research & news articles in the blog post.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal/view/2014-08-05-does-building-muscle-actually-increase-rmr-684479
    ladybug wrote:
    I also include strength training in my routine and have for years. What I am doing now, though, is trying to increase the strength training while decreasing the cardio. In the past, I would do 40 minutes of cardio 4 X a week. Now I am trying 20 minutes with intervals and high intensity, and bumping up the strength training to 3X a week for 40 minutes (as opposed to 2x a week for 20).
    So you're cutting back on burning calories (cardio) and increasing muscle building (weight gain), and you're wondering why you've gained weight?
    Between that and potentially starting the whole anti-puberty hormone changes (remember how much fun that was? yeah, me niether) I don't think it's surprising at all.

    http://articles.latimes.com/2011/may/16/health/la-he-fitness-muscle-myth-20110516
    "Claude Bouchard of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La., who has authored several books and hundreds of scientific papers on the subject of obesity and metabolism... told me that muscle, it turns out, makes a fairly small contribution to RMR.
    ... intense aerobic activity like running burns twice as many calories per hour as hard weightlifting, and the metabolic boost from added muscle is not nearly enough to compensate for this difference... "
    I'm afraid to decrease calories by much because of the whole 'going into starvation mode' thing and don't want to wreck my metabolism and make it any worse.
    :banghead:
    Starvation mode actually exists, but it's VERY hard to get to, not something caused by taking in moderately fewer calories than your BMR or anything like that.
    To run your body you need calories (energy). The body prefers to burn glucose (blood sugar), then glycogen (stored carbs), then fat, and as a distant 4th it burns muscle.
    THAT is starvation mode.
    The body is making a last-ditch effort to keep the body running long enough to find food, betting that the heart & diaphragm & intestinal muscles, and even skeletal muscles won't deteriorate to the point of death before food is found.

    I've been eating substantially below my BMR for pretty much the whole year. I'm quite healthy & my doctors are all very pleased with my progress, as well as general health measurements (including assorted lab work).
    When I started in JAN, MFP said my BMR was 1974. My calorie goal (total, not net) was 1700.
    Currently, MFP says my BMR is 1689. My calorie goal is 1400, though I sometimes eat back some of my exercise calories. (Trying not to do it too often!)

    51637601.png
  • ladybug77707
    ladybug77707 Posts: 39
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    Quick note, as kids are about ready for the "taxi" to leave, lol...........no, the doctor did not call herself a naturopath (that was my term and maybe I misunderstood what that meant), but she is a DO. Everything she prescribes is non-pharmaceutical, thus my labeling her as that. She is indeed a DO.

    I will have to check into the temperature issue. I have not heard of that method!

    As to the hormonal changes, well, the DO did a FULL workup of EVERYTHING, and other than having low testosterone and a 'suboptimal' thyroid (low range of normal), everything was o.k.

    I am super=confused about the cardio vs. strength training, though, because everything I have seen said to go high intensity for shorter time and cut out all of the lengthy sessions.

    I just have no clear cut path to follow :((((( If I only KNEW what to do, I would do it religiously! I am going to read through everything on this thread again when I am not rushing out the door. THANK YOU ALL! :)))))))))))

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