Hypothyroidism help

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I am wondering if their is anybody on here that has Hypothyroidism and could share some of their success with weight loss, what worked for you. I have hypothyroidism and seem to have a hard time loosing, i've had it for 15 years and am on meds. I have lost 38 pounds in one year.
Thanks! :smile:

Replies

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    I don't have a thyroid and have lost 85 pounds. Slowly. Very slowly. Like, at a snail's pace kind of slow. These people with their pound a week - I'm not them, lol. The math doesn't work out for me. I eat less than they do and I lose less, too. My advice is to NOT compare yourself to people with entirely healthy bodies.

    I do lose, though, and that was just impossible before they fixed me, so I'm overjoyed with my slow weight loss. It's taking years, but it's happening. :smiley:

    Keep at it and don't give up! :)

    Don't skip your appointments at the endo. You really do have to keep going and adjusting from time to time for the rest of your life.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    If you've lost 38 pounds in a year, it sounds like you can share your successful strategies with us instead!

    Good job!
  • nickimc13
    nickimc13 Posts: 14 Member
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    Kalikel wrote: »
    I don't have a thyroid and have lost 85 pounds. Slowly. Very slowly. Like, at a snail's pace kind of slow. These people with their pound a week - I'm not them, lol. The math doesn't work out for me. I eat less than they do and I lose less, too. My advice is to NOT compare yourself to people with entirely healthy bodies.

    I do lose, though, and that was just impossible before they fixed me, so I'm overjoyed with my slow weight loss. It's taking years, but it's happening. :smiley:

    Keep at it and don't give up! :)

    Don't skip your appointments at the endo. You really do have to keep going and adjusting from time to time for the rest of your life.

    Thank you! Good job on the 85 pounds! My meds have been adjusted alot over the years, I am at 150mcg daily. I am going to see the endo in September so hopefully everything is still going good! Keep up your good work! :smile:
  • nickimc13
    nickimc13 Posts: 14 Member
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    WBB55 wrote: »
    If you've lost 38 pounds in a year, it sounds like you can share your successful strategies with us instead!

    Good job!

    Thank you! Gets discouraging when it takes me a couple weeks to loose maybe a pound, I try to be positive and think atleast I lost and didn't gain! I think the solution would be more hours in the day so I can work, prepare food and exercise without feeling over whelmed. :smile:
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    edited July 2015
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    I have hashimotos and lose weight very easily. 42 pounds in 5.5 months. I am very strict with weighing and adjusting my food and exercise and taking my medication. If your levels test normal, then you can lose weight as normal.

    We actually have an advantage too, and that is your body naturally slows down its thyroid hormone production when in a caloric deficit. But since you're taking meds, you get the benefit of always being at the same levels.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    nickimc13 wrote: »
    WBB55 wrote: »
    If you've lost 38 pounds in a year, it sounds like you can share your successful strategies with us instead!

    Good job!

    Thank you! Gets discouraging when it takes me a couple weeks to loose maybe a pound, I try to be positive and think atleast I lost and didn't gain! I think the solution would be more hours in the day so I can work, prepare food and exercise without feeling over whelmed. :smile:

    ^^see, this right here. I think this is the reason the people I know (just my uneducated observations) with low thyroid seem to have trouble losing. It isn't so much that their BMR is in particular lower than average, it's that daily activities seem to tire them out quicker. I'm lucky, I had half of my thyroid out but still have good levels (but we closely monitor it).

    I recommend it to many people, but think about getting a FitBit. Getting in a couple thousand more steps through daily activities can make a difference. Some people find FitBits, or other activity trackers, very motivating. Even just standing instead of sitting can make a calorie and overall energy difference.

  • nickimc13
    nickimc13 Posts: 14 Member
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    WBB55 wrote: »
    nickimc13 wrote: »
    WBB55 wrote: »
    If you've lost 38 pounds in a year, it sounds like you can share your successful strategies with us instead!

    Good job!

    Thank you! Gets discouraging when it takes me a couple weeks to loose maybe a pound, I try to be positive and think atleast I lost and didn't gain! I think the solution would be more hours in the day so I can work, prepare food and exercise without feeling over whelmed. :smile:

    ^^see, this right here. I think this is the reason the people I know (just my uneducated observations) with low thyroid seem to have trouble losing. It isn't so much that their BMR is in particular lower than average, it's that daily activities seem to tire them out quicker. I'm lucky, I had half of my thyroid out but still have good levels (but we closely monitor it).

    I recommend it to many people, but think about getting a FitBit. Getting in a couple thousand more steps through daily activities can make a difference. Some people find FitBits, or other activity trackers, very motivating. Even just standing instead of sitting can make a calorie and overall energy difference.

    I have a fitbit, I LOVE IT! It actually died on me a couple weeks ago and had to wait 4 days for a replacement one from fitbit to come in, I was lost without it! :smile: My levels seem to come back normal, so my doctor just tells me i need to watch what i eat and exercise (which i already know) but feels she needs to tell me the same thing over and over again. I agree with the getting tired more easily, I also have to go to bed by 9pm (I get up at 5am to exercise before work) and if I don't go to bed at 9 and get 8 hrs of sleep I am tired and hungry all day the next day.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    nickimc13 wrote: »
    Gets discouraging when it takes me a couple weeks to lose maybe a pound.

    A healthy, sustainable loss is .5 lb. per week for every 25 lbs. you're overweight. So you're doing way better than you think.

    Thyroid meds (in my case, Synthroid & Cytomel) reduce the fatigue so I can be more active. But I still kept gaining until I learned to log everything I eat & drink accurately & honestly. Logging works.

    I followed the advice in the Sexypants post: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
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    Kalikel wrote: »
    I don't have a thyroid and have lost 85 pounds. Slowly. Very slowly. Like, at a snail's pace kind of slow. These people with their pound a week - I'm not them, lol. The math doesn't work out for me. I eat less than they do and I lose less, too. My advice is to NOT compare yourself to people with entirely healthy bodies.

    I do lose, though, and that was just impossible before they fixed me, so I'm overjoyed with my slow weight loss. It's taking years, but it's happening. :smiley:

    Keep at it and don't give up! :)

    Don't skip your appointments at the endo. You really do have to keep going and adjusting from time to time for the rest of your life.

    I have had the exact same experinence as this. I found that taking the perscription from the doctor wasn't a magic pill that I hoped, I had to keep pushing with the caloire deficit. It took me 3 years to lose 85 pounds and it was not linear at all.

    There is only two options, 1) keep going and be patient, or 2) give up but that is not really an option is it? :)

  • nickimc13
    nickimc13 Posts: 14 Member
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    editorgrrl wrote: »
    nickimc13 wrote: »
    Gets discouraging when it takes me a couple weeks to lose maybe a pound.

    A healthy, sustainable loss is .5 lb. per week for every 25 lbs. you're overweight. So you're doing way better than you think.

    Thyroid meds (in my case, Synthroid & Cytomel) reduce the fatigue so I can be more active. But I still kept gaining until I learned to log everything I eat & drink accurately & honestly. Logging works.

    I followed the advice in the Sexypants post: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

    Thank you for the info and encouraging words! Very kind :smile:
  • nickimc13
    nickimc13 Posts: 14 Member
    Options
    Kalikel wrote: »
    I don't have a thyroid and have lost 85 pounds. Slowly. Very slowly. Like, at a snail's pace kind of slow. These people with their pound a week - I'm not them, lol. The math doesn't work out for me. I eat less than they do and I lose less, too. My advice is to NOT compare yourself to people with entirely healthy bodies.

    I do lose, though, and that was just impossible before they fixed me, so I'm overjoyed with my slow weight loss. It's taking years, but it's happening. :smiley:

    Keep at it and don't give up! :)

    Don't skip your appointments at the endo. You really do have to keep going and adjusting from time to time for the rest of your life.

    I have had the exact same experinence as this. I found that taking the perscription from the doctor wasn't a magic pill that I hoped, I had to keep pushing with the caloire deficit. It took me 3 years to lose 85 pounds and it was not linear at all.

    There is only two options, 1) keep going and be patient, or 2) give up but that is not really an option is it? :)

    Congrats on the weight loss! :smile: No giving up is not an option, I want to be at a healthy weight before my husband and I start a family and im not getting any younger! So NO giving up :smile:
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    I slowly put on ~75 lbs over a 14 year period after total thyroidectomy, but most of this is due to physical inactivity and the adjustment of transitioning to a very active military life to a cushy civilian life of scholarship and desk riding.

    Once I upped my physical activity and reduced my caloric intake I lost >50 lbs in the last year.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    edited July 2015
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    Took me about 6 months to lose 20 pounds on 1000 calories a day. (**Note: this is when i mentioned to my doctor that something was up. I was consistent eating lower and lower cals with heavy physical activity and wasn't losing. this is when they tested and confirmed hypothyroidism.)Once I was on Tirosint I lost the other 15 pounds in about 5 weeks eating 1600 calories a day.

    I found that just going and doing it, continuing working out, consistency is key here. Count your calories as accurately as possible, make sure your levels are handled with medication, and work out hard (even though the energy levels may be low).

    I also had great success taking vitamin b, vitamin d, iron, and any supplements i was deficient in. I take them at lunch time 4-6 hours after i take the thyroid meds.
  • nickimc13
    nickimc13 Posts: 14 Member
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    CSARdiver wrote: »
    I slowly put on ~75 lbs over a 14 year period after total thyroidectomy, but most of this is due to physical inactivity and the adjustment of transitioning to a very active military life to a cushy civilian life of scholarship and desk riding.

    Once I upped my physical activity and reduced my caloric intake I lost >50 lbs in the last year.

    Congrats on loosing the 50 lbs! It is hard to fit in exercise and proper eating sometimes when you live a busy schedule. Good luck to you!