Hypothyroidism!!! Workout/ food advice/success ?

welcome to MFP, i also have Hypothyroidism, controlled by meds with the occasional odd episodes happening. Currently down 53 pounds with 60 or left to go on Day 111. I've been eating healthy & watching my portions sizes. I've cut out as much added sugar as i am able, increased veggies. no particular diet as i feel this time it is a lifestyle change. I do Leslie sansone walk dvd's as well as strength training.
So far i'm thrilled with my progress
It can be done

 Just got Diagnosed with Hypothyroidism, Fibromyalgia and Pre Diabetes a Month ago. On levothroxine not sure if its working yet. My Mother has Hypothyroidism, Fibromyalgia and has Type 2 Diabetes. So guess it has all passed down to me. Im doing pretty well with the Dieting so far but exercising is pretty difficult with being so tired all the time no energy,  joint pain, muscle aches and extreme headaches. Sometimes I can hardly get out of bed let alone start working out. Ive mostly been swimming in my pool for exercise. Its easier on my Joints and  back.. I wish there were other things I could do thou.... Swimming pool weather is running out..

Age 30
SW 306
GW 180

Hi had my medication raised because levels were off since then have lost thirty pounds feel great. Doctors did not help me went to a woman endiocrologist she helped with meds. Thank God

First things first. Go to a holistic, naturopathic, or a doctor who practices integrated medicine. The vast majority of medical doctors will just look at your TSH and T3 levels and say you're fine if they're levels are normal (or close to normal). Then they'll prescribe Synthroid (Levothyroxine) and send you on your merry way without any nutritional advice whatsoever, except to eat a low fat diet -- this is terrible advice and will only compound the matter. Now, some people respond well to Synthroid but many others don't. I recommend looking into WP Thyroid or Nature-Throid all of which are natural and gluten free (which is very important to you Hypo sufferers ). Most importantly, they seem to work. There's also a medication called Armour, but I don't think it's all natural.

http://getrealthyroid.com/why-get-real/wp-thyroid

Second, and also very important is to get a food allergy test. 99% of Hypothyroidism sufferers have a gluten intolerance and there's a decent possibility you might have a dairy and soy intolerance too. Gluten, dairy and soy are not easily digested and cause all kinds of problems, specifically, leaky gut. Leaky gut allows the gluten, dairy, and soy byproducts (plus other toxins) get into your blood stream. They're all sucked into your thyroid and your immune system attacks the thyroid thinking it's a foreign invader to the body because it's filled with all these toxins. This is called Hashimoto's Disease. If your medical doctor or endocrinologist has not checked Thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO) they need to do this. It is the most common test for autoimmune thyroid disease; it can be detected in Graves disease or Hashimoto thyroiditis. Next, get your Thyroglobulin antibody (TGAb) tested. This antibody targets thyroglobulin, the storage form of thyroid hormones. Hashimoto's is very common in women.

So get a food allergy test (Gluten, dairy, soy, meats, fruits, veggies, etc.). It's not cheap. Eliminate the bad foods (wheat, barley, rye, and oats) as they all contain gluten and it's wreaking havoc on your digestive system.

Demand a blood test for TPO and TGAb (mentioned above). Your gut is 75% of your immune system. Most medical doctors don't know this because they have no training in nutrition. They prescribe pills and tell you to eat a low fat diet. Horrible advice and it doesn't help most people suffering from hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism, Fibromyalgia and other auto-immune diseases all stem from the gut. Fix the gut, get on the right medication, get on the right supplements (probiotics, B vitamins, vitamin D3, GI Revive) and keep eating correctly for this disease and you'll do great. This is a life style change. The Paleo diet works wonders for hypo and Hashimoto's.

Finally, How do I know all this? My 10 year old daughter gained 35 pounds in 8 months. Medical doctors and endocrinologists did nothing except prescribe Synthroid, exercise, and low fat diet. In fact, when things weren't progressing well, the endocrinologist said stay on the Synthroid (which wasn't working) and just exercise more and eat less carbs. Wow, what great advice for hundreds of dollars!! Once we went to a holistic doctor, he listened to us and got to the bottom of everything. If you're interested, his name is Dr. Sladic. He has YouTube videos and a website specifically directed and beating Hashimoto's. He's based in Novi, MI which is close to where I live. But for those of you who have hypo or Hashimoto's, it's worth a visit to his site.

Hi, the Armour thyroid is derived from a pig instead of in a lab if I understand it correctly - this is what I found on their website also - Armour Thyroid is a natural, porcine-derived thyroid hormone replacement containing both T4and T3. What it would do for someone that is not hypothyroid I have no idea shrug.

As for the weight training, I highly recommend it but start with the lower weights. I love Body beast because A- it's pretty affordable compared to some of the other excercise programs out there. And B - I LOVE having dvd's that I can watch while working out, makes me feel like I'm actually working out with people without the expense of hassle of going to a gym (for me that would be a 45 min drive one way so not going to happen lol).

Forgot to mention in my earlier post that when I went for my blood work last December, I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic also. When I went this august my bloodwork was great! Doc said there was no indication of pre-diabetes at all which I definitely contribute to eating a bit healthier and working out.

I am so glad I found this post. I have Hashimoto's I was diagnosed 20 or so years ago. Synthroid keeps my levels in normal range. I am lactose intolerant and had read a article stating that autoimmune disease can be linked to gluten intolerance as well. I started a paleo diet just to try to lose weight but I feel so much better and have so much more energy. I lost a significant amount Since August 9th when I started following the plan and logging everything. I guess gluten free/dairy free will now be a lifestyle just to decrease risk of further damage if possible.

Just wanted to also say thank you to everyone who's posted on here, I was diagnosed when i was 15, now 23, I've never really understood my thyroid problem and what and how I should eat. I'm a really fussy eater, like... Really fussy, so it's hard for me to follow certain diets or to actually eat the foods that I should be eating. Thanks again for the info here. If anyone could offer me any more info please feel free to add me!

There is a vast amount of alternative medical information on thyroid disorders that is not supported by scientific evidence. Whatever you do, don't give up eating healthy foods like broccoli and cabbage, to "treat" your thyroid. Mind you, I do not personally consider wheat to be a particularly healthy food, but you can be tested for gluten intolerance, rather than assuming that you have it because you're hypothyroid.

If anyone is using Armour and having allergic reactions to it, they should check out WP Thyroid or Nature-Throid. No fillers and gluten free not made from any animals. Here's a comparison:

http://getrealthyroid.com/the-real-difference/compare-thyroid-medications

<rant>The "alternative" medical info on thyroid disorders has a ton of support from scientific evidence. To be honest, your medical doctor probably won't want to hear about natural or holistic treatments for any ailment because they went to medical school where they were taught about pharmaceuticals and not science based nutrition. Plus the AMA has lobbied Congress and has legislated medical doctors into a "protected monopoly" all the while making sure everyone knows that chiropractors, naturopaths, homeopaths, etc. (basically anyone whose not a MD) are all quacks at the back of the bus.</endrant>

Good luck to all. Just remember, your body is capable of healing itself so give it the resources it needs to do so and address the issue holistically, not through masking the symptoms through drugs.

CSARdiver wrote: »

Never stop taking your meds as you cannot fix thyroid issues through diet. Once your thyroid is in decline it stays that way. Your target TSH value should be 0.3-3.0 and some doctors are pushing for a tighter range of 0.3-2.0.

Many with Hashimoto's disease also have food sensitivities e.g. Celiac disease, so if this is an issue pursue it, but don't go chasing wild geese as this testing is very expensive and the results are not static.

Sensible advice.

I have Hashimoto's and 2 other auto-immune diseases, losing weight is certainly not easy but eating at a deficit, moving more and making sure I'm properly medicated seems to be working just fine. I know the biggest struggle weight wise that I've had is getting to the point where I *was* properly medicated and that took 2 years after being diagnosed. Hitting that magic number after my TSH was so haywire made all the difference in how I felt and how in control I felt over my body. Good luck.

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