Do I trust my body or my scale?

Lizshouse88
Lizshouse88 Posts: 81
edited September 29 in Food and Nutrition
For at least the last week, I have been SOOOOOO hungry. I am starting to wonder if it has anything to do with starting thyroid medicine a week ago (thursday). First let me say that I had been eating anywhere from 1200-1600-1800 calories a day depending on the day. MFP suggests 2500 calories a day. Now I am eating over 1800 calories a day because I am just so starving. Before, I had to eat so little in order to lose ANYTHING. I am wondering if now that I am on the meds it's causing me to NEED to eat the 2500 that MFP suggests and not eating enough is causing me to go into "starvation mode" because I have gained 1lb for the last week....

I am just so confused. I have a feeling it's connected to my meds tho!

I just re-read that and it's pretty confusing. What I am trying to ask is this:

Is it that my metabolism has boosted, therefore I need more calories but am not eating enough (and that's why I am so hungry)??

Or... is it that I am just in an eating mood and my meds have nothing to do with it...

(is that less confusing??? LOL)

Replies

  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    Your medication may cause an increase in appetite ... in that case, I'm not sure if you should be eating more. I would say just test it. Eat a specific amount of calories for two weeks, if you lose, great, stick with that. If you gain, you need to eat less. You'll have to be very strict though 'cause things like eating too much sodium will keep you bloated and cause you not to lose weight so watch that too.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    If your medicine is designed to boost your metabolism (and I'm sorry I don't know anything about it) then yes, you will see an increase in your hunger. Go ahead and raise your calories for a few days - but make sure you're eating well and not just filling up those calories with junk.
  • Lizshouse88
    Lizshouse88 Posts: 81
    If your medicine is designed to boost your metabolism (and I'm sorry I don't know anything about it) then yes, you will see an increase in your hunger. Go ahead and raise your calories for a few days - but make sure you're eating well and not just filling up those calories with junk.

    Well I have an underactive thyroid which I guess means that my thyroid was causing my metabolism to be too slow. So when I started taking the meds to increase it, I assume my metabolism went up?? This is my theory as to why I am so hungry. I just wonder how much more I really need....
  • Texas501
    Texas501 Posts: 274
    If you just started thyroid medication, you need to get your level checked to see if you are taking too much or too little. It sounds like you may be a little over. You should make an appointment to get your blood drawn to check your level of thyroid hormone.
  • skinz2k2
    skinz2k2 Posts: 99 Member
    Make sure you are eating nutrient dense foods (a fancy way of saying natural organic foods from the ground). When your body gets what it needs your brain says to your body ok we don't need more. Also watch out for emotional eating. When people feel stressed they overeat which makes them feel more stressed and hence they overeat...
  • md921
    md921 Posts: 8
    There's no way for a doctor to predict the right dose of thyroid medication for you, it's all trial and error. But most doctors would start at a low dose and then gradually increase it.
    Levothyroxine (your thyroid medication) will increase your BMR (Basal metabolic rate) and increase your caloric need. That may cause you to feel more hungry than you usually have been in the past. Whether the dose is right or not will be decided by your doctor on your follow up visit.

    Now, correct me if I am wrong, but MFP did not take your thyroid problem into account when calculating your calorie goal. Since your thyroid medication is supposed to correct your underlying thyroid problem and the associated effects on your metabolism, I'd say stick to your calorie goal already set by you (or MFP). Also, please check with your doctor before making any drastic changes in your diet.

    Hope this helps.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    If your medicine is designed to boost your metabolism (and I'm sorry I don't know anything about it) then yes, you will see an increase in your hunger. Go ahead and raise your calories for a few days - but make sure you're eating well and not just filling up those calories with junk.

    Well I have an underactive thyroid which I guess means that my thyroid was causing my metabolism to be too slow. So when I started taking the meds to increase it, I assume my metabolism went up?? This is my theory as to why I am so hungry. I just wonder how much more I really need....

    I must have a revving metabolism because I consume 2200-2500 calories a day and I maintain my weight loss. So, it IS possible that your metabolism is now at a "normal" level and you simply need more calories. I know it's odd, but you HAVE to eat to lose weight. The best way to figure it out is to take MFP's recommendations (which are WAY too low for me) and tweak them til you see the results you want. I started at 1700 moved to 1900 then 2000 and then up to 2200. I now hover between 2200 and 2500 depending on the day (and what I've done). Whatever I'm doing is working because I've been maintaining 143-145lbs for awhile now. :)
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