Hypothyroidism and PCOS

stellajuliet1011
stellajuliet1011 Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started working out April 5 of 2022 only because I am getting married in November so I’m trying to lose 15 pounds the problem is I have hypothyroidism and PCOS. I work out every day except Sundays… 30 minutes of cardio on an incline at 3.5 mph and 20 minutes of strength training of 80lbs give or take depends on abs or legs etc. The scale has not gone down. What is the expected realistic weight loss for someone with these conditions? I eat about 1200 cal a day. Am I expecting too much too fast

Replies

  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,857 Member
    How do you measure those 1200 calories? It's great that you started working out, and that's important for health, but weight loss is mostly about getting the calories right. If you want to lose 15lbs, does that mean you're not really overweight? If so then every weightloss will be very slow, which makes getting the calorie tracking right even more important. And it's important to realize that weight loss will be slow and might actually be masked my natural water fluctuations in your body. Part of that is due to the menstrial cycle. Thus waiting at least 5 weeks to re-evaluate is important. Also, both hyppthyroidism and PCOS can mess with water weight, potentially also masking weight loss.
  • stellajuliet1011
    stellajuliet1011 Posts: 4 Member
    I do keto and yes I count my micros on this app. And I’m 150lbs -5’5” Its goes up or down by one pound for 2-4 weeks now. Frustrating!! But I do expect it to be difficult due to my heath conditions just didn’t think it’s going to be this hard.
  • gpanda103
    gpanda103 Posts: 189 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    How do you measure those 1200 calories? It's great that you started working out, and that's important for health, but weight loss is mostly about getting the calories right. If you want to lose 15lbs, does that mean you're not really overweight? If so then every weightloss will be very slow, which makes getting the calorie tracking right even more important. And it's important to realize that weight loss will be slow and might actually be masked my natural water fluctuations in your body. Part of that is due to the menstrial cycle. Thus waiting at least 5 weeks to re-evaluate is important. Also, both hyppthyroidism and PCOS can mess with water weight, potentially also masking weight loss.

    I second this, and another important element.. are you using a food scale?
  • stellajuliet1011
    stellajuliet1011 Posts: 4 Member
    I’m using the Renpho scale
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,857 Member
    stellajuliet1011 wrote: »
    I’m using the Renpho scale

    No, not for you but for the food you eat. Do you use a kitchen scale for measuring your food intake, or are you guessing, using information from packaging or cups and spoons?
  • perryc05
    perryc05 Posts: 225 Member
    edited April 2022
    My wife has PCOS and has been actively seeking advice from this nutrionist in New Zealand:
    https://thepcosnutritionist.com/
    https://thepcosnutritionist.com/thepcosprotocol/
    There are paid services here but also some free stuff such as an email alert to keep up-to-date with the latest research as well as a podcast series.
  • karaamarsh
    karaamarsh Posts: 1 Member
    Certified keto and IF coach here! Have you tried keto and IF paired together to help regulate insulin resistance? I lost 90% of my weight on diet alone (no working out except walking around my neighborhood.) 1200 calories might be too low depending on what macro calculation you're following and which foods you're using to fuel your body.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 33,783 Member
    Highest likelihood: You're expecting too much too fast, as you say.

    Second highest likelihood: Inaccuracies in logging. (That's not a dig, logging is a surprisingly subtle skill, and most any of us who've been at it for a while have had some surprise lessons along the way. I have . . . and I've been logging for almost 7 years, loss then maintenance.)

    Hypothyroidism, at worst, lowers your calorie needs a little, can lead to some weird water retention that hides fat loss on the scale, maybe makes you fatigued so you have less spontaneous movement in your life. (Do you notice how much you fidget? I don't.) If your hypothyroidism is properly medicated, it should have zero effect on weight loss. (I'm severely hypothyroid, properly medicated. I'm speaking from that experience.)

    I have no experience with PCOS, but have seen others here who've been successful at weight loss with PCOS. Some report somewhat lowered calorie needs (vs. what the calculators like MFP estimate). Some report that lowering carbs helps them, if they're insulin resistant.

    You've been at this since 4/5, which is 23 days. Your avi photo looks like you're adult, but young (not yet in menopause). Some women only see a new low weight once a month, because standard hormone-related water weight fluctuations can be that weird. That's not the most common pattern, but with 23 days of experience . . . well, who knows what your personal pattern is? If you started the exercise on 4/5 as well, that also tends to increase water retention (needed for muscle repair).

    With only 15 pounds to lose, you don't want to be losing fast, anyway: Half a pound a week on average would be good. But you're not really going to have even a remotely useful weekly average until you've been at this long enough to compare your bodyweight at the same relative point in at least two different menstrual cycles (like the start of menstruation, or the end of it, in two different cycles). Even then, the exercise - if new - could confuse things on the bodyweight scale.

    If you haven't seen it, this would be a good read:

    https://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations

    I started out here around your current weight (I was 5'5", mid-150s pounds), and lost fine at 1200 plus all exercise calories. On top of that, I was old and sedentary outside of exercise. (I had a lower goal weight, because I have a narrow build.) IMO, you likely can lose at an accurate 1200, even with hypothyroidism and PCOS . . . maybe too fast, even. (Fast loss increases health risk. Not good.)

    Hang in there. Consider that food scale advice, don't use other people's recipes to log food, check the entries you do use, etc. Look at your weight change for at least one full menstrual cycle. Losing weight takes patience and persistence. Usually, health conditions are not as big a "Doom Factor" as people think.
  • spookycatKP
    spookycatKP Posts: 2 Member
    I’m worried this may be a dumb question but have you had your thyroid hormone tested within the last 6 months or so? I’m assuming you’re on sinthyroid or levothyroxine or whatever, I get mine tested 1-2x a year. If it’s too low your Dr might need to bump up your prescription. Also I’m sure you’re going to be a beautiful bride with or without the 15 lbs, so keep it up but don’t stress too much.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,857 Member
    spookycatKP wrote: »
    I’m worried this may be a dumb question but have you had your thyroid hormone tested within the last 6 months or so? I’m assuming you’re on sinthyroid or levothyroxine or whatever, I get mine tested 1-2x a year. If it’s too low your Dr might need to bump up your prescription. Also I’m sure you’re going to be a beautiful bride with or without the 15 lbs, so keep it up but don’t stress too much.

    Oh yes, that's a given. Including free T3 and T4, and both should ideally be in the upper range of normal and in balance when you compare their position within their respective normal ranges. The problem is that many doctors don't care about those, and think TSH is still within range, thus all is fine. The most important thing is that the person affected should feel great, full of energy, good brains, just normal. There's no reason to feel *kitten* with an underactive thyroid. But the opinion of the patient just isn't important for many doctors :(
  • hayleyb1986
    hayleyb1986 Posts: 1 Member
    Hiya, I have under active thyroid, PCOS and endometriosis, it can be like hitting your head against a brick wall, but take every day as it comes. I got rid of the scales and Go by my measurements and I found that the most effective. I only know my weight from hospital appointments. I have lost 4 stone, it took me 2 years but I literally had times off from Holidays etc, I still have 2 more to loose. I concerntrate so much on protein, veg and salads, keeping carbs to a minimum. I walk everyday, when I was loosing more I was adding swimming in the mix twice a week, I would go out for a walk that's 10,000 in the morning and everything else on top is a bonus.
    Good luck lovely.
  • FibroHiker
    FibroHiker Posts: 398 Member
    I second the measurements. If you did not take measurements when you first started you should do so now. There have been many that report zero sum gains because they are losing fat at the same time gaining muscle. Measuring yourself once every 7 to 10 days will give you an idea if this is happening for you.

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