Weight Loss and Thyroid issues
 

I've been trying to lose weight for 2 years now, ever since I was diagnosed with an under-active thyroid and put on Synthroid meds. Would like to hear some success stories and how you achieved weight loss. :(

Hello,
i have had thyroid problems(no thyroid production) and have been on thyrexin since the birth of my second child, 12 years ago. i also had problem losing weight, but 5 months ago i discovered fitday and things changed for me. i registered my food intake and found out:
1 i was not having enough calories a day ( was keeping it at 800-900 in my effort to lose weight)
2 almost all my calories were from simple carbs
3 was not drinking enough water

i changed all this, i have about 1100-1200 calories/day, have been trying to keep my carb/protein/fat ratio at or close to 40/40/20 and drink more water, about 64 ounces/day. I also have tried to exercise on a regular basis. to be honest, i didn't know any of these components of the weight loss on my own, but thanks to the wonderfull, knowledgable people and their support on this fourms i have lost 30 lbs and reached my goal in 5 months. good luck!

Thanks for the advice. How did you determine how many calories you need.

Its probably a good idea to meet with a nutritionist since they can help you deal with your thyroid issues as well as your weight loss.

i researched on the internet. there is a website i beleive it's called Calorie Counter Database - Free Online Diet Program you enter your weight, age and some other information and it gives you the amount of calorie you need to maintain your weight and also how much you need to lose weight. there were some other threads on these forms giving information about how to calculate your calore needs as well.

I too have low thyroid and on medicine for it. Seems like only that only Atkin's has worked for me. My doctor even told me to go on a high protein low carb diet.

There is a very active thyroid group on a low-carb board. It seems like a lot of people with an underactive thyroid have difficulty with carbs and they seem to do well on low carb diets. Another thing I've seen mentioned is that your medication might not be optimized. If you are still having symptoms - low energy, hair loss... you might want to talk to your doctor about your med levels and especially your T3 levels.

I was just diagnosed with hypo about 2 weeks ago and so I'm actively researching! I'm hoping that losing weight will be easier when my medication is at the correct level. Good luck! - Jane

I was diagnosed hypothyroid 3 years ago and have yet to successfully lose any of the weight I gained before diagnosis. Last year I was extremely diligent for 4 months, tracking every calorie, working out at the gym 5 days a week, swimming 2x a week. I put so much effort into it, and lost only 6 lbs. Frustrating!

I've heard it can be done, that low carb is the best route, and that daily aerobic exercise is a must. I know it's more difficult and takes even more motivation and discipline than before I had thyroid issues... I'm still working on that.

Well, I'm going to say something different. I am hypothyroid on meds over 15 years and have been at my ideal weight over 20 years because I don't go on diets. My nutrient breakdown is about 50 carb, 30 protein, 20% fat but I mainly concentrate on eating "real" food. I eat healthy food, enough, and when hungry and let my body take care of the rest. Going hungry to lose weight faster causes the body to go into famine mode. I do exercise an hour a day or so, resistance training is my favorite. Before I swore off diets, my weight swing was about 40 pounds and now I am naturally thin by following the principles in How To Become Naturally Thin By Eating More. I am 65 years old, female, and I weigh 128 pounds. I do wish you well in finding out what works for you.

If you have a thyroid issue, it can make you gain weight no matter how hard you fight it, but when you are being treated and your levels are normal, you can lose the weight you gained.

If you are truly working out and eating healthy you will have more energy and you will lose the weight. If you are still dead tired and not losing the weight ask yourself if you are HONESTLY giving it your all. If you are, demand that your doctor have ALL of your levels checked and get a copy of the lab results so you can see them for yourself.

If your levels are normal then maybe you aren't trying as hard as you thought. Thyroid issue or not, it can be hard to make the lifestyle changes needed to become fit and healthier, but once you do, you realize how much better you feel and look.

As far as the lower carbs... (thyroid issue or not) You just need to find what works best for you. Mine are usually on the lower side but that is because they come from veggie/fruit sources, not the packaged "middle aisle" foods.

farahb7, Congrats on all you accomplished!

That's all I saw when I read your reply. You lost 6 pounds! You were doing it! :confused:

Read farahb7's sig line. :)

I think that's a good message - if your medication is correct for your thyroid condition, then you should be able to lose weight like everyone else. But, a lot of people find that their low thyroid symptoms are still present even though the doctor says their test results are normal. That's when you need to really dig for more information (and perhaps a new doctor). If you're still not feeling well, and you're not able to lose weight despite a true effort, then you probably need a different combo or amount of thyroid meds. Don't just assume that because your test results are in the "normal" range that everything should be okay. It can be a lot more complicated than that.

Which is why I said she should get a copy of her lab results. I was always "within normal range" on my yearly blood work according to my OB/GYN. What I didn't know was that they only test 2 not all four levels and that those two they do test were at the lowest end of normal.

The only reason I found out that my thyroid was, in fact, not functioning, was because when I had a head injury the tech noticed something else not related to my injury. I was sent to a specialist as soon as my injury allowed. I had 3 tumors on my thyroid.

I knew there had to be a reason I had started to gain weight because I ate healthy and I was already very active.

If my former doctor had done his job properly and said "Hey, lets just just have a little more testing done because I don't like how low your levels are even though they are within the normal range", I could probably have been treated sooner meaning I wouldn't have continued to gain weight despite increasing my workouts and running to 7 days a week.

The constant exhaustion you have with hypo thyroid makes me think of how you would feel when you eat poorly, plant your butt on the couch and aren't active. No, I was never a couch potato but I know someone who is and she wonders/complains all the time about why she is tired and fat. She just continues to make excuses for her bad eating habits and laziness. :rolleyes:

I have my levels checked every three months and always get a copy of the lab results (not just the report) so I can see for myself that my thyroid is functioning the way it should be. If my jeans start getting tight I know it is because of me, not my thyroid.

Oh well, it is what it is... and for me it was frustrating to lose only 6 pounds in 4 months. Many hypothyroid women find it is more difficult and that it takes more effort to lose weight than before their thyroid went haywire. That's my experience. She asked how other hypothyroid dieters lost weight, and I didn't see the sense in sugar coating it.

I believe that about some things. But not about my health and fitness. It is too important to me to just give up and accept I can't do anything about it. It is what it is because I get to decide what I want it to be.

Trying to lose weight can be frustrating for everyone. If it were easy no one would be fat.

I have wondered if it is really easier for some to lose the weight or if it is just because they put more effort into it.

I understand the scale frustration because it barely seemed to move for me too.

I had side by side progress pics done recently and someone said it looked like a 15-20 pound difference. It was only 4&1/2 pounds, how frustrating is that?! I put the scale away and go by how I look and how my clothes fit because I want it too bad to give up.

Good luck on reaching your goals. It may not be easy but all the hard work really is worth it. :)

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Well, it's a good thing I wasn't advocating for anyone to give up or accept that there was nothing to be done. Perhaps you are reading something into my message that isn't there?

I'm simply saying that *for me* it requires more effort to lose weight since the thyroid issue than before, and *for me* that it was frustrating to work twice as hard to lose half as much. I know for a fact, that it was easier for me to drop a few pounds before I became hypothroid. My metabolism has changed, and I accept that. It's partly due to hypothyroid, and partly due to aging. I never said it couldn't be done.

I know that in the past, I could workout 3 or 4 days a week for 45 minutes and eat 1500 calories and I would easily lose a few pounds a week. I know now that I will have to workout more often, longer, with more intensity, and my calories may have to drop to 1200-1300 if I want the same results.

No, I was agreeing about how frustrating it can be to work so hard and barely see the scale move.

You apparently took offense to my reply, not sure why, but like I said before... Good luck on reaching your goals.

I think the message here is try not to focus so much on what the scale says. I know I'm guilty of that as well but sometimes you can loose more size than what the scale reads and that in itself can be frustrating. Keep pushing forward and try to focus on how your clothes fit and what your mirror says. I also know that some people with thyroid issues can get that "bloated" look and once you lose the bloat, you'll look much better even though the scale doesn't reflect that.

Hi all,

I have had hypothyroidism for close to 30 years. Let me tell you I was able to lose weight before my pregnancy after that, OUCH. It was not from lack of trying or dedication.

I get my levels checked every 3 months unless I "feel" lower, then more often. I have been to endocrinologists and it is not easy. I once gained 30 lbs in 3 months without changing my eating/exercise habits. (I went to the doctor's for an annual exam and then returned to show him my weight gain). My levels were way out. The pounds did not just melt off when my levels came back. In fact I am still struggling with that gain from years ago.

I had to switch off from Synthroid to another form of levothyroxine because my levels go out of whack. My doctor said that I am not his only patient with this problem.

The only thing that worked for me was NS last year. Yes it contains "garbage" and soy (not good for hypothyroidism) but it is the only thing that has worked longer term in 15 years.

Okay having said that, I am now experiencing pre-menopausal symptoms and had to go on hormones and guess what? I gained 25lbs in a short time period. This is why I am here.

It is frustrating, it is a pain but it is trial and error. It is hard for some who have not experienced thyroid problems to relate or believe but it IS real.

Hormonal imbalances affect people differently. Even if you can remain stable for years and lose weight, it may affect you later.

Sorry for the long post and good luck!

Hi Bobbienne, what is NS? Is that for Nutrisystem?

I have had thyroid issues for almost 30 years. My TSH bounces all over the place, hyper to hypo and back again all in the same year. My sister has had the same thyroid problems but her TSH has been steady for 30 years. Her weight has been steady for 30 years, mine bounces just like my TSH. There is no magic bullet and your thyroid does control much of this! I am under the care of a very good endocrinologist and they don't know why mine is all over the place. Do the best you can do! It is much harder to get any weight off if you are hypo. When I am hyper I can eat like a truck driver and can't gain or maintain, but my body is CRAZY with exhaustion from being hyper. Hyper is terrible.

yes Nutrisystem...Sorry for the acronym. :)

Have a good night all!

Pollyri: I guess thyroidism (hypo and hyper) causes fatigue...that stinks...
Hang in there :)

Bobbienne--I was curious to know more about a couple things you said. Why were you switched from Synthroid to another form of levothyroxine? Also, what do you know about soy being bad for hypothyroidism?

I just joined the forums a few days ago and wanted to say that I was put on levothyroxine in my teens, before I started to gain weight on antidepressants. I've had my blood tested a couple times a year and the dosage increased a few times, but it seems stable. I still struggle with fatigue, but I don't know that it's related to hypo because my doctor says my levels are normal. It never occurred to me to ask for the lab results, but I don't suffer from most of the hypo symptoms like hair loss. I was intrigued that so many posters on here did ask for their own copies of the lab results, and also that there are more markers that should be tested for. I may have to ask my doctor about this!

I drink soymilk instead of cow's milk because of IBS and I was wondering if I should switch over to almond milk instead. I've read that soy can be bad for women with a predisposition for breast cancer, but I wasn't aware it could impact hypothyroidism. Does anyone have more information on this? I thank you in advance.

J.

I have Hypothyroidism. I'm also a vegetarian and eat soy everyday. My blood levels are checked every 8-12 weeks. Eating soy and other foods people say can effect the thyroid hasn't had any effect on my thyroid levels/function.

Unfortunately I think every food could be listed as "do not eat if you are hypothyroidism" if anyone searched the net hard enough. Seems like every food was named to cause cancer at one time or another too! http://www.snay.org/menshealth/forum...ns/emo-yes.gif

My fast friend's father was diagnosed with hypothyroid 10 years ago. I have seen him losing weight gradually by controlling his diet and daily routine of aerobic exercising.

any updates? once the thyroid hormore kicks in have you had better luck?

How has your weight loss been?

One might anticipate a minor weight loss (often less than 10% of body weight) when hypothyroidism is treated because a significant portion of weight increase in hypothyroidism is salt and water accumulation.

Best Ways To Loose Weight With Thyroid Issues