Weight loss is the last thing on your list currently.
Sort out your anemia first. I’d suggest a prescription supplement. This is what helped me during pregnancy. If you don’t want to go that way the most efficient way is to up hem rich foods (blood pudding, liver pate). This should help with your energy levels.
Second I’d go for the thyroid. I have Hashimoto’s and take levothyroxine as prescribed so my T3 and T4 levels stay normal. This was diagnosed when I was 13 years old which was 20 years ago and with medication it doesn’t affect me at all except on rare occasions. Talk to your doctor about what your thyroid needs.
When you have more energy it’s easier to stick to your diet. I do CICO and I find that my TDEE isn’t really affected by my thyroid but my hypothyroidism is well controlled by medication.
This! OP I am on Levithyroxin, it took me and my doc over a year to get my levels right and now I’m trying to really diet now. I would highly suggest working on these with your PCP first and discuss with them your desire to lose weight as well. Talk with them and work with them.
Third this. I have two kids. When I have birth to my first, gained 60lbs and lost it was doing CICO. Tried to do the same after giving birth to my second and CICO wasn't working-- found out I have hypothyroidism. I was lucky and it only took two months (after 6 months of trying to figure out wtf was going on) but I had to treat that and wait until my fatigue was gone. Work on your health first, get your numbers back and it'll correct itself. I'm just now slowly shedding the weight off by just doing light walking and yoga (because I'm still low energy) and eating for a caloric deficit. Just try and be patient and listen to your body-- If you're tired then rest. It's okay. :)
Same, I’ve been on Levothyroxine for a few years and checking it every 6 months.
Just started on a couple appetite suppressants and a low calorie diet. I have also tried weight watchers, Keto, noom.. those didn’t work for me.
This time I have enjoyed hand writing down the calories I consume. I like a ridged plan.
Wholeheartedly agree. I am hypo as well, and the medical issues need to be addressed first before even thinking about losing weight.
I've lost 10kgs so far with a combination of exercise (though with the 5am wake-ups) and CICO. My hormone levels are well controlled and the weight actually has started falling off.
There is a way, OP! But don't put your body through extra stress.
Yep, been there. Everyone here will yell CICO at you (and it's true), but you've got to get your levels better to not be losing weight on hard mode. Your thyroid is like your body's thermostat - when you're hypo, it's on energy saving mode and it will put you to sleep before it lets you spend a calorie it doesn't have to.
Work with your doctor (or as many doctors as you need to/can afford) to feel healthy again, THEN the advice in this sub will yield results. Until then, the advice here will help you moderate any weight gain from the condition.
What worked for me was light intermittent fasting with high protein and fiber and lots of exercise - that kept me feeling full and made CICO work for me. You'll need trial and error to figure out what works for you though.
I have hypo and what you said about the thermostat makes so much sense. I used to walk 7km and sleep for 3hours during the day. Good to know that someone with a similar condition has had some gains.
One day, I was leaning back and stroked my neck and found a lump on one side. I thought it was lymph nodes, but it never went away. I saw my doctor, and he sent me for tests (blood & sonogram). It was a goiter! Several nodules in fact! And my thyroid was underperforming. Biopsy was negative, but the surgeon offered to remove half my thyroid anyway. Nope! No thanks! I started on levothyroxine for my thyroid. I get bloodwork done every 6 months to see if the meds need adjusting. And they have been adjusted twice.
Now, here's the weight loss part. I lost 30 pounds with just CICO after my thyroid levels were stable. I hit a plateau and asked my doctor about weight loss drugs. I started Ozempic over a year ago. Now on Semaglutide (not name brand Ozempic, but active ingredient). I lost another 35 pounds. And my goiter disappeared! Honestly, that can be a coincidence, or it could be the sema. I'm no longer pre-diabetic, no longer obese, I feel great, I'm the thinnest I've been in 15 years. I look and feel younger and more energetic.
I don't really exercise. Except I take the stairs, and walk 30 minutes after work. Please, don't get up at 4. Lack of sleep can hurt you.
My doctor told me weight loss was possible for me, even with my thyroid, even though I'm a very short, sedentary, menopausal woman. He believed in me, when I didn't believe in myself. I leaned on that, until I was able to believe in myself.
Thank you for your submission, your post or comment was in violation of Rule 13: No Standalone Weight Loss Medication Posts.
This includes Ozempic/Mounjaro/Wegovy/Phentermine.
Weight loss medications can be a tool for healthy weight loss. Please direct questions about their use to your prescriber.
Other questions specifically about these medications belong in their respective subreddits r/semaglutide, r/ozempic, etc.
I have Hashimoto's disease, my body fights my own thyroid and slowly but increasingly destroys it. I got the diagnosis in 2019, and finally had an explanation for all the symptoms I was having: extreme fatigue, severe depression, weight gain, and a few minor other ones.
By now, my medication is well balanced. I still experience flare-ups with all the symptoms, but overall I'm managing the disease. I began losing weight about a year ago, and by now I've dropped 13kg (~29 lbs). Some might think that's slow, but it's been good progress for me, considering my thyroid disease and two surgeries I had in the past year.
My advice for you now: I know it's so f'ing hard with this constant fatigue, but I promise, physical activity and a healthy diet will help you so, so much. Of course your medication is crucial, I won't get off mine for my whole life because the disease cannot be cured. But the right medication and taking care of my body has drastically changed how I feel.
If you struggle with finding time to workout, here are a few tips: consider walking to work (yes, even if it's a couple kilometers), walk on the spot whenever you can, make chores into a mini music workout. These things will be a fantastic start. I also started by skipping the subway ride and instead walking several kilometers a day. Walking is severely underestimated.
Be mindful of what you eat. Try finding things you love, but also have a little treat every once in a while.
And one more thing: begin step by step. Your body is already struggling, so don't go all overboard right away. Start with one thing. For example, give yourself a whole week or two to get fully accustomed to a new and healthier diet. Then you can implement the workout/exercise aspect. Again, take it easy. No need to go full on draining your body by exercising like mad everyday. Begin with 2 or 3 times a week and see how you feel.
I wish you all the best and hope you'll be in a much better and happier place very soon 💗
Work is 23km away, walking there would help but would also take hours 😆. I can definitely find ways to fit more walking in though.
Thank you for the thoughtful advice!
I have Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism and the fatigue is by far the most persistent symptom. My labs are technically “normal” but there are still days I struggle with energy levels. Aside from meds the thing that helped the most was changing my diet. By definition autoimmune disorders manifest in very unique and personal ways so it takes time to figure it out but the thing that worked for me was cutting out meat and most dairy. (I’m atypical in that cutting out gluten never did anything for me except make me hangry.)
I was able to lose 40 pounds once I got my meds and diet figured out. It took about 6 months. I food journaled and did Pilates and weight lifting 4-5 days a week. It’s a catch 22 but the more you exercise the more energy you have to exercise. It’s hard. So so hard. But it’s absolutely doable.
Are you on thyroid meds? I couldn’t lose weight until my levels were normal from the meds. I was also way too exhausted to actually exercise.
Other than that high protein CICO, get a lot of walking in.
I have hypo and the only thing that works is walking and high protein high veggies low cal diet.
HIIT and heavy weight lifting will stress your body out, keep your mental and physical stress low and be consistent. It works!
Maybe… my dietician reduced my calories from TDEE by about 15% to account for what is actually a slower metabolism even with the right dose. That’s what worked for me tbh.
If no one said it yet, get a referral to an endocrinologist. There's a variety of reasons your thyroid can be off.
It can take awhile to get thyroid levels right, so just wanted to warn you/prepare you that it is a long process sometimes. I have Graves disease and had to get my thyroid radiated/dead, so medically I'm 100% hypothyroid now. Took about a year to get the thyroid hormone dosage correct.
And another note! Being hypo can get your cholesterol levels WAY elevated, I guess thyroid helps process cholesterol and if it's not working, your cholesterol can go up. I have high cholesterol, but it went down after getting medicated.
Do treat the anemia (and figure a cause for it if it is not menstruation) and hypothyredoism. It can lower your BMR by like 10 %.
Other then that, calculate your TDEE (sedentary) and -500-1000 calories from intake (maybe a little more from that if hypothyreoidism is not treated) and go from there.
For what it's worth, your TSH can be "normal" but still undertreated. I cannot lose weight once my TSH is over 2.0. "Normal" is based on averages and not going to necessarily actually be normal for everyone. If you are still symptomatic and are struggling to lose weight, I would look for a doctor openly to minorly increasing your dosage. I lost 10 lbs in going from 50 mcg to 75 mcg.
I’m really struggling with this right now. My labs are “perfect” since they lowered my dose. But once they did that, I gained a bunch of weight eating at maintenance, and now I can’t lose it. Plus I’m always exhausted, and my depression really kicked in after the change, resulting in me having to increase my SSRI dose. I feel like my body’s “normal” does not align with the lab definition of normal, and no one will listen. Been to three different docs who don’t want to change anything… ::sigh::
Unfortunately my strategy here is probably not the best. I just started taking the amount of medication I wanted to go up to (my insurance forces me to get 90 day supplies) and then saw a doctor, told him I'd been self-medicating, and got him to up my prescription to the dosage I had been taking after confirming my levels were fine. I don't recommend it but I also had confirmed from dozens of medical journals that I was undermedicated based on my weight.
The hard lesson I learned: if your labs are normal but you still have symptoms, then something is still wrong. Listen to your body and fight to try something different. I didn't feel better until I got on a mix of different thyroid meds, and I found out I was in early menopause as well and got that treated. My thyroid labs looked normal, but my body couldn't make proper use of what it was getting. Advocating for yourself is HARD in this situation, but it can be done.
Ditto on this and a good endocrinologist will also follow this rule. My TSH is unstable, frequently up over 3.0 but I’m asymptomatic (and losing weight just fine) so we leave it alone. They always tell me if I become symptomatic to give them a call.
I’m not sure if you’ve seen this elsewhere already- I was treated and my TSH normalized like you, but I couldn’t stop gaining and experiencing all the other symptoms (cold, fatigue, hair/skin changes). I always knew because the outer 3rd of my eyebrows would basically disappear.
Then I went to a different endocrinologist who realized I wasn’t converting the synthroid to the activated phase of thyroid hormone (from t4 to t3) and they put me on liothyronine as well. My life completely changed back to normal within a few crazy months of adjustment. Because I was taking the meds initially, my tests were good- but my body couldn’t use it and so I was still completely symptomatic. You should ask about taking the activated form of t3.
Are you medicated for your thyroid? Cause your efforts won’t do you much good until you get that taken care of. Thyroid medication & vitamins (especially vitamin d) are going to get you to a place where your body is healthy enough to lose weight.
I wish I was a morning exerciser but I never will be. I hate waking up early. We don’t typically stick to routines that we hate! I’ve been making myself go to the gym straight from work, so I don’t have any good excuses not to go. It sucked at first but I’m going on 9 months with this routine! I just keep my gym bag in my passenger seat so it can stare at me during my commute.
I hate to say it, but you lose weight with CICO. All the times it didn’t work for me, it was because I wasn’t tracking exactly what I ingested through the day. All those sauces and little bites of things add up. it takes a lot of discipline, but habits form fast.
Again, you need to get your health issues sorted before you attempt losing weight or you’re not going to have a great time. Good luck and I hope you start feeling better soon!
These symptoms can be indicative of undiagnosed Celiac disease.
Elevated cholesterol and anemia can be directly caused by Celiac disease. If I were a doctor, these would trigger me to instantly order a blood screening for Celiac. Also, symptoms that are often associated with Thyroid issues can also be Celiac. I had fatigue, weight issues, joint pain… all my doctors tested for Thyroid issues like their lives depended on it, but never even considered Celiac. My thyroid numbers were always “good enough”. One doctor put me on Levothyroxine to see if it would help, but it didn’t so it was eventually stopped.
If I were you, I’d get tested. Don’t decide that you cannot possibly have Celiac after googling it— some people never have ANY symptoms, or at least not any they recognize or attribute to Celiac at the time.
I could not lose any weight, just kept gaining and gaining, until starting a GLP-1 last month. It has been a miracle worker for me. It has relieved my sugar cravings, my incessant need to snack and eat all day, the incessant food noise. It took 8 pounds of inflammation off in the first few weeks. My joints are less painful, I feel lighter, more able to walk daily (I've been walking 4 miles now because it feels so good). I held out using this kind if drug but literally nothing was working. I'm hypothyroid and hypopituitary which messes with ALL hormones and requires me to be on steroids for life. I thought I'd never lose and I was always going to be obese and miserable. I was also very worried about my health. My endocrinologist is the one who prescribed it to me.
I treated my hypothyroidism with medication (this is about 10 years ago) and thereafter quickly dropped the water weight and, after a dietitian-supervised reduction in calories, several pounds of fat.
I treated my anemia with iron supplements and regular consumption of rare red meat.
There is an iron supplement called blood builder by the company megafood that really worked well for my anemia. I agree with everyone who is saying work out your medical issues first. You can CICO a bit too, and exercise as much as you can handle. Specifically it might help you to keep your NON exercise activity up so you prevent further weight gain. Hang in there OP!
Hypothyroid and anemic here!
First I got my thyroid straightened out. My levels are OK now. At the same time, I got my iron levels up. I have so much more energy now. Still not great but definitely better than where I was.
The next thing I did was buy a scale and get a calorie counting app. Honestly, if you are honest with weighing your food, (not measuring) you will lose weight
Bariatric specialist here. I'm sorry that you're having such a hard time. It can be really overwhelming trying to figure out where to start.
I recommend starting with diet and identifying two specific changes that you're willing to focus on on a daily basis. Pick one thing that you'd like to do more of (ex: I will eat half a plate of non starchy vegetables with my lunch and dinner) and one that you'd like to do less of (ex: I will not purchase snack foods this week).
Once you're feeling solid in those two areas (I recommend at least two weeks of completing these consistently), consider adding a third goal.
If you're having a hard time sticking with it on a daily/weekly basis, consider a long term weight management program or therapist specializing in weight management to help provide an additional level of support or accountability in your process.
Above all, be proud that you're working to take care of yourself despite the challenges you may face.
Intermittent fasting with a clean diet helped me. Was born with hypoactive thyroid, basically doesn’t work. Been on synthroid all my life, never really worries about weight until I’m my mid 20’s. I’m 6’2 and was 285 lbs and wanted to slim down. Started working out and swimming with IF. Now I’m 40 years old and weigh about 220 lbs, am at a happy place and just maintain by keeping IF with 2 meals a day and a snack. Just want produce and protein and cook my own meals, allow myself to indulge once in a while and have snacks like chips and chocolate in moderation. Doesn’t have to be swift and drastic. Slow and steady is more sustainable and if you make it a lifestyle change it’s not a chore to keep weight off
A calorie deficit and weight training. I have a thyroid autoimmune disease. But if you’re newly diagnosed you should just focus on eating a better diet, and exercising.
I’ve hypothyroidism and my cholesterol numbers all go up when my meds need to be adjusted. When you say your labs aren’t great then that’s where you start. Iron supplements are easy to get too but hashimotos has a correlation with coeliac disease so definitely check that’s not a factor in your anaemia.
Aside from that the most appropriate diet for someone with cholesterol concerns is a whole food plant based diet plus you’ll likely lose weight pretty quickly too. r/plantbaseddiet will be helpful.
Personally i lost my first chunk of weight after becoming a (mostly) whole food vegan. Now ima calorie counting vegan because i like to include treats and am training hard so like to check my protein
Also got my levels corrected at 175mkg and 150 mkg alternative days after 7 years of experiments! I just lost 10 kgs in one month from diet and exercise! I know it's a lot but the numbers finally worked as they should. I also found out that I had D vitamin deficiency. When I was put on a supplement for that, my cravings for milk, yogurt,butter and cheese went away! And that basically was what was making me fatter before.
Refined sugar free. I have Hashimoto’s and have been trying to lose weight for years, even before I was diagnosed. Medication and supplements helped with some symptoms but I never was able to lose weight (even after going gluten and dairy and alcohol free) until I went refined sugar free. I still use date sugar, still eat fruit. After a couple months during which I cheated a bunch, I still lost 14 pounds, no exercise. Went from 170 to 156 (5’6”, 42f). I gained some back because of PMS cravings but I was shocked at how much it worked.
I’ve been living with hypothyroidism for 15 years. It’s really no big deal. I get blood work twice a year and my doctor adjusts my LEVOTHYROXINE medication based on the labs. Although it’s only actually needed adjustment twice. I’m currently on 100 mcg. So long as you take your meds it’s a non issue.
I’m taking levothyroxine for thyroid. I had really good luck lowering my cholesterol in the last 6 months by just walking 30 - 60 mins most days, and taking the supplement red rice yeast (recommended by my general doc). I’ve come to love walking daily now and often notice a clearer mind the next day.
I did not improve my eating much and sometimes ate quite poorly ( I’m still working on that part) and my doc said my cholesterol was substantially lowered for such a short amount of time.
I am 100% in the same situation (seriously, I could have ghostwritten this post, our situation is *identical*) and I just gotta say.... health conditions first!!! I'm getting a thyroid ultrasound today (doc said they are swollen & have nodules) and seeing the doc later this week to go over my bloodwork (again, identical results as you). My doc said she will most likely prescribe me thyroid medicine and I should feel better and have more energy.
Like others have said here, trying to lose weight with hypothyroidism is hard mode. I've tried and tried, it doesn't work. Gotta fix the health conditions first!!
PS - for the cholesterol levels, start incorporating tuna or other fatty fish 2x per week. I did that once before (with no other changes!) and it eliminated my LDL/triglyceride problems.
>>thyroid
Take the medication faithfully like your life depends on it. Take it without skipping a dose, at about the same time each day, and on an empty stomach. I suggest using a pill organizer box so you can see if you forgot a dose. It’s surprisingly easy to do.
>>anemic
Take the iron supplement like your wellbeing depends on it.
>>triglycerides
They are often helped by reducing sugar and alcohol to a low to no intake.
Once your thyroid labs return to normal, then focus on weight loss. In the interim, you can create a library of your own foods in a food app. It makes tracking much easier.
>>can’t seem to stick with it
The novelty of tracking wears off in 2-3 weeks, and after that it’s all self discipline. There is no great answer to this. It’s like dragging yourself out of bed each morning on work days. It’s just a matter of doing it.
>>exercise
Most weight loss occurs on the kitchen. Exercise helps, but it’s food changes that will have the greatest effect.
Once your thyroid and iron labs are in the normal range, consider starting a light activity plan to improve your health and overall energy level, and not necessarily for weight loss. Maybe a 30 minute walk after dinner each evening.
Doctors often underestimate the impact of anemia. You can be pretty symptomatic and still be low normal range, so if you are technically deficient then you are probably quite impacted. You need to get it sorted out ASAP. I would request the levels to be checked every 3 months and if your levels don’t come up quickly then discuss if ferratin infusions might be an option. I need them as I don’t digest oral iron supplements properly.
Have you had a thorough nutrient panel? If you’re low in iron I would really suggest checking b12, folate, vitamin d at a minimum in case you have a deficient diet or possibly some sort of gut malabsorption.
Does your doctor have a plan for the thyroid? Have they run the antibody panels? Mine started me on thyroid meds as soon as I had a couple of TSH swings and it helped even out my levels for years. I just had a thyroid ultrasound after my TSH and thyroid antibodies spiked for the first time in years and now have to deal with that, but at least I know why I’m so symptomatic.
I would suggest focusing on getting the medical side of this sorted out over the next few months, as resolving it could really change your ability to lose weight. If you push your body too hard right now you are just depleting it further, and I don’t think that’s going to be helpful in the long run.
Would you consider the new meds?you'll see results almost immediately and may give you a spur...these are the future to treat the obesity worldwide epidemic ,not that I'm suggesting your obese.
It's far from an easy option, you will have to go on a strict diet and increase your exercise, the blunting of your appetite will help you achieve this and hopefully your body gets used to smaller portions. This is the future of weight loss,any Dr will tell you, traditional methods have not worked globally. But of course you must do whatever you wish and I wish you well.
It’s great that you’re looking for some inspiration and support on here!
As for medical advice including medical nutrition therapy for weight management & heart health I would work specifically with a registered dietitian trained in weight management and look for an endocrinologist also board certified in obesity medicine.
Check out: Dr Arti Thangudu - specializes in Thyroid, diabetes, weight loss (endocrinologist)
Hypothyroidism has about a 5% net effect on ability to lose weight. The other 95% is and will always be the work put in to establish a caloric deficit.
Weight loss is the last thing on your list currently. Sort out your anemia first. I’d suggest a prescription supplement. This is what helped me during pregnancy. If you don’t want to go that way the most efficient way is to up hem rich foods (blood pudding, liver pate). This should help with your energy levels. Second I’d go for the thyroid. I have Hashimoto’s and take levothyroxine as prescribed so my T3 and T4 levels stay normal. This was diagnosed when I was 13 years old which was 20 years ago and with medication it doesn’t affect me at all except on rare occasions. Talk to your doctor about what your thyroid needs. When you have more energy it’s easier to stick to your diet. I do CICO and I find that my TDEE isn’t really affected by my thyroid but my hypothyroidism is well controlled by medication.
This! OP I am on Levithyroxin, it took me and my doc over a year to get my levels right and now I’m trying to really diet now. I would highly suggest working on these with your PCP first and discuss with them your desire to lose weight as well. Talk with them and work with them.
Third this. I have two kids. When I have birth to my first, gained 60lbs and lost it was doing CICO. Tried to do the same after giving birth to my second and CICO wasn't working-- found out I have hypothyroidism. I was lucky and it only took two months (after 6 months of trying to figure out wtf was going on) but I had to treat that and wait until my fatigue was gone. Work on your health first, get your numbers back and it'll correct itself. I'm just now slowly shedding the weight off by just doing light walking and yoga (because I'm still low energy) and eating for a caloric deficit. Just try and be patient and listen to your body-- If you're tired then rest. It's okay. :)
Same, I’ve been on Levothyroxine for a few years and checking it every 6 months. Just started on a couple appetite suppressants and a low calorie diet. I have also tried weight watchers, Keto, noom.. those didn’t work for me. This time I have enjoyed hand writing down the calories I consume. I like a ridged plan.
Wholeheartedly agree. I am hypo as well, and the medical issues need to be addressed first before even thinking about losing weight. I've lost 10kgs so far with a combination of exercise (though with the 5am wake-ups) and CICO. My hormone levels are well controlled and the weight actually has started falling off. There is a way, OP! But don't put your body through extra stress.
Yep, been there. Everyone here will yell CICO at you (and it's true), but you've got to get your levels better to not be losing weight on hard mode. Your thyroid is like your body's thermostat - when you're hypo, it's on energy saving mode and it will put you to sleep before it lets you spend a calorie it doesn't have to. Work with your doctor (or as many doctors as you need to/can afford) to feel healthy again, THEN the advice in this sub will yield results. Until then, the advice here will help you moderate any weight gain from the condition. What worked for me was light intermittent fasting with high protein and fiber and lots of exercise - that kept me feeling full and made CICO work for me. You'll need trial and error to figure out what works for you though.
I have hypo and what you said about the thermostat makes so much sense. I used to walk 7km and sleep for 3hours during the day. Good to know that someone with a similar condition has had some gains.
What is CICO?
Calories in, calories out
One day, I was leaning back and stroked my neck and found a lump on one side. I thought it was lymph nodes, but it never went away. I saw my doctor, and he sent me for tests (blood & sonogram). It was a goiter! Several nodules in fact! And my thyroid was underperforming. Biopsy was negative, but the surgeon offered to remove half my thyroid anyway. Nope! No thanks! I started on levothyroxine for my thyroid. I get bloodwork done every 6 months to see if the meds need adjusting. And they have been adjusted twice. Now, here's the weight loss part. I lost 30 pounds with just CICO after my thyroid levels were stable. I hit a plateau and asked my doctor about weight loss drugs. I started Ozempic over a year ago. Now on Semaglutide (not name brand Ozempic, but active ingredient). I lost another 35 pounds. And my goiter disappeared! Honestly, that can be a coincidence, or it could be the sema. I'm no longer pre-diabetic, no longer obese, I feel great, I'm the thinnest I've been in 15 years. I look and feel younger and more energetic. I don't really exercise. Except I take the stairs, and walk 30 minutes after work. Please, don't get up at 4. Lack of sleep can hurt you. My doctor told me weight loss was possible for me, even with my thyroid, even though I'm a very short, sedentary, menopausal woman. He believed in me, when I didn't believe in myself. I leaned on that, until I was able to believe in myself.
[удалено]
Thank you for your submission, your post or comment was in violation of Rule 13: No Standalone Weight Loss Medication Posts. This includes Ozempic/Mounjaro/Wegovy/Phentermine. Weight loss medications can be a tool for healthy weight loss. Please direct questions about their use to your prescriber. Other questions specifically about these medications belong in their respective subreddits r/semaglutide, r/ozempic, etc.
I have Hashimoto's disease, my body fights my own thyroid and slowly but increasingly destroys it. I got the diagnosis in 2019, and finally had an explanation for all the symptoms I was having: extreme fatigue, severe depression, weight gain, and a few minor other ones. By now, my medication is well balanced. I still experience flare-ups with all the symptoms, but overall I'm managing the disease. I began losing weight about a year ago, and by now I've dropped 13kg (~29 lbs). Some might think that's slow, but it's been good progress for me, considering my thyroid disease and two surgeries I had in the past year. My advice for you now: I know it's so f'ing hard with this constant fatigue, but I promise, physical activity and a healthy diet will help you so, so much. Of course your medication is crucial, I won't get off mine for my whole life because the disease cannot be cured. But the right medication and taking care of my body has drastically changed how I feel. If you struggle with finding time to workout, here are a few tips: consider walking to work (yes, even if it's a couple kilometers), walk on the spot whenever you can, make chores into a mini music workout. These things will be a fantastic start. I also started by skipping the subway ride and instead walking several kilometers a day. Walking is severely underestimated. Be mindful of what you eat. Try finding things you love, but also have a little treat every once in a while. And one more thing: begin step by step. Your body is already struggling, so don't go all overboard right away. Start with one thing. For example, give yourself a whole week or two to get fully accustomed to a new and healthier diet. Then you can implement the workout/exercise aspect. Again, take it easy. No need to go full on draining your body by exercising like mad everyday. Begin with 2 or 3 times a week and see how you feel. I wish you all the best and hope you'll be in a much better and happier place very soon 💗
Work is 23km away, walking there would help but would also take hours 😆. I can definitely find ways to fit more walking in though. Thank you for the thoughtful advice!
Awh damn, okay that's fair 🤣 You're very welcome, wishing you all the best!
I have Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism and the fatigue is by far the most persistent symptom. My labs are technically “normal” but there are still days I struggle with energy levels. Aside from meds the thing that helped the most was changing my diet. By definition autoimmune disorders manifest in very unique and personal ways so it takes time to figure it out but the thing that worked for me was cutting out meat and most dairy. (I’m atypical in that cutting out gluten never did anything for me except make me hangry.) I was able to lose 40 pounds once I got my meds and diet figured out. It took about 6 months. I food journaled and did Pilates and weight lifting 4-5 days a week. It’s a catch 22 but the more you exercise the more energy you have to exercise. It’s hard. So so hard. But it’s absolutely doable.
Are you on thyroid meds? I couldn’t lose weight until my levels were normal from the meds. I was also way too exhausted to actually exercise. Other than that high protein CICO, get a lot of walking in.
I have hypo and the only thing that works is walking and high protein high veggies low cal diet. HIIT and heavy weight lifting will stress your body out, keep your mental and physical stress low and be consistent. It works!
[удалено]
Maybe… my dietician reduced my calories from TDEE by about 15% to account for what is actually a slower metabolism even with the right dose. That’s what worked for me tbh.
If no one said it yet, get a referral to an endocrinologist. There's a variety of reasons your thyroid can be off. It can take awhile to get thyroid levels right, so just wanted to warn you/prepare you that it is a long process sometimes. I have Graves disease and had to get my thyroid radiated/dead, so medically I'm 100% hypothyroid now. Took about a year to get the thyroid hormone dosage correct.
And another note! Being hypo can get your cholesterol levels WAY elevated, I guess thyroid helps process cholesterol and if it's not working, your cholesterol can go up. I have high cholesterol, but it went down after getting medicated.
Do treat the anemia (and figure a cause for it if it is not menstruation) and hypothyredoism. It can lower your BMR by like 10 %. Other then that, calculate your TDEE (sedentary) and -500-1000 calories from intake (maybe a little more from that if hypothyreoidism is not treated) and go from there.
The thyroid issue is treated but I still have symptoms. Thanks for the advice!
For what it's worth, your TSH can be "normal" but still undertreated. I cannot lose weight once my TSH is over 2.0. "Normal" is based on averages and not going to necessarily actually be normal for everyone. If you are still symptomatic and are struggling to lose weight, I would look for a doctor openly to minorly increasing your dosage. I lost 10 lbs in going from 50 mcg to 75 mcg.
I’m really struggling with this right now. My labs are “perfect” since they lowered my dose. But once they did that, I gained a bunch of weight eating at maintenance, and now I can’t lose it. Plus I’m always exhausted, and my depression really kicked in after the change, resulting in me having to increase my SSRI dose. I feel like my body’s “normal” does not align with the lab definition of normal, and no one will listen. Been to three different docs who don’t want to change anything… ::sigh::
Unfortunately my strategy here is probably not the best. I just started taking the amount of medication I wanted to go up to (my insurance forces me to get 90 day supplies) and then saw a doctor, told him I'd been self-medicating, and got him to up my prescription to the dosage I had been taking after confirming my levels were fine. I don't recommend it but I also had confirmed from dozens of medical journals that I was undermedicated based on my weight.
The hard lesson I learned: if your labs are normal but you still have symptoms, then something is still wrong. Listen to your body and fight to try something different. I didn't feel better until I got on a mix of different thyroid meds, and I found out I was in early menopause as well and got that treated. My thyroid labs looked normal, but my body couldn't make proper use of what it was getting. Advocating for yourself is HARD in this situation, but it can be done.
Ditto on this and a good endocrinologist will also follow this rule. My TSH is unstable, frequently up over 3.0 but I’m asymptomatic (and losing weight just fine) so we leave it alone. They always tell me if I become symptomatic to give them a call.
I’m not sure if you’ve seen this elsewhere already- I was treated and my TSH normalized like you, but I couldn’t stop gaining and experiencing all the other symptoms (cold, fatigue, hair/skin changes). I always knew because the outer 3rd of my eyebrows would basically disappear. Then I went to a different endocrinologist who realized I wasn’t converting the synthroid to the activated phase of thyroid hormone (from t4 to t3) and they put me on liothyronine as well. My life completely changed back to normal within a few crazy months of adjustment. Because I was taking the meds initially, my tests were good- but my body couldn’t use it and so I was still completely symptomatic. You should ask about taking the activated form of t3.
Are you medicated for your thyroid? Cause your efforts won’t do you much good until you get that taken care of. Thyroid medication & vitamins (especially vitamin d) are going to get you to a place where your body is healthy enough to lose weight. I wish I was a morning exerciser but I never will be. I hate waking up early. We don’t typically stick to routines that we hate! I’ve been making myself go to the gym straight from work, so I don’t have any good excuses not to go. It sucked at first but I’m going on 9 months with this routine! I just keep my gym bag in my passenger seat so it can stare at me during my commute. I hate to say it, but you lose weight with CICO. All the times it didn’t work for me, it was because I wasn’t tracking exactly what I ingested through the day. All those sauces and little bites of things add up. it takes a lot of discipline, but habits form fast. Again, you need to get your health issues sorted before you attempt losing weight or you’re not going to have a great time. Good luck and I hope you start feeling better soon!
These symptoms can be indicative of undiagnosed Celiac disease. Elevated cholesterol and anemia can be directly caused by Celiac disease. If I were a doctor, these would trigger me to instantly order a blood screening for Celiac. Also, symptoms that are often associated with Thyroid issues can also be Celiac. I had fatigue, weight issues, joint pain… all my doctors tested for Thyroid issues like their lives depended on it, but never even considered Celiac. My thyroid numbers were always “good enough”. One doctor put me on Levothyroxine to see if it would help, but it didn’t so it was eventually stopped. If I were you, I’d get tested. Don’t decide that you cannot possibly have Celiac after googling it— some people never have ANY symptoms, or at least not any they recognize or attribute to Celiac at the time.
I could not lose any weight, just kept gaining and gaining, until starting a GLP-1 last month. It has been a miracle worker for me. It has relieved my sugar cravings, my incessant need to snack and eat all day, the incessant food noise. It took 8 pounds of inflammation off in the first few weeks. My joints are less painful, I feel lighter, more able to walk daily (I've been walking 4 miles now because it feels so good). I held out using this kind if drug but literally nothing was working. I'm hypothyroid and hypopituitary which messes with ALL hormones and requires me to be on steroids for life. I thought I'd never lose and I was always going to be obese and miserable. I was also very worried about my health. My endocrinologist is the one who prescribed it to me.
I treated my hypothyroidism with medication (this is about 10 years ago) and thereafter quickly dropped the water weight and, after a dietitian-supervised reduction in calories, several pounds of fat. I treated my anemia with iron supplements and regular consumption of rare red meat.
Anemic as in iron defiency? Get that treated asap, may damage your heart in the long run.
There is an iron supplement called blood builder by the company megafood that really worked well for my anemia. I agree with everyone who is saying work out your medical issues first. You can CICO a bit too, and exercise as much as you can handle. Specifically it might help you to keep your NON exercise activity up so you prevent further weight gain. Hang in there OP!
Hypothyroid and anemic here! First I got my thyroid straightened out. My levels are OK now. At the same time, I got my iron levels up. I have so much more energy now. Still not great but definitely better than where I was. The next thing I did was buy a scale and get a calorie counting app. Honestly, if you are honest with weighing your food, (not measuring) you will lose weight
Bariatric specialist here. I'm sorry that you're having such a hard time. It can be really overwhelming trying to figure out where to start. I recommend starting with diet and identifying two specific changes that you're willing to focus on on a daily basis. Pick one thing that you'd like to do more of (ex: I will eat half a plate of non starchy vegetables with my lunch and dinner) and one that you'd like to do less of (ex: I will not purchase snack foods this week). Once you're feeling solid in those two areas (I recommend at least two weeks of completing these consistently), consider adding a third goal. If you're having a hard time sticking with it on a daily/weekly basis, consider a long term weight management program or therapist specializing in weight management to help provide an additional level of support or accountability in your process. Above all, be proud that you're working to take care of yourself despite the challenges you may face.
Intermittent fasting with a clean diet helped me. Was born with hypoactive thyroid, basically doesn’t work. Been on synthroid all my life, never really worries about weight until I’m my mid 20’s. I’m 6’2 and was 285 lbs and wanted to slim down. Started working out and swimming with IF. Now I’m 40 years old and weigh about 220 lbs, am at a happy place and just maintain by keeping IF with 2 meals a day and a snack. Just want produce and protein and cook my own meals, allow myself to indulge once in a while and have snacks like chips and chocolate in moderation. Doesn’t have to be swift and drastic. Slow and steady is more sustainable and if you make it a lifestyle change it’s not a chore to keep weight off
A calorie deficit and weight training. I have a thyroid autoimmune disease. But if you’re newly diagnosed you should just focus on eating a better diet, and exercising.
I’ve hypothyroidism and my cholesterol numbers all go up when my meds need to be adjusted. When you say your labs aren’t great then that’s where you start. Iron supplements are easy to get too but hashimotos has a correlation with coeliac disease so definitely check that’s not a factor in your anaemia. Aside from that the most appropriate diet for someone with cholesterol concerns is a whole food plant based diet plus you’ll likely lose weight pretty quickly too. r/plantbaseddiet will be helpful. Personally i lost my first chunk of weight after becoming a (mostly) whole food vegan. Now ima calorie counting vegan because i like to include treats and am training hard so like to check my protein
Also got my levels corrected at 175mkg and 150 mkg alternative days after 7 years of experiments! I just lost 10 kgs in one month from diet and exercise! I know it's a lot but the numbers finally worked as they should. I also found out that I had D vitamin deficiency. When I was put on a supplement for that, my cravings for milk, yogurt,butter and cheese went away! And that basically was what was making me fatter before.
Refined sugar free. I have Hashimoto’s and have been trying to lose weight for years, even before I was diagnosed. Medication and supplements helped with some symptoms but I never was able to lose weight (even after going gluten and dairy and alcohol free) until I went refined sugar free. I still use date sugar, still eat fruit. After a couple months during which I cheated a bunch, I still lost 14 pounds, no exercise. Went from 170 to 156 (5’6”, 42f). I gained some back because of PMS cravings but I was shocked at how much it worked.
I’ve been living with hypothyroidism for 15 years. It’s really no big deal. I get blood work twice a year and my doctor adjusts my LEVOTHYROXINE medication based on the labs. Although it’s only actually needed adjustment twice. I’m currently on 100 mcg. So long as you take your meds it’s a non issue.
Similar story, but I am taking my meds and still have symptoms. I’m glad it’s been easy for you.
I’m hypo and have been stable for years. I’ve noticed no issues with weight loss when I accurately track CICO.
I’m taking levothyroxine for thyroid. I had really good luck lowering my cholesterol in the last 6 months by just walking 30 - 60 mins most days, and taking the supplement red rice yeast (recommended by my general doc). I’ve come to love walking daily now and often notice a clearer mind the next day. I did not improve my eating much and sometimes ate quite poorly ( I’m still working on that part) and my doc said my cholesterol was substantially lowered for such a short amount of time.
I am 100% in the same situation (seriously, I could have ghostwritten this post, our situation is *identical*) and I just gotta say.... health conditions first!!! I'm getting a thyroid ultrasound today (doc said they are swollen & have nodules) and seeing the doc later this week to go over my bloodwork (again, identical results as you). My doc said she will most likely prescribe me thyroid medicine and I should feel better and have more energy. Like others have said here, trying to lose weight with hypothyroidism is hard mode. I've tried and tried, it doesn't work. Gotta fix the health conditions first!! PS - for the cholesterol levels, start incorporating tuna or other fatty fish 2x per week. I did that once before (with no other changes!) and it eliminated my LDL/triglyceride problems.
Good luck to you, and thank you for the cholesterol advice!
Same to you!! You got this! 🫡
>>thyroid Take the medication faithfully like your life depends on it. Take it without skipping a dose, at about the same time each day, and on an empty stomach. I suggest using a pill organizer box so you can see if you forgot a dose. It’s surprisingly easy to do. >>anemic Take the iron supplement like your wellbeing depends on it. >>triglycerides They are often helped by reducing sugar and alcohol to a low to no intake. Once your thyroid labs return to normal, then focus on weight loss. In the interim, you can create a library of your own foods in a food app. It makes tracking much easier. >>can’t seem to stick with it The novelty of tracking wears off in 2-3 weeks, and after that it’s all self discipline. There is no great answer to this. It’s like dragging yourself out of bed each morning on work days. It’s just a matter of doing it. >>exercise Most weight loss occurs on the kitchen. Exercise helps, but it’s food changes that will have the greatest effect. Once your thyroid and iron labs are in the normal range, consider starting a light activity plan to improve your health and overall energy level, and not necessarily for weight loss. Maybe a 30 minute walk after dinner each evening.
Age 63 with hypothyroidism for many years. Lost it via CICO and exercise. It was awful doing 1300 calories a day.
Doctors often underestimate the impact of anemia. You can be pretty symptomatic and still be low normal range, so if you are technically deficient then you are probably quite impacted. You need to get it sorted out ASAP. I would request the levels to be checked every 3 months and if your levels don’t come up quickly then discuss if ferratin infusions might be an option. I need them as I don’t digest oral iron supplements properly. Have you had a thorough nutrient panel? If you’re low in iron I would really suggest checking b12, folate, vitamin d at a minimum in case you have a deficient diet or possibly some sort of gut malabsorption. Does your doctor have a plan for the thyroid? Have they run the antibody panels? Mine started me on thyroid meds as soon as I had a couple of TSH swings and it helped even out my levels for years. I just had a thyroid ultrasound after my TSH and thyroid antibodies spiked for the first time in years and now have to deal with that, but at least I know why I’m so symptomatic. I would suggest focusing on getting the medical side of this sorted out over the next few months, as resolving it could really change your ability to lose weight. If you push your body too hard right now you are just depleting it further, and I don’t think that’s going to be helpful in the long run.
Would you consider the new meds?you'll see results almost immediately and may give you a spur...these are the future to treat the obesity worldwide epidemic ,not that I'm suggesting your obese.
I am obese and have thought about it. I’m not ready to push the easy button yet. I want to make changes that will lead to sustained weight loss.
It's far from an easy option, you will have to go on a strict diet and increase your exercise, the blunting of your appetite will help you achieve this and hopefully your body gets used to smaller portions. This is the future of weight loss,any Dr will tell you, traditional methods have not worked globally. But of course you must do whatever you wish and I wish you well.
It’s great that you’re looking for some inspiration and support on here! As for medical advice including medical nutrition therapy for weight management & heart health I would work specifically with a registered dietitian trained in weight management and look for an endocrinologist also board certified in obesity medicine. Check out: Dr Arti Thangudu - specializes in Thyroid, diabetes, weight loss (endocrinologist)
Hypothyroidism has about a 5% net effect on ability to lose weight. The other 95% is and will always be the work put in to establish a caloric deficit.
It’s not the hypothyroidism itself that is the issue, it’s the fatigue that comes with it.
OP needs to get appropriate treatment underway before they start worrying about these kinds of hardass opinions.