How do you lose weight when you are hypo??

Rosie1028 · 03-01-2005, 11:21 AM

I am losing weight, but it is so slow. I might lose 2 lbs a month. I have read that people with hypo need to do intense cardio, but then I have also read that it may stress your system and make the hypo worse. Whats a girl to do??

My doctor upped my dose of armour a few weeks ago. I am not noticing any change. He said that I probley wouldn't, that it would be "gentle". He is going to retest my around the first of April.

I am noticing that my hair isn't falling out anymore and I am getting alot of regrowth. Which is great now that I have cut all of my hair off!! I was starting to freak out a bit there for a while that I was going to be bald with a beard!!

So, ladies, what has worked for you??

O2bphishin · 03-01-2005, 11:39 AM

I am doing a lower carb diet and exercising for about an hour on my treadmill 6 days a week. I have lost 20 lbs this month (feb). I still have a lot to lose which is probably why I lost so much.
It takes a bit of time before the thyroid medicine gets everything regulated. The fact that your heir isn't falling out like it was is a good sign! Two things that I have noticed in the past few weeks is that my eyes are no longer puffy and have a definite shape and I no longer have the constant ringing in my ears.
BTW I'm not doing atkins just lower carbs and I occasionally have a treat!
HTH
Jenn

Rosie1028 · 03-01-2005, 11:49 AM

Jenn,
I do think that I need to up my cardio. I will do really well with my food and then yesterday I ate butter toffee popcorn with heath chunks. I felt like crap after I ate it!

20 lbs is awesome!! You have just inspired me. If I could lose 40 lbs then I think I would be perfect!

I feel better when I eat lower carb too. I just eat lots of low GI veggies with lean protein. I like to stay away from the sugar and any white flour or bread. ( except for yesterday) I do notice the longer I stay away from it, the easier it gets.

Good luck to you and if you have any more hints or suggestions let me know!

nobimbo · 03-01-2005, 07:09 PM

I am not a thyroid patient, but I went a long time suspecting I was so I did a lot of research into thyroid disease. Here is some info you may find helpful about hypothyroidism and diet/exercise:

1.) It's best to not go too low calorie OR low carb if you are hypothyroid. The reason for this is that either very low calorie or very low carb diets will inhibit conversion of T4 to T3.

Dr. Broda Barnes, a famous thyroidologist, did scientific studies (as have others who came after him) to see how he could jog the metabolism of thyroid disease patients. He found that less conversion of T4 to T3 took place in those with hypothyroidism if one ate fewer than 50 GROSS grams of carb and/or fewer than 1300 calories for many days in a row. He also found that a diet rich in fat, and devoid of all flour, sugar, starches would help a thyroid patient lose weight. He also found that the patient who ate ONLY meat/fat would have some pretty bizarre nutritional disturbances.....a good cause for eating your low-carb vegetables and fruits!! Dr. Ridha Arem also devotes several chapters in his books to the carb/calories deficient diet effect in thyroid disease patients.

2.) Those with hypothyroidism should avoid certain foods, most of them in RAW form: walnuts, uncooked flaxseed, peanuts(and even roasted will slow thyroid), SOY, strawberries, cabbage family veggies, radishes. These are all goitrogens, with soy being perhaps one of the worst.

3.) The aerobic exercise in a thyroid patient sometimes has a tendency to INCREASE cortisol...while the weight bearing exercises and things like pilates, yoga, tend to actually help the thyroid and metabolism.

HTH,
Linda

Pale Pink Aura · 03-02-2005, 02:47 AM

OMG Jenn! 20lb - good on you! I can barely even comprehend that. I was happy to have finally lost 2 lb in a fortnight.

Linda - thanks for that info. I knew about soy, but didn't realise those vegies were bad also. Most of those I don't eat, but I have had some cabbage.

For me, personally, what it took to finally get my weight moving was to cut out all grains and sugar (I have a little bit of brown rice every now and again, but that's it - no flour or gluten in any form).

Also, how long does it take before your hair stops falling out?

O2bphishin · 03-04-2005, 11:02 AM

Deb-
I think it took me about 3 weeks before my hair starting falling out. After I was on the synthroid for about a month and a half my thyroid got "lazy". That can sometimes happen when you start thyroid replacement. My hair started falling out again and I had to increase the dose of synthroid. I am happy to say that I am retaining my hair and it feels much healthier these days!
I love my synthroid!
Jenn