There are many ways to lose weight- you need to eat healthy foods, limit your portions, and work out regularly. But if you have hypothyroidism, your underactive thyroid gland may hinder your efforts. Hypothyroidism can make it harder to lose weight if it is not treated well since the thyroid is a big part of how the metabolism works. Weight gain is often the first sign of low thyroid function. Getting treatment for hypothyroidism is the most important thing you can do to lose weight and improve your health.
But making a few changes to how you eat might help you lose weight faster. Of course, losing weight is never easy, but Leonor Corsino, MD, an endocrinologist at the Duke Center for Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery in Durham, North Carolina, says that people with well-controlled hypothyroidism shouldn’t struggle to lose weight more than anyone else.
Use these 10 weight loss tips to help shed excess pounds faster if you have hypothyroidism.
Beaudoin says that digestion slows down when you have hypothyroidism. She explains that eating smaller, more frequent meals with a balance of macronutrients- quality proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats helps keep blood sugar stable and keeps you from having the highs and lows that come with big, highly processed meals.
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Corsino says that exercise is an important part of a healthy diet because it helps burn calories. But Austin says to consider each individual. He states that exercise can worsen hypothyroidism if a person is already very tired. On the other hand, a person who has managed their hypothyroidism well and has enough energy should exercise regularly.
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Even if you’re worried about your weight, eliminating calories from your diet is not a good idea. Experts say it’s important to get enough calories because not getting enough calories can make you feel stressed and cause your body to increase cortisol production. So, instead of your weight decreasing, you might see an increase. Not avoiding calories is one of the most important ways to lose weight.
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Corsino says that thyroid hormone medications should be taken first thing in the morning on an empty stomach with a lot of water. Please don’t take it along with other medicines, and wait for at least 30 to 60 minutes before eating breakfast. If you take your medicine correctly and your thyroid level is still not where it should be, it could make it hard for you to lose weight. Talk to your doctor about changes to your treatment that might help you.
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The director of the Prime Wellness Clinic in San Diego, Kelly Austin, ND, is a naturopathic doctor specializing in hormone disorders. She recommends a moderate- to low-carbohydrate diet focusing on complex carbohydrates like starchy vegetables and legumes and avoiding simple sugars like candy and soda. The Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University says that refined grain products and sugary drinks, which have a high glycemic load, may cause inflammation in the body. But Dr. Austin says that eating enough calories is important because “low calories can cause a stress response and result in decreased T3 (the active thyroid hormone triiodothyronine) production.”
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Dr. Corsino says that if you don’t write down everything you eat and drink, your daily caloric intake can quickly go through the roof. It can also help you make sure that your diet is well-balanced. Austin says someone with hypothyroidism should keep a food journal to keep track of how much of each macronutrient they eat. The best way for the thyroid to work is to eat a diet high in healthy fats, low to moderate in protein, and low to moderate in carbs.
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One of the most efficient ways to lose weight and bring it under control when you have hypothyroidism is by monitoring your hormone levels. By checking your hormones, you and your doctor will be able to see how well your thyroid is working. When you are diagnosed with hypothyroidism, your doctor may check your hormones more often to see how well your treatment plan works. Once your thyroid hormones are stable, your doctor will probably test you less often.
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Austin says that foods that fight inflammation can help with joint pain and depression, both of which can be caused by hypothyroidism. Tina Beaudoin, ND, president of the New Hampshire Association of Naturopathic Doctors and medical director of HealthStrong Integrative Medicine in Manchester, New Hampshire, says that anti-inflammatory foods can help calm the immune system, which is often working too hard in people with hypothyroidism. “An anti-inflammatory diet can help calm the immune system and excessive inflammation, and support the adequate intake of the essential nutrients needed for healthy thyroid function, including magnesium, B vitamins, zinc, selenium, iron, and vitamin C.”
Foods that help fight inflammation include leafy greens, tomatoes, fatty fish, nuts, fruit, and olive oil. She also says that this diet makes it easier for the liver to break down highly processed foods. “Healthy liver function is essential because the liver is responsible for converting 60% of T4 [the thyroid hormone thyroxine] to T3,” explains Beaudoin.
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A thyroid that doesn’t work well is often caused by stress. Getting rid of stress can help keep your hormone levels in balance. If you fix your thyroid, your metabolism will speed back up. Stress has been linked to weight gain in general, not just with hypothyroidism. This is mostly because they have been exposed to too much cortisol over time. Some way to manage and reduce stress is to turn off all your devices before bed. For example, your sleep quality will improve if you avoid blue light for an hour before bed. You can also try meditating to relieve stress and stop your body from producing too much cortisol.
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Hypothyroidism can cause slow digestion, trouble going to the bathroom, and bloating. Even though these things don’t make you heavier, they can feel like they do. Since fiber makes stools softer and bulkier, eating more of it can make it easier to get rid of extra material your digestive system might be holding on to. Diets high in fiber also help keep blood sugar stable and keep you full between meals. In addition, researchers have found that eating more fiber helps people lose weight and stick to low-calorie diets. It also lowers the risk of gaining weight and body fat. This makes it one of the simplest ways to lose weight.
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