Just completed week four of c25k but I’m still putting on weight. I have been keeping an eye on what I am eating so I haven’t been eating more, I’ve been eating less.
This happens every time I start running so I give up as I’m too afraid to put on more weight. I’m 4stone overweight so I really can’t afford to put on more! I am hypothyroid so that adds another complication, can anyone give me tips to stay motivated when my weight and bmi is going in the wrong direction?
That sounds really frustrating. Are you “eating back” the calories your watch says you’re burning during runs? That’s a common way to accidentally consume more calories. The estimates for calories burned is often a bit high. Have you had a look at the Health Unlocked weight loss forum?
I find my weight fluctuates a lot over the month so it’s only a longer term trend that I watch for. Maybe it’s worth getting your medication reviewed to make sure your dosage is right.
Couch to 5k isn’t really a weight loss programme-it’s for building fitness and will have all sorts of other benefits for your body. Perhaps it’s best to try and separate the two things. Really focus on all the good things you can do now. It’s great for your heart, your bones, your mental well-being etc. It would be such a shame to stop running when you’re doing well and enjoying it.
Thank you for your reply. I know I’m not eating more, I have been following the shape up for life 12 week plan and I’ve cut right down on alcohol. I only eat off small plates, I don’t eat lunch as I have my breakfast late (10.30am after I’ve walked the dog). I walk the dog for 2.5/3hrs a day every day, obviously run 3 times a week and add in a bit of strength training (shape up for life).
This happens every time I start running and no one believes that I’m eating healthily. It’s getting embarrassing at weigh in time.
That's so frustrating for you. Have you read 'Why Calories don't Count' by Dr Giles Yeo? He's been on many TV health programmes and this is very illuminating about healthy eating as opposed to counting calories in everyday language. Good luck and hope you can keep up the running 🏃♂️
I am no expert, also recently starting to work out to get in shape, but a couple things I would consider if I end up in the same situation as you in the next month or so would be:
Inflamation - While is normal for some inflammation when starting a new workout program as you are working your muscles, It might be that you are just hitting them hard and you are swelling more than you'd expect
Muscle gain - is more dense so expected that you might gain a bit of weight from building muscle as you start working off the extra weight.
Maybe talk up a doctor or fitness coach to make sure the weight gain is not a risk as you keep going. The probability that there is no positive health effects from running and working out are pretty low over the long term, Personally I would keep going while keeping a closer eye on how I feel than the scale, but I am not familiar with hypothyroid so maybe that is terrible advise :).
As far as tips to stay motivated:
- Maybe add some measurements along with weighing? If you are infact gaining muscle as you loose fat your measurements could be starting to show change before your weight does
- Big one is the mental wins you are getting by sticking to a routine like this even tho it is hard. It is not easy and a lot of people fail just from the effort it requires so you are doing great to have made it 4 weeks already! Keep stacking the wins!
it’s so frustrating, isn’t it. I am a fellow Hashimotos sufferer, so understand those struggles.
Metabolism and weight loss for Hashimotos runners can be really difficult, so I have had great advice for weight loss from the Thyroid UK forum, rather than here. I see you are a member. They really have helped me in the past to understand what other things I could try. Our inability to lose weight, or our tendency to gain weight, has much more to do with our condition than with running.
Feel free to have a look at my profile page, where you can see I am also still on that health journey. (Hashimotos tracker and some key links are at the bottom)
What has helped me for keeping my weight stable is
- convince my GP to try adding some Liothyronine (t3) to Levo (t4) (but I see you are already on a L3/4 prescription)
- slowly increase t4 to the correct amount where I do not have any symptoms anymore (I was undermedicated for a long time, so levels might be worth checking out again)
- cut out gluten (this worked well for me)
- for two years I cut out dairy , which I think helped with healing of my gut
- I have a low-ish carb diet, low on inflammatory potential (I have a favourite cookbook dedicated to Hashimotos)
- I take key extra vitamins and minerals (specifically selenium, VitB, VitD, omega3 and NAC)
But above all, I feel so much better when running regularly, despite not having lost any weight in all of the three years where I have been running (and tracking calories, stats, etc).
Hope you find something that works! There are quite a few Hashimotos-runners on here, so you’re not alone.
Well done in getting to week four! Keep on keeping on!
Thank you, according to the doctors all I have to do is take these little pills and my metabolism will be like any normal person so I can't be doing enough.
They have just reduced my dose of Levo as my tsh was too high, now I'm worried it's going to be even harder.
lol.
Well I think you can tell from the ThyroidUK forum that there is the feeling that the training that GPs get for thyroid conditions is by far insufficient.
I do private blood tests to ensure regular tracking of t3 and t4 levels. I found GPs often do not have a clue in regards to specifically Hashimotos. And endocrinologists often are only knowledgeable on diabetes, but not Hashimotos.
My feeling is that we have a long way to go for Hashimotos sufferers to be able to be confident of appropriate NHS treatment. But I have also found that the HU Thyroid forums really helps with understanding options.
I would focus on your fitness level rather than weight. When you gain muscle you gain weight. Also have you tried measuring rather than weighing? Also, how old are you? I am struggling to maintain my weight due to the menopause, and I am the heaviest I have been for ages. No matter what I do I cannot seem to lose any weight. I'm sure you are doing really well and try and think of it my of fitness rather than weight.
you could be gaining muscle. Don't worry about your weight but how your clothes feel. Don't give up, keep going. I've been exercising regularly for 18 months and only now seeing and feeling the results! Keep going!!
Thanks everyone, I have managed another run (repeated a week four due to no motivation) and I managed that ok so I'm going to attempt a week 5 tonight, but I'm dreading it.
I'm going to start measuring to see if that is going in the right direction but it's really hard when all the doctors are focussing on my BMI and I must be greedy/lazy.
I'm also going through the menopause Gojogo72 so that really doesn't help. Wish me luck!
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