Janleeds : Hi I'm new here would love to lose... - Healthy Eating

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Janleeds

Janleeds profile image
9 Replies

Hi I'm new here would love to lose weight ,but I think my thyroid has other plans.

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Janleeds
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Wittycjt profile image
Wittycjt

Have you had your thyroid checked, are you sure it is the problem?

Janleeds profile image
Janleeds

Yes been on meds about four years finding it really hard to lose weight

Wittycjt profile image
Wittycjt in reply to Janleeds

Gotcha!

Hi Jan, I have an under-active thyroid, too. I have been on Levothyroxine for two years. It is harder to lose weight when you have a lower metabolic rate, like us, BUT it is possible. I found that I have to eat less than 'normal' people dieting, and also have to exercise or the weight doesn't shift. If you join the Weight Loss NHS community, as well as this Healthy Eating one, there are loads of very kind and supportive people on there who will help :)

I'm 57, 5ft 2ins tall and weigh 11st 6lbs. I have lost 38lbs so far, since the beginning of September. I started off with the NHS 12 week plan which I found very helpful. Now I use Myfitnesspal to count calories and log exercise. My BMR is now 1248 calories a day (according to Myfitnesspal). This is the amount of calories my body will burn if I do nothing but rest all day. Unfortunately, the allowance gets less as we lose more weight. I used to have a BMR of nearly 1500! I try to stick to 1200 calories a day and try to walk or do strength exercises every day. We have to burn 500 calories less a day, than we consume, to lose a pound a week. As I couldn't eat less than 1200 calories (that's hard enough), I have to exercise more :)

I'm not telling you it will be easy, but you CAN DO IT :) If you count the calories of everything you eat and drink (this gets easier as you go along), and do increase your exercise, even small things like walking upstairs instead of taking the lift all helps, then you WILL lose weight :)

Good luck! :)

Janleeds profile image
Janleeds in reply to

Thank you very much for your great advice I can be greedy with my food but I will look at the NHS plan as well and will let you know how I get on if that's okay x

in reply to Janleeds

Yes, of course :) I'd love to hear how you get on. These communities are all about us helping each other :) I found that once I got my head in the 'right place' it was easier. If you really want something, then you WILL achieve it! x

Jand13811 profile image
Jand13811 in reply to

My name is Jan I to are on those tablets. I didn't know it's harder to lose weight I have been going to a gym since September I have only list 11lb hopefully i haven't put much on over Christmas. So you say you have to eat under by 500 calories each day .I can't walk far so it's difficult to excercise any ideas would be appreciated please

in reply to Jand13811

Hi Jan :) Firstly, let me congratulate you on losing 11lbs! I find it's harder for me to lose weight as I have gone through the menopause and my thyroid condition was misdiagnosed for 6 years, and that has caused me problems, too. Usually, people with an under-active thyroid have a lower metabolic rate causing weight gain. The meds don't always work as well as our own bodies would. You may be lucky and it not affect you too much :)

It depends on how much weight you hope to lose every week as to how many calories under you need to be. First you need to find your calorie allowance for your weight, age, height and activity levels. Everyone is different. Have a look on the NHS site, here is the link nhs.uk/tools/pages/healthyw...

This will work out what your recommended calorie range is. Basically, a pound in weight is roughly 3,500 calories, so to lose a pound a week it's 500 calories a day. Half a pound a week would be 250 calories a day, and so on.

You say you are already going to a gym, which is a great start, so I would keep doing that and just try to incorporate exercise wherever you can. Take stairs instead of a lift. Park further away from the supermarket in the car park. If you have a sedentary job, try and walk about every hour for 5 mins. When I started the NHS 12 week plan in September, I was only managing about 800 steps a day as I was so unfit. I bought a pedometer and have gradually built that up to approx. 5,000 a day. The recommended amount is 10,000 steps a day, so I have a way to go yet :) I even walk on the spot of an evening while watching TV :)

I'm not a health care professional and I have got most of this information from the NHS weight loss forum and it's members. I hope it helps you and I wish you good luck :)

Jand13811 profile image
Jand13811 in reply to

Thank you so much the information I will certainly take all of it on board . What a good idea to walk on the spot as I can't walk far I use a stick but when I've had enough and cannot do more I can sit down . I will look into the nhs sure and do some more research .Thank you again yours jand13811