Weight loss

[herring]

Hi,can anyone give me tips on losing weight

Thanks

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Herring

Unless you are optimally medicated thyroid - wise, with a decent level of FT3, weight loss will be difficult.

What are your latest test results? Can you post them, with their reference ranges? Ideally:

TSH

FT4

FT3

Thyroid antibodies

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

[herring in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi,just had a print out from my last bloods these are the results

T4 16.9

Tsh 0.24

Nothing else is tested

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to herring]

Herring

TSH is in a good place, most treated hypo patients feel best when it's 1 or below.

Can't comment on FT4 as you've not put the reference range. As they vary from lab to lab we need the ranges from your lab to interpret your tests.. With my lab's range of 7-17 you would have top of the range FT4, we often see 12-22 and you would be only half way through range with that so room for an increase in dose in that case, but we also see 9-19 and others, so can't really say much. The reference ranges should be on the print out, at the side of the result, maybe in brackets.

But for a full picture, you need to know if you are converting T4 to T3, because low FT3 will cause symptoms and weight loss will be difficult. So you need FT4 and FT3 tested at the same time.

And vitamins and minerals need to be at optimal levels for thyroid hormone to work properly so those need to be tested too.

Many of us here have to do our own tests privately if GP can't or wont do them.

[herring in reply to SeasideSusie]

The range for tsh is 0.35-5.5,so 0.24 is low my doctors only do these two tests and odd times they do B12 test

[Marz]

whole30.com

😊

[Heloise]

Often insulin resistance causes carbs to store fat. If you can get your body to burn fats instead of carbs for immediate fuel....Using unfiltered apple cider vinegar before meals may help the transition. You can dilute a couple of teaspoons or take it straight. Don't starve yourself and fats make you feel full longer.

[Suesthyroid in reply to Heloise]

I was also going to suggest a low carb diet. However, not keto, it is contra indicated with hypothyroidism.

[Heloise in reply to Suesthyroid]

I'm no expert but I do feel that your body may need a bit of a shock to force using what's available and if it's fat, it will get the idea. I don't think a few weeks would be that harmful to restrict carbs. After losing weight and adding a few carbs the weight has stayed off. It was such a breakthrough to get below a certain threshold, I'm sold on the vinegar and relatively low carbs.

[Suesthyroid in reply to Heloise]

The research papers show that it is not helpful with thyroiditis. Even Keto proponents agree with that. The keto diet does work well in normal circumstances, but it has a detrimental effect if you have hypothyroidism.

[Heloise in reply to Suesthyroid]

I read Chris Kessler's article. It's not black and white but I'll check other papers.

[Suesthyroid in reply to Heloise]

I'm not going to argue about this as I am not a nutrition scientist. Anyone with a hypothyroid condition should only embark on weight loss diets under medical supervision. One should be perhaps a little wary of recommending extreme diets to others.

[Astridnova]

This is how I did it, as my thyroid improved (using NDT). I am 65 so it was not easy. I fasted (modified fast, as in no more than around 300 cals) three days a week (I did Mon Thurs and Sat), and on the other days as much fat and protein as I wanted, and low starch vegs - mushrooms cabbage, carrots, green beans, egg plant, etc. That is: no sugar (or similar, such as corn syrup), flour, pasta, potatoes, bread, rice, (have I left something out?) - or cakes, of course. And avoid beans (like soy beans) because they are associated with exacerbating thyroid problems. Except for artificially sweetened cheesecake, which we bake every week or so and eat with cream. My reasons for this diet are that not having starch keeps my blood sugars down. Modified fasting is quite doable because I can always tell myself that tomorrow I can eat anything I like - except starches. My vitamin levels and blood sugar are fine and I feel good. I have gone down three dress sizes, but it has taken about a year. My bust and abdo and hips have sort of shrunk back to normal and my ankles and legs are slim again. Also no double chin or puffy face. In order to get off the carbohydrates I simply stopped having toast in the morning and then none thereon. I found that bread started up the hunger. My modified fast was based on The Fast Diet (there is a site and film), but it is not true that you and eat anything you like in between fasts; as I say, I had to stop all starches. On the subject of sugars and corn syrup, I educated myself with Dr Lustig (Univ California) videos: youtube.com/watch?v=h0zD1gj...(Not working as expected?) . He does not talk about potatoes, rice, or bread - but he should; they all turn into sugar forms and hit your hips.

This was not the first time I had tried to lose weight, but this time I decided that this was going to take a very long time and I am happy to stay on this diet for the rest of my life. I think it was the key to my weight problem, in combination with thyroid. I am a diagnosed diabetic and if I do occasionally have bread or something off my diet (maybe once a month a spanakopita) my blood sugar shoots up. It goes down pretty quickly after a walk. However my HB1AC levels are perfect. My partner, who has all the same problems as me, and on NDT, has also lost tons of weight on the same diet, but only fasts two days a week. He is 59. We both walk dogs, but exercise was not my main thing; I knew it was diet. It took me years to figure this out. Hope you figure it out earlier than me. Best.

[Taminaone]

So detailed herring and so helpful. I will read again and digest and take note. Thank you so much.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

If you have Hashimotos (autoimmune thyroid disease) then strictly gluten free diet likely to help

As Seasidesusie says - essential to have correct thyroid levels and optimal vitamins

[Ann_S]

Google Keto diet - it is the only thing that is working for me - very low carb medium protein and high fat. Great Fb group for UK folks too.

[Suesthyroid in reply to Ann_S]

Are you certain you were in ketosis? The keto diet is contra indicated for hypothyroidism, although low carb is helpful.

[Ann_S in reply to Suesthyroid]

Since when? No contra indications that I am aware of at all. Feeling better all round, a lot of the fibromyalgia type symptoms lessening. Why do you think it is contra indicated?

[AnnaSo in reply to Ann_S]

Because carbs are needed to produce glucose which is needed to produce cortisol which is needed for T3 to get into cells

[Ann_S in reply to AnnaSo]

Following the keto diet will affect your cortisol levels. This is because limiting your carb intake, to the degree that you do on keto, causes a starvation response in the body. In an effort to increase energy levels in the face of having less sugar, the body triggers the release of stress hormones like cortisol. The cortisol and other stress hormones will then increase insulin resistance and stimulate gluconeogenesis to help increase blood sugar levels. In other words, the ketogenic diet is stressful for the body at first.

When you are finally in ketosis consistently, however, your cortisol levels will decrease because you will be using alternative fuel sources like ketones and fat and have a greater capacity to spare glycogen (your body’s sugar stores). Thus, you will no longer need as much cortisol (and other stress hormones) to promote an increase in blood sugar levels.

from Ruled.me

[AnnaSo in reply to Ann_S]

These are all very bad things to happen to your body!

[JOLLYDOLLY]

Hi herring,

I am on a low carb diet. But I am also doing Slimming World if you are in the UK or the US. If your thyroid levels are right, you should lose weight. I have tried the Keto diet, but it is hard to maintain especially if you like fruit. I keep bread and potatoes to a minimum. I started last week and lost 5lb. I know that is quite easy in the first week, but as I suffer from oedema too that is quite good for me.

As I have cut out naughty carbs and soda drinks, I find I do not have the cravings, so is easy to get over them. I drink a lot more water and very low cal squash now.

Hope you can get something that suits you.

Take care

[Hidden]

Hi I was never overweight or on any medication then I had my thyroid removed. I was put on Levo and after a few months put on 10lbs in weight.

I joined this site and started to self medicate with NDT. When my FT3 was way over the top of the range I was taking 3 grains per day I also started to lose weight. Now that I am back to 2.5 grains per day my weight has returned back to normal. I don't have any other medical problems, just an observation.

I have always eaten a healthy diet never dieted.

[beh1]

I do ‘no carbs after 5pm’. Lost half a stone and kept it off.

[Gidgeclev]

Like Jollydolly I am following Slimmimg World but keeping carbs to a minimum. Also gluten free. I am losing weight but slowly. I have tried going to groups before but I get fed up with hearing about how much weight people have lost in a relatively short time when I am struggling so the online option seems to suit me better from a psychological point of view. I have lost 6kg in 4 weeks but a lot of that was water in the first week. I am now losing about 1/2 kg a week but I am waiting to see the doctor as I am under medicated at the moment.

[Beachytoes2u]

I saw several reply suggesting Apple cider vinegar, which is great. However, I've read taking it straight could be harmful to different areas of your body. Mix with water, to be safe. Also, a glass full at night prior to bed, helps. Maybe try, green tea tablets? Adds some extra help.

[Ann_S]

blog.virtahealth.com/does-y...

[Angelic69]

Marks and spencer's have a range called balanced for you, they also have delicious smoothies which are very reasonably priced. Boiled eggs are a good source of protein and together with a couple of slices of gluten free bread make a lovely breakfast. I wouldn't eat anything heavy after midday lunch so try to eat your fill before this time. Eating high quality foods mean you can eat less and stay full for much longer so always buy the best you can afford. Holland and Barrett have a seed mix called omega mix/sprinkle which is extremely filling and sustaining and can also lower bad cholesterol levels and is ideal for snacking but you must drink plenty of water with them. I lost over 1.5 stone eating this way. I have hypothyroidism too.