weight issues

[ianmac2]

i have put on 3 stone in 4 years so im now 14.5 stone for the past few months i have restricted my food intake to between 1000 and 1500 per day i walk as much as i can like in the last 5 days i burnt 10,000 cals walking and i put a pound on totally depressed now

[Linny17]

Hi Ian. I also put on loads of weight, nearly 4 stone...

I've been doing slimming world for the past 6/7 months and have lost 3 stone... it's all about food optimisation. . It's been hard work but well worth it....

[greygoose]

Well, of course you did. You made yourself more hypo by cutting your calories like that. You need calories to convert. If you don't convert, your FT3 is low, and you are more hypo and liable to put on more weight.

But, you not only cut your calories below survival level, but also used them up walking. How are you supposed to convert on so few calories?

[ianmac2 in reply to greygoose]

thanks for the reply graygoose but im stuck as im classed obese i also have COPD so need to walk as much as i can to help my lungs and breathing while i can also need to lose weight and was told to reduce intake

[greygoose in reply to ianmac2]

Well, doctors always tell you that, because they know nothing about it! But when you're hypo and under-medicated, it's not going to make you lose weight. They don't know that.

Do you have a copy of your latest labs to share with us? I bet you're under-medicated!

So, by all means walk all you like, but eat normally. Hypo weight is not put on due to too many calories. On the contrary.

[FIT2018 in reply to ianmac2]

Been there.. Don't eat less! I lost 12kg of fat eating more food than I ever have, on a moderate exercise plan, mostly weight lifting to create lean muscle rather than burn calories.

2500 calories a day, many small, healthy, unprocessed, balanced, preferably home cooked meals a day and a full examination of your blood levels.

It's not normal to put weight on like you describe. So don't get depressed, get BUSY and find out why this is happening to you and take action to tackle the problem, as there clearly a problem to address 👍

Good luck! this forum has changed my life, much important advice here 💪

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Do you have Hashimoto's also called autoimmune thyroid disease diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies?

Essential to know about antibodies, also vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 levels

If you have Hashimoto's then strictly gluten free diet may be beneficial

[ianmac2 in reply to SlowDragon]

i really dont know if i do or not Hashimoto's

[Marz in reply to ianmac2]

Then ask to be tested. Anti TPO is the only one done in the NHS - there is also Anti-Tg. Thousands of posts here about Hashimotos so have a read around the forum.

thyroiduk.org

Do you have any test results with ranges to share ???

[SlowDragon Administrator]

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, TT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies.

Plus very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers.

All thyroid tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting.

If on Levothyroxine, don't take in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)

If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).

About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's. Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances common too, especially gluten. So it's important to get antibodies tested.

Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, states in Pulse Magazine,

"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l.

Most patients will feel well in that circumstance. But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."

You can obtain a copy of the articles from Thyroid UK email print it and highlight question 6 to show your doctor

 please email Dionne at

[e-mail]

[Joanne82]

My cousin who doesn’t have thyroid issues is training with a PT, wasn’t losing as much as he thought he should, kept a diary and it turned out he was eating 1200 calories. The PT told him off and said you would never lose weight by under eating. He has now increased his calories and has lost more weight in that one week than the 3 weeks under eating out together!

On a side note, I have been the same as you, I’ve tried everything from September to lose weight, I’ve been running, going to the gym and not lost a pound. When I went to a one on one PT to figure it out I still didn’t lose weight but she suggested it was hormonal related. That got me to researching and to cut a long story short I have Hashimotos. It was a bit of a relief to have a reason or answer for it but frustrating all the same! I’ve started gluten free and it’s helped the symptoms a lot, I fell into the trap of eating gluten free products - I was just excited I could still have jam tarts or biscuits! I’ve now stopped that and started eating more whole foods and I’ve lost 2lbs, early days but hoping it continues!

[greygoose]

Some reading for you :

zoeharcombe.com/2009/12/the...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....

I hope your doctor hasn't persuaded you to give up/reduce fat and/or salt. Because that will just make you worse. You body needs them.

And, always remember, you don't have to do what your doctor says, just because he says it. There's no guarantee he knows what he's talking about!

[ianmac2 in reply to greygoose]

thanks for the info see the following results from march 18

TSH 0.01 MU/L

T3 4.38 PMOL/L

T4 18.8 PMOL/L

[greygoose in reply to ianmac2]

Sorry, need the ranges for those. Results without ranges are meaningless because they vary from lab to lab.

But, looks to me as if you have a conversion problem. Your FT3 is too low for you to lose weight.

[ianmac2 in reply to greygoose]

TSH 0.01 MU/L 0.40 to 5.-

T3 4.38 PMOL/L 2.89 to 4.88

T4 18.8 PMOL/L 9.0 to 19.00

hope this helps

[greygoose in reply to ianmac2]

Agh! That's a strange FT3 range. It is Free T3, isn't it? If so, then it's not as low as I thought. How long has it been at that level? Have you had your nutrients tested - vit d, vit B12, folate, ferritin?

How much levo are you taking?

[ianmac2 in reply to greygoose]

Serum free T3 and yes i had then checked

[greygoose in reply to ianmac2]

So, what are the results? Do you have any deficiencies? It's not just about hormones, you know.

How about cortisol?

[ianmac2 in reply to greygoose]

Serum vitamin B12

238 ng/L 150 - 620

Serum ferritin

50 ug/L 20 - 300

[ianmac2 in reply to greygoose]

only had 3 out of 11 blood tests normal TSH levels

[greygoose in reply to ianmac2]

TSH is irrelevant - unless it goes high.

Your B12 is too low, should be over 500.

Your ferritin is too low, should be around 100/150.

What about vit d and folate?

If your nutrients aren't optimal, your body can't use thyroid hormone properly. And that's another good reason for eating reasonable amounts. Already you have the disadvantage of being hypo, which more than likely means low stomach acid, leading to low levels of nutrients. But, if you're also going to starve yourself, then you really don't stand a chance. Forget calories - you shouldn't be counting them anyway - and count nutrients.

What about cortisol?

[ianmac2 in reply to greygoose]

sorry dont have that test greygoose but thanks for your knowledge and time i will get my vits done and take it from there

[greygoose in reply to ianmac2]

Well, cortisol abnormalities can also cause weight-gain.

Did you watch the video about mucin? Did you read the links? If your weight gain is due to any of these things, low-calorie diets and over-exercising just aren't going to help.

[ianmac2 in reply to greygoose]

yes i did watch it and scan read links and will look at them in depth later thanks again

[greygoose in reply to ianmac2]

You're welcome. But, take heed, you need to eat more or you're going to make yourself very ill.

Oh, and did you try the pinch test? Can you pinch up your skin?

[ianmac2 in reply to greygoose]

i will increase the amounts i eat 3 meals a day so im not skipping meals

just been reading the last link and now look at some of the symptoms joint pain and other things interesting. and yes i did pinch myself and held skin

[greygoose in reply to ianmac2]

OK.

[greygoose]

On the subject of mucin…

youtube.com/watch?v=oI9yurd...(Not working as expected?)

[ShinyB in reply to greygoose]

I'm so sore! Great to see a video of it too though

[greygoose in reply to ShinyB]

Yes, sorry, forgot to post that for you.

[Hillwoman in reply to greygoose]

Thanks for posting this. I was looking at photos of this test in Dr Mark Starr's book today, but it helps to see it in action.

I don't have nearly as much in the way of mucin deposits as I used to, but I still can't pinch up the skin on my arms and legs. Strangely, I can remember being able to do this when a teenager (though already ill) during one of those adolescent girls' "who's got the weirdest skin?" comparisons. One girl couldn't pinch up the skin at all. I wonder whether she's still in good health...

[greygoose in reply to Hillwoman]

I somehow doubt it.

[Hillwoman in reply to greygoose]

Yes, I doubt it too.

[RedApple Administrator]

ianmac2, Did you watch the programme on BBC1 last night 'The truth about Carbs'?

The suggestion is that it's less about calories and more about eating the right type of carbs (or not eating the wrong type of carbs!)

On iPlayer here bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b...