Weight loss

[Hendie]

Has anyone actually lost weight once they were optimal and if so what did you do/how did you do it? I need inspiration as I’m getting down about losing weight as it never seems to happen.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

First step is to make sure you're correctly treated

Essential to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

These are often too low and then neither Levo or T3 can work well

If you have high thyroid antibodies (autoimmune thyroid disease- also called Hashimoto's) then very often strictly gluten free diet helps or is essential. Many also find dairy free helpful

once Vitamin levels are optimal, Levo dose high enough to bring tSH, around one, and FT4 is in top third of range. if FT3 remains low then, you may need addition of small dose of T3

But vitamins need to be correct first and any food intolerances addressed

[Emyloulou]

I’ve managed to lose weight following SlimmingWorld although at a slower pace than most people. You definitely need to be optimally treated though as the first 2 weeks I actually put weight on then had a dose increase and hey presto a 3lb loss. I also take steroids so if I can do it anyone can!

[Caesard]

Yes, I did too, more than 25 kg (that's more than 25% of my total present body weight)

It also true that I'm not finished with that and it took a long time, about 4 years.

Optimum levels of thyroid hormones and vitamins are the enablers, food intake control (quality and quantity) is the next best thing and exercising should become a lifestyle. Not an easy task but it's possible with the right side of .. determination.

Noted that severe fasting, dieting or exercising is not recommended. I have repeatedly crashed when trying such methods.

[Hendie]

Thank you. I’ve tried fasting and it floored me (I did 3 days) now I’ll only do 24 hours max. Only way of eating that is working for a bit of weight loss is keto. I’m just doing blood tests again so I can check my thyroid and vitamins. Just so frustrating 🙁

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Hendie]

Come back with new post once you get results and ranges on blood tests

Since I got correct treatment I have lost 2 stone in a year. Another 2 stone to go. Strictly gluten free diet and low carb.

[Hashi-Monster]

Yes, since diagnosis and treatment I have lost 7kgs in 12 months, which has brought me back to my pre-hashi weight.

I take NDT and I think the T3 component is essential for weight loss. I eat a diverse gluten free diet.

I don’t recommend Keto and I actually believe this made my thyroid worse when I tried it to lose weight before I was diagnosed.

[Polly91]

Going gluten and dairy free & getting a food intolerances test made a big difference to me- I lost about a stone in 4 months. Good advice from others regarding getting vitamins optimal.

Good luck.

[annnsandell]

Basically no. I can manage to just about maintain my current weight. Best for me is a week away with loads of walking and missing some meals. But when I say walking, about 10 miles a day. None of that is, of course, sustainable. Tried no carbs and that just makes a mess of my stomach. Tried slimming world, put on weight. I live in hope of Endo appointment. Loads of Vit D does at least make me feel better.

[Hidden in reply to annnsandell]

Why can't you walk 10 miles a day ? Prior to my thyroidectomy I walked 10 miles a day until my world came crashing down. Now I can't walk 2 miles without excruciating pain.

[annnsandell in reply to Hidden]

Is also the combination of missing meals plus time constraints. that way I can lose 2lbs in a week but usually put a lb. back on, probably fluid.

[Hidden in reply to annnsandell]

I have major issues with fluid build up and it kills my joints.

[endomad]

I gained 6 stone in 2 years after thyroid removed. I didnt think it would ever go, I tried everything. A friend had done well doing low carb/keto and as i am sugar & gluten free it seemed obvious. Iv lost 5 stone in 2 years without being hungry and eating good food, i often when not feeling great have heavy carb day but it hasnt derailed me, 1 more stone to go x

[fortunata]

I’ve lost eleven pounds following the Slimming World diet. It seems to be the combination of very low sugar and fairly low fat that has worked for me.

[Hidden]

The only time in my life I put on weight was after the removal of my thyroid when I was put on Levo for 8 months I gained about 12 lbs I then joined this site and started to self medicate with NDT the weight came off without any diets. I noted that when on 3 grains per day and my FT3 was way too high I was losing to much weight.

In my case if my FT3 is right so is my weight.

[virtualreality]

Hi Hendie ,

I'm not yet optimally treated but did manage to lose about a stone / 6.5kg last year that had accumulated thanks to chronic stress and insomnia in addition to being hypo - my hormones had been basically all over the place for a good few years.

I'm gluten intolerant so find that steering completely clear of that helps with managing my weight - although that isn't enough on its own. What really worked for me was tracking my food intake using an app to become really aware of what I was actually consuming - sounds like such a small thing, but even though I thought I was nutritionally aware I still got a few wake up calls! Then I increased my protein intake, kept healthy fats at a steady level and carbohydrates lowish (though not as extreme as keto) while reducing calories by the minimum possible amount where weight loss could occur - for me that was a reduction of around 150-250 calories per day. I also took as much exercise as I was able to without crashing, which to be honest was probably more helpful for my general mood and stress relief than directly contributing to weight loss (it wasn't very intense I assure you!).

This approach wouldn't be suitable for everyone and I'd definitely advise treading carefully with reducing calorie intake because energy levels are often already so compromised with hypothyroidism - all I can say is that taking it slowly and focusing on nutrient dense foods and supplementation where needed helped me to shift the extra weight. The process did affect my energy levels at the time, though; I was in a position to adjust my activity levels to help compensate for this but appreciate that isn't possible or advisable for everyone so worth bearing in mind.

Some folks find that just shifting their dietary balance away from carbs and towards protein+healthy fats helps weight management even without reducing overall food intake, it just depends on what kind of fuel your body responds to best. Maybe that could be worth a go if you haven't already tried it? Also totally agree with the advice above to optimise nutrients through diet, supplementation or both - once those are balanced any other steps you take should become easier and more sustainable.

Just my experience and sorry if this is all stuff you already know! If there's anything here that does seem useful though and you want more details happy to say more. Very best of luck to you.

[SusanAR]

I’ve lost 4 stone since June last year. I’ve been on T3 since November and that’s really slowed my loss down because I’m constantly starving!

[Hendie in reply to SusanAR]

I thought T3 helped with weight loss, I didn’t know it increased appetite 😳

[SusanAR in reply to Hendie]

I probably eat double what I ate before T3. I’m not losing any weight but I’m not putting any on either because I have the energy to exercise and I now have a metabolism. It probably would help with weight loss if I chose the right things to eat - like apples instead of freddos 😂.

[virtualreality in reply to SusanAR]

Wow, congrats on your impressive weight loss! Totally know what you mean about the T3 hunger though! I got that when I initially started on T3+T4 but it only lasted a few weeks. No idea if this is helpful at all, but just thought to mention that I found eating more volume at breakfast and lunch, with an emphasis on protein and good fats, helped to counteract it and keep me fuller through the day - then a lighter meal at dinner would often be enough.

[SusanAR in reply to virtualreality]

Thank you! I will definitely give your idea a try. I eat a lot of protein and try to stay away from carbs as that puts the weight right on me. But I have been finding if I don’t eat much for breakfast I just snack all day. I’ve been on T3 since the beginning of November and haven’t stopped eating since 😂. Hopefully eating a big breakfast and lunch will sort that.

[jgelliss in reply to SusanAR]

Some that dose with high doses of T3 will feel more hungry and not feel satiated . It also increase glucose levels .

[Thyroid17]

Yes, once optimal (I'm NDT), currently I am slowly losing using a calorie/protein/fat counter (Nutracheck but there are many others). I am trying to incorporate higher protein in diet to keep the hunger away and speed up weight loss. I have also gone gluten/wheat free and feel much better, have adapted to it now but struggled first week or so. Re: exercise, 3 times a week, mixture of light/moderate weights and cardio (cross trainer or bike or treadmill), slowly increasing time/weights are slowly improve. My blood pressure has lower to within range and blood sugar levels much improved. I haven't lost a lot of weight (less important) but have already dropped one dress size and have better energy levels. My advice is start slowly with 'rests' while working out and you'll find you improve gradually without hardly noticing as your body improves. The tough bit is actually starting and committing to it, it doesn't matter how little you do as that will just improve over time. This works for me but you will find what is right for you. Good luck!

ps. don't eat too little as body will try to store fat (famine or feast) and do include healthy fats like avocados. A decent calorie/protein/fat/carb counter will do this for you.

[Hidden]

I can only tell you what worked for me. I never lose weight on any thyroid drug alone, be it T4 only, T4 + T3, or NDT. A blood sugar test showed I was insulin resistant (fasting insulin and blood sugar levels close to upper normal limit and much higher than they should ideally be after 12 h of fasting). High insulin levels will trigger fat storage. It was only when I added a supplement to lower blood sugar levels (berberine) that I managed to lose weight.

I am not saying you have insulin resistance, only that other hormones can make it difficult or even impossible to lose weight and that they all need to be balanced first. Estrogen dominance is often mentioned as another reason you gain weight, especially if you're perimenopausal.

It's often pointed out that thyroid hormone is not a weight loss drug and, as I said, I have never lost weight on thyroid hormone alone, even with FT3 levels at the top of range or even above range on NDT.

I recently read (on a blog called Tired Thyroid) that high T3 levels increase insulin resistance. My insulin resistance (or pre-diabetes) was diagnosed after I was put on NDT. I don't know if there is a connection, only that so many factors work together to affect our metabolism and ability to lose weight.

[Karenk13]

Yes I lost 10kg when i finally got treated with Levo but that was following a closely monitored calorie tracking diet. Even now years later i find that i really have to be on the ball with my nutrition to maintain my weight. Also when trying to drop weight i need a more aggressive approach than my perfect Thyroid functioning friends If your not tracking calories unfortunately you'll just be guessing if your current food intake is working and how many calories you actually need to loose and maintain your weight.