How to Lose Weight with Hypothyroidism (Low Thyroid)
Weight gain can have a number of causes, but could your thyroid be a factor?
Unexpected weight gain and difficulty losing weight are often the first noticeable signs that you’re struggling with hypothyroidism (low thyroid).
The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland in the neck, just in front of the windpipe (trachea). Among its many functions, your thyroid is responsible for your body’s metabolism, including its ability to burn fat and calories for energy.
When women have hypothyroidism, the thyroid does not produce and/or release enough thyroid hormones to support optimal metabolism. This can result in a sluggish metabolic rate in which unused caloric “fuel” is stored as fat.
Don’t despair because alongside thyroid medication there is a lot of dietary and lifestyle help that can make a real difference.
Why is it so hard to lose weight with hypothyroidism?
Your metabolism slows when you have hypothyroidism. But that’s not the only change happening in your body that can affect your weight.
Chemical messengers that regulate our eating behaviour become mixed up when thyroid hormones are imbalanced. When thyroid hormones are low — even just a little — the parts of your brain which control appetite can be significantly affected.
Serotonin, beta endorphin and GABA are brain chemicals connected to food cravings, as well as feeling satisfied after we eat. Also leptin is a critically important hormone too because it tells the body when to lose weight and when to keep it.
When these brain chemicals are disrupted, the result can be intense carbohydrate cravings, low energy, depressed moods, changes in body shape – and stubborn weight gain.
While all this can make it seem like it’s impossible to lose weight with hypothyroidism, it’s not. The solution to all these problems is relatively simple.
By supporting your thyroid, you can break through your thyroid-related weight loss resistance and here are some suggestions on how to do that.
Your best diet tips
Whether you’re trying to lose a little, or a lot, the best diet for hypothyroidism weight loss is one that provides your thyroid gland with the nourishment it needs to bring balance back to your thyroid hormones.
Hypothyroidism slows digestive function, so it’s important to eat smaller, more frequent meals with balanced macronutrients, including quality proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats.
Increase your fibre intake as well in order to help move foods through the digestive tract.
Choose whole foods for optimal nutrition
Iodine and selenium are the most important thyroid supporters, but you also need zinc, iron and Vitamin C.
Eat iodine-rich foods like shrimp, haddock, salmon, edible sea weeds, eggs and mushrooms.
Brazil nuts are a great source for selenium.
Eat your meals and snacks at regular times
This is a key element, and be sure to eat breakfast within an hour of waking as missing meals can stress your thyroid.
Include protein & fibre at every meal
Eat a variety and remember good sources of fibre include fruit and vegetables, not just grains.
Completely eliminate these
All of these can interfere with healthy thyroid function so reduce/eliminate gluten, sugar/sweeteners, alcohol and junk food.
Avoid goitrogens
Learn which foods contain thyroid-suppressing compounds known as goitrogens — including cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower.
Always steam or cook these vegetables to reduce or eliminate the goitrogens.
Exercise and lifestyle factors
Exercise is important for weight loss, but it’s also a key part of naturally supporting improved thyroid function.
As any woman with hypothyroidism knows, you may experience times when you feel that you don’t have enough energy to even move. Yet when you don’t exercise, it just makes all your symptoms worse.
There’s just one problem: hypothyroidism can sometimes lead to a vicious cycle where exercise seems next to impossible. Besides weight gain, low thyroid can also trigger fatigue and achy joints, two symptoms that make exercise a chore.
How can you break the cycle? Here are some research-backed exercise strategies and lifestyle tips to help get you moving.
Make exercise a regular part of your life
Studies show that thyroid hormones can increase when your heart rate rises with exercise. Regular physical activity reminds your thyroid to stay alert because it has work to do while you’re moving.
Try low impact exercises like walking and swimming and set a time each day to take a walk and gradually build up to about 30 minutes, five times a week.
When you first get started, even a 10-minute walk counts so build up from there and aim for a brisk pace.
BUT, do exercise at a moderate pace to prevent the spike in stress hormones that can come with overexertion/overly intense exercise.
Help yourself relax whenever you can
Your stress response can directly influence your thyroid function because the stress hormone cortisol can inhibit pivotal thyroid hormones, TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) and T4 (thyroxine).
To help with stress:
– Find opportunities to cultivate little moments of calmness throughout your day.
– Try alternate nostril breathing, meditation and strategic strategies to help reduce stress hormone levels.
– Yoga offer special benefits for low thyroid as it provides both physical activity and deep forms of stress relief. Certain yoga poses directly support improved thyroid function by increasing oxygen flow to this important gland. One of these poses is the ‘supported bridge’ pose.
Supplements and vitamins
Hypothyroidism is often a sign that you are deficient in certain key compounds your thyroid needs for healthy function.
Bioidentical progesterone is known to support thyroid function and at menopause levels are often low as oestrogen is continuing to be made in the fat cells of the belly.
Check for hormone balance and supplement if needed.
Selenium is pivotal for thyroid function, helping to protect the thyroid from oxidative stress and serving as a critical part of thyroid hormone production.
Iodine supports thyroid hormone production. Both thyroid hormones – triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) – contain iodine.
Zinc is required for thyroid hormone production and maintaining healthy levels of T3, T4 and TSH.
Iron – is needed by the thyroid to convert T4 into T3, the active form of thyroid hormone. Iron deficiency (anaemia) is associated with thyroid dysfunction.
Women with heavy periods need to keep an eye on their iron levels.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant and helps with absorption and utilisation of thyroid hormones as well as being an essential immune support vitamin.
Sage has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that promote better hormone receptor function and support improved mood, memory and healthy blood sugar balance.
Easiest to use regularly as say tea and it has also been used to help hot flushes.
Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic herb widely used for its anti-stress and calming properties, it supports production of thyroid hormones and helps correct imbalances in the nervous, endocrine and immune systems.
Helpful information
Giving your body thyroid-supportive elements such as bioidentical progesterone and making dietary changes and lifestyle modifications when you have hypothyroidism can initiate amazing changes in your body, and how you look and feel.
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