hashimotos and weight problems

[marisa ann]

How on earth can those of us with hashimotos thyroiditis loose weight??  I am taking 100 mcg levothyroid and 50mcg citomel.  It keeps my levels in "normal" enough range and it also helps my symptoms of body aches, excessive fatigue and allergies, but does nothing to normalize my metabolism.

I can't loose weight. Please, can someone help? This condition has ruined my life. I eat less than any of my friends and exercise more.  My weight has fluxuated so much through my life. I exercised until I almost killed myself when I met my ex-boyfriend. We were together for 3 years, but the thyroid started blowing me up again, which caused him to leave me. I felt so helpless. As a result, I'm now taking anti-depressants. Now, I'm dating someone who keeps on bringing up my weight. I'm extremely sensative about this. It's humiliating and embarrassing, especially since I've always been health oriented and exercise (when I'm not fatigued).

I'm always dreaming of the day that I conquer this and my life can begin. That day never comes. Please, can someone help me? I feel so trapped inside this stupid body.

[bubblytoes]

Hi, I have just been diagnosed with Hashimoto's on 5-31-07 after having a surgery. I have struggled with weight all my life. I don't have an answer for you on the weight issue.I did lose 60 pounds on Atkin's but when you go back to regular lifestyle is does all come back. If the men in your life don't like the way you look and knowing you have a thyroid disease I'd say good-bye to them and probably would not be very nice about it. The guy your dating get rid of him. You deserve better. Please don't ever let anyone put you down because you struggle with weight. I am female 41.  5'11" 219lbs. and I love every inch of me. Keep your chin up and Good luck..

Jean

[WordGamer]

Ditto on what bubblytoes said about his man in your life. Ditch him quick! There is someone who'll love you for who you are on the inside.

I am 5'11" and have gained all my 95 pounds I lost back plus 40 more when my thyroid totally crashed. I am over 100 pounds overweight. My husband loves and accepts me for who I am on the inside!

I love myself. I know that someday I'll get back to losing weight again but right now I am healing.

Also I found that when I wanted to lose weight I had to actually eat enough food. There are quite a few websites about the caloric requirements for weight loss. Figure out your activity level vs. your needed caloric intake. There are actual names for these formulas. One is called the Harris-Benedict Equation Formula. To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) by a factor of 1.2 for sedentary, by 1.375 for light activity, by 1.55 for moderate activity, by 1.725 for very active, and by 1.9 for extra active. There are BMR calculators on the web too.

bmi-calculator.net is a good website for the formula and several calculators.

Don't short change yourself and you'll lose fat. It does take time and effort and patience. It took me approx. 8 months to lose 95 pounds. At the same time I gained muscles. And muscle weigh the same as fat so when you doing both, it's best not to focus on the scale as much. Focus on how your clothes fit.

Whenever I've tried to eat very little, it had the opposite effect on my weight loss. I actually gained because my body thought I was starving and it needed conserve the fat. Thus I gained weight.

I've tried numerous weight loss strategies and programs like Atkins, Low Carb, Caloric Reduction, etc. and this method above is the only which ever worked. I focused on keeping my nutritional program clean 90% of the time. Meaning I could be lax on 4 meals out of 35-42 meals a week. I was eating 5 to 6 meals per day, about every 3 to 5 hours, exercising 4 - 5 days per week and doing resistance training 2 - 3 days per week. I found the resistance training was a big factor for me in losing fat.

I was eating more than ever before and losing fat and gaining muscle ... that is until my doctor failed to notice my increased low T symptoms and decreased my med. when it should have been increased. UGH!

[WordGamer]

I forgot one more thing, which is on the web site I gave you. You subtract 500 calories per day if you wish to lose weight. And it will tell you there on the web site that you can subtract 1000 calories per day but it's not healthy and I found it wasn't necessary.

If you are lots of pounds overweight like me, then you could subtract more in the beginning. I did and then decreased that as I got closer to my ideal weight.

Again, not eating enough food is not only unhealthy but it also causes your body to maintain its fat and/or causes you to gain weight. I know, I've done this my entire life because of being hypothyroid and not having a normal appetite.