Subclinical Hypothyroidism Advice

[danni909]

I've recently been diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism (TSH 4.1), and was put on 25mcg levothyroxine. My OB/GYN thinks that it should help me lose some of the weight I have gained over the past few months. I am not overweight yet, but I'm almost there at 5'4" and 140lbs...I want to lose 20-25lbs.

I have only been on the meds for 5 days so I'm not obviously expecting any results yet...but has anyone else put on levothyroxine lost weight? I also am not sure what to do about diet. I just switched to a Paleo diet so I hope that helps, and have around 1400 kcal per day, and I exercise...a lot. I do 10-20 minutes of HIIT training 6 days a week, I hike 3-4 days a week for 3 hours, and I strength train 6 days a week (spit routine, heavy weights). I have a lot of muscle, but I have not been able to burn any fat off, which is discouraging considering how much I work out.

So has anyone achieved weight loss on levothyroxine?

[danni909]

Thank you for your reply!

I was referring to BMI, which I do know is not a very accurate picture of a person's body composition since it only takes into account height/weight. I'm getting my body fat measured via DEXA scan very soon, so that will help.

I am hoping for my metabolism to speed up a bit more, should be levothyroxine be working properly. I already work out a lot and eat a low calorie diet. It wouldn't be very healthy to exercise even more or to cut calories even less than I already am :(

And I will be getting a blood test in less than 3 months now...my doc wants to monitor my thyroid levels.

[danni909]

Thank you for your reply! I know it is very soon for me to be expecting results, since I guess the levothyroxine is supposed to build up in my system...so I should be more patient lol. The only thing is that is makes me feel really, really tired. Weird.

And I agree with you 100% about how it's good to have a diet like the Paleo diet. I like it very much thus far - very satiating! For a long time I was a grain and bean loving vegan, so switching to Paleo was a big deal for me. I love having locally raised, grass fed animal proteins and healthy fats. I just purchased Robb Wolf's Paleo Diet Transformation e-book for some times. Hoping for results!

[Red_Star]

If your weight gain is due to low thyroid hormone then you should see an improvement when optimally treated. The Paleo diet is low carb there are at least 18 high quality scientific studies that show significantly better weight loss with low carb diets. It's not just calorie in calorie out. If that was the case i'd be a stick!  A good article by Christine Cronau "Fat Can’t Make You Fat!" An excerpt...

"And, fat can’t make you fat.  It is physiologically impossible.  Guess what farmers feed cows to fatten them up?  Low-fat grain.  What does make you fat?  Anything that produces insulin.  What produces insulin?  Carbohydrates (that is, low-fat grain and sugars).  We are designed to eat carbohydrates in the form of vegetables, fruits, and a small amount of grain.  In today’s society, we eat too many carbohydrates, and this is what causes weight gain and obesity."

[courtney48]

I have not lost any weight since learning I had hypothyroidism and began taking levothyroxine.  

Are you using BMI suggest you are "almost there"?  If so, I think you might rethink that given your activity level.  It is a less accurate measure for athletes.  As far as losing weight, it really all comes down to calories in and calories out.  If your weight is staying steady, it is likely that you are consuming and spending an amount of calories per day that sustains your current weight.  To lose, you will have to consume less and/or spend more.  

Since you are subclinical and also because you've begun medicine, be sure to get new labs periodically.