fruits should be used in place of desserts. They are more a treat for us - than a regular meal.
fruits are high carb/ sugar and in the thyroid world - this is not very good for us when we want to lose weight.
Its a good choice of food to use for healthy diets - but in the hypo world its almost best to practice "tricking" the metobolism to run higher...
That takes a certain way of eating and what you are eating AND what time you are eating it at...
Truly - I mean this in light of all of it.... It's a pain in the butt... when you are a hypo - trying to lose a few pounds... and you need to be crafty on some of it to fool the fat into coming off you.
Well this hasn't been a temporary thing. I was told I needed more fruits and less fried foods. So I've been cutting out as much as I can with the fatty stuff. My diet would be balanced if I only did those two things. I get a healthy breakfast in the morning. It's past that I tend to reach for the quick, unhealthy stuff. I'm used to doing just this and losing 2 lbs a week. Without exercise. I had lost over 30 lbs in several months doing this with exercise until my symptoms started and the weight piled on no matter what I did. Eventually I gave up and got lazy about being careful with my diet. Within 6 months I had gained my lost weight and then some. I thought something was very wrong. I was tired all day and just wanted to lay in bed all day. I've lost so much enthusiasm with life. I'm not absolutely certain thyroid is my problem but I'm searching for answers. Back in November I had TSH and FT4 run. TSH came back 1.64 (ranges like .5-5 or something but it also had the suggestion for .3-3) and FT4 was .83 (ranges .58-1.24). He's redoing TSH next month.
My weight is crazy. I can eat and eat for a month and not gain a pound but I can be very careful and gain 7 in two weeks. It's all so very frustrating.
i agree about the ft3 because that did it for me. also i read something in mary shoman s diet tips that really worked too- try and eat your biggest meal earlier in the day and don t eat anything after 5p good luck you can do it and you will do it...
I hate to answer questions with more questions, but ---
Do you know for sure that you have thyroid issues? If so, why aren't you being treated for them? What tests have been done and what are the results, along with the lab's reference ranges?
We all react differently to meds, foods, etc and while some people do well with a gluten free diet, my doctor told me not to bother with it because I'm not gluten sensitive. I do well with whole grains.
I found that cutting back on junk food and exercising did the most good -- well, it kept me from gaining more, which was an initial goal. I was not able to LOSE much of anything until my thyroid levels got to a good point for me. Now that my levels are good, I find that both diet and exercise does wonders -- I just have a hard time finding the time and motivation to work on it.
I totally agree with Stella, that you need to make "life style" changes, not just go for a "temporary diet". When you don't make changes that you can live with, you won't stick with it and will most likely gain back what you lose.
I found that the thing that worked best for me was getting my thyroid levels under control, so if you haven't been diagnosed, that would be the first step, but you'll need the proper tests done to do that. You might also want to be checked for insulin resistance and vitamin B12 deficiency.
I agree that a low glycemic diet is good because it cuts out most refined foods, like white sugar, white flour, etc. Also, try to stick with fresh/frozen foods, over canned/packaged. The closer to fresh a food is, the better it is for you.
Being hypothyroid is a little different in diet than just wanting to lose a few pounds... Its a special case w/ a special diet - and certain changes to achieve a metobolism that runs right.
Hypo is directly related to metobolism - so learning the metobolic panels and where you stand w/ that is best.
I hate to add more frustration for you - but just "cutting" things out is not the answer...
Briefy in pinpoint steps....
Most find starving celiac and gluten out of there bodies is best to start when weight for hypos is an issue.
That take months to get out.
Then check the glycemic index diets out - which are lifestyle changes - is best to move towards. We store sugar as hypo - and then adrenals are effected - so belly fat is tough to lose. That is a battle for many.
Exercising at first is not really the answer either - even through it is good for you in other ways... It won't shed a pound off you if your bedy is not running correctly.
Actually swimming is the best form for us hypos - It's less stress on our bodies w/ floating muscle mass and tones you. Great for all aspect of help for us to swim.
Hate putting that swimsuit on at first though when starting. LOL
and.... to darken things more :( - IF you are not high on your thyroid hormone - meaning optimal for you) - your metobolism - if slow stills - will not cooperate at all - so making sure - again knowing where your FT3 is ( FT3 is your "internal heater" - metobolizer/ runner) very important in your weight loss goals.