# Hashi's and Weight Loss



## lexi731 (Dec 6, 2012)

I'm sure this has been posted about to death but I'm still curious as to thoughts about how to lose a significant amount of weight with Hashimotos.

Some background: I went undiagnosed for at least 11 months and in that time, I gained roughly 70 lbs., which is a lot on my 5'3" frame. When I found out about my Hashimotos, I figured that once I was properly medicated, the weight would come off with a little effort, since it was put on without doing anything differently. Well, that plan didn't pan out. In the middle of February, I started a low-calorie diet based on recommendations from a nutritionist I saw at my endocrinology appointment. About a week later, I started exercising regularly and now I'm in the gym every morning (7 days a week) for 40 minutes of hard cardio and 4 days I incorporate weights. It's been 5 weeks and I've lost a minimal amount of weight.

How do you lose the weight that Hashimoto's put on while still having this awful disease? I feel like I have NO metabolism anymore and I'm WAY too young for that.

Any thoughts are much appreciated.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

It is my belief that you should be able to lose weight with a reasonable diet and exercise plan IF you are euthyroid. I suspect your levels might not be quite right yet???


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## lainey (Aug 26, 2010)

In 11 months you gained approximately 1.5 pounds per week.

If you lose 1/2 to 1 pound per week, you would be doing well, and that would be considered a good weight loss rate.

There are diet and exercise habits that contribute to weight gain, regardless of thyroid status. Maintaining a normal weight as you age requires a constant vigilance--losing a substantial amount of weight requires commitment. This is a life long lifestyle/change.

You've done a good job seeing a nutritionist and getting back into an exercise routine. Keep it up and you should see results.

There are no magic pills or numbers here. Only consistent and hard work.


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## lexi731 (Dec 6, 2012)

Octavia said:


> It is my belief that you should be able to lose weight with a reasonable diet and exercise plan IF you are euthyroid. I suspect your levels might not be quite right yet???


Yeah, that's my suspicion as well. I just recently switched endocrinologists so I'm waiting to see how she responds to lab work (due to be retested in two weeks) before I figure out if she'll dose based on how I feel instead of what my levels are.


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## lexi731 (Dec 6, 2012)

lainey said:


> In 11 months you gained approximately 1.5 pounds per week.
> 
> If you lose 1/2 to 1 pound per week, you would be doing well, and that would be considered a good weight loss rate.
> 
> ...


I realize there are no magic pills, etc. but in 5 weeks of intense calorie restriction (but still staying above 1200) and major exercise, I haven't really lost any weight. I was somewhat sedentary before so I thought changing this would at least amount to 5 or 10 pounds. I get that it's going to take more than a year, but not losing any weight in a month is unsettling.


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## iroczinoz (Aug 15, 2011)

what does your diet look like?

Do you look better in the mirror sometimes weight does not paint a good picture. Could have gained a little muscle lost some fat and scales look similar.

You say intense cardio does this mean you go all out for 40mins? Might be better to go a little slower, take it to an hour long session.

Might just need to give it a little more time, see what your blood work shows.

You eating multiple meals throughout the day. Please post what you are eating and the macronutrients. If a nutritionist made your diet you should have carbs,fat,protein broken down.


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## lainey (Aug 26, 2010)

> but in 5 weeks of intense calorie restriction (but still staying above 1200)


I eat around 1200, and have for most of my life, to keep my weight stable. A low calorie diet, to me, would put you below 1200, and even for a short term, below 1000. What you are doing is not "intense calorie restriction", yet.

Whatever math your nutritionist did on your metabolic rate probably doesn't have you low enough here for the significant loss (and you are looking for up to 2 pounds per week) you think you should be seeing.

Best diet, by the way, would likely involve reduced carbs. At some point all of us struggle with insulin resistance.

Beginning an exercise plan also means that at the outset, you will spend some time converting fat into muscle. Muscle weighs more, but has a resting metabolic rate that is higher. It's a trade off, but a good one.


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## lexi731 (Dec 6, 2012)

iroczinoz said:


> what does your diet look like?
> Do you look better in the mirror sometimes weight does not paint a good picture. Could have gained a little muscle lost some fat and scales look similar.
> You say intense cardio does this mean you go all out for 40mins? Might be better to go a little slower, take it to an hour long session.
> Might just need to give it a little more time, see what your blood work shows.
> You eating multiple meals throughout the day. Please post what you are eating and the macronutrients. If a nutritionist made your diet you should have carbs,fat,protein broken down.


The nutritionist didn't break it down very well, actually, just told me to keep my calories within 1300-1800 per day. I follow an app on my phone and get at least 60 g of protein each day, with a fair amount of healthy fat and some carbs. I also eat about 5 small meals a day. I will admit that I don't eat "clean" enough because I am not willing to give up being able to go out with co-workers, etc. so that could definitely be part of the problem.

I generally check my heart rate during cardio to make sure I'm not going too overboard but every time I've gone from somewhat sedentary to this active, it's been obvious to me, except this time.

I guess I'm just frustrated. The app is programmed so that as long as I follow the guidelines, I should be losing 1 1/2-2 lbs. a week and I'm not even close. When things like this happen, it's tough to convince myself that I need to stick with it, even though I know that being active and eating better is better for me all around, even if I don't lose weight.



lainey said:


> I eat around 1200, and have for most of my life, to keep my weight stable. A low calorie diet, to me, would put you below 1200, and even for a short term, below 1000. What you are doing is not "intense calorie restriction", yet.
> Whatever math your nutritionist did on your metabolic rate probably doesn't have you low enough here for the significant loss (and you are looking for up to 2 pounds per week) you think you should be seeing.


The nutritionist (and most doctors) have always told me to NEVER go below 1200 calories because it puts your body into starvation mode, especially while working out. Based on how much I weigh, I burn over 2200 calories a day with just waking up and living. On top of that, it's about 400-600 calories of activity so I should be seeing a more significant drop than I'm seeing.

I'm not looking for any quick fix or special diet. This is a lifestyle change for me that is going to have to last the rest of my life. I'm just curious to see if anyone else has struggled with this specifically because of the dreaded thyroid issues. I know that I'm doing all of the right things for a normal person, it just doesn't seem to be working like it used to for me before the Hashi's kicked in. I was never an overweight person until the last 2 years so I'm fighting to get back to my life before Hashi's.


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## lainey (Aug 26, 2010)

> The nutritionist (and most doctors) have always told me to NEVER go below 1200 calories because it puts your body into starvation mode, especially while working out. Based on how much I weigh, I burn over 2200 calories a day with just waking up and living.


First of all, do your math on your intake needs for your desired weight, not your current weight, otherwise you're just going to get "maintenance". I don't agree with the calorie statement, quite frankly. I am about your height, have been hypothyroid for 7 years and am normal weight--but if I ate that recommended calorie intake, I would gain for sure, regardless of any time spent in the gym. So, while I like nutritionists, sometimes the "standard" advice won't work in practice. There is a great deal of hesitation in asking people to "bite the bullet" or recommend diet plans that may be perceived as difficult to follow. For example, I saw a nutritionist for help with my blood sugars, and she first told me I "needed" 175-200g of carb per day. Really? I eat 125-150g of carbs now, and my sugars are high, and you want me to eat more carbs that will contribute further to the problem? Even then, she was hesitant to recommend lowering the carb count.

Doctors can prescribe, and will supervise, low calorie, nutritious diets that will help someone jump start weight loss. Generally, calories expended has to exceed calories consumed--so if what you are doing is not working, based on the numbers you are using, you do have room to reevaluate. When you get closer to goal, you then figure out what your intake needs to be to maintain your weight.



> On top of that, it's about 400-600 calories of activity so I should be seeing a more significant drop than I'm seeing.


Are you sure you are using 400--600 calories at the gym? Most people, when going by the "calories burned" on the machines, overestimate what is actually used. Unless you are running 4-6 miles--you use about 100 calories per mile running at a 12 minute pace--you are probably netting less than that. Walking or an aerobics class nets about 50% of that. Truth is, you get good effect from walking 30 minutes every day, especially if you do it after a meal.



> I know that I'm doing all of the right things for a normal person, it just doesn't seem to be working like it used to for me before the Hashi's kicked in.


I'm just going to say, that as a fellow Hashi's patient with years on the boards, that even when your meds are regulated, it takes extra effort and extra vigilance to maintain weight, and to lose it if you gain. You can lose weight--I know people who have done it--but it takes more consistency and effort. You can slice and dice your labs or talk a doctor into medicating you until you are subclinically hyper, but it's not going to work per advice for "normal" people. Period.


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

When was the last time you did labs? I find that if I am even slightly off, the weight just sticks no matter what I do. I was recently hyper for a few weeks and dropped 10 pounds without any effort so I know my metabolism is still working, it just gets really slow when I'm even slightly hypo.



> Based on how much I weigh, I burn over 2200 calories a day with just waking up and living.


 Is there an app or a site out there that shows how many calories a person burns a day with just everyday living and activity? I eat 1200-1300 calories a day but I don't do strenuous exercise. I was curious to see how many calories I'm burning just by being awake and doing normal life activities.


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## lexi731 (Dec 6, 2012)

jenny v said:


> When was the last time you did labs? I find that if I am even slightly off, the weight just sticks no matter what I do. I was recently hyper for a few weeks and dropped 10 pounds without any effort so I know my metabolism is still working, it just gets really slow when I'm even slightly hypo.
> 
> Is there an app or a site out there that shows how many calories a person burns a day with just everyday living and activity? I eat 1200-1300 calories a day but I don't do strenuous exercise. I was curious to see how many calories I'm burning just by being awake and doing normal life activities.


Jenny, I use MyFitnessPal, which is an app and a website. It's the most convenient thing I've found for trying to lose weight.

I do think my levels might be low (but within range) because that's how they've been for the last year or so with my previous endocrinologist. I get retested in two weeks so I'll know then. I have other hypo symptoms too but I'm unsure if this endo will adjust based on how I feel if my levels are still within range.


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## iroczinoz (Aug 15, 2011)

lexi731 said:


> The nutritionist didn't break it down very well, actually, just told me to keep my calories within 1300-1800 per day. I follow an app on my phone and get at least 60 g of protein each day, with a fair amount of healthy fat and some carbs. I also eat about 5 small meals a day. I will admit that I don't eat "clean" enough because I am not willing to give up being able to go out with co-workers, etc. so that could definitely be part of the problem.


I must say this is poor from the nutritionist. If you want to maximise results I would ramp up the protein intake and lower the fat/carb intake.

Lets take your example of 60grams of protein per day which equates to 240 calories. That means the majority of calories is coming from carbs and fat not ideal for weight loss.

I have known people to maintain/gain weight on minimal food while others have to brutally stuff themselves to gain weight, not everyone is created equally.

Being told to eat 1300 - 1800 is also wrong. That extra 500 calories could mean the world of difference. You need to stick to a number and monitor. If weight not coming off, lower calories again and see and adjust.

I'd say if you limited your carb intake to just in the morning, ate protein meals with big servings of green vegies with it you would see much better results.

I think you need to lower your carb/fat intake and raise protein intake considerably to have the right environment for weight loss.

Obviously your current protocol is not working time to change it.


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## Keba (Aug 11, 2012)

Hi,
Looks like you're putting forth a good effort but I agree with others that your calorie range is too high to lose weight.

I use myfitnesspal as well and after you enter in your daily entry it says something like, "if every day were like today you would weigh x amount in 5 weeks".
Well, that's inaccurate. I have to eat way less, I'm at 1200 calories to lose weight currently as I gained 10 lbs in one month with no change what so ever.
Also, when you enter your exercise in , it gives you way more than what you probably earned. Then, this is what makes me mad, it adds those calories into that days intake. You just burned them working your arse off, don't turn around and use them.
Just don't get give, up because your weight probably would've continued to creep up if you didn't start something, you just need to twick it a bit.
Don't eat extra because you earned more calories. Maybe a treat on the weekend but that's it.

I completely understand and feel your frustrations, weight is an ongoing battle for me, having Hashi's and working with a "wait and see" doctor.


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

Calories are far too high. Cut the carbs. Shoot for 1000-1200 calories a day.


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## lexi731 (Dec 6, 2012)

Keba said:


> Hi,
> Looks like you're putting forth a good effort but I agree with others that your calorie range is too high to lose weight.
> 
> I use myfitnesspal as well and after you enter in your daily entry it says something like, "if every day were like today you would weigh x amount in 5 weeks".
> ...


I also hate that about myfitnesspal. I never eat back the calories I burn and while the app says I should eat 1400 calories (as does the nutritionist) I generally eat about 1200-1300. Before Hashi's, I could decide to start exercising and be down 10 lbs. within a few weeks of a workout routine. Now, to lose that same 10 lbs. I feel like it may take a few months.

I'll continue to cut the calories but I was just curious if anyone had the same issue with Hashi's. I, unfortunately, waited a long time before starting thyroid medication and my weight definitely suffered.

Thanks everyone for the input!


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## iroczinoz (Aug 15, 2011)

lexi731 said:


> I also hate that about myfitnesspal. I never eat back the calories I burn and while the app says I should eat 1400 calories (as does the nutritionist) I generally eat about 1200-1300. Before Hashi's, I could decide to start exercising and be down 10 lbs. within a few weeks of a workout routine. Now, to lose that same 10 lbs. I feel like it may take a few months.
> 
> I'll continue to cut the calories but I was just curious if anyone had the same issue with Hashi's. I, unfortunately, waited a long time before starting thyroid medication and my weight definitely suffered.
> 
> Thanks everyone for the input!


I have hashi's and have a hard time gaining weight. I have to eat huge amounts of food to maintain and extra to gain. So if I go on a low carb high protein diet 10lbs in 3 weeks is easy. Everyone is different.


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

The optimum loss is .5 - 1 pound per week.


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## cam7770 (Mar 30, 2013)

I'm a little late on this, but I've found what works best for me and I love to share! I don't think 1300 calories is overkill. I'm 5'2" 115 lbs. (female) and LOVE to run. If it's one of those months where I just can't get enough and I'm training hard, I can eat 2500 calories a day and STILL maintain/lose weight. The point is, as long as you are burning more than you are consuming you are doing well. I actually have BETTER success with weight loss if I don't leave myself with too large a calorie deficit. Plus, more calories to enjoy means less of a 'crash' diet and more of a lifetime change.

But enough about that, more about my favorite little device in the world. So, as many of you probably know, it is recommended that we take at least 10,000 steps a day. This averages to about 5 miles. I wear a FitBit, a little device that records your steps, calories burned, stairs climbed, and even your sleeping patterns EVERY SINGLE DAY. It adjusts for your weight and age (so you won't be fooled by the treadmill when it shows you your calories burned if you were a 25-year-old, 250 lb. man). You just hook it on your bra and no one will ever know you even have it on. It can sync directly to your phone, and there is an app/website to log your food intake also. It will also connect with LoseIt! if anybody here uses that app to track food. By wearing this I know my TRUE calories burned per day and I also know when I have been a complete bum!! They are reasonably priced, $99 I think, and I've made sure every member of my family has one. My dad has even realized that he has been taking over 15,000 steps at work every day without even knowing it! Sorry, I'm not trying to sell this to anyone (I have no stock in their company, promise!) but I think being aware of your actual daily exercise is the most important thing for weight loss. Period.

I also wear a MotoActv during my runs, which counts my steps, calories and plays my music for me as well. You could wear this daily also, but it's slightly larger and definitely more expensive. If you are just looking for a way to count steps, the FitBit is the way to go. But I guess even a cereal box pedometer would do the trick!


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