Even though losing weight can be challenging with an underactive thyroid, it is still possible.
You are not alone. Weight gain as a symptom of hypothyroidism is well-documented in the medical literature.
A condition called hypothyroidism, also known as underactive thyroid, is when your thyroid doesn’t release enough thyroid hormone into your bloodstream. This makes your metabolism slow down, which leads to weight gain. Aside from this, hypothyroidism can make you feel tired and unable to tolerate cold temperatures.
The most important thing to do is manage your hypothyroidism (thanks to thyroid hormone therapy), and weight loss will follow suit. When hypothyroidism goes untreated for a long time, it can make it much harder to lose weight — if not impossible.
If you have hypothyroidism, your underactive thyroid gland may also play a role in weight loss.
Winter and your thyroid hormone
Did you know that the season has something to do with your thyroid? Temperatures drop during the winter, and your thyroid has a harder time maintaining your body’s core temperature. The thyroid is primarily responsible for keeping your body’s temperature.
Cold weather may worsen hypothyroid symptoms, which means your thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level is too high.
Studies have shown that in some people, the colder it is outside, the higher the TSH levels get. If your hypothyroidism symptoms become more noticeable during cold weather, that’s a good sign that it’s time to check your thyroid levels.
Hypothyroidism and weight loss
It’s the holidays once again. Even on regular days, losing weight for people with hypothyroidism has been challenging. Here are some tips that may help boost weight loss, even during the festive season!
Keep your meals small and frequent
If you’ve been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, you may feel like you need to eat much smaller, less-balanced meals. In people with hypothyroidism, their metabolism is slower than usual.
Meals and snacks that are too large can become high-energy blips that the body has trouble processing. When attending holiday parties, stick to small, frequent meals to satisfy your hunger without that heavy feeling after a meal.
Manage a food diary
If you have hypothyroidism and want to lose weight, it’s essential to track your daily calorie intake. You can do this by logging everything you eat and drink in a food diary. This will also ensure that you’re eating a well-balanced diet.
You will want to avoid the highs and lows of oversized, highly processed foods by focusing on quality proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats at each meal and snack time. It is also important to ensure that macronutrients (protein and fiber) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are present in the diet to nourish the gut.
Eliminate inflammatory foods
Having hypothyroidism doesn’t mean avoiding all your favorite foods. We recommend you avoid foods that contribute to inflammation, as these can trigger the root causes of hypothyroidism. Reducing inflammation in your body through diet can help your thyroid function properly.
During your holiday parties, try to find these foods to help you with weight loss:
- Lean protein: think beef, pork, poultry, eggs, and seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids
- Non-dairy fermented foods
- Cruciferous vegetables, like kale and brussels sprouts
- Herbs like rosemary and turmeric
Stay away from these foods, especially this holiday season:
- Dairy
- Grains
- Nuts and seeds
- Dried fruits
- Vegetables, such as tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, and peppers
- Beans and legumes
- Alcohol (yes, no to alcoholic drinks during your holiday parties!)
You may even be able to lessen the severity of your hypothyroidism if you cut out these inflammatory foods.
Move your body more
Just because it’s the holiday season does not mean lounging all day and binge-watching series. Get some exercise. Try fast-paced walking, running, hiking, and rowing. Research has shown that aerobic exercise can help boost your thyroid hormone levels. Eventually, this may speed up your metabolism and help you lose weight.
Seek professional help
Traditionally, thyroid hormones have been used to lose weight. In people with hypothyroidism, their thyroid glands produce significantly less thyroid hormone. This decreases the basal metabolic rate, which leads to weight gain.
This hormone imbalance can be fixed with thyroid hormone therapy. Studies have shown that thyroid hormone treatment can lead to more weight loss than dieting alone. During caloric restriction, the goal of thyroid hormone therapy is to enhance fat loss without compromising muscle mass or strength.
Balance out your TSH levels
At Hormone Logics, we can help you understand thyroid hormone imbalances and how they affect your body. By finding and eliminating factors that affect hormone levels, we can help you feel better and have more energy. We offer thyroid hormone therapy to correct these imbalances.
Hormone Logics is a premier medical wellness center in West Palm Beach, FL. We specialize in various programs, such as nutraceuticals, bioidentical hormone therapy, testosterone therapy, and customized diet and exercise regimens.
We focus on individualized hormone therapy for men and women for approved indications of low testosterone and menopause. We believe that aging better should be effortless. We provide hormone therapy, diet, and exercise programs to help you achieve your personal health goals. Our staff of medical professionals is dedicated to helping you meet your needs and goals.
At Hormone Logics, we offer a comprehensive program to help you overcome thyroid hormone imbalances. We can also help you understand how these imbalances affect your body and why they are such hot-button issues in modern medicine.
Our goal is to help you return to normal thyroid functioning through thyroid hormone therapy. Come see what our program can do for you! Contact Hormone Logics today at (561) 640-3333 to schedule a consultation.
Meet The Doctor
