Does a hypothyroid diagnosis make you gain weight? Losing weight with hypothyroidism has been a journey for me. Here I am disclosing everything that has helped me lose weight since I got diagnosed with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's.
While it is true that one of the side effects of Hypothyroidism is weight gain, it does not mean that you are doomed to live a life of misery and obesity...
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in 2008 and then the autoimmune thyroid condition of Hashimoto's 3 years ago. I have been living with these conditions for some time now. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I began managing my symptoms and increased my quality of life, despite my conditions.
Yes, it is true that I am currently taking thyroid hormone supplementation. However, I have found that if I truly want to feel my best then I must put in more effort than just popping a pill every day.
I have struggled with my weight for the vast majority of my life...
I was never one of those naturally skinny girls and it seemed like I was always bigger than all of my friends. That is until my senior year in high school. I began taking all kinds of supplements, weight loss pills, and even stacking ephedrine, yohimbine and caffeine, so I was able to have enough energy to bust out two hours on the treadmill or stairmaster. I was able to achieve a low body fat percentage, but this was not a healthy way to go about weight loss and I am sure that it had an effect on my health and lead to my diagnosis no more than a year later.
When I found out I was hypothyroid I was convinced that this had been my problem all along and that all I had to do was take my thyroid medication and I could eat whatever I wanted and not gain weight. When I realized that I was tipping that scale at 165 pounds I realized that this might not be the case. My next instinct was to blame my “condition”.
I would say that I am hypothyroid and it is preventing me from losing weight. That I had no control and this is just how it was. Mind you, in retrospect, my diet looks less than ideal – frankly, I ate like total crap. I would eat fast food, packaged foods, frozen foods, cakes, candy, and white bread. Anything! I loved food.
I was never losing any weight and I was actually many times gaining weight, but I would always blame my thyroid condition...
I would still exercise regularly and have always enjoyed lifting weights. However, with this lifestyle came all kinds of supplements, and chemical ingredients, as well as a high protein and protein bar intake which did not contribute positively either.
It wasn’t until three years ago that I came to Custom Body Fitness and was brought to the realization that I could lose weight and I could create the body that I always dreamed of. I just had to be willing to pay a price.
I began a health and healing journey. I began working with naturopathic doctors and one of the first steps was to clean up my diet which included food intolerance testing. I came back with 35 food intolerances – including wheat (gluten), soy, dairy, corn, rice, sweet potato, nuts, some spices, and some fruits and vegetables. This right away helped me to eat much healthier and I began to feel better.
I started losing weight with hypothyroidism and I was getting a lean and toned body...
It wasn’t until a few years later that I began to not tolerate many grains, and again I tweaked my diet. Then I struggled with tolerating meat, so tweaked my diet again. It has been one nutritional obstacle after another, but I refuse to give in! I continue to research and read as much as I can about my conditions and about people who have had real success with managing their conditions. I not only pay the price in what I am able to eat but also in the activities that I partake in. I often times pass up dinner invitations and invites to “grab a beer” or to any other event where I may feel out casted or pressured due to my lifestyle choices.
I am on a very personal journey and refuse to engage with anyone who is unwilling to support my decision. This might sound extreme to some people but it is the price that I am willing to pay for my health. I am still optimistic about healing my body and having a full and pain free life.
Often times we get caught up on the weight and how we look when if we were to start focusing on health, the desired weight loss would naturally follow. I am slowly figuring out what foods are best for my body and my health, and in return I have achieved a very healthy and appealing physique.
I don’t disagree that perhaps a condition of this nature requires a higher price to be paid when you are trying to achieve weight loss results...
However, I do disagree when someone says that they are not capable of losing weight due to this condition. Put in some time a take an honest look at your diet. Do some research and find out how other people who have achieved the results you are looking for have done it, and then model their behavior.
There are some very basic diet guidelines that you can follow when you have thyroid conditions. Cutting out gluten, soy, and dairy and main ones to start with, and then you can continue to see how your body is affected with other foods.
What it boils down to is that if you are ensuring that your body has enough hormones, is fueled with the right foods, are exercising regularly, and maintaining a positive and persistent attitude then it is completely possible for a person with hypothyroidism and or Hashimotos to maintain a healthy weight.
Custom Body Fitness is located in Glenwood Springs CO and Carbondale CO