Keeping weight under control is often difficult for healthy people, but avoiding putting on excess pounds is even more difficult for individuals with thyroid problems. Hypothyroidism, a disease that causes reduced thyroid activity, triggers an imbalance in the body's chemical reactions. Two of its main symptoms are slowed metabolism and weight gain. Thanks to a precise diagnosis of hypothyroidism, a personalized diet, physical activity and the possible intake of drugs, you can lose weight, while living with the disease.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Studying Hypothyroidism and Related Weight Gain
Step 1. Recognize the symptoms
This disease has a number of symptoms ranging from weight gain to skin dehydration, which can appear suddenly or, as with weight, gradually worsen.
- Symptoms may include: unexpected weight gain, fatigue, increased sensitivity to cold, constipation, dry skin, swelling of the face, muscle aches, joint swelling, hair thinning, low blood pressure, depression and even menstrual periods abundant or irregular.
- Symptoms vary from person to person and can affect anyone from babies to newborns and even adults.
- It is a more common disease among women and in people over 50 years of age.
Step 2. Contact your doctor
The only way to confirm that it is indeed hypothyroidism and that this is the cause of your weight gain is to visit your doctor. He will be able to formulate a diagnosis and set up a specific therapy for you.
- If you don't go to the doctor and underestimate the symptoms, the disease may get worse over time.
- Your doctor should measure a hormone called "thyrotropic hormone" to determine if you have a thyroid disorder.
Step 3. Know the factors that link hypothyroidism and weight gain
The reason why patients gain weight is quite complex and is not always closely related to the disease. If you know the factors that underlie the pathology and weight gain, then you will have more elements to set a suitable diet and an effective training program, even better if in combination with the intake of specific drugs.
- In most cases, hypothyroidism makes you fat due to the excess salt and water in the body. However, you can counter this effect with healthy eating habits and exercise. You can shed the extra weight with diet and training.
- The disease generally does not cause excessive weight gain. On average, patients do not gain weight more than 2, 2-4, 8 kg. If your weight has increased beyond these levels, then you need to analyze your eating and physical activity habits.
- If weight gain is the only symptom of this disorder, it is unlikely to be attributable to hypothyroidism.
- Some doctors believe that the factor that causes weight gain is insulin resistance, or in cases where cells are not responsive to insulin; this contributes to the problem of not being able to lose weight when suffering from thyroid disorders.
Part 2 of 3: Lose Weight with Diet and Exercise
Step 1. Contact your doctor
Depending on the diagnosis reached, drug therapy may not be necessary. If this is your case, talk to your doctor about the best way to lose weight before starting a diet plan and workout.
While proper nutrition and exercise are important for overall health, you should always ask your doctor what is best for you
Step 2. Keep your expectations in check
Once you have defined with your doctor the type of treatment to follow, put your food and training plan in place. Don't expect great results in the short term though.
- Don't think about completely losing the extra weight. Most people have to work very hard to get rid of excess kilograms, even after the final diagnosis. The best way to lose weight is to do it gradually, in order to maintain the new weight over the long term.
- Some people don't lose weight at all. If you are one of them, try changing your diet and starting an exercise program, which can help you shed the extra pounds.
- Ingest 1800-2000 calories per day. Do not go below 1200. Eating 3500 fewer calories each week corresponds to the loss of about half a kilo of weight; as a result, it is advisable to lose 500 calories per day.
Step 3. Eat healthy and have regular meals
A healthy, balanced diet at regular times helps you lose not only the extra weight caused by hypothyroidism, but also the weight that could result from poor nutrition or lack of exercise. Low-fat foods, complex carbohydrates, and low sodium intake, for example, are your best friends for managing this specific condition and for maintaining overall good health.
- Stick to a diet of around 1200 calories a day, which also helps you lose that weight that isn't necessarily due to thyroid problems.
- Incorporate lean sources of protein, such as chicken, sirloin, or edamame into almost any meal. in doing so you partly accelerate the metabolism by improving the assimilation of nutrients and burning some calories; you can also lose some fat, which is the main cause of weight gain.
- Eat grains and whole foods, such as wholemeal pasta, oatmeal, and quinoa, rather than refined equivalents, such as white bread.
- Avoid simple sugars. They are not good for your insulin levels.
Step 4. Avoid unhealthy foods
If you are trying to lose weight, you need to stay away from "junk" food, such as fast food, because it is often high in sodium. French fries, nachos, packaged pizza, burgers, cakes and ice cream certainly do not help you lose weight or eliminate excess fluids and sodium from your body.
You should also not eat starchy foods, refined carbohydrates like bread, crackers, pasta, rice, cereals and baked goods. By eliminating these foods from your diet, you will be able to lose weight
Step 5. Reduce sodium in your diet
Since most of the weight gain caused by hypothyroidism is due to excess salt and water in the body, try to avoid sodium as much as possible. This substance in fact retains liquids and makes you weigh more.
- Do not take more than 500 mg of sodium per day.
- Also avoid foods that are rich in it. Industrially processed products, for example, contain a large amount of sodium.
- Another way to limit excessive sodium buildup in the body is to eat potassium-rich foods, such as bananas, apricots, oranges, sweet potatoes, and beets.
Step 6. Drink lots of water
If you stay well hydrated, you can effectively lose excess weight due to water retention. Try to drink plenty of water throughout the day to ensure adequate hydration and avoid retaining fluids.
- Avoid sugary drinks, especially industrially processed sodas and fruit juices.
- Drink 250ml of water 8 times a day (at least 2 liters) every day.
Step 7. Take food supplements
Some people who show symptoms of hypothyroidism, despite having normal thyroid function indices, do not need drug therapy. In these cases, supplements, such as selenium, can be used together with a healthy diet and regular exercise, which help with weight loss.
Step 8. Maintain bowel regularity
If you evacuate regularly, you can eliminate excess sodium and water from your body. The expulsion of fluids and other toxins helps you lose weight and generally stay healthy.
- You should get a lot of fiber to keep yourself regular and to facilitate the expulsion of harmful elements, such as excess salt and liquids. Aim to consume 35-40 mg of fiber per day, from soluble or insoluble sources.
- Soluble fiber is found in foods such as oats, legumes, apples, pears and flax seeds. The insoluble ones are found in foods such as whole grains and rice, as well as in vegetables such as broccoli, zucchini, carrots and cabbage.
- Regular exercise helps to maintain bowel regularity, because it stimulates its movement.
Step 9. Exercise
Cardiovascular exercises help you lose weight and maintain good overall health. Before starting this type of training, however, talk to your doctor.
- Aim for 10,000 steps a day, which equals approximately 8km.
- Use a pedometer to make sure you achieve this.
- You can do any type of cardio exercise to achieve your goal and improve your health. In addition to walking, you can consider running, swimming, rowing or biking.
- Aim for 2.5 hours of moderate exercise each week.
Step 10. Do strength exercises
In addition to cardio training, strength training also helps you lose weight. Increasing muscle mass burns more calories and, at the same time, promotes overall health.
Before starting a strength training program, consult your doctor and, if you can, also a qualified personal trainer who can set the best exercise plan for you based on your needs and abilities
Part 3 of 3: Lose Weight with Medication, Diet and Exercise
Step 1. Contact your doctor
He is the only person who can diagnose your thyroid problem. Talk to him about your health problems, he will likely advise you to get tested. If necessary, he will prescribe low-dose medications to treat hypothyroidism.
Depending on your diagnosis, you may or may not need to take medication for this problem
Step 2. Follow what is prescribed for you
Your doctor may recommend a drug, often Levothyroxine, to help you control the condition. Get it at the pharmacy, so you can start the treatment as soon as possible.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist any questions that arise regarding medications or therapy
Step 3. Take your medication regularly
Take them at the same time every day so you don't forget. If you are taking other supplements or medications, take the thyroid medication first, to avoid interactions between the different active ingredients.
- It is best to take thyroid medicine on an empty stomach and one hour before any other medications.
- Wait four hours after taking your hypothyroid medication before taking any other tablets, such as multivitamins, fiber supplements, or antacids.
Step 4. Do not interrupt treatment unless your doctor advises you to do so
Even if you start to feel better, you need to take your medications regularly. If you want to stop the treatment, you must first discuss this with the specialist. Most people with hypothyroidism often have to take the drug for life.
Step 5. Don't create too many expectations
During the drug treatment period, such as with Levothyroxine, you will probably not be able to lose weight. Weight loss is essentially due to the expulsion of sodium and excess fluids in the body.
Don't expect to lose a lot of weight. Most people have to put in hard physical activity to be able to lose excess weight when they are diagnosed with hypothyroidism. In some cases, the extra pounds may not be related to the disease, but by following the same diet and training program described in this tutorial you can get rid of them
Step 6. Combine medications with a doctor-approved diet and workout
If you have to take medication for this disease, the best way to lose weight is to combine the treatment with a specific diet and exercise plan. Consult a specialist before starting.
