Losing weight is a challenge for a lot of people, but for those with a thyroid problem, such as hypothyroidism, it can be an even bigger challenge. The good news is that with proper treatment, along with diet and lifestyle strategies, losing weight is achievable, allowing you to see the results you deserve.
The thyroid is a small gland located in the neck along the front of the windpipe. Its main function is to produce the hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), which help regulate the body’s metabolism, the process by which food is turned into energy. An underactive thyroid gland, known as hypothyroidism, is when the thyroid gland fails to produce enough of these hormones, which causes many of the body’s functions to slow down. Common symptoms of hypothyroidism include tiredness, weight gain, and moodiness.
When the thyroid is working properly, the body responds appropriately to dieting and activity levels when trying to lose weight. However, if the thyroid is underactive and doesn’t produce a normal amount of thyroid hormones, it can slow down metabolism, which has a significant impact on body weight, fat percentage, and overall health.
If hypothyroidism is not treated properly, it makes it much harder to lose weight. If you think your thyroid is underactive, talk to your doctor as soon as possible to get tested and to receive appropriate treatment, which often involves taking daily hormone replacement tablets to raise your thyroxine levels. Everybody’s physiology is unique, meaning there is no one-size-fits-all approach to the best diet if you have a thyroid disorder, but there are some dietary changes worth exploring that can help to enhance your weight loss success.
Reduce Simple Carbs and Sugars
Complex carbohydrates found in whole foods, such as certain fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, take longer to digest and are a more stable source of energy compared with simple sugars, such as candy, white bread, sugary cereal, syrups, and fruit juice concentrate. A moderate to low carbohydrate diet that focuses on complex carbohydrates and avoids simple sugars can help you to lose weight by keeping you fuller for longer and regulating your blood sugar levels. You should also avoid foods that cause inflammation in the body.
A low glycemic diet that focuses on non-starchy vegetables, whole grains, beans, some fruits, and healthy proteins and fats, can help you control your weight by digesting foods at a slower rate, meaning you remain fuller for longer and minimize spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels.
Have Small but Frequent Meals
Because hypothyroidism slows down the digestive function, eating smaller portions of balanced macronutrients (healthy proteins and fats as well as complex carbs) can help to balance blood sugar levels. Avoid taking on more calories than your body actually needs or can process successfully.
Avoid Eating After 8 pm
Although weight gain primarily comes down to eating more calories than you can burn off, there is research to suggest that snacking or eating meals late in the evening makes your body more likely to store those calories as fat, which can prevent you from losing weight. It also increases the chance of your binge eating unhealthy calories and ruining the entire day’s progress.
Eat More Anti-Inflammatory Foods
An anti-inflammatory diet can help calm the immune system, which is often in overdrive in individuals with hypothyroidism. The diet decreases the burden on the liver to metabolize highly processed foods and consists of eating foods such as healthy fats (fatty fish, nuts, and olive oil), leafy green vegetables, and tomatoes. Improving the healthy functioning of the liver is highly beneficial as the liver plays a central role in all the body’s metabolic processes, including breaking down fat to turn it into energy. The paleo diet is a type of inflammation diet that focuses on unprocessed, low-sugar, whole foods, and it can help to heal the immune system and gut mucosa and reduce inflammation.
We all know exercise helps burn calories, but it can be an effective way to complement a healthy diet and help speed up metabolism, allowing you to break down more calories. It can also help to improve energy levels, sleep quality, and concentration. Hypothyroidism can drain your energy reserves, so increasing your level of physical activity can help boost energy levels during the day. Exercising in the evening can affect your ability to get to sleep, meaning exercising in the morning may be recommended if you have sleep problems.
Patient-Centered Care in Irmo, South Carolina
If you have a thyroid problem or need help losing weight, talk to the experts at SC Internal Medicine Associates and Rehabilitation, LLC. At our independent practice, we offer comprehensive, compassionate, and patient-centered care. We provide a one-stop care experience that fosters positive, long term relationships with our patients. We also have a Center for Medical Weight Loss (CMWL), where we can work with you to create a comprehensive medical weight loss program designed to fit your specific needs. If you would like to learn more about the services we provide or to make an appointment, call us today at (803) 749-1111 or you can request an appointment online.