“I have a bad thyroid, that’s why I can’t lose this extra weight.”
“My thyroid doesn’t work, so I may as well not try to drop these extra pounds.”
“I have no metabolism because of my thyroid so I keep gaining weight and can’t help it.”
Have you ever heard anyone say one of those things when discussing their weight or their health in general? Have you, yourself, ever said something similar? If so, it’s not surprising. Most people are confused about the thyroid, what role it plays in our bodies, and how it affects our metabolism. And especially how it affects their ability to lose weight and keep it off.
What is hypothyroidism?
To better understand exactly what hypothyroidism is, let’s briefly discuss it. Hypothyroidism, also known as underactive thyroid disease, is a common disorder, especially in women. Between ages 35 and 65, about 13% of women will have an underactive thyroid, and the proportion rises to 20% among those over 65. With hypothyroidism, your thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone, resulting in reduced thyroid hormone levels throughout your body.
Because hormones released by the thyroid gland travel through your bloodstream and affect nearly every part of your body, including controlling how your body’s cells use energy from food (aka metabolism), if you don’t have enough of the hormone, your body processes will slow down. This means that your metabolism becomes sluggish. It does not stop, however, and although it slows down, this isn’t a significant factor in weight gain or the ability of someone to lose weight.
What is metabolism?
Because we mentioned metabolism above in relation to hypothyroidism, now let’s talk for just a bit about what our metabolism is and what it does.
A very simple way to explain metabolism is to say it is the whole range of biochemical processes that occur within our bodies. It is commonly referred to as the way we breakdown food and turn it into energy. Even when you’re at rest, your body needs energy for things you do just being alive, such as breathing, circulating blood, adjusting hormone levels, and growing and repairing cells. The number of calories your body uses to carry out these basic functions is known as your basal metabolic rate (or BMR). Your BMR accounts for 50-80% of the calories you burn. Your metabolism also affects how well you burn calories.
Although your metabolism influences your body’s basic energy needs, the energy needs for your body’s basic functions stay consistent and aren’t easily changed.
How does hypothyroidism affect metabolism?
It is well established that thyroid hormone status correlates with body weight and energy expenditure, although, perhaps not in the way that you may think.
Hypothyroidism can decrease BMR (your metabolism as mentioned above), and as a result, can cause weight gain. That makes sense because if your BMR is responsible for the 50-80% calorie burn you experience each day, a slightly lower BMR would mean you are burning less calories overall. However, the decrease in BMR is not generally extreme, and only contributes to small changes in weight, which may not be related to excess fat accumulation. Most of the excess weight gain in people with hypothyroidism is due to excessive accumulation of salt and water. Massive weight gain is rarely associated, with only 5-10 pounds of extra weight being attributed to it.
If hypothyroidism isn’t the cause of significant weight gain, then why do people who have it have such a difficult time losing weight?
To answer that, let’s look at some of the symptoms that commonly occur in people who have hypothyroidism. Here are a few:
Fatigue
Sleepiness
Depression
Irritability
Blood pressure changes
Muscle aching/cramping
Constipation
Weakness
Someone experiencing one of these symptoms, or a couple, or a few, will likely not feel their best. As a result, they may not have the desire to exercise. Perhaps they don’t have the energy. As a result, their energy expenditure stays low, making it much more difficult for them to lose weight. If their diet is allowing for more calories to be taken in then what they burn off, they will gain weight. We know that hypothyroidism does decrease BMR, and your metabolism will adapt to the lower energy expenditure needed to keep your body functioning.
This is where “calories in-calories out” comes into the equation.
How do I lose weight if I have hypothyroidism?
Losing weight is done the same way in someone who has hypothyroidism as it is with someone who has a healthy functioning thyroid.
Calories in must be less than calories out. A calorie deficit is necessary for weight loss. It is not an option; it is a non-negotiable fact.
While someone with hypothyroidism may have a more difficult time losing weight because of a combination of the symptoms above and the decrease in BMR, it isn’t impossible. It takes consistency, patience, a good diet and proper workout program that works for their specific goals. Quite frankly, someone who is being treated for diagnosed hypothyroidism will use the same methods to lose weight as someone who does not have it would.
A few simple things that will get results:
Keep a food log so you can spot any vitamin or mineral deficiencies that may be causing some of the symptoms mentioned above. (It may not be an underactive thyroid causing them!)
Figure out your estimated calorie deficit and stick with it for several weeks. Keep track of your weight so you can adjust the calories as needed to find the most accurate deficit number for you.
Eat plenty of protein. If possible, include protein at every meal.
Eat carbs and fats in the ratios that work the best for your body. Some people do well with high carb/low fat. Others thrive with low carb/high fat. Some prefer it balanced. Experiment with carbs and fats to find the right ratio for you.
Eat less of sugary, highly processed foods and more whole foods.
Follow a strength training program that incorporates weightlifting at least 3 days per week. Building muscle helps significantly with weight and fat loss and will increase BMR.
Allow your body time to recover from training days. Recovery is paramount to muscle building.
Drink plenty of water. Standard recommendations are half your body weight in ounces daily.
Get plenty of sleep.
Stay consistent with your health efforts. Daily consistency will lead to creating healthy habits that will help you achieve your weight loss goals and be able to maintain your goal weight.
Be patient
Many people believe they have a “slow thyroid” or a “slow metabolism” when they are actively trying to lose weight but hit a plateau. This is rarely the case. However, as with any new nutrition or training regime you may undertake, it is wise to consult with your medical professional. If you think your thyroid could be underactive and not producing the appropriate number of hormones for your body, ask your doctor to perform blood tests to check it. This can be helpful in two ways: by ruling it out completely, or by diagnosing hypothyroidism and prescribing medication to treat it.
Although hypothyroidism can be a small stumbling block in your effort to lose weight, it isn’t a roadblock. If you take the time to make the changes needed, to learn what your body needs, and create a plan and follow it every day, you will achieve your goals.
Sources:
Mullur, R., Liu, Y. Y., & Brent, G. A. (2014). Thyroid hormone regulation of metabolism. Physiological reviews, 94(2), 355–382.
Sanyal, Debmalya, and Moutusi Raychaudhuri. “Hypothyroidism and obesity: An intriguing link.” Indian journal of endocrinology and metabolism vol. 20,4 (2016): 554-7. doi:10.4103/2230-8210.183454
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