Diet and Nutrition

Losing weight while hypothryoidic

01/24/1999

Question:

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in September of 1998 and have been taking my medication daily since then. However, before I was diagnosed I gained almost 75 pounds and I really want to lose this weight. But I seem "stuck" - is there anything I can do to jumpstart my metabolism? I have considered taking the drug "meridia"? I don't eat alot but are not able to exercise a whole lot either. I walk at least 15 minutes every day for now. I am joining a gym next month to exercise; it has a daycare for my daughter. Any help? Thanks

Answer:

Now that your hypothyroidism is under control, you should be able to accomplish your weight loss goals. But, keep in mind that weight loss is a slow, gradual process and focusing on eating well and exercising regularly is important to achieve life-long success.
Many people share your feelings of being "stuck" at some point during the weight loss process. This is known as a plateau. It is often the undoing of well-intentioned dieters, because they can not see quick results. Plateaus may result from any of the factors that contribute to obesity (genetic, metabolic, biochemical, psychological, and physiological), the effect of yo-yo dieting, societal influences, overabundance of food choices, or many other factors still being explored. For example, a plateau may occur from limiting your calories so severely (less than 1200 per day) that your body interprets this as a state of starvation and actually slows down your metabolism to conserve nutrients and energy (thus slowing down your weight loss). Another factor may be exercise. You may be losing fat, but building up muscle (which is heavier than the fat you may be losing). Plateaus are temporary. A good way to overcome one is to "jumpstart" your metabolism sensibly. Try to eat small, more frequent meals and snacks (perhaps 3 meals and 3 healthy snacks per day). Your body will think of this as food always being available for fuel, so it won't have to conserve as much for later. Exercise is another way to speed things along. The 15-minute/day walk is a good start. When you are able, increase the time, speed, or intensity of your workout. In addition to walking or the gym, you may want to investigate fitness programs that include children as part of the program. It's a fun way to keep fit and spend time with your child.
As for taking a weight-loss drug such as "Meridia," carefully consider the benefits and drawbacks. Be sure to discuss it thoroughly with your physician. Weight-loss drugs do have their place and are primarily used in conjunction with other treatment (i.e., reduced calorie diet and exercise). Typically, these drugs are prescribed for those people who have a body mass index greater than 30 (if no other health problems exist). To find out your body mass index (BMI) refer to the website below. A website address is also provided to find out more specifics about Meridia.
Before considering a weight-loss drug, please keep in mind that the goal of any good weight loss program is to lose body fat, preserve and/or increase muscle tone, and change your poor eating and exercise habits to good ones that you can live with for a LIFETIME. Therefore, you do not go "on a diet (or drug)" so that you can go off one. Instead, you adopt a new value system and focus on a better lifestyle. This helps avoid the feelings of disappointment, frustration, etc. from lapse and relapses. In other words, the emphasis is not to follow a specific diet, but to follow the "nondiet approach" which focuses on wellness rather than weight loss.
According to the Healthy Weight Journal publication "Health Risks of Weight Loss," most treatment programs that use the nondiet approach focus on three factors: feeling good about oneself, eating well in a natural, relaxed way, and being comfortably active. The nondiet advocates helping people learn hunger awareness, how to respond to internal signals, self-discovery (not willpower), self esteem, diversity and accepting people as they are (not judging), and getting on with one's life, not waiting to be thin. In the book "You Count, Calories Don't" by Linda Omichinski, RD, key differences between diet and nondiet thinking are described. For example: a dieter's goal is weight loss, a nondieter's goal is to develop confidence in his/her ability to make choices for better health.
For more information on the nondiet, you may enjoy reading Omichinski's book or "Intuitive Eating" by Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD and Elyse Resch, MS, RD. A Registered Dietitian can help too. To find a Dietitian in your area, refer to the American Dietetic Association's website below.
I hope this is helpful to you. Be patient and keep up the good work!
Appreciation to Kelly Balis, CWRU, MPh Nutrition degree candidate for her assistance in researching this question.

Related Resources:

Calculate Your Body Mass Index
Meridia
American Dietetic Association

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Response by:

Jane Korsberg, MS, RD, LD
Senior Instructor
Department of Nutrition
School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University