Losing Weight With Hypothyroidism: Is it Possible? YES!
Are you trying to find out whether or not losing weight with hypothyroidism is possible?
Have you experienced the frustration of being unable to lose weight despite eating well and being active?
Find out here what are the most common low thyroid symptoms, the connection between hypothyroidism and weight gain and what you can do to lose weight with hypothyroidism.
What is hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism is the medical term for an under-active thyroid, or low thyroid function. A butterfly-shaped gland located in the center of the neck, the thyroid produces hormones that control your metabolism. Because women have a more delicate endocrine system, they are much more exposed to hypothyroidism.
In fact, ten times more women have hypothyroidism as compared to men, and it's more prone to start between the age of 40 to 50.
Have you dealt with the problem of losing weight with hypothyroidism without an ounce of understanding or help from your doctor? You are not alone! His or her reaction to your woes, might have ranged from "follow this new diet", to "maybe you are not trying hard enough".
Agonizing, isn’t it?
After all, sudden – even unexplained - weight gain is the biggest, most visible (and perhaps most upsetting) of all low thyroid symptoms; losing weight with hypothyroidism can be close to impossible – if you don’t follow precise guidelines, which we’ll talk about in a moment.
But before, you should know that hypothyroidism and weight gain always go hand in hand. Other health issues associated with a low thyroid are connected to a low metabolism and include:
chronic fatigue, sluggishness
concentration problems
sleeping problems
depression
muscle aches and tenderness
joint pain, stiffness and swelling
heavier or irregular periods
increased heart rate
high cholesterol levels
constipation
retention of fluids
sensitivity to cold
dry skin, brittle fingernails
hair loss, thinning of eyebrows
loss of libido
Most of these symptoms can go unnoticed if your doctor assumes that they are side effects of your advancing age. And did you know that hypothyroidism is frequently misdiagnosed as high stress?
While the devastating effects of stress on your health and your efforts to lose weight can’t be denied, an under-active thyroid requires special attention. You should insist to have a blood test done, measuring levels of the thyroid hormones T3, T4 and TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone).
If you are diagnosed with hypothyroidism and prescribed thyroid replacement therapy, in the beginning you might see the light at the end of the tunnel… After all, you'll be taking medication - surely the flab would just drop off, right?
Not really. Soon, you see that although you’ve been on the thyroid replacement hormone for a while, the body fat doesn’t seem to be disappearing at all.
You should know that low thyroid medication alone is not enough; plus, you expose yourself to the side effects of synthetic drugs. And if you think of eating less, think again! If not done correctly, excessive dieting lowers your metabolism even further.
Yes, following the best diet for hypothyroidism helps, undoubtedly. But if that's not enough, perhaps it’s time now to look for other solutions for losing weight with hypothyroidism.
Check Dr. Capicchiano's Hypothyroidism Solution - personally, I feel this is the best guide on how to deal with low thyroid and its associated symptoms, including resistance to lose weight. You'll discover why drugs are NOT a good idea if you suffer from hypothyroidism and practical, natural solutions to reverse this condition.
