Thyroid dysfunction is almost always associated with weight gain. In some patients, the problem reaches primary or moderate obesity. Losing weight with hypothyroidism becomes a real problem. The article presents ways to achieve a slim figure with endocrine pathology.
What is hypothyroidism?
The thyroid gland is located on the inner side of the larynx and is the gland of internal secretion, which is responsible for the production of thyroid-stimulating hormone and several others. In the event of a failure of its operation, the activity of all systems in the body is disrupted. Thyroid-stimulating hormone is responsible for the metabolism that comes with food.
The metabolic processes are very complex, and even a slight decrease or increase in the production of TSH, T3 or T4 leads to serious consequences.
Symptoms of Thyroid Dysfunction
You should beware and donate blood to hormones (and in some cases also perform an ultrasound of the thyroid gland) if the patient has noted the following symptoms:
- excess weight, which was not there before (while lifestyle and nutrition remained the same);
- hair loss;
- constant weakness, asthenia, fatigue;
- rashes on the skin of the face - an abundance of acne and blackheads;
- trouble sleeping
- anxiety and irritability;
- feeling that there is not enough air;
- pain in the larynx.
Against the background of hypothyroidism, secondary diseases develop, for example, cardiovascular insufficiency, biliary dyskinesia, weight gain, the amount of "bad" cholesterol, which contributes to the appearance of early atherosclerosis.
Causes of hypothyroidism
The cause most often becomes a strong nervous shock. Chronic stress, fatigue and neurosis accumulate. As a result, a nervous breakdown occurs, which many people are forced to worry “on their feet”, without the ability to leave the workplace.
Hypothyroidism can be acquired or congenital. The first type can provoke the following conditions and diseases:
- autoimmune thyroiditis;
- previous surgery to remove the gland;
- taking certain hormonal drugs;
- severe and prolonged iodine deficiency.
And yet, the first place among all the causes of the development of hypothyroidism is given to endocrinologists namely stress and nervous shocks. If several reasons coincide in one period of time - the development of the disease can not be avoided.
Overweight and hypothyroidism
Pathologies of the thyroid gland are almost guaranteed to lead to weight gain. Losing weight with hypothyroidism is difficult, but possible.
An impaired metabolism is gradually restored when taking hormonal drugs. Regular thyroxine supplementation may help to lose weight in hypothyroidism. This is a synthetic hormone, a substitute for natural endogenous, the production of which is disrupted in the body. Advice on how to lose weight with hypothyroidism will be pointless without taking special medications regularly.
Often, along with taking "Thyroxine", doctors prescribe iodine preparations. In the early stages of the disease, regular medication is sometimes enough to keep the weight back to normal. However, if the stage of obesity is not the first, you will have to seriously adjust your diet and lifestyle in order to achieve the dream figure.
The basics of proper nutrition for hypothyroidism
You can lose weight with thyroid hypothyroidism only by reviewing your diet completely. If drug hormone therapy has already begun, and your health has returned to normal, then it’s time to take on a figure.
- Feeling of hunger should be avoided. People with hypothyroidism are already prone to asthenia and weakness, and if you experiment with strict diets and fasting, there is a great risk of getting diabetes. Large intervals between meals contribute to insulin jumps, and this most often only contributes to a set of adipose tissue and a decrease in muscle.
- Compliance with the water regime is very important. A person weighing 70 kg should drink about one and a half to two liters of water per day. Only in this case, the cells of tissues and organs will receive enough fluid. It should be noted that tea, coffee, broths and alcohol cannot be compared in terms of value to the body with ordinary pure water. This is a real elixir for the body and with its lack of weight loss with hypothyroidism does not work.
- You can not deprive the body of any of the nutrients - neither fats, nor carbohydrates, nor proteins. Each of them is necessary: carbohydrates give us energy, proteins are the building material for body cells, and fats are fuel for the hormonal system. If you regularly lose even one of the nutrients, this will inevitably lead to an even greater malfunction in the metabolism. In some cases, such experiments result in even more weight gain over time.
- It should be eaten three times a day, while there should be two snacks. Drink clean water more often - this will help to avoid a feeling of hunger. In some cases, a drunk glass of water will improve your mood and give you strength. But this does not mean that you should skip a meal.
- Minimize the use of tea, coffee and alcohol. Caffeine is an official psychostimulant. But many of us drink several cups of natural coffee a day - and then we are surprised by insomnia, health problems, poor health, diseases of the cardiovascular and endocrine system.
Proteins in the diet for thyroid dysfunction
Proteins are the building blocks for every cell in our body. Tips for losing weight with thyroid hypothyroidism using protein nutrition:
- replace one meal with boiled chicken breast without seasoning, oil and side dish;
- replace every dinner with a glass of low-fat kefir;
- regularly consume protein shakes - they will contribute to a set of muscle mass;
- include low-fat cottage cheese in your daily diet.
In parallel with this, it is necessary to completely remove simple carbohydrates from the diet - this is sugar and any dishes with it, bakery products, pasta, fruits with a high glycemic index. Unlike diabetics, patients with hypothyroidism can sometimes indulge in sweets. But if this happens regularly, you can forget about how to lose weight with hypothyroidism of the thyroid gland. Patient reviews indicate that by changing the diet to predominantly protein, they were able to very quickly lose weight. On average, it takes about one to two kilograms per week.
Carbohydrates in the diet for hypothyroidism
A common mistake in patients with hypothyroidism is a complete rejection of carbohydrates. In no case should you deprive yourself of these nutrients, because this is energy for the brain and body. Here is a list of carbohydrates that must be in the diet on a daily basis:
- vegetables - raw, boiled, stewed;
- diet bread
- low glycemic index fruits;
- durum wheat pasta;
- rice (brown, black, brown should be used);
- buckwheat or oatmeal.
From these products you can prepare hearty dishes that will not cause an additional set of excess weight. If there is little physical activity, the process of losing weight will begin first by one or two kilograms per week, and then it can even increase up to three kg per week. In this case, it is important not to forget about the rejection of simple carbohydrates.
Fats in the diet for hypothyroidism - benefit or harm?
Fats should be polyunsaturated - these are unrefined cold-pressed oils (olive, cotton, grape seed, linseed). You can season salads with them or add a teaspoon to cereals.
Animal fats should be discarded almost completely. Occasionally you can afford moderate-fat beef, as well as salmon fish. Salmon, trout, pink salmon, chum salmon are a source of fats, which are necessary for the beauty of hair and skin. In the case of moderate use, the figure will not be harmed.
Sample menu for a day
Daily ration example:
- breakfast - buckwheat porridge with skim milk, a glass of kefir and some diet bread;
- snack - a pack of fat-free cottage cheese;
- lunch - vegetable puree soup, vegetable stew and chicken goulash;
- snack - one green apple or vegetable salad;
- dinner - seafood salad or fish fillet, grilled without oil.
Sports loads for thyroid dysfunction
Hypotheriosis is a serious disease. Patients should take hormone therapy for life. This introduces some restrictions on their lifestyle.
"Help lose weight with hypothyroidism" - such a request endocrinologists hear regularly. Many patients make a common mistake - they begin serious physical exertion, despite their diagnosis. In no case should you burden yourself, especially if hormone replacement therapy has been started recently.
Simple truths are known to patients who have lost weight with hypothyroidism through sports - excessive overwork leads to a worsening of the condition. And this is fraught with even greater weight gain.
Serious loads associated with heavy lifting are excluded. Classes with a barbell, horizontal bar, dumbbells are best left to completely healthy people. For patients with hypothyroidism, the following types of physical activity are optimal:
- yoga;
- stretching;
- Pilates;
- light aerobics;
- bicycle rides;
- hiking in the mountains.
You can twist the hoop or arrange morning jogs. The main thing is that this does not lead to a deterioration in well-being - you should carefully listen to the feelings of your body.
Endocrinologist's advice: how to lose weight with hypothyroidism
There are some rules for a beautiful figure that apply to absolutely all people. After the level of hormones is restored with the help of regular intake of tableted hormones, you can begin to lose weight.
If the patient wants to know how to lose weight with thyroid hypothyroidism, he should carefully study the information on the three pillars of dietetics and endocrinology. These are proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Each of them performs its special functions in the metabolism.
A food diary should be kept, in which the volumes of food eaten should be recorded. Well, if it is possible to purchase a kitchen scale, this will help control the volume of your servings. They should not be more than two hundred grams. This will help the stomach regain its previous dimensions. At first, you will really want to eat, but you must follow the rule: food five times a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks), each of which should be 200-250 grams. For men, the serving can be increased to 300 grams.