In general, if you are eating the proper amount of food, at appropriate intervals, getting exercise, and are on the proper amount of replacement hormone, you should not have any more of a problem with weight than you normally would. Our metabolism is affected by levels of thyroid hormone. But our metabolism is also affected by exercise, amount of muscle mass, and eating habits. Eating habits? If we skip meals consistently, researchers believe we LOWER our metabolism somewhat. Eating at appropriate intervals helps to keep metabolism higher. Muscle mass? If we do not have healthy, strong muscle our metabolism is lower than if we do. This is where exercise comes in. Exercise not only increases how many calories we are using, but it also builds stronger muscle. Muscle burns more calories than non-muscle by a significant amount. If we have poor muscle tone, we will have alower metabolism than we would would if we had good, strong muscle tone.
Weight, all by itself, however, is not the main concern. Is it GOOD weight gain, or BAD weight gain is the issue. Over a period of about a year and a half, I regained between 15 and 20 pounds of the weight I lost while ill. It fluxuates. I am not upset. Why? My clothes still fit. There are one or two pairs of slacks that were “form-fitting” at my lowest weight: those are now “history”, as far as my wardrobe is concerned. But the majority of my clothes, even the jeans, still fit me just fine. The weight I regained was mostly muscle weight. Good weight gain as far as I am concerned.
Bobbi — NGDF Asst. Online Facilitator
Bobbi@ngdf.org
