[Kimberly]

#1066198

Hi Sharon – I attended the Foundation’s Leadership Training session in Brevard, NC a couple of weeks ago. (This program prepares patients to set up local support groups). Anyway, several of us started talking about weight issues. Some were taking Anti-Thyroid Drugs, and others had done RAI – but we ALL found that we were struggling with extra weight above and beyond what we lost when we were hyper. Many doctors will tell us that we “just can’t eat like we did when we were hyper” – but I really think there is more to it than that.

During a panel discussion at last year’s conference in Charlotte, I asked a question about weight gain and treatment for hyperthyroidism. One of the doctors on the panel indicated that it’s possible there might be a “resetting” of one’s metabolism following thyroid issues. We also had an interesting presentation from a nutritionist. She utilizes Metabolic Testing to check the Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) of her clients. This is the amount of calories that our bodies consume at rest to keep our heart, lungs, etc. working. She provided one example of an actual client who had been treated with RAI and stabilized on a dose of thyroid hormone replacement. There is a "standard" calculation based on weight, height, and activity level that many people use to determine RMR. However, the nutritionist found that this woman’s RMR was actually about 150 calories a day *less* than the standard. The nutritionist’s comment for patients trying to lose weight was, “you have to track EVERY calorie” – because our margin for error is so thin. (Personally, I track Weight Watchers POINTS, which is not as precise in terms of calories, but still a good tracking mechanism). She also noted that we should NEVER dip below 1150 calories a day, as our bodies can miss out on important nutrients that we need to continue the healing process.

Also, here are a few other suggestions the nutritionist had regarding weight loss:

* Include breakfast daily within 2 hours of waking up.
* Don’t go longer than 5 hours in between meals
* Select “high volume” and “high fiber” foods such as fruits, veggies, and whole grains
* Limit servings of healthy fats to 1 per day
* Prioritize at LEAST 7 hours of sleep a night
* Do 150 minutes per week of physical activity, plus strength training 2 times per week. (NOTE: please get your doctor’s OK before starting on an exercise program, as exercising while we are still hypER can do more harm than good).

Hope this helps!

[Shazzer1976]

#1018646

Greetings to everyone!

I’m looking for help with weight loss. I have no idea whether my post RAI hypothyroidism is linked to my apparent inability to shift weight! (Or whether it is linked to the aging process!) I realised I was getting too porky and finally decided to do something about it at the start of Lent. I have gone off chocolate, sweets, crisps, cakes buns, alcohol. I am eating what I consider to be a healthy, sensible diet – three meals a day and a snack at about 11:00am. My snack tends to be fruit or, if I am very hungry, a small piece of cheese. My weight has remained constant throughout! Not one ounce has shifted from the scales!

I have set myself a challenge for the end of May – to run 5K in the Race for Life and have just started to go to the gym, so I am hoping that that will boost my metabolism a little but I find it really disheartening that other people can cut out butter on their toast and their weight just drops off. I really have been very good. I get the results of a TFT this Thursday and that might reveal something but has anyone got any tips? Has anyone else had a similar experience.

I really would like to shift some weight, I know I will never be a size zero and neither do I want to but I would like to be within a healthy range for my height and body type! It seems a shame to get my OD done and let the rest of my body go!

Any thoughts and words of encouragement welcome!

Sharon

[Shazzer1976]

#1066199

Hi Kimberly!
Thanks for your response and sorry for the long delay in replying! I had my thyroid retestested and it turns out it was running a little bit slow! I’m back on the band wagon post surgery and have taken up regular exercise which I am loving! I’ll never be super skinny – don’t want to be – and I haven’t lost weight but I have lost inches. I’m wearing a pair of trousers that I haven’t been able to fit into for a year! I think I’ll just leave the scales gathering dust for another while and go by other measurements – like my clothes, how quickly I tire out when exercising etc.

Thanks again!
Sharon

[Bobbi]

#1066200

Hi, Sharon.

My thought as I was reading your latest post was "That is SO smart!!" You are very much on target. Muscle weighs more than other tissues, but tends to take up less space — so going by how the clothes fit, instead of what the scales say, is going to be a better guide as to your progress towards your weight goals and towards the stamina for that 5K race. Good luck with it. I hope its fun.

[optimist]

#1066201

You probably have’t lost weight b/c you’ve gained muscle. WOOOOHOOOO for those lost inches though

[Author]

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