13 Tips That Can Teach You How to Lose Weight With Hypothyroidism

Are you finding it difficult to lose weight due to hypothyroidism? There could be some important things you need to know. There is a connection between hypothyroidism and resistance to weight loss.  The purpose of this article is to provide tips on how to lose weight with hypothyroidism.

What is hypothyroidism and how does it affect weight?

Hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid gland is under active. The thyroid gland fails to produce enough thyroid hormones.  This is due to very little iodine in the body or a dysfunctional thyroid gland.  The thyroid gland helps to regulate metabolism. This is done by controlling the rate that food is converted to energy.  Any failure of the gland’s ability to function properly can affect weight loss.  When you have a slow metabolism, it also slows weight loss.  Below are thirteen tips to help you lose weight with hypothyroidism.

Eat lean proteins

If you want to know how to lost weight with hypothyroidism, start with eating lean proteins.  Foods such as eggs, mushrooms, cheese and shrimp are high in protein.  Including them in every meal can increase your muscle mass and raise your metabolism.  This is important in increasing the amount of energy produced in the body.

Eat frequently in a day

It is a common belief that starving yourself will speed up weight loss. This is a common misconception as it just slows down your metabolism. If you want to lose weight with hypothyroidism, you need to boost your metabolism.  Your metabolism assists the entire weight loss process. Eat the amount of food that your body needs per day to keep your metabolism at normal rates. By eating smaller meals more frequently, you can speed up your metabolism. It is good to stick to a well-balanced diet of three meals plus snacks during the day. If you can eat every two to three hours, you can improve your metabolism.

Drink plenty of water

Water eases the functioning of many organs in the body. It actually keeps your metabolism high.  Water also washes away toxins that hinder the functioning of important body organs. Drinking hot water with lemon, cinnamon or herbal tea helps burn the extra fat in the body.  Cinnamon lowers insulin resistance and boosts weight loss.

Exercise moderately

Exercises that highly drain energy are not good for low thyroid levels.  They result in exhaustion and strain your body.  The end result is less exercise and a slow metabolism. You need to embrace thyroid friendly exercises. Slow exercises which consume less energy from your body. are recommended.  Twenty to thirty minutes of both strength and mind-body workouts can work well. A twenty minute walk daily strengthens lean muscle tissues while boosting your metabolism.  Muscles burn more calories than the amount of fat they burn in the body, which results to faster weight loss.  The mind-body workouts such as yoga can be helpful as well by restoring your hormonal balance.  Moderate exercise is a healthy way to lose weight with hypothyroidism.

Try to reduce your stress levels

Stress increases the production of fat-storing hormones.  These hormones hinder your metabolism and the functioning of thyroid glands.  It’s nice to engage in fun activities or exercises that relieve stress. Both internal and external stresses can hinder the functioning of thyroid glands.  Reducing stress can raise your low thyroid levels and boost your metabolism.  This in itself will allow you to lose weight with hypothyroidism.

Eat an optimal amount of fat

Eliminating fat from your diet is not the best way to lose weight with hypothyroidism.  The best approach is to eat healthy fats.  You should consume about 25 to 30 percent fat in your diet like seeds, avocado, fish oil, olive oil and coconut oil. These kind of fats do not result in the saturation of fat which slows the metabolism.  They bring about healthy fats required for the daily functioning of the body.  It sounds strange, but eating good fat can help you lose weight with hypothyroidism.

Keep yourself warm

Hypothyroidism condition requires an active and warm body.  It is good to drink warm drinks and eat foods that take a little bit longer to digest.  This keeps your body’s metabolism active and results in the use of more energy.

Get enough sleep

Depriving yourself from sleep contributes to fatigue and weight gain.  Medical professionals recommend getting at least eight hours of sleep.  Sleep replenishes your body and restores its metabolism to a good functioning state.

Take more selenium and zinc

Selenium is a mineral that helps the body to recycle iodine.  Thyroid glands have the highest selenium content to help it perform its function.  Foods such as eggs, legumes, beef, chicken and Brazil nuts increase the selenium content in the body.  Zinc on the other hand helps in regulating thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).  The TSH stimulates the thyroid gland to produce thyroxine.  With proper TSH levels, you can more easily lose weight with hypothyroidism.  Eating foods rich in zinc helps in increasing the amount of thyroid hormones in the body. This leads to increased body metabolism that enhances weight loss.  Zinc-rich foods include; oysters, shellfish, milk, legumes, nuts, seeds and yogurt.

Avoid a gluten-rich diet

Processed foods such as bread, pasta, crackers and meat slow the body’s metabolism.  A gluten-free diet helps in improving the hypothyroid condition. It reduces the chances of getting celiac disease. Celiac disease is found most commonly in people with hypothyroidism.  Avoiding these foods will help you with your weight loss.

Refrain from eating refined starch and added sugar

Carbohydrates and added sugar contribute to the largest amount of calories you ingest.  They can make it difficult for you to cut the extra calories present in your body.  Limit the intake of junk foods, flavored drinks, alcohol and white bread.  These foods contain high levels of calories and carbohydrates.  High calories and carbs can make weight loss difficult.  If you really want to know how to lose weight with hypothyroidism, cut out carbs and lower your caloric intake.

Consult a professional

Seeking a medical professional’s opinion can be beneficial.  A professional will help you in determining the best medication to take. Medication can help correct your under active thyroid.  Medications such as Levothyroxine work to improve the hormone levels in the body.  It is important to get the proper prescriptions from a medical professional. This can help to ensure you can manage or control the situation with the help of a medical professional.

Prepare a food diary

A well-planned diary helps you to keep track of your macro-nutrient intake.  A diary also makes you alert to whether you have a balanced diet.  It is so easy to divert your mind from a healthy plan if there isn’t something that reminds you about your goals.  Include all the necessary nutrients and minerals required for a well-balanced meal.  This is critical to restoring or maintaining your metabolism.

Conclusion

People with hypothyroidism need to be patient and focused on their weight loss goals.  The process can be easier with determination.  Following the right healthy tips to losing weight is critical to success.  It is necessary to equip yourself with the right knowledge about your condition.  The above information will help you in your weight loss goals.