A Diet Plan That Actually Works With Hypothyroidism

I have been hypo for around 18 years and on .15 Eltroxin (T4) daily for 10 years. It helped a little initally, but never completely, and symptoms worsened over time. Also been on HRT for 8 years (went into early menopuase at 38 years of age). I'm sure these are linked. In addition, I have also been on anti-depressant for about 2 years.  I have now started seeing a fantastic Endo in Johannesburg. Discovered that I need both T3 and T4, DHEA and Vit D supplementation, so changed this as of today (28 March). In the past a high protein, low carb diet worked wonders. I lost between 15 and 20 kg's each time I did it (about 6 times!). Unfortunately kept piling it back on when I stopped it. So, for the last approx. 20 years I have been either losing weight or gaining weight, never maintaining. Hopefully with these new meds I can get it off and keep it off. High protein, low carb is definitely the way to go!

My stupid GO actually told me to take soy isoflavines for the menopause and never thought it would interact with my Levo, wouldn't you think the pros would know? I've yet to find a GP that understands this condition properly

Hey i was diagnosed at a young age and stupidly tried diet pills and fads which led to heart palpatations and muscle spasms. Many people are different. I am currently on 100mg of Thyroxine and have realised that sometimes pharmacies give you a cheap version that doesn't contain you required amount so make sure you look into what your taking.

The way I managed to lose my 2 1/2 stone was by an old method of taking a supplement of bladderwrack or sea kelp. Taking your normal thyroxine/synthenoid an hour before breakfast. Then with breakfast take ONE of either bladderwrack/sea kelp. If you are classed as overweight by bmi standards you may also take one at lunch. Be careful if you are on high levels of thyroxine as these two contain iodine and high levels naturally speed up your thyroid without the addition of thyroxine. They will also increase your energy levels naturally.

Sometimes taking high levels of Thyroxine/Synthenoid actually makes you gain weight due to over powering your thyroid. Stay clear of T5 diet pills they are what caused my heart pulpatations and muscle cramps. I currently am still researching and looking for an answer like the rest of you for better control with less effort, but adding these to my diet have slowly over the weeks lost the weight i put on. Just scared it will go back on if I stop taking.

Hi everyone i was suffering from same problem. i was tired of taking tablet thyroxion. Then i started Yoga and follow strict diet schedule. I magage to get my TSH level to parlev line. But due to busy schedule i cannot follow now. So i get same problem again. But i can say one thing diet and yoga really works to reduce weight and getting normal level

Hi! I'm on the exact same doseage of Levo as you are, and I'm also in college! I actually exercise a lot, which I think has seriously helped both my hypothyroidism, and my stress through school. I do yoga daily, and I also run, or workout using an elliptical, which I use at my University's fitness center. I would highly suggest yoga. Not just for hypo, but it also relieves stress. I take around 19 credits a semester, work two jobs, and am also the leader of a sports club, but just 10 minutes of yoga a day has helped me manage my stress and I feel that it gives me energy, and it also puts me in a good, calm mood. Regarding diet, I try to eat a lot of foods that are high in B vitamins. Some foods that fit in this category are quinoa, lentils, and whole-wheat foods. I also try to eat foods that are high in insoluble fiber, because eating soluble fiber can sometimes make you constipated (no one likes that). I would also recommend trying to wait 2 hours after taking your levo in the morning before eating. And of course drinking a full glass of water with your Levo. For me, the 2 hours of wait time has helped me greatly because when I would eat earlier than that, I wouldn't be absorbing as much of the medication as I should have been absorbing. Also try to avoid supplements with a lot of iron or calcium. Most vitamins directed at women have high amounts of both of these, so I sometimes go towards taking men's vitamins. Also, if you want to have more energy and are sick of being lethargic, try eating foods that have a lot of complex carbs, rather than simple carbs. Simple carbs should only really be consumed in small quantities. Also, since we use carbs for about 60% of our energy, eating less of these complex carbs can make anyone feeling like they have less energy, especially people with Hypothyroidism! And another thing that has helped me is that I do a cleanse once a year. Don't ever do the juice or only liquid ones. Those are so bad for you. Yes, they cause you to lose weight, but you are losing muscle weight rather than fat. I would suggest trying Dr. Oz's cleanse. He incorporates quinoa, which is a big plus. You also get to eat! And it's only a 2 day cleanse. Anyone can do that, right??

 ***this post is edited by moderator *** *** web addresses not allowed*** Please read our Terms of Use

Hope this helps!

Hi guest, I have been diagnosed with Hypo and have been researching some ways to combat the devilish little butterfly shaped failure in my throat. I refuse to take my meds as I am vegan and don't want pork thryroid floating around in my system. so I decided to heal it with some wholesome foods. I found a list of stuff that will increase energy levels, boost your moods and help you to lose a little weight. be patient and persistent. it will work. its working for me. Stress hurts the adrenals. Lack of sleep, and lack of love are big time stressers. Try to experience joy, singing is really good for the thyroid. sing out loud....hum, really. Lots of amino acids. limit carbohydrates and sugars. avoid caffein like the plague. Sleep alot. Do not over exercise! take it slow. get adequate protein and healthy fats. B complex vitamins. Lots of vitamin A and vitamin B-5. Vitamin C and antioxidants. bioflavanoids .such as red bell peppers, strawberries, oranges, lemons and limes, peaches, nectarines, broccoli (just make sure you cook it well as it is a goitrogen) mangos, papayas, garlic, spinach, and lots of green tea. Tumeric, thyme and oregano, walnuts, whole grains, fortified cereals, Vitamin A and D. Good sources of proteins are avocado broccoli, spinach, kale, peas, sweet potato, lentils and beans, tempeh, garbanzo beans, pinto, kidney, and cashews, sesame seeds, tahini, pistachios, almonds, nut butters, (not peanut butter) almond milk, quinoa, amaranth, bulger, brown rice, wheat germ, oat bran, oatmeal, hemp protein, and a good dose of spirulina everyday!!! eat kelp, and seaweed. Plenty of B complex foods such as bananas, potatoes, Brazil nuts, legumes B-12 especially for those vegans!!! foods that are high in B-12 are tempeh, miso, sauerkraut, kimchee. B-5 Shitake, grapefruit, bell peppers,asparagus, cucumber, celery, grapefruit, tomato, sweet potato. Healthy fats are vital!!!!! do not exclude them for fear of weight gain!!! this is a really big mistake!!! Our thyroid needs fats to create the hormones. choose olive oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, avocado, wheat germ, almonds, pecans, pumpkin, pine, sunflower, eat them!!!! Berries especially Strawberry. Carrots, Kelp and Nori, nuts, spinach, Black walnuts, Irish Moss, Kelp powder. Coconut will promote weight loss!!! Unrefined sea salt. (it gets absorbed better) Google search Dove health products *Basic Cell Energy. Dong Quai, low dose of progestrone  has a calming effect to help you relax if you are prone to worry and stress. Zinc for sexual balance. Do some sensual dancing. (I'm not kidding) meditate, do yoga, spend plenty of time walking outdoors, I hope that this helps you and any other fellow hypo who comes along this page. I have learned to love my thyroid. and am even losing a little weight. Go slow, I am using a walking program that breaks up the exercises into three ten minute sessions a day. also light weights once a week for toning (its all I can tolerate on account of the low energy.) I use Leslie Sansome's walk at home videos, she talks alot and its annoying but she goes slow and its a good way to in-cooperate exercise without wiping yourself out. Good luck to all of you. Much love. Blue light in the throat. <3

I would recommend to anyone taking Synthroid and having issues losing weight to be sure you have had all of your thyroid levels tested, not just TSH.  You need to check your T3 and T4 levels as well.  If you are taking Synthroid only, it is highly likely you are not producing enough T3 and will need to get on something else, like Armour.  If your doctor won't listen, find a new one.

Where did you find this??? I had cancer, on 200 mcg of levothyroxine. Help!!!

Hey everyone, 

I'm in the place as all of you, I've been diagnosed as hypothyroid for two and a half years (100mg levothyroxine daily) and weight was sneaking up on me before I found out that was why. I'm 25, always busy, and always on a budget! Keeping that in mind, recently I've been following a plan which has been working great for me.

(Edit: before you embark on reading, this became a bit of an essay, sorry!)

10 points, bear with me!

1. Get 7-8 hours of sleep. Always. You'll struggle lots more if you're feeling like a zombie, trust me.

2. Wake up and don't take your medicine. Yes, crazy stuff! I like my caffeine in the mornings, and food. As has been said, caffeine interferes with thyroxin uptake so avoid mixing the two with ~3 hour bracket. So I get up, eat a balanced breakfast with tea and coffee (about 7) and run out the door to work/study. 

Example breakfast: Seeded toast with peanut butter. 

                             Weetabix with ground flaxseed and banana. 

                             Granola that includes nuts.

Include protein at breakfast, it'll keep you fuller longer! And avoid refined bread and cereals, which'll spike your blood sugar and make you crave more by 10am.

3. Snack at 11am. I love Graze boxes! Fruit or squares of dark chocolate are great. 1 piece fruit or 2 squares chocolate.

4. Lunch at 1. Biggest meal of the day here, so go crazy! Lots of protein, vegetables, a little carb. If you're truly starving, opt for a small bowl of soup first, really filling and healthy and it'll stop you wolfing down and extra bag of crisps (think 50 calories in soup as opposed to 150 in crisps. You're not going without food, you're swapping sensibly. You are in control!) 

Example lunch: 2 scrambled eggs with mixed vegetables and a slice of bread and butter. 

                       Bean chill on jacket potato with a little grated cheese and loads of colourful salad. 

                       Falafel with baked sweet potato slices and coleslaw.

5. Aim for dinner somewhere between 6-6.30pm.  As you've eaten a hearty lunch, you shouldn't feel hungry enough to clear a pub plateful!

Example dinner: Fish with sauce, steamed vegetables and new potatoes. 

                         Spaghetti bolognese (tio here is to have a spoon each of pasta and sauce; before I'd lump out looooads of pasta with a little scoop of sauce on top. So unhelpful.)

                        Fajitas. The best food ever. 

6. Only eat until you're full, so eat slowly and pay attention...try not to absentmindedly eat whilst watching tv, easily done I know! 

7. Prepare food and serve maybe 70% of what you would usually put on your plate, best done using a smaller plate. We have a 'eat what you're given,' culture in my house - this helps me eat a lot less than trying really hard to only eat a fraction of all the tasty food on my plate. Less is wasted overall, too, because untouched food can be stored for snacking tomorrow. This is a really popular diet technique in Japan. 

8. Eat what you want. If you're seriously craving real butter or a biscuit, have one. Low-fat replacements have some seriously weird stuff put in there to bulk out the content. The best food has ingredients you can pronounce, usually recognise, and fewer ingredients overall. Your brain actually registers 'real,' food more effectively than low-fat, so you'll feel less hungry. Low-fat food often has 'empty,' calories which taste great but don't register with your brain, so it nags you to eat again sooner than if you have real food.

So - you can eat cake! Have a slice. A small one. And really enjoy it, you've earned it! If you want another, you can have that too. Just go for a run first. 

 9. Carry water with you everywhere. You'll drink loads without even realising. 

10. Avoid caffeine after 4pm, and take your medication...at about 9pm. Yes, I know we're told to take it in the morning. But studies show absorption rate of levothyroxine can be 5x greater overnight. Google it! I feel so much more energised now. It meant I had to shift my dinnertime way forward from 9pm to about 6 to help absorption of medication, but that's recommended for weight loss. It's not ideal to have food in your system whilst you're sleeping and not processing it rapidly (bluntly: the longer stuff is hanging around, the more it starts to decompose and rot, just like it would on your kitchen counter in summertime. grim.) 

You might feel too awake and sleepless at first. It took me 3-5 days to sleep properly in the nights again. 

As you've already said, soy isn't great for us thyroxically challenged folk, it interferes with meds. (It also contains proteins analogous to oestrogen, and helps people I know going through the menopause a huge deal. Because I take a contraceptive pill, I figure I don't need any more hormones!)

I'm vegetarian, and dairy intolerant, so this is bloody hard for me to work around. I stick to goat milk, which tastes like cow and is much easier to digest. I substitute quorn and/or beans (butter, chickpea, lentils) for meat in fajitas and bolognese. 

Losing 1-1.5lbs a week on this diet. Use www.myfitnessplan.com to check how many calories a day you're eating. I'm on 1200, which is the bare minimum. 

Maybe this'll work for you! It works great for me, but everyone is different. 

                  

 

 

Hi Ladies,  I went to a Endocrinologist and it sounds like you have Hashimoto's.  You need T3 and T4.  You need a higher does of levothyroxine (T4) and Cytomel (T3).  It sounds like your body is doesn't have enough (T3) to convert the (T4) which is levothyroxine.  Most of these Doctors have no clue what they are doing.  I recommend going to a specialist.  Best of luck to you! 

I was just dianosed about a month ago...I take Synthroid 50mg and it's not working for me either. I did get blood work done agin today and I go see my Dr next week to get the results and see what the next step is....I'm going to see the Endcronologist with or without my Dr.

I take every vitamin from A,B,C, D, E, Iron, Zinc, magnesium, fish oil, fiber, a multi vitamin as well....a few of those I just added this past week. I have completeley done a 360 with my food. I eat nothing but eggs, chicken, veggies, fresh fruit & yogart. I work out at least 5 days a week...hard! I do about an hr on the tred mill, the eliptical and weights and I have NOT lost a pound in 5 weeks!!!!! I think my medicine isn't right and that's why I and you have to go see an Endo and you HAVE to make time to eat & exercise because if you don't you're just making it worse. I do have to say since exercising & adding more vitamins I do feel wayyyy better & have lots more energy!!! Call an Endo

 

I was diagnosed a few weeks ago and started on Armor thyroid 5 days ago. I'm not feeling that much better but it takes time for your body to get used to the medication so I am hopeful! I have found that going gluten free makes a huge impact on our weight, taking away the bloating and gassiness. You may not have a wheat allergy but the gluten mimics the thyroid hormone and can interfere with production. I have lost 5 pounds and plan to get back in the gym. I have read that you really can't expect to lose weight without exercise. We don't have the metabolism of a healthy person who can eat right, every two and half to three hours and lose weight. You have to work out. But start by removing gluten from your diet and I think you see a change there. It may seem over whelming but its really not. 

I was diagnosed about four weeks ago with hypothyroid.  My Dr. sent me for ultrasound to rule out nodules, and they found a small one, so he prescribed a CAT scan.  So far it doesn't seem to indicate cancer but they're going to check again with ultrasound in 6 months.  I didn't get much info from the Dr. about what to do, but I have a degree in registered nursing so I did a lot of research.  I'm taking 5000 IUs of vitamin D (with an olive oil base.) sublingual B12 (my folate level was high), Omega 3; and I have changed my diet drastically.  No caffeine (it was a painful withdrawal) no gluten (wheat barley millet), no corn, no white rice, no potatoes, no cruciferous vegetables, no almonds, no peanuts.  Fish is important but it is full of mercury which kills the thyroid, but shrimp is low in mercury.  Black walnuts have iodine, sea salt too.  I switched to organic eggs and meat.  Brazil nuts are very good, as are many other nuts (not pine nuts, peanuts nor almonds) Cut out all soy.  It's in so many things!  So my diet is mainly fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and organic meat and eggs.  I eat frequent small bits because I have the slightly high blood sugar hypothyroid causes. I started walking briskly for 45 minutes to an hour a day.  So in the past four weeks my 5'3" body has gone from 173 pounds to 158 pounds.  I'm not taking any thyroid hormones supplements at this point.  I go back in 6 months for blood work to see if this works, but I'm already starting to feel less cold and lethargic.  My panic disorder has become a lot less, too.  I'm still hoping to find out more about vitamin supplements.  It's hard to find ones that don't have soy in a regular drug store.

Just wanted to add that I also cut out oats, peaches, and pears, with only a small bit of organic strawberries on occasion. I do eat a small amount of rinsed black beans and organic brown rice when I'm craving the pizza that I miss so much. I'm not sure if the fresh shrimp I eat contains dyes that hurt thyroid so I'm not advocating shrimp necessarily. My daughter's nutrition professor at her college recommended a website that gives a list of which fish has the least mercury. Flounder was also on the list.

hi there, i asked my doctor about that same issue.. diet pills having the warning dont use if you have thyroid disorder.. and my doctor said that only applies to HYPERthyroid people because of the risk of the raise of heart levels and etc...
I have had hypothyroidism for 25 years.. also hashimotos.... and take 200 levo.
The diets that have worked for me have been medifast.. but you have to be committed to that program and you can lose alot of weight... recently i have been taking HealtheTrim with raspberry keytones( you can buy it only online) its the only all natural diet pill that control hunger for me. and the raspberry keytones that are added to it help breakdown fat. you dont have to follow any diet or excerise regimen.. you will naturally feel less hungry while taking them and have more energy(without the shakiness) to do more....
the only bad thing i would say about this diet pill is you have to drink a minimum of 8-10 glasses of water a day, and also can NOT have any caffeine.. no tea, no soda etc.. it cancels out the effectiveness of the diet pill..
I hope this message finds itself helpful to you and others on here.. thanks for reading and good luck :) Amy