Weight Loss with Hypothyroidism

This query is regarding my mother. She is 44 years young, 5 foot 4, weighs 88kg and has a waist size of 42 inches. She also has hypothyroidism. In 2014 she achieved significant weight loss from 108kg to 82kg via a strict calorie restriction of around 700 calories a day and lots of cardio, to become a suitable surrogate option for a friend. In 2015, she was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and had a successful surrogacy. After the pregnancy (2015 onward), she fluctuates around 88kg and has struggled to lose anymore. She is a vegetarian, and protein rarely makes up more than 30% of her diet. She doesn’t see any specialist, and the recommendation of her GP, who has overseen this, has been to continue dieting and exercising, as well as taking Levothyroxine (75mcg a day) for her hypothyroidism. Sorry for the long-winded background, I wasn’t sure what to leave out.

So, in the past two years, the issue is she is still not losing weight despite eating around 700 calories a day, and thanks to myself and you guys she’s implementing a few strength training movements in her workout routine, as well as, taking protein shakes with sufficient amounts of leucine. She’s currently working out 4 times a week and is generally pretty active throughout the day averaging 8000 steps a day. The strength training and increase in protein intake has only be recently implemented.

I feel strongly inclined to avoid suggesting my mother eat fewer calories than she does now. I would rather her eat a more calories, from good food sources, ideally protein based, and accept some initial weight gain, after which begin to drop down again. A calorie count rest almost. I believe this would help with her hypothyroid symptoms also. However, I can’t find the evidence to support my theory, nor can I find information on other potential options. As well as, logically it doesn’t make much sense to increase calorie intake to lose weight. Hence my confusion. Do you have any recommendations on potential options on this? Or any general tips of weight loss with hypothyroidism?

Here is some of the reading I’ve done in addition to the general knowledge stuff about hyperthyroidism:

  1. Adaptive Thermogenesis as a Cause of Unsuccessful Weight Loss https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/567126_4
  2. Adaptive thermogenesis in humans Adaptive thermogenesis in humans - PMC
  3. Is “Starvation Mode” Real or Imaginary? A Critical Look Is Starvation Mode Real or Imaginary? A Critical Look
  4. Is it Possible to Lose Weight with an Underactive Thyroid? https://inbodyusa.com/blogs/inbodyblog/is-it-possible-to-lose-weight-with-an-underactive-thyroid/
  5. Does Treatment of Hypothyroidism Lead to Weight Loss Does Treatment of Hypothyroidism Lead to Weight Loss | American Thyroid Association

Love to get your thoughts on this. Almost goes without saying, you guys produce phenomenal content! Hope you keep it up!

If her hypothyroidism is well controlled then this may not be the issue, which leaves us with activity (she’s underactive based on report) and compliance with the diet (not sure I have a good inkling what she’s doing).

My advise would be to see an endocrinologist if her hypothyroidism has not been well controlled since diagnosis.

She may also benefit from seeing a person who is affiliated with the American Board of Obesity Medicine for additional interventions to aid in compliance and further weight loss.

We live in the UK so we’ll start of by trying to get a referral to see a endocrinologist. Much appreciated!

Just opinion but I have hypothyroidism and currently treated it gives me no issue for weight loss . I may not be right on this so feel free to correct me but once your level of tsh are stable and within. Range , being hypothyroidal doesn’t play a role in weight loss since you are at normal levels but just with meds instead of naturally

In general, yes. Once well-controlled it doesn’t seem to matter much.