loosing weight with hypothyroidism

Question
I am a 33 year old mother of one who is a registered nurse that works 12 hour shifts I am exhausted when I get home and when I get up. I take Synthroid for Hypothyroidism and have regular visits with my doctor to regulate my medication. I need help on the types of food and exercise I should be doing to benefit me and my illness because I haven't been able to take off a pound in 3 years since I was diagnosed. Please help!

Answer
Unfortunately, most people with hypothyroidism find it difficult to lose weight.  In my opinion, this may be in part due to the way the thyroid hormone is supplemented.

Here are my suggestions:

Diet -- plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables (1/2 plate), a fist-sized portion of lean protein, and a small portion of complex carbs (wild rice, whole grain pasta, etc).  I am not necessarily a low carb advocate, though cutting out the high sugar, high fat snacks is always a plus.  Drinking plenty of water will help with appetite suppression.

Exercise -- Here's the rub.  You need to choose an activity that you enjoy, and that you can do routinely.  Your schedule sounds grueling, but I think that exercise will help your fatigue.  Anything from pilates to walking to jogging, swimming, Tai Chi, yoga, weights, whatever....  Make it part of your routine during the day, and frankly, the more days you do it, the better off you'll be.

Meds -- talk to your doctor about potentially adding Cytomel or T3 in a low dose.  This is an additional type of thyroid medication that can often make people with hypothryoidism feel a bit better.  Having said that, it is not 100%, and much of your fatigue may in fact be due to the schedule you keep.  Depending on the ages of your children, you have a full plate.  Parents (my wife and I included) often neglect our health because of the time we want to spend with the kids.  My suggestion would be to at least take some personal time once or twice a week for yourself, even if it's simply doing the grocery shopping alone, or going for a walk alone.  I know, easier said than done..... I have 3 kids myself.

Best of luck.  

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