I'm hypothyroid and don't lose fast so I would like to find ways to increase my weight loss. My doctor gave me a 800 cal diet, I won't do it because its 100carbs a day but was wondering if I stick to low carb and lower my cals will I lose faster?

Thanks Nancy

Ummm ... does your doctor support low carb?

Don't take my word for it because I'm just a newbie, but I don't think that combining low cal with low carb is a good idea. I think you'd be well advised to speak to your doctor about this. Try and find a doctor that supports low carb if possible.

Hi Nancy!

I really, really, REALLY wouldn't recommend low carb with low cal unless you think you can live with that level of calorie intake (or less) for the rest of your life. Eventually, your metabolism will slow down in response to being in starvation mode and reset to the lower level just to survive. Result? Now you have to lower your calorie intake even farther to lose or maintain weight. Trust me...you don't want to go there. The recommendation is to eat 10-12x your body weight in calories daily minimum just to support your basic metabolism even if you have hypothyroid. If you've been eating low calorie, it may take a while for your body to trust you that you're not going to starve it again and start letting go of those fat stores. Same thing applies if you've been a yo-yo dieter in the past. Burning fat for energy burns more calories than burning carbs for energy so you can naturally eat more calories than on low fat/low calorie and still lose weight. Adding some exercise also helps keep that metabolism up along with eating smaller more frequent meals. If you truly are hypothyroid, you may have to live with the slow weight loss, but at least you won't be starving while you lose. Hope this helps!

Hi there Nancy......

Me too! Hypothyroid that is.

I've lost better on Atkins than anything else that I've ever tried. You can check my journal to see the kinds of things I'm eating and for details about how it came off.

Starting an exercise program is a great way to boost weight loss. Not only will you get fat burning happening with the right exercise, but you will also build LBM (lean body mass) and the more LBM you have the more calories you will burn.

It's really not a good idea to try to make low carb, low fat and/or low calorie. You will be able to eat a lot more LCing than you've ever eaten low fat/low calorie.....and STILL lose weight. Give the plan a chance!

Marlaine

hi,


I am also hypothyroid. I tried everything to lose weight-exercising like a mad man and eating a low cal diet. Low cal doesn't work. It may work for a short term but your metabolism will eventually slow. I also was put on a low fat diet by my naturopath and gained 2 lbs in a month. Atkins is the first diet to work for me. I've lost 7 lbs since June 1 and I'm eating between 1300-1800 calories a day.

Danyele

Hey I'm hypo too. I tried doing low carb/low fat before. It dosen't werk. I stalled for 3 months doing that.. Best way to increase your weight loss is by drinking alot of water..as much as you can, Exercise..weight training and lots of cardio work for me.

And follow Atkins to the letter..especially the induction phase.

And no offence but your dr sounds like a moron, the recomended cal intake for low fat/low cal diets is 1200.. 800 is starvation mode...I've never even heard of a doctor recommending that.
I used to do 800 cal diets. It had its good points and bad points. Worked at the time, But it killed my metabolism. So eck I sure as hell don't recommend it and I sure as hell can't see why a doctor would. Ain't even worth it.

Scary place. I got lost.

LOL 70 pages

Forgive me for asking the screamingly obvious, but I assume that you're on medications to increase your hormone levels, yes? As an aside, is it helping? I've had my thyroid levels tested so I know that I don't have this problem, but I'm just curious. Thanks.

I agree with everyone in that if you combine low cal and low carb, you will be starving your body. Also- where would you get your energy from? If not from the food (fats and nutrients on one hand or carbs on the other) then where else? Impossible.

I'd probably listen to my doctor if he gave me a diet regimen to follow (even if it is 100 carbs) and restricted caloric intake for the short term- even though I do essentially believe in the Atkins way.

Good luck!

Fergus.

Thanks everyone for your input, its hard to go against the doctor. I sent an email to the nutritionist yesterday asking her about the low cals slowing down your metabolism and I 'admitted' my lowcarb preference. I never heard anything back.

I had actually begged to get into this diet program, theres a long waiting list, in the meantime I found out I was hypo, started the thyroid replacement, it's only been 5 weeks but I lost the last 2 weeks so I think it is starting to work.

I suppose I have to be patient, and hit the gym more, and watch the carbs closely.

thanks for the support, I was starting to doubt if I was doing the right thing.

Nancy