Weight loss: How to deal with weight loss plateau in Hypothyroidism

People suffering from hypothyroidism or an underactive thyroid gland often gain weight due to slow metabolism. Low thyroid hormone levels lead to a decrease in overall energy expended by the body, eventually leading to weight gain.

The weight gain isn't extreme in most cases as it is mainly due to excess accumulation of salt and water. But shedding these kilos also isn't an easy task. Even if you put your best effort to drop some kilos by exercising, eating healthy and following healthy lifestyle habits, you may soon hit a plateau where nothing seems to work any longer. The easiest way to overcome this issue is by having a better understanding of the issue.

Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone due to an impaired thyroid gland that could diminish the supply of the thyroid hormones. The thyroid gland sends the hormones into the bloodstream that keeps the metabolism in check and helps to burn off calories to maintain a healthy weight. Your body may start retaining salt and water, leading to bloating. Keeping these issues in mind, people suffering from hypothyroidism should opt for strategies to correct hormonal deficiency along with exercising and eating healthy to shed kilos. Here are some tricks to overcome the weight loss plateau.

Healthy eating is a major part of all successful weight management plans. Eating nutrient-rich food can help to control your blood sugar level and cholesterol. If you have hit a weight loss plateau try to change your diet. Add more sources of lean protein, raw veggies and food that contain a high amount of iodine. Experiment with your diet after a few weeks. Try to not focus on cutting down calories, rather focus on the percentage of protein, fat and carbohydrate in your diet. Sometimes cutting too many calories may force the body to conserve calories.

One of the major challenges in the case of hypothyroidism is slow metabolism. To overcome this issue, eat small meals at a regular interval instead of three large meals. Every single time, you have your meal sit on the table with the plated food rather than eating on the go and try to mindfully finish it, relishing every single bite.

The simple formula for weight loss is to burn more to shed kilos. Try to exercise at least 30 minutes daily. When you stop witnessing progress in your workout, change your routine and or try some new activity. You can increase your workouts to one-hour sessions four to five times weekly or include more strength training exercises in it. When you perform the same exercises it becomes unresponsive to the exertion placed on it. Changing it will help you shed some extra kilos.

Stress is a major contributor to weight gain. Staying positive and stress-free can help in the weight loss process. You can do meditation or yoga to calm your mind. Also, try to manage your sleep schedule. An irregular sleeping pattern can also contribute to stress and halt your weight loss progress.

If you are suffering from hypothyroidism and have hit a weight loss plateau, talk to your doctor about starting levothyroxine therapy. Increasing the intake of levothyroxine drugs or starting the intake of levothyroxine may help to shed kilos, especially in old age. A small study conducted by the National Institutes of Health revealed that people prescribed liothyronine lost an average of about 270 grams more per week as compared to others.