3 Weight Loss Tips for Moms with Hypothyroidism

Raise your hand if you have hypothyroidism (or you “think” you have a thyroid issue), and you struggle to lose weight? You’re not alone! Losing weight with hypothyroidism can be tough. And if you’re like me, you’ve probably tried everything – working out more, dieting, cutting calories. But the weight seems to stay no matter what you try. SO frustrating! Read on for 3 weight loss tips for moms with hypothyroidism.

The reality is that you may have to figure out a new way of eating, and working out. (If I told you that you can ditch the cardio, a new workout routine might not be so bad!) Add in the challengings of managing a family while you try to focus on your health and wellness…it can be easy to throw up your hands in frustration! 

But I promise, it’s not impossible to reach your weight loss goals! With the right tools it can actually be pretty easy, and you may even get more time to spend with your family! Sounds pretty great, right?! So, let’s get right to it!

Why is Weight Loss So Difficult with Hypothyroidism?

When you have hypothyroidism, and as you get older, it can be difficult to lose weight. With hypothyroidism, you have an underactive thyroid, which affects your metabolism. As your metabolism slows down, it makes it harder to shed those pounds, even when you do the things that used to work.

Many moms look back to their life before kids, and when they were younger. Back then, it was easy to cut calories for a few days, or add in some extra cardio for a week or two. Those things helped you drop a few pounds pretty easily, right?! 

But listen up my friend, I say this with love: we’re not in our 20s anymore! Once you have kids, and you start getting older, the whole game changes. You may need to add thyroid medication. You need to change the way you eat (not only the type of foods, but the variety, too!) And you definitely need to ditch that steady state cardio for a workout routine that will actually get you results.

There are a few changes you can make in the coming weeks that will really help to kickstart your weight loss. Plus, implementing these changes can also give you more energy. Ready to get started? Let’s look at the 3 weight loss tips for moms with hypothyroidism.

Anti Inflammatory Diet for Weight Loss with Hypothyroidism

There are definitely a lot of different diets that are popular right now. Whole30, Keto, Paleo, it’s hard to know where to start if you actually want to lose weight with hypothyroidism! I’ve tried just about every diet out there, and found one way of eating that’s easy, works when you have a family to feed, and it’s one that you can truly use for the rest of your life. (Plus, this way of eating helped me lose 55 lbs, so I’m 100% confident that it works!)

Whether you call it anti inflammatory or nutrient dense, the goal of this nutrition approach is to eat as many real foods as you can, while prioritizing protein and fresh vegetables. Looking closer, this plan is free of dairy, gluten, soy, and refined sugar. Depending on your goals you can also pull out corn and alcohol.

I know, I know, free of all those things doesn’t sound very “free”, does it? But remember, you’re reading this blog post because you’re tired of trying everything, and still not losing weight, and you want SOLUTIONS! And don’t worry, I promise I can make an anti inflammatory diet fun, easy, and delicious! (Check out this 7-Day guide if you’re ready to get started with a plan that you and your family will love!)

At a high level, an anti inflammatory diet is designed to help support your body when you have an underactive thyroid. By eating whole foods like fresh veggies and low-sugar fruits, proteins, and gluten free carbs, you’ll feel full and reduce inflammation…which will help you to kick start that weight loss you’re after! And if you do it right, you can eat delicious meals like Korean Beef Bowls, Chicken Satay, and Mediterranean Chicken Bowls. Yum! (You can get those recipes here!)

Lose Weight By Ditching the Cardio

Wait, no more cardio?! Well, kind of. Let’s take a look! 

Steady state cardio (like running) creates inflammation in the body. With hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s, you don’t need more inflammation! Working out is super important if you want to lose weight with hypothyroidism. So, let’s find “the right” kind of workout!

The solution here is walking and strength training, which is low-impact. Lifting weights and using body weight is the ideal way to build muscle. With more muscle mass, your body can burn more fat, even while you’re resting! (Pretty cool, huh?) Not to worry, we’re not talking about adding muscles like a body builder (although strong is the new sexy!) The idea with this kind of weight lifting is to add some fat-burning muscle, and tone up overall.

The good news: you don’t have to hit the gym to get great results! When your daily schedule includes packing school lunches, drop off/pick up line, sports practices, and cooking dinner for your family, you don’t have time for the gym, too! I lost 55 lbs by using at-home workouts that I could do with a few dumbbells, so I know it’s possible for you! And working out at home means that you can squeeze it in before the kids are up (in as little as 20 minutes a day!), then it’s checked off for the day!

Now let’s get back to the “no cardio” thing. Your heart rate will rise when you’re lifting weights, but not like it does with running. It’s ok for your heart rate to rise to a comfortable level, but gone are the days of running for an hour on the treadmill! If you’re curious how to start a weight lifting routine at home that supports weight loss, be sure to check this out!

Support For Losing Weight with Hypothyroidism

Ok, rounding out our 3 weight loss tip for moms with hypothyroidism? Create a network of support! Your support system should include a few different things, but you’ll definitely want tools and resources in your corner as you go through this journey.

If you really, truly want to reach your weight loss goals, I highly recommend you find an easy-to-follow plan, for both nutrition and fitness. The best plans help you to start slowly, which will allow you to adopt new habits for a lifetime. Start too fast, or too much at once, and you’re likely to burn out quickly! (Trust me, I’ve tried that too many times…and I bet you have, too!) And a complete plan that takes you AND your family into account is essential. You don’t have time to cook for yourself, and a separate meal for your family! (Need a meal plan that checks all these boxes? Check this out!)

As you’re working through the easy-to-follow plans, be sure to surround yourself with a community who is doing the same thing! It’s so helpful to learn from others what’s working for them, things they’ve tried. Plus, they might have suggestions for you, too!

Better yet, find a coach who has personal experience in losing weight with hypothyroidism. Being able to ask questions and get 1:1 support from someone who’s been there can really help you reach your goals. Stuck on a recipe or need a new meal plan? Struggling to modify exercises in a workout program, to make them low-impact? Finding yourself giving up, but you can’t really figure out why? A good coach can help with all of this, and get you back on track.

Weight Loss Tips For Moms with Hypothyroidism

While you’ve likely tried a lot of different things to lose weight with hypothyroidism, it really boils down to these three major pieces: nutrition, low-impact workouts, and support. Does your current plan have all of these in place? Or are you struggling in one or two areas? Take some time to evaluate what’s working for you, and what’s not. Then decide what you need to work on and where you need help.

If you need support with nutrition, low-impact workouts, or community/coaching, I can help! Fill out this form or send me an email to ashley@ashleymalik.com, and let’s talk about how we can implement these 3 weight loss tips for moms with hypothyroidism, so you can actually (and finally!) reach your weight loss goals!