Lesson 6: Eating Right and Losing Weight With Hypothyroidism
Which is Better - Low-Carb or Low-Fat?
It’s all over the news. The diet wars are here and they aren’t going away. This year it’s low-carb vs. low-fat. If we eat according to the Food Pyramid, we are to watch out for fat. It’s the enemy. On the flip side, low-carb lifestyles are all the rage now. Meat, meat, fat and more meat seem to lead many to weight loss successes they couldn’t find anywhere else. Despite all of the information out there, our society is getting fatter and fatter. So, what’s a person to do?
It’s hard enough to make these decisions when you don’t have a preexisting condition such as hypothyroidism which makes it easier to gain and harder to lose weight. However, many of you taking this course do have hypothyroidism or know someone who does. As a result, you’re probably overweight, or have been. You struggle with a sluggish metabolism and are concerned about which way is the best way for you to eat so you can feel better.
I, myself, have tried both approaches. I would caution anyone against all-or-nothing thinking when it comes to food plans and weight loss. Human nature seems to lead us to crave what we tell ourselves we can’t have.
However, many experts are coming to believe that a diet that is low in refined or simple carbohydrates such as white flour products (i.e. white bread, pastries, cookies and any other ‘junk’ foods. They're called junk because they don’t have much nutritional value) and high in lean protein is the best way to go.
Carbohydrates, in and of themselves aren’t bad and neither is fat. Complex carbohydrates such as those in both whole grains such as amaranth, quinoa, and brown rice and vegetables from asparagus to yams are very good for controlling blood sugar levels, which helps us to control our hunger.
Lean proteins such as chicken, fish, turkey and red meats that are trimmed of excess fat and don’t include processing techniques also help the metabolism to run smoothly. Fats can be good for you. Yes, I’ll repeat. Certain fats can be good for you. Omega-3s and Omega-6s are the essential fatty acids. They are called essential because the body can not produce these fats. We must get them from our food.
Omega-3s come from flaxseeds, green leafy vegetables and high fat, cold water fish like salmon, cod and herring. Omega-6s are basically found in seeds and nuts. Sometimes, people will take fish oil supplements to increase their intake of Omega-3s; however, only a few servings of fish or nuts a week will give you a sufficient amount of the EFAs (essential fatty acids) and spare you the really fishy taste and smell of some of this products. Also, these oils and supplements can become ineffective due to a variety of factors and even toxic. Fresh is best.
Essential Fatty Acids can help improve hypothyroid symptoms. They can add shine and luster to brittle hair, make nails stronger, and improve brain functioning to reduce some of the fog or confusion some of us sometimes feel. When it comes to weight loss, EFAs increase our energy, help keep us satiated longer, thus reducing hunger and can even increase thermogenesis, which is a term describing the burning of fat.(Imagine that, eating fat can help you burn fat. Who knew?)
Okay, so the rule is that there is really no hard and fast rule. Many experts are coming to believe that a balanced approach is best. A balanced approach includes fiber and complex carbohydrates in the forms of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as well as lean proteins, fish, nuts and essential fatty acids.
This approach is not just a diet, but a lifestyle choice that will help you get to and maintain a healthy weight. Of course, researchers have noticed that, especially for those of us with lots of weight to lose, that low-carb plans help reduce weight in the short-term while low-fat diets can help maintain that loss longer.
It’s a very interesting dichotomy this business of weight loss and maintenance. The balance is one that will be different for every one of us. I have refrained from giving daily allowances and recommendations of serving amounts because I am not a nutritionist. I also struggle with my weight. However, the information in this section should provide a starting point and give you some ‘food for thought’ – forgive the pun.
In the next section, we will discuss several popular diet plans and see how they measure up. I’ll tackle Dr. Siegal's Diet (remember, he's the author of one of the textbooks mentioned in this course - Is Your Thyroid Making You Fat?) Atkins, The Zone, The South Beach Diet and Weight Watchers. Each of these plans has something different to offer and each can help a person lose weight. I do not advocate any specific diet plan.
Note: these are suggestions only. It would be best to consult a nutritionist and/or your primary care doctor prior to starting any diet plan. Your blood levels may need to be monitored and medicine adjusted, or you could have another condition such as a kidney problem which may not support a low-carb lifestyle, for example, very well at all.
I’ve gotten the disclaimers out of the way. We are ready to move along to the next section.
