We often hear a saying that even drinking water makes meat grow. In fact, this sentence feels a bit exaggerated, but from a certain point of view, there is still some scientific basis. When I took a member to a class very early, something like this happened. A female member I took with me was very good in diet, training and rest, but she did not lose her scale and her body did not change much. At that time, I also thought that my entire plan was not too problematic. This state lasted for about three months, and I finally found out that it was caused by hormone problems. What hormones, thyroid hormones. Yes, and it’s hypothyroidism, commonly known as hypothyroidism. It’s really like what I said at the beginning of the article, I wish I could drink water to grow meat. Since then, whenever I train with a member, I will first ask if my body has hormone problems. Today we will mainly talk about hypothyroidism and how to lose weight scientifically and efficiently when the body has hypothyroidism problem.
thyroid
The thyroid is known as the engine of the human body. From the literal point of view, its function and meaning are not trivial. It is shaped like a butterfly-shaped gland near the lower part of the neck. The thyroid is responsible for the production of thyroid hormone, which controls the basal metabolic level of the human body. Your weight gain and loss are closely related to thyroid hormone. It is no exaggeration to say that thyroid hormone affects every cell in your body . Thyroid hormones also control the brain’s neurotransmitters (such as serotonin, dopamine, and other neurotransmitters), which affect your mood, appetite, and some behavioral patterns. When the thyroid gland is overactive and produces excess thyroid hormones, the body’s basal metabolic level will increase. Generally speaking, it is not fat and very thin no matter what you eat in reality. This state is hyperthyroidism. On the contrary, it is hypothyroidism.
Hypothyroidism
The thyroid produces two hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine ( T3), a normal thyroid produces about 80% of T4 and about 20% of T3. Although T4 is more abundant, it is not as strong as T3, which is about four times as strong as T4. Our body maintains the balance of T4 and T3 secretion in the blood to achieve a balanced state. But problems arise when the two are out of balance. Among them, too low T3 level will cause the basal metabolism to slow down, because too low T3 will increase reverse T3, reverse T3 is also a hormone, it will block the effect of T3. In this way, low T3 and high reverse T3 will reduce the level of basal metabolism, which will lead to hypothyroidism, decreased basal metabolism, and it is difficult to reduce the body fat rate. Instead, fat tends to be stored, and there will be emotional problems.
Low-carb intake exacerbates hypothyroidism levels
In general, when we lose fat , Because of the lack of understanding of exercise science, some fat loss strategies with relatively low carbohydrates will be adopted. But such a low-carb strategy can exacerbate the severity of hypothyroidism. Because of the decrease in carbohydrates and the lack of the overall heat environment, it will seriously affect the functioning of the hypothalamus, pituitary and other glands, the most important of which is the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA axis). When the overall heat is insufficient, especially Insufficient carbohydrates can lead to dysfunction of the HPA axis, which in turn leads to hypothyroidism. The decrease in calories also affects the normal secretion of thyroid hormones. At the same time, the reduction of carbohydrates will also lead to a large secretion of the stress hormone cortisol, resulting in central obesity.
Eventually you’ll enter a vicious cycle: low-carb diets, especially diets—>decreased thyroid hormones, excess cortisol production -> Basal metabolism declines, central obesity -> The body produces a self-protection mechanism -> In order to lose weight, reduce calorie intake again… This is repeated, and eventually the more fat you lose, the more muscle is decomposed, the metabolism declines, and you take in a little bit more The heat began to rebound badly.
The symptoms of hypothyroidism are generally very cold, because the thyroid also has the function of controlling the body temperature. Due to the slowing down of the basal metabolism, the body is easily fatigued, and it becomes difficult to gain weight or lose weight. And emotional anxiety, irritability, poor memory, are some typical symptoms. Of course, these problems are not necessarily hypothyroidism, and hypothyroidism is just one of the reasons why you can’t lose weight successfully.
Scientific and efficient weight loss method for hypothyroidism
The first thing to point out is that nutritious diet, training and work and rest are not enough Alternative medicines work, only to relieve or reduce symptoms. If your thyroid hormone problem is severe, it must first be treated with medication. If thyroid hormone levels are not effectively relieved, the probability of successful weight loss is quite low.
First, a balanced diet
1.1 Major nutrients
Low-carb level is not only not advisable for people with normal weight loss, but also for those with hypothyroidism . As mentioned earlier, low carb levels can exacerbate hypothyroidism. Therefore, the daily carbohydrate content should be higher than that of ordinary dieters. The daily carbohydrate content is at least 120~150g to ensure a normal metabolic level. The choice of carbohydrates is still based on complex carbohydrates, such as coarse grains such as brown rice, oats, sweet potatoes or corn. And the entire carbs should account for more than 50% of the total calories throughout the day. Reduce the intake of refined carbohydrates and reduce the intake of unclean ingredients. Too much sugar can increase the level of inflammation in the body and aggravate the autoimmune response.
The importance of protein for fat loss is beyond doubt. Adequate protein can not only play a role in satiety, but also greatly help the secretion of growth hormone. During weight loss, the daily protein content is about 1.5~1.8g per kilogram of body weight. Eggs, fish, beef, and seafood are all good sources of protein. And eggs and beef also contain a lot of trace elements, which are very helpful for relieving the symptoms of hypothyroidism.
Fat Choose healthy fats like nuts, salmon, peanut butter and olive oil. Fat affects not only the production of testosterone hormones, but also the production of leptin, two hormones that are also critical for fat loss. Fruits and low-starch vegetables are not only major sources of dietary fiber, but also contain large amounts of antioxidants, which can provide significant amounts of minerals and vitamins. Eat 300g of low-sugar, high-fiber fruit and at least 500g of low-starch mixed vegetables in your anti-inflammatory diet each day.
1.2 Micronutrient intake
Iodine: strong>The thyroid gland is a key source of thyroid hormones, and iodine deficiency may cause hypothyroidism, but if you have Hashimoto’s thyroid, please try to avoid it. On the contrary, it is enough to consume some seaweed, deep-sea fish, egg yolk and iodized salt in a balanced diet. If the hypothyroidism is caused by iodine deficiency, it is better to follow the doctor’s advice.
Selenium: Selenium plays an important role in activating the thyroid gland, and low levels of selenium can lead to hypothyroidism. Therefore, you should also pay attention to the intake of selenium foods, such as nuts, tuna, sardines, egg yolks and beef. At the same time, try to supplement your diet. Avoid taking selenium supplements unless advised by your doctor. Excessive selenium can cause poisoning.
Zinc: Zinc is an important mineral that regulates thyroid hormones in the same way as selenium. Zinc-rich ingredients in natural foods are oysters, shellfish, nuts seeds, and beef. Eating foods naturally rich in selenium and zinc is essential for maintaining a healthy thyroid and basal metabolism.
Second, exercise properly
People with hypothyroidism are more likely to gain weight than others. Regular training can not only consume excess calories in the body, but also play a great role in improving the bad psychological state caused by hypothyroidism. The combination of strength training and aerobic training can maximize the symptoms of hypothyroidism and reduce the body’s body fat rate.
Aerobics is recommended, at least 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, which can be in the form of running, swimming, hiking and other Any form of cardio-based exercise. In terms of strength training, at least 2-3 times a week should also include strength training. Strength training not only burns excess fat, but is also important for lowering blood pressure, improving insulin sensitivity, and preventing diabetes.
In the early stage of strength training, bodyweight training should be the main focus, and the focus should be on the learning of movement quality and movement patterns. Only after mastering the correct exercise method, consider the consideration of the load and the number of times in a step-by-step manner. The movements used are mainly compound movements, such as a series of movements such as squats, deadlifts, presses and push-ups. Regular exercise also helps reduce heart disease and osteoporosis, and promotes better sleep.
Third, rest and sleep
Good sleep is very important for improving hypothyroidism. Most of the body’s hormone levels are produced during sleep. Therefore, when the body is adjusted to be in line with the day and night rhythm, the body function can be better improved and the body can recover quickly. At the same time, rest and sleep also maximize the production of growth hormone and testosterone, while helping to reduce the production of the stress hormone cortisol.
At the same time, eating less and exercising more and overtraining can cause hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction and accelerate hypothyroidism. Therefore, reasonable rest and training intensity are the keys to exercise.
Conclusion
It is not terrible to have physical problems, but it must be carried out on a more scientific and reasonable premise sports. There are many reasons for hypothyroidism, but in any case, a good lifestyle and living habits are what you have to implement no matter what. Increasing muscle and reducing fat should also be different from person to person. According to the physical characteristics and problems of different people, the exercise prescription should be designed in a targeted manner. Only by combining personal characteristics, diet, training and work and rest, and multiple dimensions to consider the problem, will we achieve the best results and the greatest degree of physical improvement. Blindly eating less and exercising more is not scientific. The more you understand about exercise science on the road to building muscle and reducing fat, the more likely you are to win this battle. Come on, everybody.