119 [Ask Inna] What You Want to Know about Losing Weight & Feeling Good with Hashimoto’s

The Investigation

I know how confusing and frustrating it can be living with hypothyroidism and or Hashimoto’s because there is so much information out there about Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism. 

At the same time, there is also not that much that really focuses on these specific conditions. This is why I get so many questions every time I check in with you through Instagram and my email list. After posting in my IG stories this week, I got a ton of questions and I am so excited to answer them for you.

Before I do, I want to remind you that Hashimoto’s and thyroid issues are very individual - there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution. That’s why I created a much more in depth training and you can access it absolutely free RIGHT HERE! 

Let’s dive into your questions. I got over 300 questions, but many of them were similar or around the same theme so I’m focusing on the most frequently asked questions in this episode of Health Mysteries Solved.

 

The Question #1

How can I lose weight with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s? (and many other variations of this question).

Inna’s Response 

As I mentioned, dealing with your thyroid condition is not one-size-fits-all and neither are the weight management strategies. It is very individual based on your thyroid type and your genetics. 

However, one common issue is gluten intolerance. Gluten tends to be a trigger for people with autoimmunity especially if they have the DQ2 and the DQ8 Genes. These genes make it difficult for the body to process gluten and instead your body may attack it by making an antibody to gluten. This may cause cross-reactivity where your body is not only attacking the gluten but accidentally attacking other tissues like the thyroid. 

Another common food sensitivity is dairy. This can be a major trigger. For me, it showed up as skin issues (including redness and hives) as well as gas and bloating. I was able to determine dairy as the culprit because when I stopped having dairy, these symptoms went away. 

Sugar is another food that many with Hashimoto’s may want to reconsider eating. Sugar can offset our blood sugar very quickly and can cause quite a bit of inflammation. This does not help us deal with Hashimoto’s because there is often already inflammation. 

 

The Question #2

How do I choose what to try first with dietary changes? Should I do the AIP, go grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free?

Inna’s Response 

There is not a short answer to this question because it depends on so many different factors. If you are quite in-tune with your body, you may have an idea of what is causing an issue for you. In this case, test your suspicions by eliminating that item from your diet and see if you feel better. 

You could also get a food sensitivity test but make sure that you are doing a test that has multiple immunoglobulin pathways as many basic tests only look at one. I like the Zoomers tests from Vibrant Wellness because they test for different pathways including IGG, IGA and IGE as well as testing the components of the different foods. 

Another option is to do a full elimination diet following the AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) until you get the inflammation down and then introduce things one at a time to discover your triggers. 

 

The Question #3

What dietary changes should I make to help me lose weight with Hashimoto’s or Hypothyroid?

Inna’s Response 

For some, getting rid of dairy or gluten significantly reduces inflammation and that helps them retain less water and lose weight pretty quickly. 

However, I think for many of us, I would probably say most of us, it's not that easy (but it’s not impossible!)

There’s a lot that goes into weight loss. First and foremost, you want to make sure that you’re supporting your thyroid if your thyroid levels are not optimal. It is going to be very, very hard to lose weight if your thyroid is in a slow state and not activating your metabolism. So, make sure to support your thyroid for your thyroid type (be sure to check out my free training for more on this). 

Secondly, consider your metabolic type. Some of us are ‘carb type’ and some are ‘protein type’ if you are not eating according to your type, it will be very difficult for your metabolism to do its job and help you maintain or lose weight. 

And finally, if you are following a protocol or plan and not seeing results, then you may want to switch it up. 

 

The Question #4

What supplements should I take if I am a vegetarian with Hashimoto’s?

Inna’s Response 

The answer to this question depends on a couple of things. A vegetarian diet can be very healthy but you want to make sure that you’re getting enough protein, B12 and iron. This is especially true for specific thyroid types, so if you are a vegetarian you want to figure out your thyroid type. Check your iron and B12 levels and be sure to supplement if they are low. 

 

The Question #5

What is the best type of exercise for Hashimoto’s or Hypothyroid?

Inna’s Response 

If your thyroid is supported (and your levels are optimal) and you are doing everything you can to calm and balance your immune system (avoiding Hashimoto’s flare ups), then you can do any kind of exercise you like. 

I like to do high intensity interval training (HIIT) because I like to do quick spurts and I find that I can fit it into my busy day. Weight-bearing exercises are also very good because you get your metabolic rate going and it stays active with you for hours and hours after you’ve worked out. I also like to do the Lagree Method of Pilates. This is done on a transformer and it is a full body workout. 

However, if you’re still working on balancing your thyroid hormones or you find yourself in a Hashimoto’s flareup, then you will want to avoid strenuous exercise. When your thyroid is flaring and the autoimmunity is flaring, your body is in an inflammatory stress state. Exercising in this state can increase that stress. You will know if you are doing this because you will feel physical strain and fatigue right after the workout. 

 

The Question #6

Why are there so many different symptoms with Hashimoto’s?

Inna’s Response 

This is such a great question and I love talking about this (check episode 100 which is dedicated to Hashimoto’s symptoms). The reason why Hashimoto's has so many symptoms is because there are two areas affected - the thyroid and your immune system. 

When you have Hashimoto's you will typically have a less than optimal thyroid function because your thyroid is under attack. Getting your thyroid levels balanced will help with some of the symptoms. 

People with Hashimoto’s are also dealing with inflammation caused by the immune system attacking your thyroid. When these attacks happen, the inflammation can show up anywhere on the body. It could be your joints causing aches and pains. It could be the brain causing brain fog. 

We can have inflammation on our skin causing acne, rashes, eczema or other types of dermatitis. 

To avoid the symptoms, your support for Hashimoto’s has to be twofold, you have to support the immune system to stop that inflammation in the attack and also support the thyroid.

 

The Question #7

What is the relationship between Vitiligo and Hashimoto’s?

Inna’s Response 

Vitil...