Q and A: Losing Weight Without Trying
21 01 2009
Hey Kelly, I have a question for you because I can\t figure it out on my own. I work out on a regular basis-usually cardio twice a week (once swimming, the other running) and I do yoga twice a week. I also work as a server 3 times a weeks (so a TON of walking at a quick pace). Sometimes I get to be too busy to workout for a few days (since I’m also a full time student) and I find whenever I don’t workout for a bit (over Christmas I stopped for the entire 3 weeks and then now I’ve stopped for another week) I actually lose weight. But not on the scale “losing weight” but instead, my clothes start to fit a little bit loser. I’m not very muscular so I don’t think it’s the fact that I’m losing muscle that suddenly my pants are feeling a little less tight. I am pretty active in normal life-since I don’t have a vehicle I walk pretty much everywheree-but I can’t figure out why this happens when I stop working out. Any ideas? Thanks!
SarahF
Im no doctor, and to find out for sure, you should talk to one. I can offer my personal experience, though, as this happens to me, too. The reason this happens to me is I have hyperthyroidism. Everyone’s first thought is usually, “cool, bitch, you have been blessed with a fast metabolism, rub it in.” But, in actuality, its a pain in the ass, and I exercise to slow down my metabolism.
When I was bulimic, I wreaked havoc on my body. Part of what happened was I gave myself hyperthyroidism. It seems counter intuitive, as you would think that starving yourself of nurishment would slow your metabolism down, which it did, but once I started eating healthy, it went completely the other way. The doctor gave me a choice: I could take a radiation pill that would kill my thyroid, (he said the side effect was I would be radioactive for a few days, and couldnt eat off silver ware and when I went to the bathroom, I would have to flush 3 times as to not make the next person impotent) and then take a pill every day for the rest of my life to synthetically do what a normal thyroid would, or I could try and control it with diet and exercise. I chose the latter.
So, instead of working out to increase my metabolism, I actually exercise to slow it down to where it should be naturally. Because of my hyperthyroidism, if i don’t work out for a while, my metabolism skyrockets again, and I drop weight. Perfect example: over Christmas, I went and visted my sister and her kids for a week, didnt exercise (barely moved actually- thank you cable and The Tudors) ate my weight in Christmas cookies and ham, and dropped 3 pounds.
So why don’t I just not exercise, eat whatever I want and not gain weight? Because when I let my thyroid get out of control, the other side effects aren’t much fun.
When you have hyperthyroidism, your body runs extremely fast- everything does. Graphic, but it causes your digestive system to go into hyper mode so things aren’t properly digested. I get red, itchy spots on my abdomen, my hands shake, and worst of all, my adrenaline goes nuts.
You know when someone pops out from around the corner, and your heart jumps, then races really fast for a few moments? Mine does that for absolutely no reason. I will be in the middle of a session at work, and get the feeling that Im in danger and need to leave. I literally have the fight or flight reaction for no reason (and for some reason my first instinct is flight- good to know that if i were ever in a ctual danger, my gut reaction is to run like a wimp) For the longest time I thought I was having panic attacks, but now that I know its my thyroid I can kind of calm myself down. There’s no stopping them, though, and some are worse than others. Your body just surges adrenaline for no reason because everything is heightened.
With that said, your body gets sick of running so high, and sometimes you just crash. There are days where I almost can’t get out of bed, and have zero energy.
If I exercise consistently, my weight stays the same, I don’t get the adrenaline surges so much, and the spots are fewer and farther between- but when I miss workouts my system gets out of wack. Its great motivation to workout knowing that my body will go into a tailspin if I don’t.
I don’t know if you have hyperthyroidism, but I would talk to your doctor. I have a pretty severe case, and have to get blood work done once a month (which I actually haven’t done in a long time) to make sure everything is ok, but other than that, I control it on my own. Just knowing what it is was the biggest part for me.
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That sounds scary. Good for you for keeping it under control like that- it must be a difficult balance.
wow that was really informative!
I learned something new today! Thanks Kelly
Wow. Seems like that must have made recovery, like, three times as hard. Good advice– I think the usual assumption is maybe to see a dr. if we’re gaining weight for no reason but to think “oh, cool!” and not seek out medical advice for unexplained weight loss that can be just an unhealthy.
Interesting. Good for you Kelly for deciding to control your hyperthyroidism with diet and exercise. My husband has to take Levoxyl everyday for hypothyroidism, and he really wants to stop. We’re looking into some natural alternatives. Thanks – this was encouraging.
i get the same effect when i drink coffee
wow i had no idea that’s what hypothyroidism was! i didn’t know you could give it to yourself. how is it diagnosed? and you have it forever??? all you can do is just manage it? wow.
Lacey- i have HYPERthyroidism, which means elevated thyroid levels- HYPOthyroidism is lower than normal levels. A lot of people know about HYPO but dont know about hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism is usually what people blame for not being able to lose weight.
The diagnosed me by taking some blood and checking the levels. I’ll most likely have it forever- which is fine. im used to it now.
When they mentioned killing off my thyroid, my first question was why? will it get worse? whats the worst it can do to me? he said what im go through right now is pretty much just what it is- its not dangerous or anything. thats why i chose to just manage it- because its managable
I’m just going to echo everyone else and say: Wow. I had no idea what hyperthyroidism was like. Thanks for clarifying that for me! Very interesting stuff.
yeah- its annoying, is what it is. Not enough of an annoyance to make me decide to take a pill for the rest of my life, but enough that I feel the effects everyday.
Comment on a comment… I have hypothyroidism and I managed to lose weight while not knowing that I had it. I found out on a fluke (the test was added in to another blood panel I was taking). Now, I do have to take those pills every day, which is its own form of annoying.
wow….very eye-opening! I never knew about that!
Good girl for opting not to take the tablets! I’m proud of you
I’ve had my thyroid checked so that’s not what happens to me; I guess I need to go with the drop in muscle tone; I’m quite stocky so perhaps that’s what it is *shrugs*
Tusc
Interesting. I didn’t know any of this about hyperthyroidism.
very interesting, thanks for the info…
Wow, I never knew that exercise could slow the metabolism, that sounds like crazy talk!
Thanks for a really informative post about the whole hyperthyroid issue.