If you have hypothyroidism and feel like losing weight is impossible, I hear you — because I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to eat clean, count every calorie, work out consistently, and still watch the scale go up. I used to think my body was broken. But thankfully, I was wrong.
In this blog post, I’m going to walk you through exactly how to lose weight with hypothyroidism, based on what I personally did to heal my body, reset my metabolism, and lose weight, without starving myself or doing hours of cardio.
If you haven’t yet, I also recommend reading my post How to Reset Your Thyroid to Burn Fat, where I break down the root causes and how I supported my thyroid naturally. This article builds on that, focusing specifically on the weight loss side of things.
My Hypothyroid Weight Loss Struggle
For years, I struggled with:
- Fatigue that no amount of sleep could fix
- Constant bloating and stubborn belly fat
- Cravings for sugar and carbs
- Slow digestion and irregular bowel movements
- Mood swings, brain fog, and water retention
I felt like I was living in someone else’s body. I was doing all the “right things” and nothing worked — until I stopped trying to lose weight the traditional way and started focusing on what my thyroid actually needed.
Here’s How to Lose Weight with Hypothyroidism — The Real Way
These are the exact changes I made that finally helped me lose over 15 pounds in 3 months — and I’ve kept it off without obsessing over food or workouts.
1. I Stopped Starving Myself and Ate Enough Calories
When you have hypothyroidism, undereating makes everything worse. I used to think 1,200 calories would help me lose weight — instead, it slowed my metabolism even more.
Now I eat around 1,700–2,000 nutrient-dense calories per day (depending on activity), and my body actually feels safe enough to let go of fat.
2. I Prioritized Thyroid-Supportive Foods
Food became medicine for me. I focused on:
✅ Protein at every meal – chicken, turkey, eggs, Greek yogurt, salmon
✅ Healthy fats – avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds
✅ Clean carbs – oats, sweet potatoes, fruit
✅ Micronutrients – especially selenium (Brazil nuts), iodine (seaweed, eggs), and zinc (pumpkin seeds, beef)
✅ Anti-inflammatory foods – turmeric, leafy greens, berries
And I cut out or reduced:
❌ Gluten
❌ Refined sugar
❌ Processed seed oils
❌ Artificial sweeteners
3. I Balanced My Blood Sugar Like a Pro
Hypothyroidism often goes hand-in-hand with insulin resistance, so stabilizing blood sugar is key for weight loss.
I did this by:
- Eating within 30–60 minutes of waking
- Never skipping meals
- Pairing carbs with protein + fat
- Avoiding sugar-heavy snacks
No more hangry crashes, and my cravings disappeared by week 2.
4. I Walked Daily Instead of Over-Exercising
This was a hard pill to swallow. I thought weight loss meant hardcore workouts — but intense exercise spiked my cortisol, which only made weight loss harder.
Instead, I focused on:
🚶♀️ 10,000–12,000 steps per day
🧘♀️ Gentle yoga and stretching
💪 2 light strength sessions per week (no more than 30 mins)
This gave my adrenals (and thyroid) the break they needed to finally function again.
To achieve 10,000 steps daily, I used this walking pad (mini treadmill) at Luxury Handbag because I work from home. You can buy it if you want to work out from Luxury Handbag OR you could go to a gym or walk outside.
Buy My Walking Pad Here
5. I Fixed My Sleep and Stress Levels
I cannot stress this enough: If your sleep and stress are off, your thyroid and metabolism won’t heal.
What helped me:
- Going to bed by 10:30pm
- Magnesium glycinate before bed
- Journaling and gratitude before sleep
- Morning sunlight within 30 minutes of waking
- Ashwagandha to support stress hormones
Once my cortisol leveled out, my thyroid hormones started to balance too — and weight loss became so much easier.
6. I Took Targeted Supplements (With My Doctor’s Guidance)
Not everyone needs the same supplements, but these are what made a huge difference for me:
- Selenium (200mcg daily)
- Zinc (30mg daily)
- Vitamin D3 + K2
- B-complex for energy
- Ashwagandha for cortisol support
- L-tyrosine for thyroid hormone production (used in cycles)
And I stayed consistent. It wasn’t a quick fix, but by week 6, I started seeing visible changes in my body.
When I Started Seeing Results
📅 Week 2: Less bloating, better energy
📅 Week 4: Weight started dropping slowly (around 1-2 lbs/week)
📅 Week 6: My waist was noticeably smaller
📅 Week 8+: 10 lbs gone, and I looked leaner, stronger, and finally myself again
Final Tips: How to Lose Weight with Hypothyroidism and Keep It Off
- Stop dieting. Start nourishing.
- Be patient. Healing your thyroid takes time.
- Sleep and stress are just as important as food.
- Stay consistent — not perfect.
- Use your cycle (if you’re female) as a guide for energy and nutrition needs.
You Don’t Have to Stay Stuck
I promise — hypothyroidism doesn’t have to mean a lifetime of weight gain and frustration. Once I understood my body, stopped punishing it, and focused on healing instead of hustling, the weight came off naturally.
If you haven’t read my article on How to Reset Your Thyroid to Burn Fat, it’s a great next step to dig deeper into the healing process.
You’ve got this, and I’m rooting for you every step of the way!
