Weight Gain and Hormones, Part Two
Last week in Weight Gain and Hormones, Part One, I discussed my personal experience with hormone imbalance and weight gain. I offered some insight as to why gaining weight is not always about eating less and moving more.
Today I get a little more controversial as I explain why this weight gain shouldn’t be 100% blamed on the disorder that caused the imbalance.
Continued from last week…
The doctor explained that the hormones were at least partially at fault for my weight gain, even if just by making me so hungry that my self-control could not function. There was a catch though…hormones alone were not going to take the weight off. I would need to use what self-control I did have and shed the fat before my body would respond properly to treatment.
Confused? I was too, but I’ll try to explain what I’ve come to learn.
If you have an imbalance, you can supplement your body with hormones, but you still need to lose the fat. Why? Getting your body back into balance will help your overall health, and having excess weight means you are out of balance. Losing extra weight is crucial to your health, especially if you suffer from disorders such as diabetes, hyper- or hypothyroidism, or even infertility. It makes sense to treat any disorders once you’ve done all you can to eliminate any imbalances you created on your own, including weight gain, though that’s just a personal opinion.
Although hormones can lead to excessive hunger, overeating, and therefore weight gain — I would caution you against blaming the hormones, and only the hormones. You don’t want to trick yourself into thinking that diet and exercise won’t work. While there are some conditions that may make it impossible to lose weight regardless of eating well and moving more, I still suggest that you try. Sitting around and waiting until a doctor can prescribe you something means one thing — more weight gain as the time passes.
While I was busy gaining 75+ pounds, I made the mistake of doing nothing. I waited for science to tell me what was wrong with me, instead of taking back control. When I was finally diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, a form of hypothyroidism, I asked the doctor how to lose the extra weight. He point-blank said I needed to diet and exercise, and I was disappointed to say the least. I expected him to give me a pill that would shed the pounds effortlessly, but that’s not how our bodies work.
An imbalance of hormones caused my cravings and hunger, but it didn’t physically put the food in my mouth, turn that food into calories, and turn those extra calories into fat. I did that. Me. Now I was the only person who could fix the mess I found myself in.
Join me next Thursday for the last installment Weight Gain and Hormones. I’ll talk about how I lost the weight, and how hormones are affected by weight loss.
Tags: Diane Penna, endocrine system, hormone imbalance, hormones, hunger, hypothyroidism, weight gain, weight lossRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Basics of Weight Loss, Diane's Journey
2 opinions for Weight Gain and Hormones, Part Two
Kelly Turner
Nov 14, 2008 at 11:46 am
Very true- and thanks for sharing that.
As a personal trainer, i get the thyroid/hormone excuse all the time-even from their doctors- but lo and behold, when they put in the work and start eating properly, the weight melts off. Its not magic, its hard work.
I have hyperthyroidism, which causes a lot of people to tell me to shut because i was blessed with a fast metabolism, but thats not what it means. it means my body runs so high all the time, that I get exhausted at the drop of a hat. Everything is hightened. There is no proof that my metabolism burns more calories than someone else my age (if anything it effects my heart the most), but my hunger levels are elevated. That doesnt mean I use it as an excuse to eat. I recognize when its not true hunger (because i already ate a sufficient amount of food) and dont give in to it. I do not take medicine, because I regulate it with food an exercise. Hormones are one more barrier to eating right and exercising, but for most people its not an excuse. You control what goes into your mouth.
i know, easier said than done.
Kelly Turner
http://www.groundedfitness.com
Diane Penna
Nov 14, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Kelly, you’re right — it is easier said than done. I can attest to the fact that thyroid issues will definitely give you fatigue…up until I started a new medication I would need to take daily naps. However, like you said, if you can work past that and give it all you’ve got, the weight can come off. In addition, the exercise will increase energy levels, so it’s a win-win situation!
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: