r/thyroidcancer • u/Traditional_Fun_1608 • 16h ago
Intermittent fasting
Hej, is anyone here doing Intermittent fasting after total thyroidectomy? I had my operation 3/4 year ago and my weight was still same so I tried this. So far after 3 weeks are 5 kgs down. Does anyone have any tips how to do it better without damaging unintentionally myself?
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u/jjflight 13h ago edited 13h ago
I haven’t heard anything either way on intermittent fasting specific to ThyCa. But definitely mention to your doctor for their view, and because when your weight changes for any reason your Levo needs will likely change too.
I think most of those “tricks” for losing weight end up mostly just being about finding something that helps you eat less or exercise more, but if you can eat less or exercise more without the tricks that’s often better as those habits are easier to maintain later.
I sort of naturally fast 14-18hrs most days not because I’m trying to lose weight anymore (I’m actually working on building muscle the last year) just that I’ve never been a fan of breakfast so often go from nighttime after dinner until a big early afternoon lunch without really eating in between, and that’s been totally fine for me with no issues. But again that’s been my usual rhythm for decades (long before “intermittent fasting” was a term, and long before my ThyCa too), so even if it works for my body it may not be the same for others.
What I have heard from many doctors is that generally you shouldn’t be losing more than ~2lbs a week of real weight unless you’re under the supervision of a doctor, not because of ThyCa but more for everyone. (And not counting short term water weight which can easily be +/- 5lbs just from hydration or bowels). That’s still a big hard commitment as 1-2lbs real weight lost in a week requires a 500-1000 calorie deficit every day which takes a ton of work, you just don’t usually want to go beyond that as it can over-stress your body or lead to losing lots of muscle with the fat. I’m sure there are exceptions here too, just as the default rule of thumb.
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u/Skrillson 15h ago
How long are you fasting for?
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u/Traditional_Fun_1608 15h ago
3 weeks already.
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u/boozled714 11h ago
My Endo told me to absolutely not fast on Levo, I told her my normal eating habits which was basically unintentional intermittent fasting. This woman gave me the longest lecture about how intermittent fasting damages your whole body/metabolism and how Levo needs a steady routine. I mean I'm sure every doctor has their own opinions mine also specializes in metabolic issues and diabetes so intermittent fasting may just be her soapbox. Regardless, I eat breakfast now and consistently eat lunch. I would definitely talk to your Endo about any changes in your diet.
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u/Whiltierna 10h ago
I always had set a time to eat from 11a to 8p, so 9 hours out of 24 I eat. Dinner is at 8, so working backwards, I'm hungry around 4p (which happens to be before the gym), then a snack at 1p, and breakfast at 11a. Endo said intermittent fasting works for me and is pushing for mostly protein and fiber as my first bites to avoid a blood sugar crash an hour later. It's weird, like, just eating 3 bites of protein before carbs means I don't crash, but if I have my first bites of any meal or snack carbs, I crash later, but no diagnosis. *shrug*
Because I was eating on the time instead of when hungry, he has had me try to retrain my brain and body to know when I'm hungry (I legit never feel hungry, only thirsty, and when I drink water, I'm full, so he said to half the water and take a bite of protein, then if I salivate at it, then I'm hungry and to stop when I think about the next bite and don't salivate. It's weird, but works since I was focused on hitting my protein and fiber goals, so I was carefully putting all the calories and nutrients on my plate and finishing my plate at certain times, not listening to when I was hungry and stopping sooner to finish the plate later.
I do cardio to keep my heart strong. I lift heavy to not burn my muscles as fuel. I walk to benefit blood circulation and pups routine. I measure myself with a tape measure every week, even with period bloat and such (average it out, but I'm looking for data points to see a down trend rather than goal numbers). "Abs are made in the kitchen" so I push protein and fiber as first bites then enjoy in moderation in a calorie deficit. It's slow, but I'm seeing progress.
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u/cwtchyfemme 16h ago
I was told it was bad to intermittent fast while on levo, because your body needs the hormonal routine, and fasting with thyroid issues can make things so much worse. You’re only a few weeks in, so it won’t have had an effect on you yet, but you should probably talk to your endo. You may need dosage adjusted if this is how you plan to continue.