9 Perimenopause Weight Loss Tips: Thyroid management

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I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's in my 30's. 

This diagnosis made many of my random and frustrating symptoms make more sense. 

And it set me on a deep-dive journey to figure out how important the thyroid is and how it affects my health and hormones.

Understanding the connection between your endocrine and reproductive system is a game-changer. Your body is a whole component working together to keep you alive, healthy, and energetic. But when hormones start getting out of balance and shifting, it can cause dramatic results. Changing hormones doesn't mean you are at the mercy of crazy and frustrating symptoms. Let's discuss the importance of knowing your thyroid numbers, getting optimized, and ways to mitigate common symptoms.

What is the connection between perimenopause symptoms and the thyroid?

The thyroid is key to health. It is part of your Endocrine system and helps all hormones work together. 

Think of it like your battery. 

When charged, you function well and have energy. When it is drained (not working well), you feel the symptoms of a sluggish metabolism.

The thyroid serves to regulate your metabolism and energy. But once it gets out of balance, it can exacerbate perimenopause symptoms like hot flashes and sleep disturbances. It might even make those hormonal symptoms worse!

A thyroid that can't finish its work gets sluggish and slows metabolism. Even more frustrating, losing weight is difficult if the thyroid is malfunctioning. 

Your thyroid manages your metabolism and releases hormones that regulate vital body functions such as heart rate, deep breathing, weight gain/loss, body temperature, cholesterol levels, and menstrual cycles.

Thyroid problems are common during menopausal and perimenopause years. 

Interestingly, some women may be asymptomatic, while others have a variety of symptoms that often match those we associate with menopause.

Thyroid Hormones and Perimenopause 

These symptoms include mood disturbances, low energy, weight gain, mental confusion, and sleep problems. When you join my 6-month coaching program, Feminine Freedom Path, getting tested is one of the first things I have you complete because it's one of the significant reasons weight loss becomes impossible, or even worse, unexplained weight gain. 

Why in midlife is this happening? 

You guessed it - Hormones.

The inadequate levels of thyroid hormones coupled with estrogen dominance can cause the pituitary gland to become sluggish and the thyroid gland to malfunction. 

When estrogen is not counterbalanced adequately with progesterone, it can block the action of the thyroid hormone, so even when the thyroid produces enough levels of the thyroid hormone, the hormone is rendered ineffective, and symptoms of hypothyroidism appear. 

I found out I had Hashimoto's around 35 when having health problems. Pregnancy can induce thyroid issues due to fluctuating hormone levels.

Optimal Thyroid Function and Testing

How do you know if your thyroid is functioning well? 

Testing is best! 

A TSH test alone does not give you enough information about how your thyroid is functioning. 

Before optimizing your thyroid, you must know where it is right now. Testing all your thyroid numbers is essential.

What to test: 

TSH: Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. The primary test to see if your brain (pituitary) is shouting at your thyroid to make more thyroid hormones. The optimal range is <2 

T3 Uptake: How your cells uptake T3 and indirectly look at other hormones. Good to have, especially if taking thyroid medication. The optimal range is 28%-38% 

Free T4: Levels of the active form of T4. Low in hypothyroidism, normal in subclinical hypothyroidism and early stages of thyroid dysfunction. Optimal range is 1.0-1.5 ng/DL

 Free T3: Active, usable hormone. "The Gas." The optimal range is 3.0-4.0; however, higher while on T3 medication is normal and not an indication of hyperthyroidism. 

Reverse T3: Unusable form. When T4 does not properly convert - this turns on the brakes of how much free active T3 is useable to bind to thyroid receptors.

Thyroid Antibodies: high levels show an autoimmune attack. Hashimoto's is the most common. Most people with Hashimoto's will have an elevation of one or both of these antibodies, TPO and TGO.

**However, ANY antibodies show the start of autoimmunity.

What labs to ask for: TSH, T3, FREE T4, FREE T3, REVERSE T3, THRYOID ANITBODIES, TPO, TOTAL T4, TOTAL T3.

When looking at test results, you want to look at normal thyroid function vs. optimal, and you need to find a doctor willing to test and look at the whole picture of your body and how you are functioning.

Strategies to get your Thyroid working well

1. Get tested and optimized - support the body along with needed medication.

2. Eat Thyroid Nourishing Foods: fermented grains, dairy, sardines, flaxseed, avocado, brazil, yellowfin tuna, grass-fed beef, halibut, beef liver, asparagus, chickpeas, Brussels sprouts, cocoa, sesame seed, mushrooms

3. Get enough Magnesium: eat dark leafy greens, seeds, beans, fish, whole grains, nuts, dark chocolates, yogurt, avocados, bananas, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Consider taking a Magnesium supplement - I recommend Magnesium Breakthrough (Amazon Affiliate Link, I may receive a commission from purchases made using this link)

4. Eat plenty of slow-burning carb E meals 

5. Consume Iodine: add sea vegetables, kombu, wakame, or kelp to your meals.

6. Get Vitamin D levels optimized (between 60-80) 

7. Work for healthy gut bacteria: which facilitates the conversion of t4-t3

8. Up your essential fatty acids: fish, flaxseed, olive oil, chia, walnuts and avocado can boost your levels.

9. Make lifestyle changes to support thyroid function, including stress reduction and exercise

In conclusion, the thyroid is a key player in metabolism, energy, and weight loss and needs to be checked yearly and optimized by a trained professional.

In your midlife season, make sure you love your thyroid by utilizing all the suggestions I mentioned above. 

Need more help for your midlife weight loss and wellness journey? 

Download a copy of 6 Signs of Hormonal Weight Gain and How to Stop It HERE