2. Gaining Weight vs. Losing Weight
When your thyroid hormone levels are low, you are likely to move less due to exhaustion. On top of that, your metabolism switches tracks. Rather than burning calories for energy and growth, the amount of energy used at rest decreases and your body begins to store more calories as fat. Even if you don’t eat more calories, people with newly diagnosed hypothyroidism gain an average of 15-30 pounds in the first year!
Too much thyroid hormone has the opposite effect. You are more likely to be moving a lot and your metabolism speeds up. As a result, you may lose weight despite having a bigger appetite. However, don’t rely on weight loss as confirmation of hyperthyroidism. Eating more can increase your weight even with an overactive thyroid.