I used to be such a tragic for a fad diet. I was born in the 80s! Low & fat were among my first words (no, not really, I’m being dramatic). From the time I went through puberty I always had hips and thighs. I was a pear with piggy faced knees, gasp! I still remember the shame one day when I ‘broke’ my diet with a caramello koala – I was 14 years old! 

Weight loss is a big deal to most Australian women, it’s programmed into us from a very young age and I suspect it might be even harder for the younger generations as they have social media to contend with. Most of us have tried eveeeeerything. So when you’re living with Hashimoto’s and feel like your body is holding on to extra weight no matter what you do, it can be horribly demoralising.

Thankfully, after a lot of work, I am much kinder to myself and my body these days. I approach food from a place of joy and confidence. I have learnt how to eat for enjoyment and health rather than appearances. I’ve unfastened my sense of worth from my shape and size. I also understand my body and how my stage of life and Hashimoto’s has changed the way I view and interact with food. So let’s chat about the paramount element you need to understand if you want to naturally maintain a healthy weight and feel amazing despite hypothyroidism – and enjoy doing it – because I’m sure that is as important to you as it is to me.

Has anyone told you that Hashimoto’s predisposes you to poor blood sugar control?

Thyroid hormones play a vital role in glucose metabolism. When thyroid function is low — even if your labs are ‘normal’ but suboptimal — your cells become less efficient at using glucose for energy. This leads to increased insulin resistance, more dramatic blood sugar fluctuations (higher highs and lower lows) and the bad news is that elevated insulin increases your storage of energy, AKA fat cells, causing you to gain weight. Yes, even if you’re eating a relatively healthy diet.

Hypothyroidism lowers your basal metabolic rate due to a deficiency of thyroid hormones. Your basal metabolic rate is the amount of energy your body uses at rest so lowering it means you’re naturally burning through less energy throughout the day. It also affects digestion, hormone clearance, and fluid balance, all of which contribute to that sluggish, heavy feeling so many Hashi’s women describe. 

So no, you’re not going crazy. Your body is working differently and most mainstream diet advice isn’t tailored to women living with autoimmunity and hypothyroidism. 

But here’s the good news, when we support the body through blood sugar regulation and inflammation reduction (think yummy, balanced & regular meals), things start to shift. Not just on the scales, but in your energy, mental clarity, confidence and enjoyment of life.

Calories Aren’t the Villain. The Blood Sugar Rollercoaster is.

The old weight loss equation, calories in versus calories out, simply isn’t effective when you’re a busy woman with hypothyroidism, autoimmunity and high stress. Sometimes you might find that it works in the very short term and then the effect diminishes. In fact, relying on calorie restriction alone can make things worse when this unsustainable approach inevitably fails and your metabolic response has become less flexible. Yo-yo dieting can really damage your metabolic flexibility.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve increased my client’s meal sizes, balanced out their macronutrients, asked them to stop skipping meals and the weight finally starts dropping. 

So what’s the blood sugar roller coaster? If your blood glucose levels were monitored over a 24 hour period on a graph you would ideally want to see them respond to each meal with a gently undulating wave. If your levels are not well regulated then you would see your levels resembling a gravity defying rollercoaster ride with high spikes followed by low crashes. When you’re on the blood sugar roller coaster, the body releases a lot of insulin and stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Insulin is our primary fat storage hormone and cortisol & adrenaline break down muscle and promote fat storage too.

And when that is combined with a sluggish thyroid, the results are fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, cravings, and that frustrating feeling of ‘I’m doing everything right, but nothing’s working.’

Signs Your Blood Sugar Might Be Out of Balance

You don’t need to be diabetic or even pre-diabetic to have blood sugar dysregulation (who knew?!), it’s sneaky and surprisingly common in Hashimoto’s. Here are some tell-tale signs:

• Craving sugar or carbs throughout the day (especially mid-afternoon or after dinner)
  
• Feeling shaky, anxious, or irritable when meals are delayed – hangry anyone?
  
• Exhausted in the afternoon, wired at night
  
• Waking between 2–4am
  
• Constant fatigue, even after a full night’s sleep
  
• Feeling hungry soon after eating
  

Acne, gut and hormonal issues are all common with this picture too. High insulin really messes with a lot of important processes. If you’re nodding along, your body is asking for more consistent fuel and stability — not another diet.

So, What Does Balanced Blood Sugar Actually Look Like?

You don’t need a rigid diet, keto calculator, or willpower of steel. You need to eat in a way that supports your glucose response and metabolism — gently, consistently and sustainably.

Here’s what that looks like in real life:

• Scaffold each meal with enough protein — this helps stabilise glucose levels, keeps you full and provides the necessary amino acids for thyroid hormone production. Think eggs, poultry, fish, legumes, red meat and collagen (with added tryptophan to make it a  complete protein).
  
• Add healthy fats — extra virgin olive oil, grass fed ghee, avocado, nuts and seeds keep you fuller, longer.
  
• Prioritise veggies & fibre — Fill half your plate with colourful vegetables (particularly of the green variety) herbs, spices and other plant foods daily.
  
• Slow-burning complex carbs — like root vegetables, fruit, whole gluten-free grains, legumes in small to moderate portions with each meal.
  
• Eat every 4-5 hours — skipping meals may feel virtuous, but it sends your blood sugar (and cortisol) into a tailspin. Your thyroid also thrives on regular meal times and consistent energy. Anything more than an overnight fast of 12-14 hours is not suitable for most hypothyroid women and it’s certainly not necessary for healthy weight maintenance.

These are the key basics but there is more you can do to finesse your blood sugar response. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about creating a rhythm that works for your body — and trusting that consistency will do more for your metabolism than any crash diet ever could.

This Is Exactly What I Teach in Food Freedom, Hashimoto’s Edition

I created this program because I know how confusing and defeating it can feel to try to maintain a healthy weight with Hashimoto’s — especially when everything you’ve tried either hasn’t worked, or left you more disillusioned than when you started.

Inside Food Freedom, I’ll walk you through a proven, whole foods approach designed to:

• Stabilise blood sugar and reduce insulin resistance
  
• Support thyroid function with key nutrients
  
• Reduce inflammation through gentle dietary shifts & delicious fresh food
  
• Create a sustainable, guilt-free relationship with food

No counting. No extreme rules. Just real food, real structure, and real support for your real life.

If you’re ready to stop second-guessing every bite and finally feel at home in your body again — without food burnout, anxiety or obsession — this is your next step.