13: The Biggest Weight Loss Barriers for Women with Hypothyroidism

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST – Also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

You’re not failing at weight loss — your body just needs the right support.” – Dr. Rachel Vong

When your thyroid isn’t working properly, weight loss can feel like an uphill battle — frustrating, slow, and sometimes seemingly impossible. I’ve experienced this myself, and I’ve found that a lot of my clients have the same issue. That’s why I was so excited for this conversation Dr. Rachel (pronounced like “Rachelle”) Vong, a licensed Naturopathic Doctor with a passion and clinical focus on thyroid disorders — specifically hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
In this episode, we take a deep dive into the biggest barriers women face when trying to shed excess weight with a sluggish thyroid. We also discuss the hidden metabolic traps, common mistakes, and the most effective strategies to see progress.

If you’ve been struggling despite your best efforts, this conversation will give you hope and actionable steps to break through the plateau. I think there’s a ton of great information here, and I hope you find it engaging and inspiring!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Diet alone won’t fix the problem: While food plays a role, hormone imbalances, stress, and poor sleep can sabotage your progress. Addressing these factors is just as crucial as what’s on your plate.
• Exercise can backfire: Overtraining or doing the wrong type of workouts can stress your body, making weight loss harder. Discover the best types of movement for thyroid health.
• Your metabolism isn’t broken — but it does need help: Supporting your thyroid function properly can make a huge difference in how your body burns fat. Learn the key nutrients and lifestyle shifts that can help.
• The stress-weight connection: Chronic stress keeps your body in survival mode, holding onto fat. We discuss simple ways to reset your nervous system and reduce cortisol.
• Why calorie restriction is a trap: Eating less isn’t always the answer. In fact, undereating can slow your metabolism even more. Find out how to fuel your body the right way.
• Lowered Metabolic Set Point: Hypothyroidism lowers your metabolic baseline, meaning traditional calorie-restriction approaches can worsen weight loss resistance.
• Insulin Resistance Impact: Insulin resistance is common in hypothyroid patients, causing stubborn belly fat, sugar cravings, and overall metabolic dysregulation. Luckily, there are things we can do to reverse this!
• Gut Health & SIBO: A compromised gut, especially with issues like SIBO, not only hampers thyroid hormone conversion but also heightens inflammation that stalls weight loss. (This was a big factor for me!)
• The Cortisol Connection: How the health of your adrenals (or lack there of), can lead to weight gain patterns…
• Nourish, Don’t Restrict: Shifting to an anti-inflammatory, nutrient-rich diet—supported by targeted supplements like fish oil, vitamin D, and berberine—can restore balance and promote weight loss.

Freebies

• FREE Hashimoto’s Root Cause Book — Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause – just pay shipping! (U.S. shipping addresses only.)

Supplements We Discussed

• Berberine – Helps with blood sugar regulation and insulin sensitivity.
• Pure N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)
• Fish Oil (Omega-3s) – Reduces inflammation and supports brain health.
• Selenium + Myo-Inositol – Can support thyroid function and metabolism
• Zinc – Supports a healthy metabolism
• Rootcology Magnesium Citrate Powder – May help with energy levels, sleep, and constipation
• Garlic oil – Supports a healthy gut and inflammatory response
• Oil of oregano– Supports a healthy balance of gut bacteria
• Tincture of Death – To kill off any microbials in the gut to clear infections or overgrowth
• NutraSea + Vitamin D3 – Fish oil supplement recommended by Dr. Vong

Other Tools and Resources

• SIBO Breath Test – Checks for bacterial overgrowth, which can contribute to bloating and gut issues.
• Thyroid Testing – Regular monitoring of thyroid hormones (TSH, Free T3, Free T4, antibodies) is important.
• Continuous Glucose Monitor– A wearable medical device (prescription required) that allows you to see your glucose in real-time.
• Hashimoto’s Food Pharmacology – Cookbook and nutrition guide for Hashimioto’s

Books and Articles About Thyroid, Adrenal, and Gut Health

• Could SIBO Be Preventing Your Remission from Hashimoto’s?
• The Fundamental Gut Health Protocol
• H. pylori testing and treatment
• Infections As Hidden Triggers For Hashimoto’s
• Which Protein Is Safe for Hashimoto’s?
• Selenium & Myo-Inositol for Thyroid Health
• Blood Sugar Balance and Thyroid Health 
• Are Your Adrenals Sabotaging Your Health?
• Adrenal Transformation Protocol – your ultimate guide to healing your adrenals
• Top 10 Thyroid Tests and How to Interpret Them – How and why to get tested for TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, TPO antibodies, and TG antibodies
• Hashimoto’s Protocol: A 90-Day Plan for Reversing Thyroid Symptoms and Getting Your Life Back

Resources from Our Guest

• Thyroid Reset System – Dr. Vong’s four-month thyroid program
• Book a complimentary thyroid consult here (45 mins) to see if you’d be a good fit for Dr. Vong’s four-month thyroid program, the Thyroid Reset System.
• Free two-day workshop on weight loss April 24th & 25th
• Free guide: 5 Keys to Unlocking More Energy, Shedding Extra Lbs and Clearing Brain Fog
• Free masterclass on the five steps to reversing your thyroid symptoms

Get the Full Episode Transcript

Let’s Connect!

• Follow me on Instagram:@izabellawentzpharmd
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• Subscribe & Review: If you loved this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

Got questions? Drop them in the comments! 🙂

About Our Host

Dr. Izabella Wentz 

Dr. Izabella Wentz is a compassionate, innovative, solution-focused integrative pharmacist dedicated to finding the root causes of chronic health conditions. Her passion stems from her own diagnosis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in 2009, following a decade of debilitating symptoms.

Dr. Izabella Wentz has written several best-selling books, including the New York Times bestseller Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause, the protocol-based #1 New York Times bestseller Hashimoto’s Protocol: A 90-Day Plan for Reversing Thyroid Symptoms and Getting Your Life Back, the Wall Street Journal bestseller Hashimoto’s Food Pharmacology: Nutrition Protocols and Healing Recipes to Take Charge of Your Thyroid Health, and her latest book, Adrenal Transformation Protocol.

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About Our Guest

Dr. Rachel Vong, ND

Dr. Rachel Vong is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor in Toronto, Canada with a passion and clinical focus on thyroid disorders, specifically hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. She runs a successful four month comprehensive thyroid program called the Thyroid Reset System that has helped hundreds of women with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s reclaim their energy, lose weight effortlessly and get back to feeling like themselves again.

Having struggled with debilitating anxiety, burnout, and a myriad of gut issues herself for several years, it has become her mission in life to help guide and empower other women to take charge of their own health so that they can live a life that they love.

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