Because the thyroid is a major regulator of metabolic function, it might be difficult to lose 20 pounds with hypothyroidism is not properly managed. (Weight gain is frequently the first symptom of hypothyroidism.) The most important thing you can do to lose weight and improve your overall health is to obtain adequate hypothyroidism treatment. Making a few dietary changes, on the other hand, may help you lose weight faster. Losing weight is never easy, but people who have well-controlled hypothyroidism shouldn’t struggle to lose weight more than anyone else, says Leonor Corsino, MD, an endocrinologist at the Duke Center for Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery in Durham, North Carolina.