Hi CT. Recently , I finished a successful cut using basically a PSMF diet with 2 days successive refeeds on the weekend. During that cut, my calories averaged about 1000 calories on dieting days and 3000 on my refeed days. 3 months later, using the same workout and cardio routine, eating the same calories (which I think are too low) my weights loss is about 1/3 of the previous one ( I used to lose 1.5 lbs every week now only 0.75 lb).
P.S: I added 6*30 min LISS sessions to the program and I take Albuterol as well.
So, my question is if should I get my thyroid checked since I may caused some damage from my previous strict cut or keep grinding?
Thank you for your knowledge 
I will give you a more complete answer. But did you regain weight in the 3 months and if so did you get back to where you used to be (when you first did PSMF), higher or lower?
Thank you so much for your answer. I actually tried to reverse diet afterwards. First cut, I started at 18% and I got to a true 11% in 8 weeks. 12 weeks after my bodyfat climbed back to 15% approximately (some ab definition). So, I gained back like 8 lbs in 12 weeks.
Thank you 
You don’t cause “damage” to your thyroid with restrictive dieting.
You can, however, reduce T3 levels and increase reverse T3.
T3 is the thyroid hormone that has the greatest impact on metabolism and energy expenditure.
The body produces T3 by converting the relatively inactive (on energy expenditure) T4 into T3 via the action of the two deiodinase enzymes.
Cortisol decreases the conversion of T4 into T3 and can increase the conversion of T4 into reverse T3. In the long run it can even decrease TSH.
Most “thyroid problems” are actually caused by excess cortisol levels.
LEVEL 1. Cortisol decreases the conversion of T4 into T3… when this happens the blood panels will normally show normal TSH, normal to high T4 and low T3. This is actually the most common type of thyroid issues. Doctors still prescribe T4 to these individuals, which is completely stupid as it doesn’t solve the conversion issue and might lead to a decrease in TSH levels which will actually make things worse.
LEVEL 2. On top of decreasing the T4 to T3 conversion, you now have an increase in the conversion of T4 into reverse T3… reverse T3 binds to T3 to make it inactive… further reducing metabolic rate. When this happens bloods will often show normal TSH, low to normal-low T4 and low T3.
LEVEL 3. You now add a reducing in TSH production, which will further decrease other thyroid hormones, making it really hard to solve the issue. TSH, T4 and T3 will all be low.
The more cortisol you produce for the longest, the more likely you are to get to the levels 2 and 3.
So I am not discounting the fact that the dieting could lead to a decrease in T3 levels, or even an increase in RT3. The larger the caloric deficit you are on, the more cortisol you produce. Because cortisol is needed to mobilize stored energy. The greater the deficit, the more energy you need to mobilize, the more cortisol you release.
Furthermore, if your diet, on top of being super restrictive is low in carbs you will increase cortisol release even more because of the need to maintain a stable blood sugar level (cortisol and glucagon increase blood sugar levels when it is too low).
So there might be something there.
But objectively speaking I feel that the answer is simpler than that:
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Your starting point is lower. The leaner you are, the slower the weight loss is. In your first diet you started at 18% and in the second cut you started at 15%. Not unexpected to see slower progress.
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The food quality/amount contrast might have been different in both cases. In your first cut maybe what you were eating prior to the cut had a worse macronutrients profile (more carbs/fats), food quality (more junk/transformed foods) and maybe a higher caloric intake (you might not even measured it at that point). Between the two cuts you “reverse dieted”. So I would assume that you maintained a better food selection and likely had a lower caloric intake than prior to your first cut. Because of metabolic adaptation, the relative deficit is important. For example if you were eating an average of 3750 calories/day in the period prior to your first cut and switched to 1000kcals/day you had a realtive deficit of 2750kcals/day… if prior to your second cut your daily average was closer to 2750 then you had a 1750kcals relative deficit even if your absolute deficit was the same. This can account for a portion of thr variance in progression.
Wow! Thank you so much for such a thorough and detailed answer. Such a unique way to look at it. I will try some of the tactics from your cortisol management article and reduce the deficit slightly and see where it goes from there.
Thank you so much coach and I really appreciate your help and time
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