underactive thyroid - can you not just exercise more?
spcfl88
Posts: 3 Member
been reading up on the net that people with underactive thyroid find it really difficult to shed the excess pounds and that it will be difficult and that's just the way it's going to be. it all sounds very, very defeatist.
.. but can you simply not just.. exercise more, even if it means a hell of a lot more? like instead of doing a half an hour walk a day - do a 1 hour run?
even with a thyroid problem, surely it all equals out in the end? no one seems to have suggested this as an idea.. to those who are saying they're struggling with weight loss on an underactive thyroid but do "moderate" exercise. why is that?
.. but can you simply not just.. exercise more, even if it means a hell of a lot more? like instead of doing a half an hour walk a day - do a 1 hour run?
even with a thyroid problem, surely it all equals out in the end? no one seems to have suggested this as an idea.. to those who are saying they're struggling with weight loss on an underactive thyroid but do "moderate" exercise. why is that?
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been reading up on the net that people with underactive thyroid find it really difficult to shed the excess pounds and that it will be difficult and that's just the way it's going to be. it all sounds very, very defeatist.
.. but can you simply not just.. exercise more, even if it means a hell of a lot more? like instead of doing a half an hour walk a day - do a 1 hour run?
even with a thyroid problem, surely it all equals out in the end? no one seems to have suggested this as an idea.. to those who are saying they're struggling with weight loss on an underactive thyroid but do "moderate" exercise. why is that?
When I had thyroid issues, it took all I had to get out of bed in the morning. I was always cold and my joints hurt. The few times I tried to force myself to work out, it made me feel panicky, like something was chasing me.
According to my Holistic NP, most people are probably better off getting their thyroid lined out before they attempt hardcore exercise. She suggested that I walk 30 minutes a day, as much for the relaxation as for the exercise.0 -
Because having an underactive thyroid messes you up in a lot more ways than just not being able to lose weight easily. Just working out more won't fix those other problems.
Having said that, I'm hypothyroid, but have it under control with medication, and have been losing 1-2 pounds per week quite nicely since joining MFP (thanks MFP!). But I'd agree that getting it under control first is key.0 -
I'm all for making time for exercise and all that, and I do that every day, but honestly - as a woman with a family, a full time career, and heavy volunteering responsibilities for an organisation I am affiliated with, I find it stressful (but ultimately a good thing, I'm not complaining about it!) to find an hour out of my day to exercise most days of the week, half and hour before work and half an hour after. The idea of "simply" exercising more doesn't really seem that simple to me, given all the other day to day stuff that demands as much and more priority in our lives as exercise does. I think a lot of people find the exercise they already do requires a big change in their lifestyle, let alone "simply" doing more to counteract a physiological issue. I also think a lot of people who have an underactive thyroid wish it were that simple, but I suspect there is more to it.
I do however know extremely little about underactive thyroids and the way to work with that condition when wanting to lose weight - and I'm sure there are other people here who will have all the answers about that part of it.0 -
I have hypothyroid that is apparently healed - I beg to differ (I will with my doctor when I next get a chance) as I have countless symptoms, down to where I get acne, my low heart rate, out of breath after walking uphill. It's actually embarrassing, I'll walk up 3 flights of stairs and be feeling OK but panting like a dog, only to have people comment that I must be really unfit! And here I am snowboarding for about 4 hours a day at the moment and having 7 hours sleep a night feeling great
I have only seen a little weight drop now with excessive amounts of exercise. I am talking burning 1500cals a day from exercises (snowboarding) which involved cardio + strength training. So really to just say 'do a bit more' isn't that simple. Imagine feeling tired/lethargic all the time. It really can be hard to get out of bed sometimes and drives me crazy.
The forgetfulness isn't good either - I have met so many people recently and forget their name within about 3 seconds of hearing it, even when I try to remember!0 -
I've been prescribed 25mg Levothyroxine for a few years now, however don't regularly take it (I plan on doing now). I think this is quite a low dose so I'm hoping I'm not *too* under active, but both my mother and her brother have it quite badly.
I definitely have all of the hallmark symptoms of under active thyroid when I'm not taking my meds regularly though.
I'm just worried about having yet another block in the way for my weight loss goal. Choosing what to eat and sticking to it is already a bit of a chore, and trying to work exercise into my routine is proving slightly difficult .. so I'd hate to have something that I can't control that's going to hamper things, especially if I'm putting all my effort into doing it the right way and not seeing results!
If I know I can just push the exercise up a bit more I'd probably feel better. Definitely didn't do well in the hormone lottery.. as well as the thyroid there's also a steroid hormone imbalance too! Although that has been under "control" for about 5+ years now.
I'm "obese" by BMI standards - 85kg at 164cm and I was hoping on losing between 0.5kg and 1kg a week until I hit my target weight.
I'll see what the doc says this week when I see them. Hoping for good news!0 -
:flowerforyou: i am 59 yrs old & have had an under active thyroid for many years! i take medication for it every day of my life. i have to have blood drawn to check my thyroid every 6 months, to see if the amt of meds i take are working. i have had to increase my meds 3 times in 5 years. even with the medication helping you feel very tired all the time, like no energy at all. you have to force yourself out of bed every day or you would just stay there forever. for someone who is a wife, mother,professional worker it is horrible. you have to push yourself until you drop from no longer able to move.0
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Once you're properly medicated, the difficulties you have losing weight with a healthy diet and exercise should diminish. I've been hypothyroid for 12 years. I gained weight from having a sedentary lifestyle that was high in calorie AND I lost weight when I stopped eating SO much and started moving around. The entire time I was properly medicated. So, once you have your levels right - the issue then becomes how far you want to go with this. If you're willing to exercise hardcore, there's no reason you won't reap the benefits of your efforts.0
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I burn roughly 800-1200 calories a day with exercise. I work full time and have kids. There's not many other hours a day to do MORE exercise. So I lose very slowly, or even gain.0
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Because when your thyroid is not under control, brushing your teeth feels like running a marathon... Also when you do any real exercise your muscles get soooooooo sore.0
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I agree. I've been medicated for hypothryroid for 14 years. I gained weight because I was sedentary the first few years. I took up running 10 years ago. I started gaining weight very slowly when I took up half marathons. When I joined here, I found that I wasn't eating enough for that kind of training. During the off season, I rarely exercise (run or weights) for more than 30 minutes.Once you're properly medicated, the difficulties you have losing weight with a healthy diet and exercise should diminish. I've been hypothyroid for 12 years. I gained weight from having a sedentary lifestyle that was high in calorie AND I lost weight when I stopped eating SO much and started moving around. The entire time I was properly medicated. So, once you have your levels right - the issue then becomes how far you want to go with this. If you're willing to exercise hardcore, there's no reason you won't reap the benefits of your efforts.0 -
I have underactive thyroid....I take my meds, I take some all natural supplements from the health food store. I workout everyday and have lost weight. I told myself i was not going to let that stop me...for me it was a mental thing. I work, have 2 kids, i try to eat clean and workout daily. I wouldnt let myself use it as an excuse, in fact it may have driven me to work harder....0
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I have actually had my thyroid surgically removed so I am completely reliant on medication for my thyroid. I was doing really well, had lost about 30lbs and was feeling great, when my body decided it needs more medication. I'm not surprised after I had my last baby my dosage was the lowest it had ever been. I haven't changed a thing, eat between 1500 and 1700 calories a day, exercise hardcore 5-6 days a week and live a very active lifestyle chasing after my two toddlers.
In the past 3 months despite trying even harder, buckling down on 'treats', spending more time at the gym (up to 2 hours 7 days a week which is all the childcare time we're allotted), weight has started to creep back on. I've now gained about 10lbs back from what I had worked so hard to lose. Last time I got checked my levels were out of the ideal range for me, but within the limits of the testing facility so my doctor was unwilling to increase my dose.
I'm not defeated (and am in the market for a new doctor!) but I do know that I am doing all I possibly can. If there is an underlying biological issue I can't really do much else about it at this point. I'm just trying to not let the stalls and slight gains discourage me to much because I know I am healthier and feel better when I'm living this healthy lifestyle than I do when I just give up.0 -
been reading up on the net that people with underactive thyroid find it really difficult to shed the excess pounds and that it will be difficult and that's just the way it's going to be. it all sounds very, very defeatist.
.. but can you simply not just.. exercise more, even if it means a hell of a lot more? like instead of doing a half an hour walk a day - do a 1 hour run?
even with a thyroid problem, surely it all equals out in the end? no one seems to have suggested this as an idea.. to those who are saying they're struggling with weight loss on an underactive thyroid but do "moderate" exercise. why is that?
And if your car runs out of gas, you can just push it with your feet.
Sorry, that's my snotty response. And I do understand the confusion, because a LOT of people do use it as an excuse. But as others have said above, it's not just an issue of "working out more".
Thyroid hormone receptors are required for your cells to actually function. I've had my thyroid surgically removed - if I don't take meds, I would die (like a car running out of gas, my body just wouldn't be able to go anymore) within a few months. That's an extreme example, but I use it to illustrate just how critical thyroid hormones are, and the impact that not having any/enough would have.
There aren't just issues of sleep (though when I don't have enough meds I go to bed at 8:30 and wake up 12 hours later, barely able to drag myself to work). There's actually different metabolic processes that happen around processing of foods, insulin response, food cravings, etc. Everything is harder.
That said, I still lost 20 lbs while hypothyroid by cutting out sugar and yeast, and exercising 20 mins daily. So it's possible...but not necessarily possible for everyone.
So there's no simple answer, and everyone is different when it comes to thyroid.0 -
Hypothyroidism can cause serious medical complications - it's not just a matter of being tired and gaining weight. Anyone who suspects they have it should make an appointment with their doctor and have their hormone levels measured.
It is usually easily treated with medication - sometimes determining the dosage is difficult, but otherwise, medication is very effective.
SOmeone in an earlier post said their measures weren't their ideal but within the normal range - if you are symptomatic, find another doctor if your current one won't work with you. After dealing with hypothyroidism for years, one tends to know what their levels should be, whether they are within the normal range or not. If I am at the bottom of the normal range for TSH, I feel awful.
My doctor has always helped me adjust my med levels to keep me in the middle of the ranges, which is where I feel best.0 -
even with a thyroid problem, surely it all equals out in the end? no one seems to have suggested this as an idea..
I just wanted to address this one directly. It's like saying to someone with a spinal cord injury "haven't you just tried to walk? no one seems to have suggested this".
Again, not that simple. You're incorrect - it doesn't all equal out in the end.0 -
been reading up on the net that people with underactive thyroid find it really difficult to shed the excess pounds and that it will be difficult and that's just the way it's going to be. it all sounds very, very defeatist.
.. but can you simply not just.. exercise more, even if it means a hell of a lot more? like instead of doing a half an hour walk a day - do a 1 hour run?
even with a thyroid problem, surely it all equals out in the end? no one seems to have suggested this as an idea.. to those who are saying they're struggling with weight loss on an underactive thyroid but do "moderate" exercise. why is that?
No, sadly, no.
Building muscle mass is helpful, but only if your supplements are already well balanced. Also, since the underactive or non-functional thyroid isn't adjusting to natural changes in the body, working out more will not provoke increased metabolism, the way it does with healthy people.
People with underactive thyroids also have a lot of other problems, muscle pain and fatigue being one of those. It becomes imposible to exercize "more", as the body doesn't process what you eat, and doesn't produce energy. This can be fixed with artificially adding thyroxin, and most people with hypothyreosis have a very high quality of life once the dosage is balanced. An other problem is that many with underactive thyroid glands also are very vulnerable to stress injuries, both mental and physical. Since the body can not react to sudden demands for a quicker metabolism, there is less flexibility, and so less wiggle-room outside of "normal."
Yes, working out helps to a certain degree. Yes, eating less helps to a certain degree. But neither of those can compensate fully for the loss of a functioning hormonal balance and a healthy metabolism.0 -
I've been prescribed 25mg Levothyroxine for a few years now, however don't regularly take it (I plan on doing now). I think this is quite a low dose so I'm hoping I'm not *too* under active, but both my mother and her brother have it quite badly.
I definitely have all of the hallmark symptoms of under active thyroid when I'm not taking my meds regularly though.
I'm just worried about having yet another block in the way for my weight loss goal. Choosing what to eat and sticking to it is already a bit of a chore, and trying to work exercise into my routine is proving slightly difficult .. so I'd hate to have something that I can't control that's going to hamper things, especially if I'm putting all my effort into doing it the right way and not seeing results!
If I know I can just push the exercise up a bit more I'd probably feel better. Definitely didn't do well in the hormone lottery.. as well as the thyroid there's also a steroid hormone imbalance too! Although that has been under "control" for about 5+ years now.
I'm "obese" by BMI standards - 85kg at 164cm and I was hoping on losing between 0.5kg and 1kg a week until I hit my target weight.
I'll see what the doc says this week when I see them. Hoping for good news!
One of the things about hypothyroidism is that being under can make you stupid. It slows down everything, including your thought processes. I am a professor, so nothing wrong with my brain, but when I first got these problems, before I was medicated, I was suddenly unable to do simple maths in my head. It is terrifying! Also, because it affects your mind, mood and body all together, you no longer know when you are being stupid because you are not properly medicated, or if you are just being an idiot. Scary, scary indeed.
This is one of the reasons why it is so important to take hypothyroidism seriously, and to find a good doctor! You need to experiment with the range in which you are comfortable, and you need to take your medication regularly. My sister tends to forget her meds, and that makes her tired, which makes her forgetful, and then she discovers that she is actually out of medicines, but she doesn't feel like going to pick up more, because she's so tired, so she'll do it next time she is out, but then she forgets... It's a vicious cycle that just gets worse if you don't actively maintain your level of activity, and keep checking your medication. So remember your meds. You can't just work out an extra hour and become smarter.0 -
I have hypothyroidism and I just eat less. I've been in pain my whole life so I've learned to push through it. I still go to the gym just about every day but what really helped with my weight loss is simply eating about half of what most people my size eat. For some of us, medication isn't an option.0
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i have low thryoid issues to - have for many many years. I was just re tested and found out i needed to up the meds again . Like most of you on this board I really watch what I eat and I do ALOT of working out. Always have. Thryoid issues NEVER go away, you just need to work with your body and accept what you can or cannot do.0
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I have hypothyrodism as well. I am on 125mg and before they knew what I had, it was horrible. Just getting up could make your heart pound, I felt tired, depressed and my body hurt. I couldn't think as fast either. And I was steadily gaining weight over the years. I now have to take a pill for the rest of my life and get blood tests about every 6 months to make sure I am on track.
I don't blame my weight on my thyroid but i know it is a factor. I'm losing weight on a normal basis but everyone is different and can be effected differently. Just working out harder is not going to mean you lose weight. OP are you just curious why this happens to people with a slow thyroid or did a doctor tell you that you may have an underactive thyroid?
I know there are some people who scoff at others with thyroid issues and basically say that the person is just making an excuse or being lazy and thats why they gained weight. Hypothyroidism, if not taken care of can be a very serious issue. It slow's down all the major organs of the body and can be life threatening if not taken care of. It can make you gain weight, and it can slow down weight loss process, regardless of exercise. But it's not the same for everyone.0 -
I agree. I've been medicated for hypothryroid for 14 years. I gained weight because I was sedentary the first few years. I took up running 10 years ago. I started gaining weight very slowly when I took up half marathons. When I joined here, I found that I wasn't eating enough for that kind of training. During the off season, I rarely exercise (run or weights) for more than 30 minutes.Once you're properly medicated, the difficulties you have losing weight with a healthy diet and exercise should diminish. I've been hypothyroid for 12 years. I gained weight from having a sedentary lifestyle that was high in calorie AND I lost weight when I stopped eating SO much and started moving around. The entire time I was properly medicated. So, once you have your levels right - the issue then becomes how far you want to go with this. If you're willing to exercise hardcore, there's no reason you won't reap the benefits of your efforts.0 -
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about 12 years ago and have taken meds since. The only symptom I had was a lump (goiter) in my neck. If you seek medical help, work with your doctor to get the dose right and take your meds every day, then you should be fine. I do think some people use it as an excuse. The meds should get you back to a "normal" thyroid function ... then it's up to us.0
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Tried that, and it didn't work. That was one of the ways I suspected it was my thyroid. Through C25K I started running 25 miles per week, and some days I followed up with 30DS. It was like my body completely shut down. I would sleep 8 - 10 hours at night, and then come to work, not be able to concentrate/function, fall asleep in my cubicle for 2-3 hours per day, and STILL not be able to function for the rest of the day. I was eating between 1800 and 2300 cals, so plenty of fuel. And it wasn't just "Oh, I don't feel like doing anything". It was "No, you are NOT going to do anything!" So it's more about just not being able to lose weight.0
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I was just diagnosed last month with hypothyroidism. 2 years ago I joined MFP and was able to lose weight steadily and consistently. I then got pregnant and gained about 20 pounds with it. But after I had my baby was when the problems started, I thought it was just trying to recover and postpartum issues. I tried very hard to workout but as others have said it was hard to just get out of bed or do anything especially with a 2 year old your chasing and a new baby. I weighed my self the day after Thanksgiving and had gained 10 pounds since having my baby. During December I watched what I ate really close and exercised when I felt I could, but by the first of the year I had gained another 15 pounds....in just 5 weeks! That's when I knew something was wrong because even when I gained weight a few years ago it never came on that fast and I was eating close to 3000 calories a day. The doctor put me on .75mg but I still feel so sluggish and exhausted all the time. And when I do workout I am asleep with in 15 minutes of finishing the workout because it completely wipes me out. I'm hoping once I find the right dosage of meds that will help, but it definitely not as easy as just exercising more and watching what you eat....me just eating around 1300-1500 calories in the past month and exercising a few days a week and I'm lucky if I maintain every week!0
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I don't have a thyroid and my meds are wrong again. I have been so tired for the past two weeks that I hardly get up to go to the bathroom. No, I don't wet my pants, but I hold it as long as I can.
I don't have a gall bladder either. So not only do I not have the organ than controls metabolism, but I also don't have the organ that controls how your body handles fat.
A week ago I had to stop exercising because I got sick, and the exhaustion is still severe. I had a cold.
Yes, when I eat under 1350 calories a day, I can lose weight. I don't have the luxury of going over my calories and not gaining weight.0 -
I have an underactive thyroid and MS. I take medication for both (MS 7 years, Thyroid, 13 years) and I'm able to exercise every day if I wish. It does take a bit longer for the weight to come off and when the thyroid medication isn't working correctly and needs to be adjusted, I gain instead of lose weight. Last year my MS medication interacted with the Thyroid medication and caused it to stop working, so the doctors said, and I gained 30 pounds and had all kinds of health issues to go with that. But now the doctors switched both of my medications and the weight has started to come off slowly as long as I exercise several times a week and eat correctly. I have bouts where I'm super tired but the doctor's saed that is normal for people with MS/underactive thyroid. For exercise, I would just suggest to start with whatever your body can handle as any amount is helpful, such as a short walk.0
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Hypothyroidism is very easy to treat by just taking a specific dose of pill every day. When it's under control, your hormones should be normal and not affect your ability to lose weight. I take 205mcg daily, have been treating it for 15 years, and I had no trouble losing 20 lbs.0
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Hypothyroidism is very easy to treat by just taking a specific dose of pill every day. When it's under control, your hormones should be normal and not affect your ability to lose weight. I take 205mcg daily, have been treating it for 15 years, and I had no trouble losing 20 lbs.
Some people's hypothyroid is easy to treat with a pill. For many people's it's not that easy.
But I do agree that once managed properly weight loss is achievable the same way as for everyone else.0 -
I also have hypothyroidism. If your condition is new and not controlled yet, then yes, losing weight is hard, because your metabolism is slowed. And exercise, like cardio, only allows for a short increase in metabolism (while weight lifting is more long term), but losing weight is difficult and came become a frustration. For me, my doctor has figured out what dosage of Synthroid that I need, and I can lose weight the same as any one else!0
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I kept locking my keys in the car and forgetting things. I racked it up to "mommy brain" after my third child. I became very ill and the doctor did a full blood work up. Yes i was hypothyroid. I finally got it under control and lost quite a bit of weight. Then my insurance company stopped paying for my medicine and I switched to generic. DON"T DO THIS. I couldn't get back on track until I started paying for my own meds.(trying different doses and formulas for 5+ years) I am where I started plus and struggling. Even with proper meds you are still more prone to joint pain and constipation which can really mess up weight loss. Unfortunately it is not as "simple" as working out more.0
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