underactive thyroid - can you not just exercise more?

Also, consider that you might concurrently have metabolic syndrome that requires some special attention: eating 6 smaller meals during the day and exercising consistently. It will help your thyroid and improve your ability to feel like exercising more. Once your thryoid hormones are regulated, you will feel amazingly better! Sending you good thoughts!

Different people can have very different symptoms with hypothyroid disease. I wasn't overweight. I was so depressed I could barely make it out of bed. Walking kept me awake, and made me feel like I was alive, so I would skip class and walk all day. Also, I didn't eat much. I just wasn't into it.

On thyroid medication, I actually gained a bit of weight, before I lost it again, because I suddenly became interested in food. I do well on the generic, and while I don't like having a chronic condition, I'm thankful that mine is easy, and cheap, to treat.

The answer is no, you cannot just exercise more.

There are lots of other smptoms besides not being able to lose weight (or actually gaining on low calories). I had huge bouts of edema (sometimes 7-10 lbs in a day or two), gaining on 1200 cals /day (I kept a journal), and extreme tiredness (I would almost fall asleep when I peed). I'd sleep 12-14 hours a day and severely affected my life.

sorry if I have offended anyone but thats how my situation is

I also find people especially my Mum make the thyroid excuse for me and thats how a lot of people find themselves believing it. Your post has just kicked me up the reality butt, and in one statement has made me think and for that I thank you.

You're at least half right. Exercise is possible, even with an untreated or poorly treated thyroid condition, and it helps. On the other hand, don't be too hard on yourself. Being hypothyroid makes a lot of things a lot harder than they need to be.

I agree that it is possible to workout with a low thyroid. Honestly though, this thread a little offensive and I'm trying not to be offended - not everyone knows about it and I assume that's why the question is asked. I usually don't get offended at internet posts, and skim right by the ones that bug me, but this one was more personal I guess.

I think some might use it for an "excuse," but the fact is, once your thyroid stops working, you will gain weight. Usually about 20-30 lbs. You are eating "normally" and all of a sudden it's there. Some people choose to give up and just gain more weight. There are people that do this with anything...not just underactive thyroid.

It is harder for me to lose as well - even while medicated. What I eat does matter...it is not "calories in vs calories out" as is said on this board all the time (quite recklessly IMHO). Most people with hypo also have other automimmune diseases, which can further complicate the situation.

That being said, I do not look at it like I am a victim - now that I'm medicated correctly, I have the energy to do the things I enjoy doing along with the things I *have* to do. Most of the other symptoms have cleared up as well, and I can lose weight...it just might not be as fast as I used to be able to do it. (Which is fine, because I'm more concerned about lifestyle changes at this point.) It doesn't help that the medication can make you hungrier than normal (some people don't experience this, but a lot do). I've started taking most of my meds at night now, hoping I wouldn't be so starved in the morning...it has helped a bit.

I have been diagnosed hypothyroidism for 14 years. I take the 300mg of levothyroxine. I have a sedimentary lifestyle due to it being busy and don't have time to go to the gym but I love to exercise. I have researched hypo life style eating and here is what I have found.
absorption issues"
.1. take meds in the morning no food or dairy 2 hours before or after
2. leafy greens/vitamin k foods are a no no
3. no simple sugars or simple carbs
the medication levothyroxine can cause 20% bone loss over time
people who have this condition are prone to constipations
so meds in the morning calcium in the afternoon and extra fiber at night
since our thyroid makes digestion is slow eating 6 200 calorie meals a day is better than 3 large ones, Big meals take longer to digest gluten products make this worse. lean meats over carbs keeps you fuller longer every thing in balance. really watch calories. prefer eggs over eggbeaters? 1 egg yolk to 3 eggs is a lot less calories than 3 full eggs. Parkay spray butter no calories reduce calories in preparation of foods you like. tea with sweetener rather than sugar no calories. "diets" that work for non hypos do not work for us. tried some diet pills and I GANED weight.. yes I know the warning of aspartame however obesity will kill ya quicker. check out sugar busters no no foods that's helpful. even natural sugars can make us feel sluggish. trust I have the worst kind of thyroid issues.

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.

I agree whole heartedly with what you said. Hypothyroidism effects your whole system. It's a subtle decent into the mental fog aches , fatigue. it's not overnight. My whole family has it. plus as you age everything is changing so it's tricky.

people overblow this thyroid ****, there is studies that show the max it can slow down metabolic rate is 15% on a 1500 calorie maintenance that 150 calories that you dont burn that you should be... if its so bad you cant get out of bed, then thats another problem, but to claim the laws of thermodynamics change being hypo thyroid , is just ludicrous could be untreated hypothyroid and lose weight if you account for the metabolic slow down which cant be more then 15-20 percent.. not saying its a bull**** disease im saying noone can blame not losing weight on it. its esp annoying when people who are taking meds pull the card they cant lose weight due to it, thats just absolute non-sense

I have hypothyroidism. Been on levothyroxine since diagnosis in 2004. Although I still struggle with fatigue, I have not had any trouble losing weight, even on a 1500-1600 calorie net. That said, I am tall, and I also workout intensely.

people overblow this thyroid ****, there is studies that show the max it can slow down metabolic rate is 15% on a 1500 calorie maintenance that 150 calories that you dont burn that you should be... if its so bad you cant get out of bed, then thats another problem, but to claim the laws of thermodynamics change being hypo thyroid , is just ludicrous could be untreated hypothyroid and lose weight if you account for the metabolic slow down which cant be more then 15-20 percent.. not saying its a bull**** disease im saying noone can blame not losing weight on it. its esp annoying when people who are taking meds pull the card they cant lose weight due to it, thats just absolute non-sense

Where did you do your endocrinology residency?

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!

This is me.

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!

Why would you not take thyroid hormone that you have been prescribed? Thyroid hormone is a master regulator of metabolism. If fatigue isn't a good enough reason - what about high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol or other cardiac complications of hypothyroidism. There are serious health complications associated with thyroid hormone disregulation. Do you not owe it to yourself to take this issue seriously?

No. Just no. Would you tell a type 1 diabetic to just eat less sugar?

Medication is necessary. Weight gain is by far the most acceptable side effect. The lack of any energy, depression, anxiety, are much, much worse.

I can tell you I barely had the entry to go to work and when I did I skated thru it. Desk job, didn't matter.

So no, you cannot just exercise more and fix it.

people overblow this thyroid ****, there is studies that show the max it can slow down metabolic rate is 15% on a 1500 calorie maintenance that 150 calories that you dont burn that you should be... if its so bad you cant get out of bed, then thats another problem, but to claim the laws of thermodynamics change being hypo thyroid , is just ludicrous could be untreated hypothyroid and lose weight if you account for the metabolic slow down which cant be more then 15-20 percent.. not saying its a bull**** disease im saying noone can blame not losing weight on it. its esp annoying when people who are taking meds pull the card they cant lose weight due to it, thats just absolute non-sense

Check your math. 15% of 1500 is 225.

Let's say 2000 is normal maintenance. 15% slower for hypos by your count. 1700 maintenance. But hypos generally are so fatigued they are almost bedridden. So, maintenanc normal = 1800, 15% less, 270, 1530. That means to lose just one pound per week the person couldn't eat more than 1030 calories.

It is most certainly NOT an excuse.

Ok, I'm not going to address the uneducated fools knocking the difficulty or complexity of hypothyroidsm.

For those of you with this condition and trying to figure out diet and exercise a few things to consider if you still have a thyroid (even if under functioning)

- absence of exercise down-regulates adrenal/thyroid function: some exercise is good.
- high amounts of exercise MAY down regulate thyroid function through the cortisol recovery path (stress and inflammation)
- obesity up regulates certain hormonal functions (maybe) - it certainly does in animals and children, in adult humans it's a toss, your case might or might not be affected by weight significantly - so don't consider your solution to be the solution for all.
- restricted diet most certainly affects thyroid function, first up regulating (get that food) and then down regulating (conservation and nutrient need).
- food restriction (significant type elimination) has shown aggravation of hypothyroidism in at least one sub group (unpublished, afaik, so take with a grain of salt) - but it makes sense that eating a variety of food even when calorie restricting provides better nutrients and overall metabolic function.

So some exercise when possible(!) is beneficial. Over restriction on diet over extended periods of time might be counter productive but, it might be, a catch 22 with regards to obesity. Try to stay active, try to eat on the upper end of the slow weight loss range. Take breaks. The point here is that highly restrictive diets to lose weight may make things worse. Adding exercise, even if it just walking might allow for higher calories, better nutrient coverage and improved function.

There are a lot of conflicting info with regards to macros that might work or not for hypothyroidism (and toss in PCOS, in there) so I'd suggest that that's an area where changing macros is something one wants to try, be your own observer for a few weeks - logging energy levels, activity and seeing what works for you is something to consider.