Realistic Ways to Achieve Thyroid Fitness

Whether you have hyperthyroidism, Hashimoto’s, or post-ablative hypothyroidism, maintaining your health and fitness is an essential part of your overall wellness. With the New Year, you might be feeling the pressure to enhance your thyroid fitness and work toward a healthier lifestyle. Follow along to discover some essential thyroid management basics.

Essential Thyroid Management & Fitness Goals

We’re going to do our best to teach you how to maintain your thyroid levels and how to control your thyroid through exercise. However, we’re also here to remind you to set realistic fitness goals so you won’t feel like thyroid management isn’t possible for you!

The Role of the Thyroid in Your Metabolism

The thyroid is a gland that produces specific hormones that are designed to regulate your body’s metabolic rate. Each person has a different metabolic rate, which determines how quickly you burn up calories to use for energy. The most important thyroid hormones for metabolic rate are called T3 and T4, and they influence nearly every organ in your body, as your metabolism dictates how quickly you use up energy, regulates sensitivity to other compounds, and controls when you make proteins.

When your thyroid is under active, fitness is especially important since your body isn’t getting the right signals to use up energy and make essential proteins. You’ll also feel more lethargic, affecting how often you feel motivated to work out. In order to support your thyroid fitness, having and sticking to a regimen is key. Here are some tips to ensure you feel motivated even on your worst days as you tackle thyroid management.

Combating Fatigue

One of the most common symptoms for those with thyroid illnesses is fatigue. When you’re tired, it’s so hard to find the energy to exercise. However, overcoming the urge to lie down and do nothing is crucial! Regular activity can help boost your overall energy levels over time, so you’ll feel more motivated to work out.

To combat the initial fatigue you may be experiencing, it’s best to support your thyroid fitness with light activities. Walking, gentle yoga, and simple pilates exercises are how to maintain your thyroid levels without overwhelming yourself.

Set Yourself Realistic Goals

If you want to learn how to control your thyroid through exercise, appropriate goal setting is step one. It’s hard to keep working out when you set your goals too high. If you never reach them, you’ll stop feeling motivated to work out. Be gentle with yourself and your expectations. Take small, incremental steps toward better thyroid fitness. Check out a few goals to get you started on your journey:

Walking for 10 minutes each day
Working out three times each week
Trying a new type of workout once a month
Hitting a 2,500-step count on your watch each day

Focus on Progress NOT Perfection

Overcoming fatigue and ensuring you’re meeting small goals is a great place to start, but to keep your mentality positive, make sure you’re focusing on progress — not perfection. Don’t beat yourself up too much when you miss a workout or a goal. Instead, celebrate that you’re taking steps toward better thyroid fitness. Know that each day you do some physical activity is better than days where you do none at all, and look at this journey as something beyond simple weight loss.

As you slowly increase your goals to match your fitness, you’ll see significant progress over time. Where once you could only complete 10 minutes of walking, now you can do 20!

Basic Exercises for Beginners

Finding out what you can do as a beginner is a great way to gauge what goals are achievable. Take a look at the top exercises for beginners to start setting goals!

Walking

Walking is the perfect way to start your thyroid fitness journey. It’s low impact, and you can do it around your neighborhood. Start out with a brisk walking pace and see how long you can keep going. Your ultimate goal is 30 minutes of brisk walking every day.

Swimming

Swimming is another great beginner workout, but you should come equipped with basic gear, including goggles, a swim cap, and a bathing suit. In addition to helping you learn how to control your thyroid through exercise, swimming can also improve your lung capacity and heart health. Aim for 20-30 minutes of laps three times per week.

Weights

One of the best ways to maintain your metabolic rate and thyroid fitness is by building muscle. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so by increasing muscle mass, you boost your metabolism. Start your strength training small with 2.5 and 5 lb weights. Set your goal for 30 minutes of strength training 3-4 times per week.

Getting Started

Now that you know a little more about how to maintain your thyroid levels through fitness, you have a road map to begin your journey. Set goals, start exercising, and consider exploring helpful health supplies to support your progress along the way.

About the Writer: Aaron Smith is an LA-based content strategist and consultant in support of STEM firms and medical practices. He covers industry developments and helps companies connect with clients. In his free time, Aaron enjoys swimming, swing dancing, and sci-fi novels.