Heal Your Thyroid with Exercise

Thyroid disorders affect millions of people worldwide. More than 12 percent of Americans will develop a thyroid condition at some point in their life. An estimated 20 million already have a thyroid disorder. Yet, less than 40 percent of them receive treatment.

Hypothyroidism is one of the most common endocrine disorders, causing weight gain, painful joints, fatigue, thinning hair, low energy, and depression. This condition can affect how you look and feel, and interfere with your daily life.

Standard treatment involves oral medications and synthetic thyroid hormones, such as Synthroid. These drugs can restore your hormone levels, ward off fatigue, and lower cholesterol. However, their side effects shouldn’t be taken lightly.

For instance, Synthroid, one of the most commonly prescribed thyroid medications, may cause irritability, rapid heartbeat, infertility, decreased bone density, migraines, diarrhea, tremors, and shortness of breath. For many people, the side-effects can be worse than the symptoms that are being treated.

Fortunately, there are effective alternatives that avoid the potential side-effects of traditional medicine. In short, there are ways to cure hypothyroidism naturally. Regular detox, clean eating, and exercise can not only help relieve hypothyroidism symptoms, they will enhance your overall health and well-being

Hypothyroidism at a Glance

Statistics indicate that five out of 100 people in the U.S. suffer from hypothyroidism. Women and seniors are the most affected. This disorder occurs when the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough hormones to meet your body’s needs. Basically, it’s caused by an underactive thyroid gland.

Some people are more likely to develop hypothyroidism than others. This condition is common among those with a family history of thyroid disease. If you suffer from type I diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or anemia, you’re at risk for hypothyroidism.

Things are even worse for pregnant women. If left untreated, this disorder can affect both the mother and her baby. Additionally, it raises your cholesterol levels, causes joint pain, and affects fertility.

Hypothyroidism has a variety of symptoms that can be debilitating. These include chronic fatigue, slowed heart rate, heavy menstrual periods, constipation, weight gain, and fluid retention. Depression, muscle pain, sleepiness, and hair loss may occur too. Some people also experience blurred vision, paresthesia, difficulty concentrating, and emotional lability. These symptoms can affect your personal and professional life as well as your ability to function socially.

Exercise and Thyroid Health

A growing body of research indicates that exercise can improve thyroid health. Working out regularly helps prevent and reduce weight gain caused by hypothyroidism. It also boosts your energy levels, wards off fatigue, and strengthens your bones. A regular exercise routine can offset hypothyroidism symptoms and make it easier to manage your condition.

Before making any decisions to use traditional medicine, ask your doctor if it is safe to explore alternative methods first. If you get the okay, start by tweaking your diet and workouts.

Simple things, such as lifting weights, eating more veggies, and taking salt baths, can make all the difference. Exercise can boost thyroid function and rev up your metabolism. This leads to fat loss, greater energy, better sleep, and improved digestion.

On top of that, exercise has none of the side effects associated with hormone replacement therapy. Any form of physical activity that increases metabolism is beneficial for those struggling with an underactive thyroid.

Health experts recommend strength training and low impact aerobic exercise for managing hypothyroidism. Hiking, dancing, cycling, walking, swimming, yoga, pilates, and weight training are particularly beneficial. These activities cause sweating and raise your heart while burning calories. Since hypothyroidism causes muscle and joint pain, it’s recommended to avoid high intensity exercise.

For instance, running is a great way to torch fat and boost your overall fitness, but it puts stress on your joints. The same holds true for HIIT routines. Although, they are also excellent for burning fat and boosting metabolism, they are not the best choice for treating hypothyroidism.

Honestly, this is good news because most people are intimidated by high intensity routines and find them discouraging and frustrating. Your hypothyroidism exercise routine can be a simple at-home workout that anyone can do at any fitness level.

What Exercises are Best for an Underactive Thyroid?

Not all exercises are created equal. Some are better than other for managing hypothyroidism. Regularly participating in activities like jogging, pilates, and brisk walking can burn the extra fat stored in your body, ward off depression, and keep your heart healthy. Exercise also lifts your mood and reduces depression, which is a common symptom of hypothyroidism. At the same time, it stimulates the production of thyroid hormones, leading to faster recovery.

Ideally, your workouts should include weight lifting, gentle yoga, stretching, bodyweight exercises, and low impact aerobics. Walking is an excellent choice for most people with an underactive thyroid because it raises heart rate and burns calories without putting too much pressure on the joints. Yoga keeps your muscles and joints flexible, improves range of motion, and relieves stress. Pilates strengthens your core muscles, eases back pain, and calms your mind.

For optimal results, exercise at least four times a week. Do some gentle stretches or light cardio activity (such as walking) on your off training days. Compound movements, such as lunges, push-ups, squats, and rows, should account for over 80 percent of your workout. These exercises engage all muscle groups, kick start your metabolism, and restore hormonal balance. They also help build lean muscle and shed fat, causing your body to burn more calories at rest. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate.

Be aware that you may experience discomfort during exercise. Hypothyroidism takes a toll on your body, affecting your muscles and joints. Back and hip pain, limited range of motion, and fatigue are common among people with thyroid disorders.

However, you can still have an active lifestyle. The key is to adapt your training plan and focus on building up your endurance. Give your body time to recover and avoid pushing yourself too hard. Overtraining can throw off your hormones and slow down metabolism – the exact opposite of what you want to happen.

As stated previously, High-Intensity Interval Training is not the best option for those with hypothyroidism. Due to its intense nature, HIIT puts stress ion your body, so you might feel tired and sluggish afterwards not to mention it may lead to overtraining. However, you can still incorporate interval training into your routine. You just need to modify the intensity.

For instance, you might want to alternate walking briskly on the treadmill (or walking in place) for 2 minutes with one minute of squats or push-ups. Keep these things in mind before starting an exercise routine and remember that you are allowed to get creative. Start off by doing the exercises you enjoy and then you add to your routine later.

Hypothyroidism Exercise Plan

This sample workout plan is suitable for all ages and fitness levels and will serve as a starting point to get you on the right track. Most exercises require nothing but your own bodyweight. To make them more challenging, use dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, soup cans or water bottles. For example, you can do lunges with no equipment, or hold a small water bottle or soup cans in each hand. If you want more resistance when doing squats, hold a gallon of water with both hands – you will definitely feel it! Ankle and wrist weights are a great choice too.

If you’re new to exercise, stick to the basics. Learn proper form, build up your strength, and try different variations of your favorite moves. There is more than one way to do squats, lunges, push-ups, or crunches. Take one step at a time and listen to your body.

Note: In the next section there will be links to several different low-impact workout routines that can help to heal your thyroid when coupled with proper nutrition/supplementation.

Week #1

Monday:

Full Body Circuit

Bodyweight squats – 3 sets x 15 reps
Walking lunges – 3 sets x 15 reps
Push-ups – 3 sets x 6-8 reps
Plank – minimum 30 seconds (1-2 sets)
Walking – 20 minutes

Tuesday:

Upper Body Workout + Abs

Reverse Fly – 3 sets x 10-12 reps
Superman – 3 sets x 10-12 reps
Triceps dips – 3 sets x 10-12 reps
Crunches – 3 sets of 15 reps
Air bicycle – 3 sets of 30 reps

Wednesday:

Rest

Thursday:

Lower Body Workout

Wall squats – 3 sets x 15 reps
Single leg deadlift – 3 sets x 15 reps
Bridge – 4 sets of 15 reps
Cycling – 20-30 minutes

Friday:

Stretching + walking (20-30 minutes)

Saturday:

Yoga

Viparitakarani (Inverted Pose)
Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)
Sarvangasana (Shoulder stand pose)
Dhanurasana (The Bow pose)

Sunday:

Rest

Week #2

Monday:

Upper Body Workout

Push-ups – 3 sets x 8-10 reps
Air boxing – 4 sets x 15 reps
Star plank – 3 sets x 30 seconds
Chest squeezes – 3 sets x 15 reps
Power walking – 20 minutes

Tuesday:

Stretching + cycling or walking (30 minutes)

Wednesday:

Lower Body Workout

Sumo squats – 4 sets x 15 reps
Butt kicks – 4 sets x 15 reps
Fire hydrant – 4 sets x 15 reps
Mountain climbers – 3 sets of 12 reps
Cycling (optional) – 20-30 minutes

Thursday:

Rest

Friday:

Pilates

The hundred – 2 sets x 50 reps
Leg circles – 4 sets x 20 reps
Back extension – 3 sets x 10 reps
Side bend – 3 sets x 10 reps
Plank – 3 sets x 30+ seconds

Saturday:

Abs / Core Training

Side plank – 3 sets x 30+ seconds
Air bicycles – 3 sets x 50 reps
Lying leg lifts – 3 sets x 15 reps
Sprinter sit-up – 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Walking – 20-30 minutes

Sunday:

Rest

Week #3

Monday:

Upper Body Workout

Triceps dips – 4 sets x 10-12 reps
Single-arm rows (with a dumbbell or water bottle) – 4 sets x 10-12 reps
Side to side chops (with a dumbbell or water bottle) – 4 sets x 10-12 reps
Wall push-ups – 3 sets x 12-15 reps
Walking/cycling – 20-30 minutes

Tuesday:

Yoga

Cat stretch (Marjariasana)
Fish pose (Matsyasana)
Inverted pose (Viparitakarani)
Plough pose (Halasana)
Light stretching

Wednesday:

Rest

Thursday:

Walking/cycling – 30-40 minutes

Friday:

Lower Body Workout

Side lying leg lifts – 4 sets x 15 reps
Single-leg squats – 3 sets x 12-15 reps
Side lunges – 4 sets x 15 reps
Glute bridges – 4 sets x 15 rep

Saturday:

Core Training

Crunches – 4 sets x 15-20 reps
Russian twist – 4 sets x 12 reps
Flutter kick – 4 sets x 30 seconds
Plank – 3 sets x 30+ seconds
Walking – 20-30 minutes

Sunday:

Rest

Week #4

Monday:

Upper Body Workout

Punches – 3 sets x 2 minutes
Push-ups – 3 sets x 10-12 reps
Bench plank – 3 sets x 60 seconds
Shoulder press (with dumbbells or water bottles) – 3 sets x 10-12 reps
Lateral arm raises – 3 sets x 10-12 reps
Walking – 20-30 seconds

Tuesday:

Pilates

Roll-ups – 3 sets x 8-10 reps
Side kicks – 3 sets x 10-12 reps
Leg circles – 4 sets x 15-20 reps
The seal – 3 sets x 15 reps
Hip circles – 3 sets x 12-15 reps
Walking – 20-30 seconds

Wednesday:

Rest

Thursday:

Lower Body Workout

Reverse lunge – 3 sets x 15 reps
One-leg deadlifts (with dumbbells or water bottles) – 3 sets x 15-20 reps
Step-ups – 3 sets x 15 reps
Butt kicks – 4 sets x 15-20 reps
Mountain climbers – 3 sets x 20-30 seconds

Friday:

Stretching + walking/cycling (30-40 minutes)

Saturday:

Core training

Sit-ups – 3 sets x 8-10 reps
Air bicycles – 4 sets x 30 reps
Leg pull-ins – 3 sets x 15-20 reps
Flutter kicks – 3 sets x 20-25 reps
Plank – 3 sets of 30+ seconds
Power walking (20-30 minutes)

Sunday:

Rest

As a rule of thumb, complete 15 reps or more for every exercise when training your legs and lower body. Do eight to 12 reps per exercise for your upper body, and 15 to 50 reps per exercise for abs. Squeeze your abs at all times to maintain your balance and build core strength. For each exercise, hold the contraction for one or two seconds at the top of the movement. Focus on the muscles that are being worked.

As you progress, use weights or exercise bands to make your workouts more intense. Try different variations of the squat, push-up, lunge, and other multi-joint exercises. For instance, you can do sumo squats, Bulgarian split squats, front squats, goblet squats, or plie squats. Or you can try clock lunges, lateral lunges, curtsy lunges, and lunges with rear leg raise.

The whole point is to keep your workouts varied. If you do the same exercises every time, your body will adapt and burn fewer calories. Change the number of sets and reps, increase the weight, and add a new exercise to your routine each week.

After your initial four weeks of training, try doing some more advanced moves to challenge yourself however use modifications if necessary. Try burpees, jumping jacks, inchworms, or plank-to-knee taps. These bodyweight cardio exercises are challenging, so you may not be able to perform them regularly. However, give them a try. You might be surprised by what you’re capable of!

Exercising regularly, proper nutrition and supplementation have the power to change your body and your life. Make the commitment and start incorporating these simple lifestyle changes that have been proven to restore your health and vitality.

Effective Workout Videos

FitnessBlender has a lot of great low impact workouts on Youtube. The following have been chosen because they follow the basic guidelines discussed in this report for healing your thyroid.

Low Impact Cardio Workout – Bodyweight Quiet Cardio Workout Video to Tone Up Fast

Quiet Cardio Workout – Low Impact No Bounce Recovery Cardio Workout

Total Body Toning Low Impact Cardio Workout – 30 Minute At Home Cardio Workout

Beginner Boot Camp Workout — Easy Toning & Low Impact Cardio Workout with Fitness Blender

Pilates Abs and Obliques Workout – 26 Minute Fitness Blender Online Pilates Class