I love being a physically active person. When I was young, I used to participate in ballet, swim, and track. I used to ride my bike endlessly. Then I became a bit of a couch potato when I moved to the States. But in college I began working out – pilates at home, and even Jazzercise. (Don’t laugh! It was fun!) Living in beautiful Flagstaff, I used to hike in the summers and ride my bike to school. I also really got into Tae Kwon Do – I’d spend about 8 hours a week at the dojang.
When I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, I had no idea how it would impact my adrenal glands and my energy levels. Surprise! I developed adrenal fatigue! I realize some doctors don’t acknowledge that adrenal fatigue is real. Well, my body, and many people’s bodies who struggle with this debilitating condition have no kind words for those doctors!
It’s real. It’s really fucking real when you sleep for 8 hours and still feel completely bone weary. It’s really fucking real when you forgot your phone upstairs, but you’re too tired to walk up the stairs and back down again to retrieve it. It’s really fucking real when you fold a load of laundry and need to take a 10 minute break to recover. It’s really fucking real when walking around the grocery store requires a nap when you get home. It’s really fucking real when you miss hanging out with your friends, but you have to choose between cooking or socializing because your energy levels are so limited.
And those are just a bare handful of ways my life has drastically changed.
So you’re probably wondering how on earth I’m working out again – well, it was a long and arduous process! There were three important components to me getting back to being able to work out while living with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis:
1. Medication – the right medications, at the right dosage
2. Diet – eating a clean, paleo, ketogenic diet with all my macros balanced appropriately
3. Flexibility – the first two items are no-brainers, but to truly be successful, I had to learn to LISTEN to my body, and ADJUST my work outs accordingly
Case in point: yesterday, I felt like utter crap. Wednesday’s are yoga and cardio days, but I could only do yoga, and even then, I shortened how much I did. I skipped cardio entirely. My former self would have been shocked and dismayed! My current self knows that skipping cardio allowed my body the additional time it needed to recuperate so that I could do my cardio today. Flexibility! It has made the difference between success and utter failure and burnout.
Flexibility also applies to my diet. I plan out my meals for the week and cook lunch and dinner on the weekend, so during the week the only cooking I’m doing is making breakfast. Yesterday, I realized my carbs and calories were a tad low and that was also contributing to my lack luster physical state. So today, I added more carbs and calories to my meals, and voila! I’m doing oodles better today even after my 30 minutes of cardio this morning.
Flexibility is the new normal.
It sounds simple but it took me a while to truly understand how important it is to LISTEN to your body and ADJUST your diet/exercise accordingly! I’ve always been so used to having a plan and just barreling through it. But I can’t do that anymore. So I could either run myself into the ground or change the way I approached my fitness and diet. I’m happy to report that it’s going well so far. I’ve lost about 28 lbs. My energy levels have improved overall and I’m feeling pretty good these days.
My medication and getting the dosage right, was a close collaboration with my naturopath. It is so important to work WITH your doctor to find solutions to your health issues. I am constantly working on this aspect of my health management with my doctor and as always: flexibility is the key!
Sometimes it’s really frustrating when I have to tweak my plan. But I have to remember that it’s not a setback, it’s a step forward in the long run. Because of how my energy ebbs and flows, what I do on Wednesday can impact how I perform on Friday. Friday’s are arm and back days. So being kind to myself on Wednesday will allow me to have a successful workout on Friday. Flexibility is my new best friend.
***Please note: I am not a medical doctor and I am not dispensing medical advice. I am simply relating my personal experiences with disease, medication, and weight loss. If you have questions and concerns regarding your health, please consult your doctor.***
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