Is your Thyroid working for or against you?
It’s a mind-boggling thought that our body functions in ways we don’t even know about. We tend to take eating, breathing, sleeping, pooping and hormonal function like your thyroid for granted. We don’t give much of a thought to any deeper processes of HOW any of that keeps us alive. We just know it does. So when we decide to get a little fitter, get a little healthier, and/or get a little leaner, we only tend to focus on 2 things: eating better, and moving more.
Often, this is more than enough to get you to where you want to be, or at least most of the way there. But it’s important to keep in mind that a poor lifestyle can affect us on a level we don’t often think about. Take your thyroid for instance.
Your thyroid regulates nearly everything in your body. It regulates your metabolism, your heart, digestion, muscle control, brain development, bone maintenance, body temperature and more. A poor diet, and a poor lifestyle – especially over a long period of time – can really affect the efficiency and functionality of your thyroid. This can lead to an endless amount of issues – including being able to lose fat or put on muscle.
So what are some indications that your thyroid might be your roadblock?
Thyroid Roadblock Symptoms:
- Tiredness
- Cold extremities (cold hands and feet) and being sensitive to cold
- Dray and scaly skin
- Brittle hair and nails
- Loss of libido
- Unexplained weight gain
- Constipation; and/or
- Muscle aches and weaknesses
If you suffer from any of the above and aren’t getting the results you would expect from following a well balanced diet, and a smart exercise program, it might be worth getting your thyroid checked. This can be done through a blood test but it is important to know that just testing TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) isn’t enough to get the full picture of what is going on. Ensure your doctor also checks for T3, T4, Free T3, Free T4, and Reverse T3.
Once these results are known, a good trainer will be able to work alongside your doctor to create a more specific nutrition, supplementation, and exercise program. Having all of your body’s functions in balance is just as important as exercising and eating well, otherwise, you may be working harder than you need to, to get the results that you are getting! Because at the end of the day, if there was a better way – wouldn’t you want to know about it?