Last updated on November 26th, 2019 at 09:27 pm
Written by female personal trainer, London based, Justina Triasovaite.
Your body composition is determined by many different factors. It is important to be informed about the many ways your body can be affected by disorders or diseases. When it comes to body composition you can exert influence on how it changes over time.
Below we will discuss the thyroid gland and thyroid disorders. We will also touch upon how they can affect your body composition and how exercise can help.
“The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ that sits at the front of the neck”(wiki). The thyroid gland helps to manufacture the hormones that regulate your metabolism. It is an important part of your body that not many people know about. The thyroid gland may be a small and intricate part of your body, but it plays a large role.
The butterfly-shaped gland is part of a network of glands called the endocrine system. Often the gland is larger in women and increases in size during pregnancy. The thyroid gland secretes three significant hormones: calcitonin, thyroxine and triiodothyronine.
Certain disorders can arise when your thyroid gland produces too much or not enough hormones.
When your thyroid gland can’t make enough hormones to function properly this is called hypothyroidism.
Conversely, when your thyroid gland makes too much of the hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine and becomes overactive this is called hyperthyroidism.
Thyroid disorders can be a source of discomfort for many people. It is important to know how they occur and what affects they can have on your body and lifestyle.
Some of the associated symptoms of thyroid disorders include:
The inability to properly control your metabolism can also lead to weight gain. These are often the result of hypothyroidism. If you have hyperthyroidism the symptoms are different and may provide converse results. With hyperthyroidism you may have excessive energy and experience weight loss.
Thyroid disorders can affect your body composition by causing weight gain and weight loss. You have to design a diet and training regime to target the deficiencies or excesses caused by the respective thyroid disorders.
Training and exercise can help. It is important if you are suffering from hypothyroidism that you ease in to exercise. There is no need to overdo it. If you already do regular exercise and nothing has changed then it is worth consulting your doctor.
However, if you are not yet regularly exercising it might be helpful to begin. The type of exercises you do will differ if you have hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
If you have hypothyroidism there are certain workout plans that will help to combat the sluggishness and weight gain problems you may be suffering from. It has been suggested that a strength-training and cardio exercise plan is the desirable regime.
“Having low levels of thyroid hormones can reduce cardiac fitness”(healthline). So, it is important to focus on strengthening your cardiovascular system. Similarly, to counteract the weight gain caused by hypothyroidism you can place an emphasis on strength training to build muscle.
Hopefully, the above information has provided a good overview of how the thyroid gland affects the body and how you can take back control. It is important to be doing regular exercise and it is especially important if you suffer from a thyroid disorder.
Thankfully, there are plenty of experts and experienced personal trainers out there to help your progress. It will always be helpful to seek assistance from a nutritionist and personal trainer to design a suitable diet and exercise plan. I encourage you to stay motivated because you will begin to see results.
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