In fact, good old walking is one of the most effective exercises for thyroid weight loss…if you do it right.
Here are 8 walking hacks to do just that:
Hack #1. Use Interval Walking Training (IWT)
The reality is that walking was never intended to be an exercise. But with how sedentary people are nowadays, walking has become a legitimate form of exercise (1).
It’s perfect for thyroid patients because it’s low impact, low intensity, and puts your heart rate into the perfect zone to boost thyroid function.
But it has one fatal flaw:
Your body quickly adapts if you simply walk at the same pace over and over.
This simple walking technique is enough to prevent adaptation from your body, which means walking remains an effective fat loss exercise.
Here’s how to do it:
Walk normally for 3 minutes
Walk fast for 3 minutes (like you are late for a flight)
Repeat 5x for a total of 30 minutes
This method of walking is up to 2x more effective than the standard get 10,000 steps per day advice that you’ve probably heard.
It’s also been shown to improve sleep and mood, it can help you burn more fat in less time compared to regular walking, and it can boost your thyroid.
This theory suggests that your brain is assessing how much you weigh based on the load put on your joints, bones, and muscles from gravity.
When you are heavier and the load increases, your brain senses this change and makes adjustments to your appetite and hormones to get you back to your “normal” weight.
When you walk with a weight vest, you can trick your brain into thinking you are heavier than you are, which triggers a cascade of beneficial changes that will help you lose weight more easily.
This may sound crazy, but there’s solid evidence to suggest this may actually be true.
But even if it isn’t, it’s still better to walk with added weight because it requires more effort. And more effort means more calories burned with each step.
Hack #4. Track Your Steps
The goal here isn’t perfection, it’s momentum.
Why?
Because your thyroid thrives with physical activity.
The more you move, the more active your thyroid becomes.
In fact, when you are in this zone, you can still easily hold a full-blown conversation with someone.
Zone 2 exercise is perfect for thyroid patients because it reduces injury risk, allows you to recover quickly, and is accessible for all fitness levels.
It also provides the biggest boost to thyroid function and fat burning than the other zones.
But you won’t know you’re in it unless you track your heart rate.
Your zone 2 calculation will vary based on your age. Here’s how to calculate it:
Take 240 and subtract your age. This will give you your maximum heart rate.
Multiply this number by 0.6 and 0.7. The range you get with this calculation is zone 2 for your body.
For example, if you’re 40:
240 – 40 gives you a maximum heart rate of 200 beats per minute.
Zone 2 for this age is 120 to 140 beats per minute.
Now all you need to do is walk at an intensity that brings your heart rate to this level.
Some thyroid patients may reach zone 2 just by walking on a flat surface. For others, they will need to add weight or an incline to get there.
Hack #6. Walk at Night
Feeling stressed or anxious? Night walking is for you.
The simple act of walking before bed does a few beneficial things for thyroid patients:
First, it reduces cortisol and helps you manage stress (this alone can help you lose belly fat)
Even a quick 10-minute walk can help your gut process your food more efficiently, reducing symptoms like gas and bloating.
It also encourages your body to burn the incoming calories you just consumed as a fuel source, instead of storing them as fat.
If digestion is a problem, walk after you eat for 10-20 minutes.
And don’t be afraid to do this multiple times per day.
Hack #8. Walk After Workouts
This is great for thyroid patients because it helps them recover more quickly and extends their post-workout fat-burning window.
It’s already hard enough to lose weight as a thyroid patient, so anything that makes this easier is well worth it.
Here’s how it works:
Right after a workout, your body is primed for burning fat instead of carbs. This is due to the release of hormones like adrenaline, growth hormone, and testosterone, which all help metabolize fat cells.
Walking after a workout helps circulate these hormones to tissues where they can impart their effects.
