# exercising before breakfast



## lolaj193 (Apr 27, 2015)

I am a morning person, and I prefer to exercise first thing when I wake up rather than later in the day. I usually take my medication with water, and then run 3-4 miles on an empty stomach, 3-5 times per week. I'm wondering what effect this may have on my thyroid and my body's hormone levels?

I am 22, active, and the mornings are generally the only time when I have the energy and motivation to workout intensely. Is this habit bad for my thyroid? Am I adding stress? Should I stop running altogether? After starting on medication this January I was "afraid" of working out after taking the medication, so I didn't, and I gained 5-6 pounds (my doctor wanted me to gain a few pounds to see if it would help my HA, but it didn't). Now I am trying to "tone up" the weight that I gained all well trying to find an appropriate level of medication. I am still undermedicated and struggle with fatigue and brain fog.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

There's no reason to be concerned (I'm a morning person, too).

If you are on t4 medication (synthroid, etc), it's a long-acting drug so when you take it and when you exercise matters very little. It's more important that you take it on an empty stomach with a full glass of water and that you wait four hours to take calcium or iron supplements.

If you are on any kind of medication that combines t4 and t3, I would assume exercising after your take the medication would be beneficial. But, again, I don't think it matters substantially.


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

I am a morning person too and get my workout in before breakfast,


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## lolaj193 (Apr 27, 2015)

I take armour, so combined t4/t3. I used to just take t3 and I don't think I would have been able to exercise after taking it on an empty stomach -- it made me jittery.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

You should be just fine.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

joplin1975 is correct. I am a morning person also. I take my Armour @ 5 AM and hit the gym @ 9 AM but that is after I already walked fast for an hour. Approx 4 miles give or take.

Just be consistent. That is the key!


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

All of you morning people are wearing me out, lol! I swim and walk the dog/get walked by the dog in the evenings. I can't even fathom getting up even earlier to exercise, I'm usually cranky enough as it is in the mornings.


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## lolaj193 (Apr 27, 2015)

I can't imagine being awake and functional past 9pm  my boyfriend and I have very conflicting schedules: he prefers to sleep in and stay up late, and if we decide to stay up late to watch a movie or something I fall asleep instantly. sleeping past 7 is sleeping in for me!


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

I get up at 4, drink a ton of water and exercise. It works but I also don't stay up much past 9, unless I am reading a really good book.


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## lolaj193 (Apr 27, 2015)

I ultimately decided to stop exercising in the morning because I felt that it was messing with my energy levels for the rest of the day -- I feel that the more I became dependent on my medication, the worse I feel in the morning without it, and it was hard to muster up the energy to exercise until my medication was fully absorbed. Now I take my medication, sleep a little longer, wake up, eat breakfast, and walk my dog 2-3 miles, and get in a more intense workout in the afternoon. It's working for me so far.


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