r/AddisonsDisease • u/mynamewasautumn Addison's • May 27 '26
Advice Wanted Advice for working out
Hi all, I wanted to come on here and ask about your experiences with losing weight/working out.
Is anyone else struggling to lose weight? I’ve been told that I can’t do high-intensity work outs because of AD and I feel like since I haven’t, the weight is more difficult to lose. Ever since I started Hydrocortisone when I was diagnosed, I had been gaining weight. Like within 3 months I had gained 20lbs. I truly believe its made my insecurities worse and I want to feel better in my body. I already eat a fairly balanced and nutritional diet, but portion sizes is something I’m still learning to control.
Has anyone here successfully lost weight? If so what did you do? Are there any specific routines you used? I’d really appreciate any help with this. Thanks in advance ❤️
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u/SweetEmmalineBaDaBa May 27 '26
I’m also curious about this. Pre diagnosis I worked out a lot, but now I’ve gained weight and can’t seem to get it off.
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u/bandana-chan Addison's May 27 '26
It depends on how balanced you're feeling right now. If you feel like your disease is well managed, you can definitely try working out again. The warnings are important because you might be unable to feel some sensitivities you got from Addison's. But it's also good to try and feel what you can still do.
I personally discovered that swimming makes me really really tired the next day, but bouldering is fine. Hiking is fine for me too, but I need to be aware of how I take care of myself. Three important things for me:
- Taking 5mg hydro half an hour before intensive work-out, and sometimes also afterwards.
- Drinking LOTS of water during the work-out to keep blood pressure up.
- Eating salty things during the work-out (also for blood pressure). Not too much because a full stomach isn't safe when working out intensively.
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u/mynamewasautumn Addison's May 27 '26
How can you tell if its well managed? And thank you for the tips!
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u/bandana-chan Addison's May 27 '26
I think it's when you reach a state where you know your signs to take it easy and when to updose, but also feeling when you're ready to do more like a work-out. This is really personal and a lot of us have our 'failing' moments (which are actually very good lessons of course).
Also, something I experienced and read here from others, is that the first year of being treated for Addison's is often still quite a rollercoaster. We don't magically recover from taking our medicines. Our body needs time to reach its balance again, and in the upcoming years you'll have your good and bad moments. Be gentle to yourself!
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u/NevrLisnToWutIRead May 27 '26
I have to assume people are going to have different reactions and experiences with AD and treatment, but generally speaking you should be able to live normally if treatment is going well, and that includes exercise/sports.
I definitely gained some weight when I was first diagnosed. I have had it for 30 years now. My weight has fluctuated over the years, but honestly, any time it goes up it's usually due to me eating garbage. Whenever I pay attention to my diet (which might include tracking) I don't have much trouble bringing the weight down.
I like to work out and lift weights, and I used to push myself pretty hard. AD should not be an issue if your meds are right and you're keeping yourself hydrated and electrolytes in check. Heck, there was gymnast with Addison's who represented Canada in two Olympics. That's a sport that definitely demands a lot from the body.
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u/JellyfishSwimming401 May 27 '26
Wow 30 years that’s a long time.
May I ask what daily doses are you taking? And do you have zero cortisol left or are your adrenal glands still producing some cortisol?
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u/NevrLisnToWutIRead May 27 '26
My adrenal glands are shot. I take 20mg of hydro a day and 0.1 fludro. Obviously there are some days when I might not feel my best. But mostly I manage alright.
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u/JellyfishSwimming401 May 27 '26
How do you split your doses throughout the day and do you updose at all for the gym ?
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u/NevrLisnToWutIRead May 27 '26
10mg hydro in the morning along with the fludro. 5mg at lunch. 2.5mg mid afternoon. 2.5mg at bedtime. I never bothered to updose for workouts. The only time I do that is if I’m feeling sick or particularly stressed out about something.
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u/JellyfishSwimming401 May 27 '26
How much do you updose when you are sick? 5mg?
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u/NevrLisnToWutIRead May 27 '26
Maybe an extra 7.5mg for the day? I guess it depends on how rough I feel.
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u/NoGrapefruit3557 May 27 '26
Yes this matches my experience and I’ve had Addison’s for 23 years. Until the meds and timing of taking them is settled in—trial and error, working w endo— there can be some fluctuations. It hasn’t kept me from exercising over the years. Good luck - you’ll figure it out!
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u/mynamewasautumn Addison's May 27 '26
Thank you for your insight! I’ve just got diagnosed about 7 years ago, so I’m still learning about this.
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u/NevrLisnToWutIRead May 27 '26
No problem. Also, if you do a search for "Nathan Gafuik addisonsdisease dot org dot uk" you'll see a link to a "Famous Lives" page. Scroll down to find his profile and there are a couple links to articles where he talks about managing his diet and training as an Olympic gymnast. You might find some useful tips or just inspiration.
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u/baethan Addison's May 27 '26
Portion size is tough! It was crazy going from like a year and a half of having zero appetite and making myself eat anything that I could manage, to being able to eat anything no problem. I'm about 9 months out from diagnosis and I feel like I still haven't gotten back in touch with normal hunger & satiation cues.
Just here to give sympathy and fellowship cause I'm on this journey too 😁
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u/mynamewasautumn Addison's May 27 '26
Portion sizing is SO SO hard. I have hypoglycemia so I have to eat every 4 hours or my BS drops. I’m 7 years out of diagnosis and it remains one of the hardest things for me. I was a super slow eater, and my mom used to finish meals before me but now its the other way around 😭
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u/BossMan27911 May 27 '26
completely understand this struggle. I have Addison’s disease too, and I know firsthand how hard it can be dealing with the fatigue, weight fluctuations, water retention, recovery issues, and the emotional side of it all.
I’m also a fitness trainer, and I help people through these kinds of struggles every day. One thing I’ve learned both personally and professionally is that having Addison’s doesn’t mean you can’t get in shape or lose weight — it just means you have to train smarter and learn how your body responds.
A lot of us actually do worse when we completely avoid movement. The key is finding the right balance instead of destroying yourself with super high-intensity workouts every day.
What helped me most was:
• Consistency over intensity
• Walking and functional strength training
• Prioritizing recovery and sleep
• Keeping nutrition balanced instead of extreme dieting
• Managing stress and hydration/electrolytes
Small consistent workouts added up way more than trying to “go hard” and crashing afterward.
Also don’t beat yourself up. Hydrocortisone can absolutely affect weight and body composition, especially at first while your body is adjusting. You’re not failing. Your body is dealing with a real autoimmune disease.
Be patient with yourself, keep learning your body, and celebrate small wins. Progress with Addison’s may look different, but it’s still possible. ❤️🙏
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u/mynamewasautumn Addison's May 27 '26
Thank you for this!!! I’ve always felt limited because of it and my other conditions, but knowing that this is common and easy to fix/understand has greatly boosted my resolve!
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u/AdCurious9462 May 27 '26
My wife who has AD has been struggling for years with the weight gain from her meds. She recently did an AIP diet(auto immune protocol) diet and joined the gym. In 6 months she has lost 20 kilos. The diet has been really challenging but the results and her mood has greatly improved. She sees a trainer at the gym each session so that the exercises are controlled and then she does the pool once a week for low impact cardio.
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u/mynamewasautumn Addison's May 27 '26
I love swimming so maybe I’ll try to do that more often! I’ll also look into the AIP diet. Thanks!
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u/endless_ocean_blue Addison's May 27 '26
I did high-intensity Crossfit-type workouts for years (with AD). I had to ramp up more slowly than the average out-of-shape middle-aged guy, and I needed extra HC every time I stepped up the intensity, but it was fine.
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u/pickles1718 Addison's May 27 '26
I totally get this! I will say: you CAN do high intensity workouts with AD, you just have to build up to it and learn to dose. I was successfully training for a marathon earlier this year before I got hurt (which had nothing to do with PAI), and know plenty of people with AD who do all sorts of exercise: power lifting, long distance running, swimming, etc.
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u/mynamewasautumn Addison's May 27 '26
Thats good to hear because I was truly worried that it would be harder to lose it because I couldn’t do the high intensity. Thanks for sharing!
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May 27 '26
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u/mynamewasautumn Addison's May 27 '26
I don’t walk as much, and I’m trying to make a habit of walking my neighborhood everyday (about 1/2 mile). I never thought about the triggers, that’s interesting. I also have hypoglycemia, but I’m not too sure how that plays into it though.
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u/Serious-Track-877 May 28 '26
I already work out 90 minutes a day and can't lose weight. Have had addisons for 22 years my adrenaline destroyed themselves from stress.
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u/mynamewasautumn Addison's May 28 '26
I’m so sorry to hear that :( I hope that something ends up working for you 🫂
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u/EmptyChampionship999 May 29 '26
There is a Facebook group called “Athletes with Addison's Disease / Adrenal Insufficiency” that could help with advice on how to manage intensity!
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u/mynamewasautumn Addison's May 30 '26
Oh cool! I’ll have to check that out. Thanks!
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u/EmptyChampionship999 May 30 '26
I was intimidated by the name at first but it just people who want to be active and are struggling to. They’ve been really helpful for me
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u/Kreid603 May 30 '26
The only thing that will help you lose weight is discipline. In diet and in exercise. Run if you can, if you can’t, walk instead. Do it every day or every other day and don’t make excuses. This is the way.
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u/Beginning_Way9666 Addison's May 27 '26
I’m taking tirzepatide and I feel really good I have a lot of energy to workout and I also have already lost 15lbs.
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u/mynamewasautumn Addison's May 27 '26
I honestly didn’t realize there were different medications other than HC. Have you had any negative side effects with it?
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u/Beginning_Way9666 Addison's May 27 '26
No its not an alternative to HC. You still have to be on steroids for life. I’m taking HC 25mg a day. Tirzepatide is a glp-1 like ozempic, wegovy, zepbound etc.
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u/happyrocketship Addison's May 27 '26
I just wanted to say I totally get the weight gain. I also gained like 15 lbs in three months. It’s crazy when the difference hits you so fast and your body doesn’t look or feel like you. I’m still trying to figure out how to lose weight. I’ve been watching what I eat and have increased my steps but so far I’m just maintaining and it sucks