Emotionally exhausted....

R

RWattier

Cathlete
Today is the first day I have worked out since last Friday! I have been so emotionally drained that the last three nights I have gone home from work at slept for 15 hours! I am not kidding!

(We are in the process of selling the house, marital squables, family problems, I am starting a new job in 30 days and its an hour commute each way..........etc - nothing life threatening though, but I just was so drained)

I think my body shut down.....Anyways.......I just did PUB/PLB Bonus Combo this morning and I felt like I could hardly lift any weight at all! Has anyone else been through this!?? What did you do??
 
Hi Reba! I'm sorry to hear you are going thru a hard time. Emotional stress can certainly zap your energy level. Give yourself a break right now and if your body requires extra rest, take it. As you saw doing your workout this morning, your body just did not want to cooperate. A week or two off will do you some good and shouldn't hurt your gains at all. Is there someone you can talk privately with to help let go of some of your stress? Maybe a church friend or close relative/friend you can trust? Sometimes, just geting it out helps. I wish I knew what to say to help more. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Keep us posted and as you know, there is always someone here with a listening ear. Good Luck!
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH (AKA "Den Mother Debbie")http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
I think there is a stress bug out there that everyone seems to be catching. I'm sorry to heard about your bout. Exercise can help relive it some. Maybe if you try to snatch short sessions - 10 min brisk walking, 10 min crunches. Hope things get better soon.
 
Reba,
I have definitely been there. Taken off for what seems like not too long and come back and felt like I can hardly do anything. Hang in there. I discovered that on the days I managed to work out (and there were few) that even if I lightened the weight to nothing, or only did half the workout, it was still worth it. Kind of like the something is better than nothing approach. Congratulate yourself for doing it and hang in there!!
 
Reba, I went through something similar last year. I stopped working out for a month and did something creative, like redo our entire second floor. Then I went back to working out, but mostly strength workouts, hardly any cardio. I didn't even think about the eating. Pushed that one away. I had a lot of problems and didn't want to make life any more complicated.

Months passed. We went to Disneyworld. After that trip I realized it was time to get back in gear. So I started putting in more cardio and watching what I ate. It was VERY slow going back, which was around Feb/Mar this year.

I just did what I could the best way I could given the situation. That's it. I took out what I felt was "extraneous" (clean eating which entails careful shopping, cooking, measuring, counting, yada yada yada, and cardio which isn't really that kind to my joints and which I have to schedule around leg workouts) and put them back when I felt the time was right. And I took a break when I felt I had to. I didn't want to at first, because I worked hard to get to a certain point, but I did, and it worked out for the best. I hope things get better for you.

Hugs,
Pinky
 
Yes! I've been there way too much in the last few years. I'm not really sure what works for me, but all I know is that there are times I can't work out for awhile, and then I come back to it all over again. I think it's just one of the facts of life that we have to deal with, but don't give up! and please don't beat yourself up. We all have the right to not work at 110% all of the time.

Sometimes, things like taking an exercise class, or doing something way different motivates me to begin again. But that is not possible for everybody.

I hope you feel better soon. We are all behind you :D

Sara
 
Reba! I was just going to post today to say almost the same thing. I did NOT heed the advice of many of my loved ones and people on these boards to care for myself during the recent loss of my mother and voila - the body did at last rebel this week. I caught a violent stomach virus/food poisoning/who knows what that put me in the ER (went by ambulance no less - oh the drama) with an IV to rehydrate me. Spent two days out of work, not eating much but white rice, back and abs still hurt from all the hurling (now that was a core work out). I absolutely believe I got this because I did not heed the call to rest. The next week I am easing back in with yoga, and aerobic hot tubbing.

Your body is saying rest and up the care (more water, baths, massage, nutritious meals - not diet-y meals) just like after a very strenuous Cathe rotation. Heed the call. You are NOT at 100% so do not expect 100%. We have all been there, especially as women. Why do we always put ourselves last?

Check back in. You struck a nerve with me today and I will be on the look out for your posts just to be sure you are a-ok. Go gentle on yourself.

All the best,
Julie
 
Yes! Last school year(I'm a behavior class teacher) I was under the most unbelievable emotional stress and it pretty much lasted the entire school year. I was so exhausted and I couldn't sleep due to the stress and I almost quit my job. If my husband had not been in school I probably would have just not gotten up one morning, shut the blinds, turned off the phone, turned off the computer and just never have gone back to school. My workouts suffered a lot and I kept trying to push myself.

Take it easy and do what you can. I'm having a great school year this year with the regular stress that teachers face, but I'm learning that EVERY workout, EVERY rotation does not have to be all out all the time. If I'm tired, I'm allowing myself an unscheduled rest day. If I don't want to do a long workout I do a shorter one. I haven't gained any weight and I feel better overall. There are weeks, days, and rotations where I push it to the limit, but not all the time anymore. Create a 3 day rotation and if you can do an extra workout or two do it but don't let exercise be another stress factor in your life. Anyway, welcome back and good luck with your new job!
Angela
P.S. One week I worked out every other day...sometimes LESS really is MORE!:7
P.S.S. Edited to add...if you like the bonus combo...stick with that one for a while and gradually ease your weights back up. Don't worry about how hard it was this first time back. The first workout back from a long break or a stressful time is always tough. Keep at it and get plenty of rest. Also, I had this effect when I kept trying to workout last year at my old pace(during all the emotional drama)...stress takes the strength right out of you so you may have had the same effect even if you had not quit working out.
 
oh reba so sorry you have so much stressing you out. i hope everything slows down for ya soon and you can make some time for you.

kassia

When they discover the center of the universe, a lot of people will be
disappointed to discover they are not it -- Bernard Bailey
 
I know stress can definitely zap my energy level and my workouts along with everything else suffers. I just want you to know I'm thinking of you and I hope things ease up soon.

Thinking of you,
 
Oh yes, sounds like right now you need some time to focus on other things and regain your energy focus.

We woman (myself included) have such a hard time resting and nurturing ourselves.

Sending good thoughts your way.

I'm coming back from over a YEAR back - I need to focus on major family stuff and you know what - now that I'm ready - I'm back with a vengence -

So take care of what you need to and we will see you back when you are ready

- Robyn
 
I agree that your body needs rest right now and that it is ok to do that, but I suggest something a little bit different than most have here.

Because exercise also gives valuable stress relief, I suggest that you try to incorporate some exercise or just active things into your days. Perhaps try to do something different than usual, like walking or biking outside, hiking with a buddy, etc. This might not be your "typical" workout but the idea is to be active & get the body moving a bit. Try to use all of your shorter workouts or shorten the longer ones yourself for a few short workouts. For example, split power hour or MIS into a lower body w/o and then an upper body w/o and do on separate days. that way, you get something in, which may also give you some satsifaction of meeting a goal too, and you get some energy out ;)

Another thing that I suggest is to throw that Stretch max DVD in the player and promise yourself that you will do it once every other day. That will keep your body feeling good during your break and that 20 minutes makes all the difference when you are feeling like you can't get ahead emotionally. Close your eyes, relax adn really just melt into the stretch and you may find that you are able to breathe a little easier that day. This worked WONDERS for me recently when I was having a tough time.

All of this being said, if you can't, you can't. It happens and it is okay. I think that sometimes in this kind of situation, pushing it out can sometimes really benefit you in the end but you need not go crazy. There are times when I promise myself that I will at least start and do ten minutes (assuming that will get me into the workout) and if I do that and still want to stop, I stop. Listen to your body. Get extra rest no matter what. Don't punsih yourself for not working out, working out, anything.
 
I totally relate to feeling drained. Life is a challenge (how's that for positive p.r.?) and when exercise starts to feel like another chore rather than a welcome treat, it's time to listen to the body. I think it's good you got extra sleep. You must have needed it.

I like to stretch a lot when I'm feeling stressed and really pay attention to where I feel tight.

You will work your back to weights, etc. when you're ready. I sometimes have trouble distinguishing what's tired, needing to stretch, and take it easy from what's tired, need to stretch and then do a workout of any kind, e.g. a walk, a shortened work out. It's a steady guessing game for me when I feel drained.

Sending lots of positive energy your way!
-Barb

:)
 
YES. Welcome to the story of my life. It takes a lot less to drain me emotionallyk, though. All I need is a day of dealing with my clients and that's how I feel. I wish I had some suggestions for you, but I don't have anything earth-shattering. Just make sure to eat very well, and take supplements. I really think that on days like that, sleep is the best thing. It's difficult to work out intensely. Just try to do more walking during the day, and to get a little activity in here and there while you're feeling this way. Forget the pyramids until this phase is over. You'll have no problem getting back to it later.

Good luck!
-Nancy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top