Exercise slump

P

pixie9

Cathlete
I was wondering if any of you experience what I call "exercise slump". A couple of months ago, I had to curtail my workouts for a couple of weeks. I had one week where I worked out just once, but other than that, I've been doing 3-4 times a week. Usually I do 5 a week but I just can't seem to get back the energy I used to have. Even exercising 3-4 times I week, I feel tired, weak, and generally angry about it. I know I'm not overtraining because, like I said, I workout less, I'm sleeping well, eating well, and my resting HR is normal. I know intellectually that my body just wants a break or something but it's driving me crazy. Anyway, I was wondering if any of you experience this and if so, how you get your body and mind back to where you want to be?
Today I did LowMax and it was actually the first time in a month that I felt normal and energetic. I'm hoping that it's getting better and today was the first sign but we will see.
Carolyn
 
Hi, Carolyn, ruling out any physical problems you might be having such as thyroid issues, I would look at a couple of things: (1) calorie intake and (2) sugar intake. Speaking for me, if I am in too much of a calorie deficit, I lose ALL motivation to work out because I do not have the energy. Sugar crashes speak for themselves. ;-)

As for overtraining, you are describing nearly textbook symptoms. The thing with overtraining is that you don't feel better right away. I am not really sure what the recommendation might be, but I know the few times I have overtrained, I have been CRANKY, short-tempered, and unable to get enough sleep no matter how much I am actually getting. Last time this happened, I backed off from working out altogether for a couple of weeks and then I came back slowly, doing only the workouts I really LIKE as opposed to what I think I NEED, you know?

Just some random thoughts.

Hope you feel better soon!
Marie
 
I'm with you. I was a workout dynamo doing 5-6 days a week of cardio & weights for the past four years until a couple months ago. Summer started, it got hot (even though I have air, so that shouldn't really be an excuse), and since then I too have been working out 3-4 days w/ weights and lucky if I can drag myself to do 2-3 cardio workouts per week. I don't know what happened, but I hope I get back to the way I used to be soon.
 
It happens to me all the time. Usually it's a mental thing. It's amazing how much energy stress can suck out of you.

I usually stick with my routine, but my lifting workouts end up like crap b/c I'm just not into what I'm doing. It might last 2-3 weeks for me, then I'll go a month or two & really kick butt, then I'll start slumping again.

I guess there is no easy answer here. Just keep on keeping on & you'll get it back. Even when you feel like curling up on the couch, eating bonbons & watching soap operas, try to get an hour of physical activity in beforehand. Often that one hour will make all the difference in the world.

And get your bloodwork done, it could be a physical problem.
 
Carolyn,

Yeah I generally consider this over working out and needing a vacation. Actually I don't know very many who can work out day in and day out, without getting a little bit burned out after a while. I generally like to take what is call a rest week, I call it a recovery week or vacation week. And that's where I drop from my usual workouts and do some light like beginner workouts for that week and then take a day or two completely off as well. This has really helped me. I learned of this from the athletics I train, they all take a *rest* week between every 4 to 8 weeks. So they can continue to train and not get burned out.

As most of us, need a vacation from work, and from daily life as no matter how nice and easy things are going, it gets under your skin. And when it’s not going all that well, it really gets under your skin. Working out is the same thing when we see progress things are going good, when progress is going slow, it gets frustrating, so we change and then change again, and sometimes we just need to take a break and then jump back into the routine.

Kit
 
Thank you for your replies Marie and Caren. This is a really frustrating issue I'm dealing with. Marie, you may be right about calorie intake as I moniter my calories quite often but usually I have no issue with energy levels and I've been calorie counting for a long time now. It is really frustrating to go from a workout "dynamo" like Caren says, to a 3 day a week, tired, sluggish, cranky, person. (My DH suggested that I take some time off and try Yoga and Pilates and I nearly bit his head off}( )
It also may be something as simple as hydration. I'm not sure if I've increased my water intake as the summer has been progressing because I thought that since I worked out inside, I wouldn't be affected and I didn't feel more thirsty. But my DH informed me that that was not the case and I need to make an effort to drink more water.
But it's nice to know that others have experienced this and hopefully it will end. (And I'll pay more attention to making sure I get enough calories Marie;-) )
Carolyn
 
Kit,Lauramax-
You've both made some really good points. It's funny how I can see this in other people but when it comes to taking time off myself, I can't seem realize that that's what I need. I guess we all need a break from time to time. Afterall, my body's not a machine (but my DH tells me that I'm a Cathe machine and I'm always training for a Catheathon:D )
I'll tone down the intensity and just do what I feel like doing for awhile and see where it takes me.
Carolyn
 
I've been going through the same thing. I started an intense rotation (for me) a few weeks ago and have been feeling like a slug! On top of that, I've been trying to eat really clean and the diet change is taking some getting used to. I lifted weights today and just didn't feel like I could get through a cardio session. I have a week left on my rotation and don't want to quit because I'm just starting to see results. Maybe if I added chocolate ice cream to my diet I'd feel more energetic}(
 
Maybe there's something in the water! I'm in a major slump too. I was doing really well on the hardcore fat loss rotation, then got really busy getting ready to go out of town for 3 weeks and lost the momentum. I've hopped on the elliptical trainer a few times, but now even that feels like a monumental effort. I feel totally drained!

I've decided not to stress about it. I'm going to take a workout break this week and for the next 3 while I'm on vacation (2 of which will be spent scuba diving, so I'll get plenty of exercise during the day). I'm hoping that when I come back I'll be raring to go.

Hang in there and your slump will pass. Sometimes it takes a break to feel reinvigorated...

Joni
 
Yeah, maybe there IS something in the water. Last Sunday I did BC and was thinking of doing C&W afterwards, this month's theme being longer workouts to shock the body. Well, I took a peek at my HR monitor after doing BC and found out my HR at its highest was 106%! It was FAR from that when I did BC twice. Well, that did it. I stopped after the 8th cycle and stretched. I was able to do a Powerstrike workout the next day and my HR was good. But that 106% HR really bothered me, so I'm not working out the rest of the week. Lately I've been feeling tired, not myself. If I'm still feeling lousy next week, I'm extending my "vacation". I hit it hard 2 months before the roadtrip, and have still been hitting it hard. I think my body's telling me it won't tolerate any more abuse. I've been on these slumps before, and it helps me a lot when I take time off working out. Sometimes you just gotta listen to what your body is saying.:)

Pinky
 
BOY - I can totally relate to your dilema, too. But, after getting interrupted twice while trying to finish my workout today I realized that I need to start puting myself and my workouts a priority. So often I get hung up on life and all the drama of it and forget what I like to do. Once I put myself first I feel better and my energy is up there, too.

Good luck and know that you are not alone. :)

~Marcia~
 
In December 2004, I experienced a lot of bad news...my mother in law died of breast cancer and my mom was diagnosed with it. I also got the flu and strep throat and was sick for 10 days after dealing with the cancer in my family's life. I am sure it was from all the stress from dealing with these two events.

I had many days where I wasn't able to work out for one reason or another (my own illness or family commitments related to the death of the MIL). It ended up being that I didn't exercise for 3 1/2 weeks. Let me tell you, it was really hard for me not to work out (when I was physically capable), but in the end, it was a real gift. I, too, was in a slump and it took all I had to get myself to workout. My heart wasn't really in it when I did work out. After this life imposed exercise sabbatical, I came back to exercise with a new enthusiasm and began to enjoy my workouts again. I was frustrated at first because I did lose a lot of cardio/muscle endurance, but I got it back. I just kept telling myself, my body needed this break in order to keep working well for me in the future.

I think I read in one of my running books, that even well trained runners take extended breaks from exercise. Give yourself some time, I think in the end your body will respond better in the long run.

Webbgirl

P.S. My mom's breast cancer was caught in stage 1, she successfully completed chemo (while still working full time 4/5 days of the week!), and is now recovering from her inital surgery for the reconstructive process.
 
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