Help, I overwhelmed myself and don't want to succumb!!!

T

tjaded

Cathlete
Has anyone ever bought more excercise videos than they can handle?
Well that's what I did. I got Cathe's boot camp/muscle endurance dvd
and pyramid and found out I wasn't up to par. So I left them sitting. And I lost enthusiam for exercising. I slowed my workouts to 1 a week which was pointless, But I was so not motivated to do anything.
Anyway I started working back out again but wanted to know has anyone fell into a slump such as mine and came back stronger? I literally had to push myself to start back working out since I took 2 wks off less the 1 day that I mustered up the brain power to actually do a workout. I know had I gone any longer that I wouldn't have started working out again until I put on addtl poundage and felt even more overwhelmed at the thought of working myself back down in weight.
Anyway I noticed that 2 wks prior to my menses my energy level takes
a serious nose dive and Im struggling to do a good workout, does
anyone else have similar experiences and if so what is your remedy for getting past this slump?
Any advice is welcomed.
Tjaded:-(
 
Tjaded,

Try to go easy on yourself - I think we've all experienced a slump here and there. I also think it is a normal part of exercising.

One thing that has helped me is doing/creating/picking a rotation so I would have a plan for exercising, no excuses or pondering about what video I was going to do that day.

Since you seem to feel particularly down lately, why not try exercising just every other day for one week? Then during week two and subsequent weeks add one new video to your workout schedule each week until you've learned them all. Just keep working out every other day. When you feel your energy going up, then do one more workout each week until your doing 5 or six workouts a week.

I've been off for a couple of weeks from exercise and I'm really irritated with myself for not be able to lift the weights I could two weeks ago, but I know from past "breaks" in exercise the fitness usually comes back in a week or so.

Yesterday in fact, I did IMAX2 after not doing it for three weeks (yikes!) and by the time I got to interval 9 (the one with the plie jacks and the power jumps straddling the step), I literally crawled over the step for the 5th repetition and barely made it through the 6th rep!!!

So, take it easy on yourself, no beating yourself up - and start with one workout every other day for one week. How does that sound?

Off my soapbox now!

Susan G.
 
RE: Help, I overwhelmed myself and don't want to succum...

Hi Tjaded,

Maybe it would help keep you motivated those 2 weeks prior to TTOTM to know that (from what I've read), we actually burn more fat during that period just prior to TTOTM, so even though you're feeling in a slump at that time, try to remember that by exercising you're burning more fat than you would at any other time of the month.

Sounds goofy, but hey, in case it's true it makes me put a little more umph in my workout just in case! I can't recall which magazine I read that in, one of my fitness related ones like M&F Hers or Fitness or maybe even Self.

I too use a planned rotation so I'm never "winging it." I'll change my mind occasionally about which cardio I feel like doing at times, but for the most part because it's planned, I'll just trade off intensity, like doing A. Lankford's PowerKicks instead of Cathe's CardioKicks if I'm feeling a bit under energy, but the rotation keeps me focused and on track.

Donna
Fitness~ It's a journey, not a race!
 
TJaded,

Reading the messages on these forums can be intimidating and can make you feel like a failure, which in turn can zap your motivation. I would highly recommend ignoring what other people in these forums do. If your goal is to be healthy, be at a healthy weight and have some nice muscle tone, it simply is not necessary to work out 6-7 days a week for at least an hour each day like many Catheites do. It's fine for them, but you can do a lot less and still reach these goals.

I know that I too am moody and erratic about exercising, but since working out with Cathe tapes have been much more consistent. Be sure to pick workouts that are fun for you and that you can make progress with so you will look forward to doing them. Set small goals for yourself that you can meet. Look forward to meeting your next goal. If you buy a workout and you don't find yourself using it, don't worry about it. Just use the ones you really like.

As for feeling differently at different times of the month, it's perfectly normal and I don't agree with those who profess that you should push yourself when you're feeling lousy. Just wait till you don't feel so lousy anymore. For me, if it isn't there, it isn't there.

Okay, that's my Dr. Nancy two cents worth.

Best of luck!!
 
Thanks, everyone for your advice. Im certainly glad to have forums such as these around. I really needed the support of my fellow exercise friends and Im certainly glad you all were there for me.
Im not going to give up, because Ive come to far for that now.
Slumps happen but I hate when they do...
However I did read in Muscle/Fitness Hers that when your between
womanly issues that you tend to burn more fat during that particular time, however I can't see how that is possible since my energy level is so low. I log down my energy level anytime I work out and I watch it come to a crawl every month around the same time. This is where my appetite becomes enormous and my exercise decreases and I am fatigued a lot more, this is life and I know I have to accept it, but Im 33 years old and can't seem to equate such a young age to feeling so bushwhacked.
Tjaded
 
RE: Help, I overwhelmed myself and don't want to succum...

Hi Tjaded:

I tell you, I swear Nancy is my half sister!!! To my mind her words are right on the money. She suffers from this syndrome you're talking about and so do I and we have discussed it between ourselves on past occasions.

I could have written your post myself. I have been watching my energy levels and motivation to work out take a nose dive for the last 7/8 days, and I only managed three cardios and a leg workout last week, which made me feel like a failure because I saw myself crossing out each day's scheduled workout on my log as I was unable to accomplish it. I have also eaten my way through so many choc with hazelnuts bars and packets of Pepperidge farm choc bordeaux cookies I think I will be sick if I eat any more. I did Imax 2 on Saturday and it nearly killed me, even though two weeks earlier I found it much easier than Imax 1. I burst into tears after interval 9 and my husband caught me nearly collapsed on my step and assumed I was physically ill!

It's a fact for many women, the energy takes a nose dive from day 15 of your cycle onwards and just as you really need the psychological benefits of exercise, you feel so unmotivated to do it. Add to that the need to cram the entire contents of the fridge in your face before you hit the sack, and it's a receipe for short-term insanity!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I do what Nancy does:

1) I allow myself to take additional days off when it's real bad, I don't even follow the 15 minute rule that others apply (i.e. I'll promise myself to do 15 mins worth and then quit if I want to), if I don't want to do it, I don't and I play cards with the kids instead or kick the door in, whichever most satisfies the emotional needs of the moment!

2) I ditch any rotation that makes me feel like I'm locked into a prison sentence with an arch disciplinarian (when that inner voice says "you have to do cardio and PUB today, it's on the list!!!!"),

3) I follow my heart. If the rotation says "MIC" and I'm screaming "no!!!", then I'll either do Rythmic step or Cardio and weights which are my feel good tapes, they will do me such good things psychologically speaking

4) I switch my focus to weight training. Often my energy levels will be too low even for Rythmic step (today this was exactly the case, I barely made it through the warm up), so I'll switch the focus and do something where I know I will be safe, comfortable, not out to prove anything, just do something positive

Today I nearly quit during the RS warm up, then switched to PS legs and actually amazed myself by lifting more than I ever have before on squats and repeating the sit n' stands section (as I remember Jillybean recommending) for the first time ever.

I think for many women it is precisely in their thirties that these hormonal troughs really kick in, so at 33, it doesn't surprise me at all that you should feel this way. I'm 37, for me it all started aged 32 or 33 and it isn't set to improve any time soon.

What matters, I think, is to chart these changes in a notebook and watch the patterns arise, as I think you do. Then you will understand your body and yourself a little more and forgive yourself when you most need it. Now is not the time to be chiding ourselves for not completing Imax Xtreme!!!

If you are fatigued, curl up with a romantic comedy on video and r-e-l-a-x.........

So, you can see that you are not alone ;)

Clare
 
RE: Help, I overwhelmed myself and don't want to succum...

Tjaded-

Yes, it is true what Clare says. And I hope it doesn't make you both feel too bad to know that I am still experiencing this at age 46! Sorry, guys. I try to keep in mind what Dr. Christiane Northrup says about our bodies having their own wisdom. In accordance with that, there are plenty of days in the month when I am just raring to go!! I'm sure you both have lots of days like that too, so don't forget about them when your energy level is low. I bet we accomplish more on our energetic days than others do.


Do try all of the new medications that are out there, if you haven't already Tjaded. And then just trust to the wisdom of your natural body rythmns, and be gentle with yourself. I'm HIGHLY irritable today, but I've learned to use it to my advantage and take it out on those who most deserve it. }( My husband is very grateful for this :)


Speaking of comedies, I saw Barber Shop this weekend and it was really good if you're looking for something uplifting and funny.

Time to finally leave my snowbound cocoon, and climb the snow mountains to work. I'll need all my fitness accomplishments today!
 
RE: Help, I overwhelmed myself and don't want to succum...

Hey Nancy:

if my body is this wise, then what the hell is it learning?!?!?!?!?!?! And when will it tell me about it?!?!?!!?!?

No really, I appreciate your post and you made me laugh with the bit about taking it out on those who really need it. For me it was the guy at the Blockkbuster video counter on Sunday who was being sooooooooo condescending and failing to GET THE POINT DAMMIT!!!!!!! x(

And yes, I too have highly energetic days when I feel I could bounce right through the ceiling and touch a cloud... maybe in another 10 days time?

Tell me, did the lexapro work for you or are you back on your old trusty?

Clare
 
I have also read what Donna said about TTOTM.....burning more calories. I read it in either Redbook or Runner's World. I also get very tired right before my period. I don't allow myself to take days off...because for me, a few days off would lead to a few more days off and so on. I just listen to my body. If I'm feeling tired and fatigued, I do a run/walk instead of a full run. I don't do a Cathe video, I do a Kathy Smith one instead. I don't lift as heavy. I usually feel better after I workout. I try not to beat myself up about toning my workouts down a few times a month. I have to get over the thinking that I will gain 10 lbs. overnight if I don't do ABC.

I too have also bought quit a few of Cathe's step tapes off of eBay. I don't even do step on a regular basis...just when the weather is too bad for me to run. (I do her toning/lifting tapes). I think I have 5 or 6 of her just step tapes. It can be addictive...maybe even a sickness....LOL.

Kim
 
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