I need a pep talk!

CollinsMom

CollinsMom

Cathlete
I am getting discouraged...

I have let one or two pounds creep on, and I KNOW it is because of my crappy eating. I KNOW what I am doing when I eat that cake after dinner, but I talk myself into it and then feel awful later.

Also, I have been focusing lately on strength training more so than cardio. However, the past week or I feel completely tired and weak all the time.

I did Butts & Guts yesterday morning for the first time, and I was SO discouraged afterwards because I felt like my lower body was really weak. Now I am so sore that I didn't work out today and I probably won't tomorrow either.

What gives? What is wrong with me? I need a complete attitude adjustment.
 
Hi Katie!
Try not to be discouraged! Trust me - we all go thru periods like this. Just ride the wave out. Sometimes when I feel like that - esp. weak, I do a full body workout with cardio (ie: cardio & Weights or Step, jump, and pump or something like that), that will sometimes make me feel alittle better - at least I'm getting my heart beat up! And in my crazy mind - I'm working off that desert!

I also go thru periods where I feel completely tired and weak too!! Last week, right before my period, was horrible for me. I was hungry, tired, and didn't work out much. So this week, I wanted to step it up, well, with work and stuff, hasn't happened! UGH!

I hope this makes you feel better - I'm also coming off an injury, pulled muscles and ligaments in my back, and a small tear in one of my disc. Long story short, I'm just getting back into working out! AND I'M SO WEAK!!!

x(

I'll make a deal with you....I'll push my self a bit more, if you pick it up a notch too! DEAL??? (Sometimes a friendly push is all you need :) )

YOU CAN DO IT!!!
Alicia:7
 
There is nothing wrong with you, you may be burnt our or need a change of pace or something new to do like biking, swimming, running, walking, jogging, etc.. or a break from it all. It happens to me about every 4-5 months that I get burnt out.
Get some rest and don't stress about it cause you'll be pumped when the new series comes out.
 
Katie~

I agree there's nothing wrong with you -- for me (and for a lot of folks), disciplined eating is the hardest part. If you've been gorging on a lot junk, that could very well be the reason you feel weak or tired.

Try to get yourself back on track by setting some small goals for one week. For example, promise to treat yourself to that piece of cake at the end of the week *if* you meet your goal of consuming X many vegetables/fruits per day and/or X many workouts per week and/or X many glasses of water - you get the idea. So, it's almost like you have to EARN that slice. An indulgence once a week is not going to blow your diet, and it's probably going to taste even better knowing that you worked for it.

With regard to the soreness & resting: the first time you do B&G, you *should* be hobbling afterward. That's a killer w/out! But next time a hard workout gives you serious DOMS, consider NOT taking a rest day the next day. Though sometimes total rest *is* needed, you may also find that working through the DOMS can be helpful in loosening up the muscles. If your regular cardio of choice would be too intense, just go for a walk. I have come to realize that most times, activity is the best thing for DOMS.

Hang in there! We all (well, most of us - I don't know about Shelly over on the Cheetah Thread :)),go through slumps now and then.

~Cathy http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/4.gif

"Man who runs behind car gets exhausted. Man who runs in front of car gets tired." -Source unknown
 
[[[[[[[[[[ Also, I have been focusing lately on strength training more so than cardio. However, the past week or I feel completely tired and weak all the time. ]]]]]]]]]

Your statement immediately made me think of my P90X days- when lifting regularly and intensely was a "new concept" for me.
When your body is focused on building muscle it gets tired and wants proper fuel..... Building Muscle is INTENSE for your body.. Muscles actually get built & nourished when NOT lifting (at rest).. here's a few thoughts:

Are you taking NON Lifting recovery (not NO EXERCISE just NO lifting) weeks every 4-6 weeks?
*For muscle repair & growth + mental break

Are you sleeping at least 7-8 hours EVERY night

Are you eating carb/protein at EVERY MEAL

Did you change your diet when you went from cardio focused to lifting focused? (It probably needs to change) Your body NEEDS some different things now

Are you alternating lifting days with non lifting days or trying to lift every day? (Sometimes wt training in the early stages needs to be broken up)

Are you working same muscle group without 48 hours rest

When you do cardio are you doing marathon sessions (shorter segments may be in order on cardio days)

Lots could be going on but your body is telling you that it needs something you arent giving it....
 
>I'll make a deal with you....I'll push my self a bit more, if
>you pick it up a notch too! DEAL??? (Sometimes a friendly
>push is all you need :) )
>
>YOU CAN DO IT!!!
>Alicia:7


It's a DEAL! I am taking another rest day today, but I will be back at it tomorrow. Now I have to go figure out what to do this week...
 
Cathy,

I really like your idea about making some goals for fruits/veggies/etc. and if I meet them I can have my treat. I also agree about pushing thru the soreness next time. I did Butts and Guts from start to finish, but next time I think I will do one of the premixes that some recommended for beginners, rather than trying to do the whole thing.
 
Traci-X,

Thanks for all of your great feedback. I agree that I am obviously not giving my body something it needs to accomodate this level of training (not that what I am doing is actually that hard, just harder than I am used to).

I have been doing weights just about every day of the week (well, 5 out of 6 that I am working out), doing two (opposing) muscle groups per day. I am relatively new to lifting, so maybe this is a bad idea...? Should I move to doing 3 full body days, and then 3 days of straight cardio? Or should I do one full body, one upper, one lower, and 3 cardio days? Maybe afterwards I can go back to doing one or two body parts per day.

Also, I probably need to do better about going to bed at a reasonable hour so I am not tired when it's time to get down and work. I had made some changes in my diet in terms of protein and carbs at every meal, but I have definitely slipped in that this past week or so, so maybe that is the culprit (or at least a piece of the puzzle).

Any other suggestions for me?
 
Katie-
If you weren't accustomed to doing alot and/or heavy lifting I think a few weeks 3-6 (based on how you feel) may be good to start full body.
I'd start off with this schedule for 3 weeks:
1.Full Body
2.Cardio
3.Full Body
4.Cardio
5.Full Body OR Yoga OR Functional Fitness
6 & 7: 2 rest days OR 1 rest and 1 cardio (I'd do Kick for muscle conditioning)

Then I'd go to Lower/Cardio/Upper Days for 3-6 weeks:
Alternating Weeks 1 & 2 Schedule (BFL style)
1. Lower (using weights)
2. Cardio
3. Upper
4. Cardio
5. Lower (Plyos/Imax's)
6 & 7. Same as above - base it on how you feel

1. Upper
2. Cardio
3. Lower (using weights)
4. Cardio
5. Upper
6 & 7. Same as above - base it on how you feel

Stay with that til you are no longer feeling challenged and then move into splits- and THEN 1-part per day.

I still (& always will) "cycle" thru those alternatives just to give my muscles some variation and more recovery time.

HTH and you can always adjust your week based on how you feel.....
Good Luck shifting the eating.... It should get easier once you arent so darned fatigued!
 
When you say "Lower (plyos/IMAXes)," what do you mean by this??

Where you are focusing your efforts on working your lower body alonf with some cardio impact.... LowMax, any of the Imax's, PlyoX or Plyo Legs from Beach Body.... Premixes like Cardio Legs (Drill Max) or even a Lower Circuit Premix. Its a very effective way to work your lower half without hoisting weights all the time. }(
 
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