I'm Wiped Out!

M

mamajoy

Member
Hi all,

I've been working out with Cathe for years, 8 years, I think and generally vary from 4-6 days of exercise. About three months ago I (almost) completed STS but strained my shoulder before I could complete the last week of Stage 3. My back was swollen and painful for quite awhile. I iced it and rested from weight lifting for three weeks but continued with cardio only workouts. After those three weeks I gradually began lifting again but have lightened up considerably. I've been back at it for 5 weeks but my body is not responding well. I'm tired. My body aches. I feel generally wiped out, cranky and I am confused because I am doing a lighter work load then normal. I don't know what to do. My thought is to back off to a 4 day a week routine, 2 cardio days and 2 weight days, and see if the exhaustion goes away? I'm overall just confused and I don't want to altogether stop but pushing through is not really working for me. Please just tell me what to do, lol.

TIA,
Joy
 
I think going to 2 cardio days and 2 strength days is a good idea. I have found when I have a lot going on in my life, too busy or stressful, I feel more tired and can't lift the weights I have before. You don't say how old you are, but as I have gotten older I have to have more rest days. Listen to your body!
Amy
 
Thank you for your replies, I appreciate them all. I am almost 35 years old, I don't know if that age affects much or not. I agree that I would love to get some blood work done and see if there are any physical reasons for the fatigue. I love to do yoga but it is hard for me to consider it an actual workout. Working out is such a part of my identity at this point that to remove it makes me feel a bit panicky. Over the last two years I have been having to workout late at night, 8pm usually, and I think that I need to change that. I am so tired by the end of the day that it might be contributing to the feeling of overtraining. I also live on the equator and it is always hot here and always humid and I think it also contributes to the fatigue.
 
How about seeing a PT ( physical therapist)? The exhaustion and crankiness might be an infection rather than mechanical, a PT might be able to rule out overuse.
 
mamajoy said:
Thank you for your replies, I appreciate them all. I am almost 35 years old, I don't know if that age affects much or not. I agree that I would love to get some blood work done and see if there are any physical reasons for the fatigue. I love to do yoga but it is hard for me to consider it an actual workout. Working out is such a part of my identity at this point that to remove it makes me feel a bit panicky. Over the last two years I have been having to workout late at night, 8pm usually, and I think that I need to change that. I am so tired by the end of the day that it might be contributing to the feeling of overtraining. I also live on the equator and it is always hot here and always humid and I think it also contributes to the fatigue.
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This may not be your problem but maybe it's what you are eating.

I went through a 3 month period of fatigue and body aches, and exhaustion especially after work in the evenings. I still managed to work out a few days a week, but I was spent all of the time. I started to get headaches too.
The short story is that I decided to give up dairy, sugar, gluten, and caffeine to see if I felt any better. It was unexpected, but I felt like a new person! I met with a nutritionist a few months later to try to figure out what I could add back in to my diet and she determined that I had become sensitive to dairy products after a lifetime of never having a problem with them. I am still off dairy, and I minimize the other things I mentioned..but I feel so much better. All of this in spite of being in school and having a very stressful job.

Good luck!
 
joejack said:
This may not be your problem but maybe it's what you are eating.

I went through a 3 month period of fatigue and body aches, and exhaustion especially after work in the evenings. I still managed to work out a few days a week, but I was spent all of the time. I started to get headaches too.
The short story is that I decided to give up dairy, sugar, gluten, and caffeine to see if I felt any better. It was unexpected, but I felt like a new person! I met with a nutritionist a few months later to try to figure out what I could add back in to my diet and she determined that I had become sensitive to dairy products after a lifetime of never having a problem with them. I am still off dairy, and I minimize the other things I mentioned..but I feel so much better. All of this in spite of being in school and having a very stressful job.

Good luck!
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This was going to be my suggestion... work on what you're eating. I am 60 years old and I can't even imagine that at 35 years old, your age has anything to do with fatigue. I would figure out what works for you in particular nutrition wise, but eliminating sugar and getting lots of good protein, greens and healthy carbs is the key for me to having great energy. I can't stress enough the benefit of spinach and/or kale (or similar greens) to aid in the recovery process after a workout.

I don't think the time of day, or the temperature where you live should affect your energy level. I work out anywhere from 6am to 8pm at night, depending on my schedule, and don't find that the time matters as long as I've eaten properly and gotten plenty of sleep. For what it's worth, I sleep at least 8 to 9 hours a night, sometimes 10. It makes all the difference.... good nutrition, good sleep and working out hard!

Good luck... hope you can figure it out!
 
gratefuldog said:
JeanneMarie, Please tell me your secret for getting that much sleep!
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Hey gratefuldog! I'm not sure if you mean how do I have the time to sleep that much, or how do I sleep that much period! I will answer both ways. :)

I am at a point in my life where I don't work, no family responsibilities, and my husband of almost 40 years passed away 2 years ago, so I'm pretty much on my own. I do what I want and answer to no one. While I miss my DH terribly, my life has evolved over the past two years to one of being pretty content with being alone. My days are spent at the gym where I attend bootcamp and lift weights. I participate, plus I help train. I work hard all day long, so when I get home at night around 8pm, I eat my dinner and go to bed. That means I am in the bed by about 9pm and I wake up at 6:30am every morning and repeat the cycle. Some of my friends claim I have no life. LOL! They may be right, but it works for me right now.

I do know that during times of my life where things were stressful or sad, sleep was more elusive. I don't have any stress or ongoing sadness anymore, so my mind is clear. I think a clear mind is essential for good sleep.

I find it hard to stay awake when I go to bed. Insomnia (if that is what you might be referring to) is a thing of mystery to me. I always shake my head and say I wish I could stay awake long enough to watch an entire TV show at night. It never happens. I'm out like a light. So my secret, if there is one, is work hard, eat good nutritious food and go to bed early and get up early.
 
You are a strong woman, both mentally and physically!
I am 47 and have no trouble falling asleep, yet I wake in the night for hours at a time. I'm sure it's a combination of hormones, and a brain that worries too much!
I thank you for taking the time to answer.
 
Yeah, I think it definitely could be related to diet and nutrition. I try to cut out sugar and carbs but I end up falling back into bad habits pretty easily. Here is my problem, maybe not a problem just an obstacle. I am a SAHM to 4 kids that I homeschool in a foreign country and I really hate cooking. Currently, in my city, I have limited access to healthy food (such as whole wheat flour or plain yogurt) as well as a lack of convenient foods (like frozen or canned vegetables). Generally I have to make everything from scratch. Not to mention that everything here is organic which means I have to pick the weevils out of the broccoli or pull slugs out of lettuce before cooking it. I'm not complaining, I just haven't found a way to consistently eat healthy. I can get fruits and vegetables and brown rice and couscous, it just takes forever to do shopping, prepping and cooking on top of all my other responsibilities.

Can you provide me with information on the MUST NOT eats and the ABSOLUTELY eats and maybe I can slowly begin a process of change. Does anyone have ideas on how to prep vegetables so that they can keep in the fridge all week?

Maybe if I liked cooking or even enjoyed eating, it would be easier, but I do think that diet is my greatest obstacle at the moment.

Thanks for all the advice!
 
mamajoy said:
Can you provide me with information on the MUST NOT eats and the ABSOLUTELY eats and maybe I can slowly begin a process of change.
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Here's what Tom Venuto says in his totally awesome book, "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle":
'The Terrible 12' foods avoid/cut out:
  1. deep fried foods such as french fries
  2. ice cream and milk shakes
  3. doughnuts and pastries
  4. candies and confections
  5. sugar-sweetened soft drinks
  6. sugar-sweetened juice drinks, energy drinks, teas and dessert coffees
  7. white bread and white flour products
  8. potato chips, corn chips and fried tortilla chips
  9. bacon, sausage and processed lunch meats
  10. hot dogs and fast food burgers
  11. pizza with thick crusts and fatty meat toppings
  12. sugary breakfast cereals
And here's what Venuto says are 'The Terrific 12' foods that should make up the foundation of a great diet:
  1. whole fresh fruit
  2. vegetables (any fibrous carb or nonstarchy vegetable)
  3. yams/sweet potatoes
  4. potatoes
  5. oatmeal, rolled or steel-cut (unsweetened)
  6. brown rice
  7. beans and legumes
  8. 100% whole wheat or whole grains
  9. low or non-fat dairy products
  10. chicken and turkey breast
  11. eggs and egg whites
  12. lean cuts of red meat, game meats
Off course, the 12 terrific foods should not all be eaten in equal portions. #1, 2, 10 and 11 are to have the biggest focus. He mentions that some people can not handle starchy carbs as well as others (often those with an endomorph body type) and so may need to limit potatoes, rice and grains. And of course allergies may impact dietary choices.

Want to also mention that I agree with posters above re seeking medical professional's opinion, including yoga/stretching and positive stress reduction strategies and striving for adequate quality and quantity of sleep. Great suggestions! I agree with Jeanne Marie that time of day for your workouts is probably not affecting your fatigue. But working out in the morning may give you a boost in energy that you are seeking.

I personally feel it is good to keep up regular workouts 5-6 days per week when you feel like it. But the workouts don't have to be long or harder than you are in the mood for. I too have had long periods of significant fatigue. For me, the workouts helped, and did not cause, the fatigue. Diet, sleep, chronic stress (coritsol levels), overwork, hormones/menopause, medical issues, etc. had to be sorted out. Hang in there and keep on working on solutions that work for YOU.

Good luck!
 
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