Why am I always sick and sore?

[katie9stuart]

Katie
Cathe, I work out with you six days a week for an hour (with commercials)on my cable fittv station, and I was just wondering if the rotations that they do are directed by you? Some times I feel like we do alot of lower body without any rest and I thought a 24-48 hour resting period was needed for your muscles. I'm just trying to figure out why I keep getting sick about every other week. I'm 5'6" 130 and I eat about 1400 calories a day, also I am breastfeeding. I am very athletic and active and I really enjoy your work outs, but is it ok to always be sore.

 

[dianet]

Hi Katie -

I am obviously not Cathe, but thought I would comment. First, I have read that you are supposed to eat 500 calories more than usual when you are breast feeding. 1400 is already on the low side, so you might want to up your calorie intake to at least 2000 while you are breast feeding. That could be causing you to get sick. Also, the fittv schedule is not necessarily the schedule you should do Cathe videos. You are right, some days leg workouts are repeated and 24-48 of rest in between heavy lifting days is recommened, which is probably what is causing you to be sore. You may want to tape or TIVO the workouts from tv and follow a rotation from this forum. There are tons of suggestions in the Rotations section of this forum that can help you figure out what days to do each workout.

Hope this helps.

- Diane

 

[katie9stuart]

Thanks for your opinion Diane. I think I know I should up my calories but I guess in the back of my mind I think that if I do I will just be ruining what I am working so hard for.

 

[kathryn]

Hi, Katie!
I suggest you post this question in the "Open Discussion" as well, so other forum members can give you some suggestions.

(I also think you are taking in too few calories, especially when breastfeeding, and you may be overtraining as well.)

 

[dianet]

Hi Katie -

Too few calories could actually hinder you progress, as your body will go in "starvation mode" and you will store fat and lose muscle. Your body actually burns a lot of calories in producing milk, so you shouldn't worry too much about adding calories while breastfeeding. You can drop you calories back down once you stop breastfeeding. There are lots of websites out there that can calculate the calories needed in a day based on your height, weight, age etc. that can give you a good range for where you daily calories should be. For example try http://www.shapefit.com/dailycalorie-calc.html Of course if you are trying to lose weight, you should aim for a couple hundred calories under that number (but not too much under).