Burnt out. Wiped out. Knackered. Help?

JamBlaze

Hello!

Long time cardio bunny here. Been regularly gyming/running it for about 8 years now, never really carried excess weight, but over the past 4 months I decided to get "serious", got onto MFP, worked out more regularly (4 times a week minimum generally), and started the 5 x 5 workout six weeks ago. Started trying to up my protein, watch my macros, while working to a deficit to get my body fat down. I also brisk walk to work, half an hour each way. My job is pretty sedentry though (desk job.)

A month and a half ago I was eating about 1500 - 1600 calories daily (calculators advise I need about 2100 to maintain), but I felt knackered. Upped it to about 1,800 - 2,000 which I'm currently at now, but I'm finding myself crashing and burning a lot. Sometimes I feel absolutely SHATTERED, mentally and physically. My general day to day concentration levels have been going down too. I feel so wiped out. My eating is also getting quite disordered, I feel like I'm constantly battling this urge to go crazy and eat three giant dinners in one sitting (often I feel so hungry I'm sure I could), and trying to keep my macros reasonable. What gives?

Iron deficiency? Over-training? Not eating enough, despite the low deficit (and that I go over about 15% of the time?) Do I push through, or take a break? Scratching my (tired) head here and would appreciate some advice. Thanks in advance.

faithnna

Have you asked the Stronglifts group?

mittencat77

Rest days are important. Do you have them?

I used to x-country ski race at a pretty serious level. Our training schedules would always involve buidling up over a period of 3-4 weeks and then backing off to just a little above where we started the previous cycle. If we went the same intensity all the time or constantly pushed, we would burn out. I saw this happen to people once and a while. We would also have a period of nothing after racing season every year....2 weeks to a month usually if memory serves. You need to give your body time to repair. Self defeating to go all out, all the time.

bumblebums

It could be that you are not giving yourself enough rest, and it could be that you are not eating enough to fuel your activity. It could be both, too, in which case you might be cruising towards injury or more symptoms of overtraining syndrome.

I would try exercising less for a couple of weeks--give yourself a rest day between workouts, while not changing your intake level. See how you feel. Alternatively, ramp up your calories to maintenance for two weeks to give yourself a diet break.

Have you read Lyle McDonald's site?

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/articles

He discusses both diet breaks and overtraining in detail; I would have a look to see what might apply to you.

JamBlaze

Thanks all. I haven't asked the stronglift group specifically, as I wasn't sure whether it was the weight training specifically that was the cause. I think I'll try upping my calories to maintenance for a couple of weeks and toning down the exercise, see if that works. If not, I'll just take a complete workout break. Thanks!

DavPul

Keep in mind that all calorie guides are estimates. Your actual needs can be a lot higher. Try eating more.