Is it normal to be so tired from walking?

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Replies

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    If you're not doing so already I would suggest a Vitamin D supplement is worth a try.

    Lack of it might be contributing to the general 'meh' along with everything else of course.
    Advice in the UK is now that everyone takes it in the winter, because even if you do manage to get into the daylight it isn't strong enough to generate vit D.
    I've taken it consistently since the autumn for the first time this year, and feel better than I usually do.
    I'm already taking supplements including vit D! :) but yeah the "No sunlight" thing has been miserable

    Do you have one of the "SAD (seasonal affective disorder) lights"? They're not a panacea, but do help some people. Can be online ordered, normally (haven't checked lately for availability).

    I got my seasonal affective disorder light from my doctor (I'm with the VA) and I love it!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    charmmeth wrote: »
    I seriously think it's partially my shoes but I still have no way to buy new (water/snowproof) ones, all shoe shops have been closed since october

    Could you buy shoes online? I realise it's a risk, but you could choose somewhere that lets you send them back if they don't fit.

    I feel like maybe some of this is mental... I've been thinking today and 2 things stand out to me:
    1) I haven't seen sunlight in over a month, I go to work and come home in darkness, I work in a basement with no windows
    2) I am stuck in a town with 0 friends and no way to get to my family (haven't seen anyone outside work, where I'm one of the "new"-ish people, in over a month)

    That sounds debilitating. I really sympathise: I was in lockdown on my own for three months (but in the spring, so in the light) and saw very few people. i found it exhausting and depressing. Can you use zoom to talk to your family and friends at least?

    my family don't know how to use tech/webcams so we stick to phonecalls, no cams (this is people in their 60s to late 80s)

    my normal places to buy shoes from don't do online, and I have very unusual feet so it's a challenge even when shopping in person :( I tend to be JUST able to fit into the smallest adult womens size, but then there's my high arches, wide feet and super long toes

    Will Zappos ship to you? They are great with returns for me in the US anyway. I normally buy 3-4 different shoes and only keep one pair.

    Amazon bought Zappos so I check both places now. I do research on Zappos and then see if Amazon has the better price.
  • Mithridites
    Mithridites Posts: 600 Member
    @kshama2001 Zappos doesn't ship outside of the USA. The OP is in a small Northern European country.

    OP, I feel for you. I would certainly be tired with the routine you describe. I second (or third) the advice to get new walking shoes shipped to you, or even some old ones you left behind at your family's house. I also like my happy light, although it's tricky to find a good one, even if Amazon shops things to your country. If there is any program offered though your employer or the government that would help you deal with the low mood caused by the lockdown, give it a try. Something is better than nothing. I also swear by supplementing Omega-3 and magnesium for extra pep in my step, but that's something you should have a doctor's advice with, and I'm not one. Hang in there! Things will get better in 2021.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    just to clarify - yes, I am eating enough so I'm not losing more weight - if I was massively undereating I'd notice that after a few weeks.. now some days I eat more and some days I eat less (depends on how hungry) but looking at the past week for example I'm averaging about 2000-2100kcal, my sedentary maintenance would be just around 1500

    When I walk I carry a light backpack with my wallet, disinfectant, some tissues, my phone charger and some spare masks (obligatory to wear one at all times, even on the streets, so I go through a few single use ones per day).. I'll sometimes grab groceries on the way back, but I'm only carrying those for the last 1/3 of the walk

    I tend to do either gentler stuff (stretching) or workouts with weights in the evenings because I don't want to lose the strength I've been working for months to get :/ also, walking doesn't quite feel as satisfying sometimes?

    I seriously think it's partially my shoes but I still have no way to buy new (water/snowproof) ones, all shoe shops have been closed since october

    Could you order some shoes online, if you think that's part of the problem? Lots of places allow free returns, so you could try them on and everything before committing.

    I can also highly recommend reusable, washable cloth masks: less waste for the environment but also, you don't need to carry so many. I bought a pack of 5 in Amazon, usually have 2 with me at all times and just wash them in rotation.

    I think you're right about the mental part too though. It can be hard in winter when it's dark all the time, even worse during this period of social isolation. If your mood is a bit low that may well be making you feel more tired.

    I bought washable ones! After 30ish min of walking in high humidity I feel like I'm getting suffocated by wet cloth getting sucked into my mouth/nose

    I had a short walk in very cold last night and started to experience the wet mask and thought of you.

    a6e2002d70a1d7b2c73f58f345e4e011.jpeg
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    just to clarify - yes, I am eating enough so I'm not losing more weight - if I was massively undereating I'd notice that after a few weeks.. now some days I eat more and some days I eat less (depends on how hungry) but looking at the past week for example I'm averaging about 2000-2100kcal, my sedentary maintenance would be just around 1500

    When I walk I carry a light backpack with my wallet, disinfectant, some tissues, my phone charger and some spare masks (obligatory to wear one at all times, even on the streets, so I go through a few single use ones per day).. I'll sometimes grab groceries on the way back, but I'm only carrying those for the last 1/3 of the walk

    I tend to do either gentler stuff (stretching) or workouts with weights in the evenings because I don't want to lose the strength I've been working for months to get :/ also, walking doesn't quite feel as satisfying sometimes?

    I seriously think it's partially my shoes but I still have no way to buy new (water/snowproof) ones, all shoe shops have been closed since october

    Could you order some shoes online, if you think that's part of the problem? Lots of places allow free returns, so you could try them on and everything before committing.

    I can also highly recommend reusable, washable cloth masks: less waste for the environment but also, you don't need to carry so many. I bought a pack of 5 in Amazon, usually have 2 with me at all times and just wash them in rotation.

    I think you're right about the mental part too though. It can be hard in winter when it's dark all the time, even worse during this period of social isolation. If your mood is a bit low that may well be making you feel more tired.

    I bought washable ones! After 30ish min of walking in high humidity I feel like I'm getting suffocated by wet cloth getting sucked into my mouth/nose

    I had a short walk in very cold last night and started to experience the wet mask and thought of you.

    Oh yeah, wet mask is a new sensation. I did like wearing it as a lightweight cover for my mouth though. Scarfs and ski masks were just too heavy and sweaty when I'm out exercising. I need something to cover my face because I get a lil asthmatic when I suck in too much cold air from breathing hard.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,620 Member
    FWIW, one of my friends gave me this thingie for that "sucking in soggy mask" problem. I haven't tried it yet, but it looks promising. (I put that pencil under it to give you a better idea of size/shape.) I'm not sure what it's called (mask cage maybe?) but I believe she got it on Amazon, and I know it was a multi-pack.
    zsathw2ph7cl.jpg
  • raymax4
    raymax4 Posts: 6,070 Member
    charmmeth wrote: »
    I seriously think it's partially my shoes but I still have no way to buy new (water/snowproof) ones, all shoe shops have been closed since october

    Could you buy shoes online? I realise it's a risk, but you could choose somewhere that lets you send them back if they don't fit.

    I feel like maybe some of this is mental... I've been thinking today and 2 things stand out to me:
    1) I haven't seen sunlight in over a month, I go to work and come home in darkness, I work in a basement with no windows
    2) I am stuck in a town with 0 friends and no way to get to my family (haven't seen anyone outside work, where I'm one of the "new"-ish people, in over a month)

    That sounds debilitating. I really sympathise: I was in lockdown on my own for three months (but in the spring, so in the light) and saw very few people. i found it exhausting and depressing. Can you use zoom to talk to your family and friends at least?

    my family don't know how to use tech/webcams so we stick to phonecalls, no cams (this is people in their 60s to late 80s)

    my normal places to buy shoes from don't do online, and I have very unusual feet so it's a challenge even when shopping in person :( I tend to be JUST able to fit into the smallest adult womens size, but then there's my high arches, wide feet and super long toes

    I have wide feet and high arches and walk a lot at work I found NBT sports rally helpful however Im hot sure you would want to walk in snow with them. they defiantly decrease heal strike though.

    You mentioned lack of sunshine and being mildly depressed perhaps you are low in vitamin D
    https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-d-deficiency-symptoms#TOC_TITLE_HDR_3
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    FWIW, one of my friends gave me this thingie for that "sucking in soggy mask" problem. I haven't tried it yet, but it looks promising. (I put that pencil under it to give you a better idea of size/shape.) I'm not sure what it's called (mask cage maybe?) but I believe she got it on Amazon, and I know it was a multi-pack.
    zsathw2ph7cl.jpg

    Yes, "mask cage." Also "lipstick protector" lol.

    https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=mask+cage&ref=nb_sb_no
  • MaltedTea
    MaltedTea Posts: 6,286 Member
    I'm not saying that this jumps the shark but there's also the option of having several masks on your person if you're, for some reason, going to be out among the Great Unwashed for a large portion of the day.

    Personally, I would be concerned about pressure marks this would leave on my face... especially with make-up 🤷🏿‍♀️

    But whomever invented this? Chef's kiss 👌🏿 That's easy money.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    I'm skeptical due to reading the one star reviews on the more heavily reviewed mask cages, but did order this:

    https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FWZZ2D6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    It claims to prevent fogging glasses, which makes me crazy. When the weather is cold and I go into a store my glasses fog and I can't see for a while. If it works, I will be ecstatic, and if not, I will return them.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,620 Member
    I'll try to remember to report back after I try it, but my friend who gave it to me loves it for her walks. She was having the "sucking in wet fabric" problem.

    To @MaltedTea's comment about makeup, face marks: Could be. I never wear makeup, think my friend doesn't either; and (me only, here) I am not the pretty/cute type, partly because I don't care that much, partly by genetics, so I've long prioritized comfort/function over appearance. I'm *behind* my face all the time, rarely have to look at it. Besides, I have face-marks most of the AM from my (🙄) CPAP mask, since I'm one of the lucky (🙄) people for whom weight loss did not improve sleep apnea.
  • netitheyeti
    netitheyeti Posts: 539 Member
    just gonna update - I got to weigh myself after 5 weeks, i'm about 0.7kg heavier than last weigh in (which is within normal fluctuations for me, considering I've been aiming to maintain) - but basically, yeah, proves to me I wasn't tired due to undereating (I was fairly sure I was maintaining but hard to judge without a scale)

    I picked up some old shoes from my parents house which hopefully should last me this winter, and I'm moving in 7 days
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    just gonna update - I got to weigh myself after 5 weeks, i'm about 0.7kg heavier than last weigh in (which is within normal fluctuations for me, considering I've been aiming to maintain) - but basically, yeah, proves to me I wasn't tired due to undereating (I was fairly sure I was maintaining but hard to judge without a scale)

    I picked up some old shoes from my parents house which hopefully should last me this winter, and I'm moving in 7 days

    You're moving closer to work, yes?

    And will you be able to sometimes work from home there?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    just gonna update - I got to weigh myself after 5 weeks, i'm about 0.7kg heavier than last weigh in (which is within normal fluctuations for me, considering I've been aiming to maintain) - but basically, yeah, proves to me I wasn't tired due to undereating (I was fairly sure I was maintaining but hard to judge without a scale)

    I picked up some old shoes from my parents house which hopefully should last me this winter, and I'm moving in 7 days

    You're moving closer to work, yes?

    And will you be able to sometimes work from home there?

    I will literally be living a 5-6 minute walk from work :)

    Now you'll have to add some.
    Or do a workout that is better for body with extra time available.
  • charmmeth
    charmmeth Posts: 936 Member
    I will literally be living a 5-6 minute walk from work :)

    That sounds great! I hope the move goes well.

  • netitheyeti
    netitheyeti Posts: 539 Member
    heybales wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    just gonna update - I got to weigh myself after 5 weeks, i'm about 0.7kg heavier than last weigh in (which is within normal fluctuations for me, considering I've been aiming to maintain) - but basically, yeah, proves to me I wasn't tired due to undereating (I was fairly sure I was maintaining but hard to judge without a scale)

    I picked up some old shoes from my parents house which hopefully should last me this winter, and I'm moving in 7 days

    You're moving closer to work, yes?

    And will you be able to sometimes work from home there?

    I will literally be living a 5-6 minute walk from work :)

    Now you'll have to add some.
    Or do a workout that is better for body with extra time available.

    trust me that's not gonna be an issue xD
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    just gonna update - I got to weigh myself after 5 weeks, i'm about 0.7kg heavier than last weigh in (which is within normal fluctuations for me, considering I've been aiming to maintain) - but basically, yeah, proves to me I wasn't tired due to undereating (I was fairly sure I was maintaining but hard to judge without a scale)

    I picked up some old shoes from my parents house which hopefully should last me this winter, and I'm moving in 7 days

    You're moving closer to work, yes?

    And will you be able to sometimes work from home there?

    I will literally be living a 5-6 minute walk from work :)

    Hooray!