Dont know if i can do it anymore

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pkd1
pkd1 Posts: 170 Member
in Motivation and Support
Ive been with Mfp since Nov of 2010, Ive lost 12 lbs and almost 16 inches. Im BURNT OUT!, i have been working out 5 to 6 days a week for 170 days, and I just dont think i can do it anymore. I need some major support or someone to light a huge fire under my *kitten* to get back into my exercise groove. Should I take a break? still watch my calories but not be so consumed with the workouts, Please Help...............Paula:ohwell:

Replies

  • jperrysunlover
    jperrysunlover Posts: 96 Member
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    Absolutely take a break! You will find that you might be less likely to eat as much if you only do 3 days a week and watch your calorie intake.
  • goingtobefit2015
    goingtobefit2015 Posts: 408 Member
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    Don't give up just try to change your routine! If you give up you will really regret it and then you will find out how good you feel when you stop doing it!
  • travelgirl09
    travelgirl09 Posts: 151 Member
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    Maybe take a week off from exercising. Are you burnt out mentally or physically, or both? Just wondering.
  • stephierae25
    stephierae25 Posts: 60
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    Maybe you should mix it up. Try something new. If it is warm where you are go swimming! Be active in a way that doesnt feel like you are "working"out. It is so easy to get burnt out but look how far you have come already! And you are so close to your goal!! Dont give up! You can do it!!
  • aeckels616
    aeckels616 Posts: 210 Member
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    I don't know about you, but I HAVE to keep things fresh to stay motivated. Whether that means new workout gear, a new goal, trying a new exercise, a new location, new playlist, whatever gets me pumped about the next workout. I have really enjoyed running for the last month but in a few weeks I will be trading it in for swimming to keep from getting burned out on it.
  • Setof2Keys
    Setof2Keys Posts: 681 Member
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    What is your cal count looking like, maybe you're not eating enough!
  • bbygrl5
    bbygrl5 Posts: 964 Member
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    YES, you need to take a break. If you don't, you will push too hard and give up altogether. From time to time I do this. It won't throw you off. Burn out, in my opinion, is the number one reason people give up. They don't allow themselves to step back and take a break, they demand too much all the time and then months down the road, they snap and give up. Go easier on yourself for a bit, but definitely come back to it when you're refreshed again. :flowerforyou:
  • Dawntodusk
    Dawntodusk Posts: 262 Member
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    I think you've hit on an important point. Many folks go into a lifestyle change gung-ho, but then burn out cannot maintain it. I've learned not to take on anything that I know I cannot maintain for LIFE. It's not necessary to work out 5-6 times a week to maintain your health. 3 times a week is plenty. Don't feel bad about lowering the amount. Better to work out 2-3 times a week for life than to workout 5-6 times a week for a few months.
  • Still_Sossy
    Still_Sossy Posts: 868 Member
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    *gets wood, fuel and a lighter*............Please stick with it. What is your weight loss goal and are you eating UNDER calorie? Seriously 16 inches is a LOT, I have lost almost 30 lbs and have only lost 7 inches, youR workouts may have you gaining muscle mass so you do not notice the fat loss as much but you can see it in those inches. Remember muscle weight weighs more than fat so the scale may not budge. You will be really upset with yourself in the long run if you quit. Keep it up you are just hitting a rough patch and need to push through. You jave friends who want to see you go all the way! If you need anything you can pm me, I will be happy to do whatever I can. Plus you are an awesome friend! :flowerforyou:
  • hartsmart
    hartsmart Posts: 141 Member
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    you CAN do it...you just need to listen to your body. and if it's saying 'lay off the exercise' then cut a day out. or, as others have said, change your workout. maybe try something a little less intense. i don't really know what type of routine you're doing 5 days a week, but maybe throw in a day of yoga or pilates or something with less impact or something? maybe even just a gentle stretching routine, just so you dont' get into the habit of NOT working out (like i've done before...it's hard to bounce back from that!)
    good luck, at any rate!!
  • hwilliams519
    hwilliams519 Posts: 428
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    I would be very careful about taking a break. It may last longer than you think, and you may gain back some of what you lost. Trust me. That's what happened to me a couple of years ago when I took a "break" from MFP.

    I would try to mix up your routine. Or maybe just focus on eating healthy and exercising without actually counting calories in or burned. Sometimes we just get too involved or obsessed. So maybe you just need a mind break. But please don't stop your exercise or eating healthy. You will regret it.

    Remember: "Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work." - Booker T. Washington
  • lallaloolly
    lallaloolly Posts: 228 Member
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    first of all, 12 pounds and 16 inches is amazing! sounds to me like you've built a lot of muscle, too. i know there are a lot of people on here who have lost 30, 50, even 100 pounds, but no weight loss is easy, and you've done an amazing thing since november!

    perhaps it's time to change your workouts to something a little less grueling so you can keep up with your fitness without being so burned out. your fitness routine should be part of a lifestyle you want to maintain as well as physically can maintain. walking (outdoors, not on a treadmill) keeps me sane. as long as it isn't pouring down rain, i walk 6 days a week. it isn't too strenuous on your knees, it's good for you and if you keep up a good pace, it raises your heart rate enough to be effective. it might not burn as many calories as other things, but it is healthful and relaxing at the same time. i add in a quick 20 minutes of stength training or yoga 3 days a week.
  • kaylambees
    kaylambees Posts: 2
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    Find something that you love doing... working out doesn't have to be "work" do you like sports? What about Zumba? Zumba is a great way to get an AMAZING workout and so fun too! Don't worry about not knowing how to do everything right, just enjoy it and get your body moving! There are Zumba classes everywhere and they are cheap too! The key to a great weight loss is finding activities that you love and getting a good burn too! DON'T GIVE UP! You just need to get over this hump and your weight loss will surprise you!
  • popsicle33
    popsicle33 Posts: 108 Member
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    Everyone is so wise, you should listen to them! If you feel burned out, or it is taking over your entire life, make a deal with yourself to have an extra day off from working out, and lower your calorie intake. But don't give up completely, or you may regret it. We all need to find a happy medium to maintain and not regain what we have lost.

    I am amazed at how little I have gotten done and how little time I have for anything else anymore since starting my regime on MFP. I am not ready to give up yet, but I expect to hit a breaking point where I am going to bargain with my limited amount of time.

    Your feelings are quite normal, so expand your imagination as to how to keep up the good work without burning out!
  • kaylambees
    kaylambees Posts: 2
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    Find something that you love doing... working out doesn't have to be "work" do you like sports? What about Zumba? Zumba is a great way to get an AMAZING workout and so fun too! Don't worry about not knowing how to do everything right, just enjoy it and get your body moving! There are Zumba classes everywhere and they are cheap too! The key to a great weight loss is finding activities that you love and getting a good burn too! DON'T GIVE UP! You just need to get over this hump and your weight loss will surprise you! I just started 3 days ago and have already lost 3 pounds. Great start, but you can't expect to have high weight losses every week!
  • LyndseyMcKnight7
    LyndseyMcKnight7 Posts: 88
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    I started dieting in April 2010 and by Thanksgiving, although I had lost 50 pounds, I was DONE! So I took off until New Years...I still watched what I ate, but it wasn't all-consuming. I managed to get through the holidays and maintain my weight. New Years Day I started again and have lost another 20 pounds. It was just what I needed to get me back on tracks. SO give yourself a break, you've earned it!
  • dtwardy
    dtwardy Posts: 1
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    i know how you are feeling. i lost 22 lbs since September and hit a wall this month. havn't lost anything for 3 weeks. i keep seeing "if every day were like today you would weigh....in 5 weeks. REALLY?
    BUT, With the weather finally getting a better, my goal is to get out to walk again. just watching calories doesn't do it! try not to get discouraged. remember what it took to get this far and what it would take to have to start over. ugh!!!
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    Plan in a break in which you still make healthy choices - eat mostly healthy foods, stay around your BMR for calories (this would be your maintenance amount) and do at least 3 workouts a week.

    Set a specific time to reevaluate, say in two weeks. At that time, sit down and think about it - are you ready to go back to what you were doing before, or was that just too much for you overall? Can you find a happy medium between your two week's healthy lifestyle and your super diet lifestyle?

    You may even find that this "break" is closer to a manageable lifestyle for you .

    You are doing great and we would hate to see you just give up!!
  • peteyTwang
    peteyTwang Posts: 250
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    exactly... same goes for what you are eating - switch it up & stay healthy!
    I don't know about you, but I HAVE to keep things fresh to stay motivated. Whether that means new workout gear, a new goal, trying a new exercise, a new location, new playlist, whatever gets me pumped about the next workout. I have really enjoyed running for the last month but in a few weeks I will be trading it in for swimming to keep from getting burned out on it.
  • Tree72
    Tree72 Posts: 942 Member
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    This is your journey, and you should listen to your body and mind and take it at your own pace. If you're just bored or can't take the repetition, definitely switch up your activities/exercises and your foods. Try something totally new. But if you really need to take a mental break from worrying about all of it, switch to maintenance for a couple of weeks. Or, as others have suggested, cut back on how frequently or intensely you work out for a bit.

    I've definitely had a few breaks during my journey so far (staring in August 2009), but I'm still working on being healthier. Currently I'm pretty excited to be working with a personal trainer and losing weight fairly consistently. But around the holidays there was about a month where I just couldn't take the stress of staying under 1500 calories everyday. So I kept up the daily exercise (so many benefits other than burning calories), but allowed myself to eat at a maintenance level.

    Taking a break does not mean you are quitting. It just means you may need to focus more energies on another area of your life for a short time. In the long run you will still reach your goals, it may just take a little longer than you originally thought. Changing your lifestyle takes a lot of thought and energy. It's definitely better to take a step back sometimes than to wander off the path completely.

    Good luck in whatever you decide, and may you find your motivation when you are ready. :)

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