Exercise makes me tired?!?!

VanishaDawn

Hey MFPs, I exercise for a little over an hour 4-5 days a week and every day after my workout, my body is tired for the rest of the day. I'm not sleepy, but I feel like I would like to lay down to rest my body. Any tips, clues, or suggestions?

P.S.- All I do is 45 minutes of cardio and some strength training, 3-4 machines per day.

shovav91

Try upping your calories. Calories are a unit of energy. If your body isn't getting the fuel it needs, it's not going to hold up well under the strain of a workout.

3laine75

are you eating enough? get some carbs beforehand and some protein after. a nice swim wakes me up after a workout - does your gym have a pool?

VanishaDawn

I am usually close to or over my calories at the end of the day, but now that I think about it, I usually don't eat before or directly after the gym. I'll try it tomorrow.

I wish I did have a pool...but Planet fitness is very basic. Just cardio and strength machines.

Thanks so much...I gonna go in a corner and give myself the "Shoulda had a V-8" forehead slap! :laugh:

3laine75

i was a bit worried about the extra calories before i started using this site but the advice about eating the calories back is great. i had hit a bit of a plateu but i have a protein shake or bar straight after the gym now and i've saw the scales start to move again - i have a bit more energy too

rileysowner

Very difficult to say without seeing your food diary, but I would guess you are not eating enough, that is, your calorie goal is too low or you are not eating the calories you burn exercising back. For some that will not be an issue, but for many they will feel sleepy, run down or the like.

Sl1ghtly

I heard that physical exertion can cause tiredness, and it's best to rest after. It seems so crazy simple, it just might work!

jadedone

Don't forget to stay hydrated.

Personally my body is really sensitive to the nutrients I am getting as well. I grab a multi vitamin in the afternoon if I am feeling sleepy and it seems to help. (I am borderline anemic, and sensitive to my iron levels).

I also feel off if I don't get enough produce for a few days. I am exhausted and unmotivated.

good2bthaking

Be sure to get some carbs and protein in your body within 30 minutes after working out. You need to refuel and get muscles repairing themselves. I personally like Accelerade, it's a drink mix and all you do is add water, stir, and enjoy. Good luck!!

VanishaDawn

I heard that physical exertion can cause tiredness, and it's best to rest after. It seems so crazy simple, it just might work!

Unfortunately, I am ALWAYS on the go....I will have to try to make time to rest for at least 30 minutes.

VanishaDawn

You all are awesome! Thanks for the tips. I am gonna have to stop starving myself in the mornings...one more question...any suggestions breakfasts on the go? Lol I have a million and one questions!

donindc

Sorry to dig up an old thread - but...

A common complaint of people with chronic fatigue is getting exhausted after exercising. They have to increase their exercise level very carefully over a long period of time.

I don't have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, whatever that turns out to be - I guess it is still a mystery. But I can get exhausted easily from too much exercise. I am fine while exercising - it is only later that I pay for it.

I wonder if there is a continuum with this symptom - that many people might experience this to some degree. I don't get wiped out for weeks like some with CFS say they do. But it can take a day or two of cutting back on exercise.

TotalBodyRenos

Not sure how things are going now after so much time but one thing you may want to look at is your adrenals. If you are tired after exercising, there is a possibility that there is just no cortisol left in you. This can cause regular fatigue, but more so HUGE fatigue after a work out. Eating right and exercise will not fix that, and can actually make it worse. I suggest seeing a naturopath and having them check your adrenal glands ans possibly your thyroid or liver. A regular medical doctor may say you are within "normal"range, but a naturopath will check levels for you...not against the "average" population (who ever that is!!)

e1646134

This may not necessarily address your being tired after exercise, but I felt compelled to register as a user and share some opinions and information with you.

The old, tired mantras of "eat less, exercise more" "3,500 calories equals one pound," and the like drive me berserk. If the answer were this simple, would we be knee-deep in an obesity epidemic? I mean, really. Step-back and apply some common sense to that question.

How can one REALLY regulate their calorie consumption or combustion, any more than their number of breaths or blinking of the eyes? First, we would have to know, for CERTAIN, how much we're ingesting or expending. We don't reliably know FOR SURE. Yes, we have reasonable hypotheses, but not a 100% GUARANTEE.

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Think about those absurd calorie counters on the treadmill or exercise bike. You enter your age and weight and the device magically deduces how many calories you're burning? What if a person is 6' 0", weighs 195 lbs, and is 10% body fat. Then, on the next treadmill, there is another person that's 6' 0", weighs 195 lbs, and is 25% body fat Are those people going to expend the SAME calories, assuming equal speed, incline, and duration? The treadmill would say 'Yes.'

Also, those instruments don't tell you how many MORE calories one will burn, due to the exercise. In other words, your metabolism will burn 'X' calories anyway, regardless of your activity -- even sitting on your sofa. The calorie counters do not account for this by subtracting your basal metabolic rate.
=====================================================================================

Such overly-simplistic ideas of calories-in/calories-out treats our bodies as simple, closed, "black box" systems. However, as you may agree, our bodies are exceptionally complex. What about hormones? Neurotransmitters? While food quantity can be a factor, the discussion of QUALITY is often overlooked. What about SLEEP?

All these things (and more) are interdependent. Conventional "logic" ignores the complexity, however. Really, I can understand why. Many people want a short answer and a quick fix. Sadly, some people will commit hours, days, or even weeks to research a new television or automobile, but never consider devoting as much time to their our own bodies.

So, in closing, I encourage people to become their own expert, as much as that is possible. Don't necessarily agree with someone (anyone, even me) just because they are a self-professed "guru" or have a string of letters after their name. Doing more of the same things will get you more of the same results.

Again, use logic: If this were so simple and the Food Pyramid / My Pyramid / My Plate worked, then why would over half of the population be overweight? Why would PRE-TEENS have DIABETES?!? When has this ever happened in such large (and, increasing) numbers? This wasn't always so. One need only go back 50 years or so. Don't abdicate your health to others.

Information to Consider
===================
* Barry Groves: Why You Can't Count Calories
http://youtu.be/ahq9gSfDJFc

* Robb Wolf: The Pale Diet
http://robbwolf.com/what-is-the-paleo-diet

* Mark Sisson: The Primal Blueprint
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-101

I'm not suggesting these are "THE" answer, as I believe in self-experimentation. Rather, they are potentially alternatives sources to review, consider, and either apply or ignore.

Whichever you choose, I wish you (and everyone reading) much health and happiness.

Sincerely,
e1646134

p.s. You may also consider consulting with a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN) specialist. Rather than guessing at what may or may not be going-on, a FDN specialist can test for all manner of things: hormones, neurotransmitters, liver function, leaky gut, etc. I would say to check Google and search for someone in your area.

Sqeekyjojo

Eat something before you go to the gym. Gotta fuel up that tank before you can drive.

Even if it's just a light thing, it's so much easier with it in your system.

firstjog11

This happened to my sister and it ended up that she had diabetes and needed medication, and she was only 20 pounds over her ideal weight, so if it keeps happening, you might want to have a doctor check up. The good news is as soon as she got on the medication, she was able to lose weight and she felt better.

valeriewxy

Sorry to dig up an old thread - but...

A common complaint of people with chronic fatigue is getting exhausted after exercising. They have to increase their exercise level very carefully over a long period of time.

I don't have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, whatever that turns out to be - I guess it is still a mystery. But I can get exhausted easily from too much exercise. I am fine while exercising - it is only later that I pay for it.

I wonder if there is a continuum with this symptom - that many people might experience this to some degree. I don't get wiped out for weeks like some with CFS say they do. But it can take a day or two of cutting back on exercise.

I know someone with CFS and I get mad when people call it "getting tired easily" (I know you're not). She's on here so she'll pop by and explain if she wants. I can't say I know all about it and if there's a continuum or not. There probably is though - like all chronic illnesses