"Bonking"

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get_fit2009
get_fit2009 Posts: 827 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Now I know what this means. The last 2 days my workouts have been extremely hard to get through and have left me completely wiped out. Tomorrow is my stretch day and not a moment too soon. Does this mean I should add more food to my menu? The weight has been coming off really quickly, so it wouldn't be bad if it slowed down a bit. Just curious if anyone else has gone through this and how long it takes to feel strong and spunky again.

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  • Hermit4Hire
    Hermit4Hire Posts: 197
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    I really thought this was going to be a totally different topic....

    As far as being "wiped out" you need to listen to your body and should happily take a break. Recovery is as important as exercise. Regarding "slowing down" maybe you will have to experiment for a few weeks and see how you progress. Everybody is different. You may just need to change up your workout, confuse your system.
  • PJilly
    PJilly Posts: 21,661 Member
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    I would eat more carbs for energy.
  • get_fit2009
    get_fit2009 Posts: 827 Member
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    I really thought this was going to be a totally different topic....

    As far as being "wiped out" you need to listen to your body and should happily take a break. Recovery is as important as exercise. Regarding "slowing down" maybe you will have to experiment for a few weeks and see how you progress. Everybody is different. You may just need to change up your workout, confuse your system.

    Yeah, after I posted it I thought the topic may sound a little weird...:laugh:

    I think I will experiment because I am not having fun working out when I feel like this. I like my workouts to be fun.
  • get_fit2009
    get_fit2009 Posts: 827 Member
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    I would eat more carbs for energy.

    I try to eat "healthy carbs". I can try adding some more of them though. Thanks. :smile:
  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
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    I eat between 0 and 35 grams of carbs per day. My carbs come from vegetables, nuts and fruit only. Some occasional greek yogurt.............

    I eat plenty of fat to compensate and I am brimming over the top with lots of energy.

    Just food for thought!!!!
  • sjcply
    sjcply Posts: 817 Member
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    Maybe add a little pre-workout snack...like nuts/fruits.....string cheese/fruit! It seems to help me!
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    If you are working out fairly hard and not adequately replenishing muscle glycogen, you can start to feel chronically fatigued, regardless of your protein-carb-fat ratio.

    You can also just reach a point of overtraining, once again, independent of food intake.

    Just for clarity's sake, "Bonking" refers to a more acute drop in blood sugar levels or the immediate reaction from an exhaustion of muscle glycogen stores (as opposed the to more chronic fatigue you are experiencing, although insufficient muscle glycogen is a factor in both).

    Best thing to do is just to take 2-3 days off and reevaluate you food plan. If you are doing a lot of exercise, you probably need 45% to 55% of your calories from carbohydrates.
  • get_fit2009
    get_fit2009 Posts: 827 Member
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    Thanks for the advice, everyone. Have a healthy weekend!
  • kwardklinck
    kwardklinck Posts: 1,601
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    I was having that trouble and cut back on my workouts to 3 times a week. I also try to come within 50 cals of my goal particularly when I work out. The weight started coming off faster for me when I cut back on the exercise.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    Ironically, I had a relevant experience today. I had planned on doing 45 min on the stairmaster today. But after about 25 min, my legs became so fatigued I couldn't continue. I tried resting for about 45 secs, but when I continued, they stopped working again almost immediately. I felt that gnawing feeling, so I decided to get out my glucose meter and check my level.

    My blood sugar was 68. Now, THAT'S "bonking" :tongue:

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