I feel like I am going backwards with my fitness level...

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jf8675309
jf8675309 Posts: 4
in Motivation and Support
Hello to all looking to take an amazing step and change their lives!


So, here is my "dilemma" if you will.

I became very active in December 2012, I go to the gym at LEAST three days a week, I do Zumba, I take the stairs instead of the elevator, all that fun stuff. I could really tell that I was getting more fit because I started to be able to do these things without getting winded and tired.

Well all of the sudden within the last three weeks or so, I feel like I am back to square one again. I am becoming winded from walking up stairs, my typical work outs at the gym are now a struggle for me.

At first, I thought that I had been over doing it, and I was just tired. So I slowed down for a week or so, still going to the gym, but not as much and not working as vigorously. It's still not helping?

Has this happened to anyone before? Any input?

Thank you!

Jess:frown:

Replies

  • aberc
    aberc Posts: 98
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    Are you sure you are getting enough calories? When I upped my fitness activity, I was sluggish and tired a few weeks later and needed to increase my calories. It was like a rebirth. Im going through the same thing again, but my fitness routine hasn't changed much. So Im in the process of upping calories again.
  • jf8675309
    jf8675309 Posts: 4
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    I consume on average 1400 a day.
  • anastasiabeaver
    anastasiabeaver Posts: 11 Member
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    Hi there. Just the opposite, you're probably are getting more fit, and the body doesn't know you're trying -but it occasionally will store up energy if it thinks a body is losing weight too soon. I started panicking over a weight gain and the doc said my body panicked a bit over my new changes and it is spending a week watching if I'm starving. He recommended I eat more small meals or snacks to keep my metabolism going. Hope you feel better soon. Pay attention to pain and excessive fatigue- it could be a virus making you feel run down.
  • jessilee119
    jessilee119 Posts: 444 Member
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    Pay attention to pain and excessive fatigue- it could be a virus making you feel run down.

    I was just going to ask if you suffer from allergies or might have a virus. I used to have asthma as a teenager-I've outgrown it now but when I get a virus or bad allergy I get winded just from going up the stairs and doing light chores.

    It's sometimes hard to judge because you want to keep at it, but if your body is going through something you don't want to overexert yourself. I think you not over doing it now is a good idea and hopefully you're able to pick up your normal pace again soon.
  • jim9097
    jim9097 Posts: 341 Member
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    Actually the low energy level is probably due to depleted glycogyn levels from the workouts. I am guessing you are probably eating relatively healthy. Try a serving of gummy bears or a couple pixie sticks after your workouts. They are pure glucose and will return your glycogyn levels to normal in short order. During your workouts your body's preferred fuel is glycogyn, most things you eat are not, and must be converted by the liver for the body to make use of it. The previously mentioned is a shortcut.

    I workout 2 sometimes 3 times a day, so this has become a necessity for me. IT WORKS!!
  • bpcrue
    bpcrue Posts: 1 Member
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    A few things I'd tell you from experience:

    Make sure you are eating enough.
    You could have a virus.
    Are you getting enough sleep?
    Change your workout routine. A practice that many fitness people will tell you is to change your exercise routine every 8 weeks.

    Don't get frustrated and stop. Just switch it up, get your rest, eat your calories (good calories) and see how your body responds.

    Good luck.
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,804 Member
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    I consume on average 1400 a day.

    I really doubt that is enough with your workouts, Please read through this info and it will help you set up your TDEE and know your true BMR. Knowledge is power.
    Here is good info:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/943139-weight-loss-cheat-sheet-ipoarm

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/937712-in-place-of-a-road-map-ver-3-0
  • CaffeinatedConfectionist
    CaffeinatedConfectionist Posts: 1,046 Member
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    When you say you eat 1400 calories, is that net or gross? Because if you're grossing 1400 and working out at the gym, you're probably not netting as much as your body needs to maintain your level of expenditure. If cutting back on your workouts has not helped you feel less fatigued, there is probably more to it than just being tired. Have you checked out any of these threads, to learn more about what your calorie intake should be like?

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/952996-level-obstacles-lose-weight-target-fat-easy
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/937712-in-place-of-a-road-map-ver-3-0?hl=road+map
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/477753-how-do-i-do-activity-level-and-calculator

    If you believe that you are eating the right amount, then perhaps your body just needs more time to rest and recover a bit from your exercise regimen and calorie deficit. Often people will take a week or so to eat at maintenance and reduce or eliminate their exercise. This is called deloading, and is common in weightlifting.

    ETA: I see Tony beat me to the punch!
  • Inshape13
    Inshape13 Posts: 680 Member
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    I was thinking the exact same thing about allergies. Don't let it get you down and you will get there again.
  • hannakengu
    hannakengu Posts: 79 Member
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    In my language (Finnish) there's a word for that would translate to something like "overfitness" (I don't know if you guys have a different/real word for it). It's a physical state that can occur when you excercise too much and too intensely (or only doo one type of excercise, but that doesn't sound like your case), especially if you up your routine and intensity too fast (but it can happen to pro athletes as well). Your body gets kind of shut down, and the symptoms are exactly what you just described. It's said that it can take up to months to recover completely, but that doesn't mean you should quit all excercise. What's recommended is maybe taking a week or two off completely, and then starting with very low intensity excercise, like walking, and then slowly upping the intensity and time you put into it, but not going too hard for a month or two.

    It's kind of controversial and scientists are constantly going back and forth whether it exists or not, but it's what immediately came to my mind when I read your post.
  • CaffeinatedConfectionist
    CaffeinatedConfectionist Posts: 1,046 Member
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    In my language (Finnish) there's a word for that would translate to something like "overfitness" (I don't know if you guys have a different/real word for it).

    I think the term in English is "over-training," just fyi.
  • hannakengu
    hannakengu Posts: 79 Member
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    In my language (Finnish) there's a word for that would translate to something like "overfitness" (I don't know if you guys have a different/real word for it).

    I think the term in English is "over-training," just fyi.

    Thanks, reading this did bring it back to my mind - I've seen it somewhere before :)
  • jf8675309
    jf8675309 Posts: 4
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    Thank you everyone for your input. It could be a number of things, based on what all of you suggested.

    I have been working about 45-50 hours a week and I attend classes in the evening at my local college. Perhaps that is running me down because I haven't been getting my normal 8 hours of sleep.

    I intake 1400 calories of food a day (very healthy veggies, fruit, chicken, turkey, fish). When I exercise I don't consume the extra calories earned from exercising because I thought when you want to lose weight, you need to burn more than you cosume? That's what I thought anyway.

    I believe I finished up the OT at work today, and I am hoping I can return to my normal 40 hour work week, so I will see if that helps, and of course re-evaluate my calorie intake.

    :happy:
  • cleback
    cleback Posts: 261 Member
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    I have been working about 45-50 hours a week and I attend classes in the evening at my local college. Perhaps that is running me down because I haven't been getting my normal 8 hours of sleep.

    Honestly, I think it's this. (or a virus) Exercising 3x/week really won't lead to overtraining. And you seem to have a really healthy, balanced diet. I wouldn't worry about it.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    It could just be that your body is going through a burnt out spell. I get that running sometimes. I will go out for a run and my body just doesn't feel like it wants to. It will do that for a week or two and then be back to normal. And as others have said, I would look at your glycogen levels. Personally, I don't do the pixie sticks and stuff for that, I do some sort of juice. Something with natural sugars like orange juice or apple (check the labels, no added sugar!).
  • jf8675309
    jf8675309 Posts: 4
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    Thank you!
  • krithsai
    krithsai Posts: 668 Member
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    I consume on average 1400 a day.

    I really doubt that is enough with your workouts, Please read through this info and it will help you set up your TDEE and know your true BMR. Knowledge is power.
    Here is good info:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/943139-weight-loss-cheat-sheet-ipoarm

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/937712-in-place-of-a-road-map-ver-3-0

    What he said. MFP already budgets you to eat a deficit. So, when you workout and don't eat back those calories, your deficit could be really large and that can make you feel like ****.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I consume on average 1400 a day.

    If that is total calories, you probably need to eat more. Zumba is pretty intense. I wasn't sure from your OP if you were going to the gym to do Zumba or if you went to the gym and did Zumba, but either way your body is probably trying to conserve calories (slow your metabolism) because you are not giving it enough. Maybe try eating another 200-300 calories per day, or at least on the days you go to the gym, and see if that helps.
  • KatLifter
    KatLifter Posts: 1,314 Member
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    I consume on average 1400 a day.

    If you are exercising, this probably isn't enough. Try increasing it 100-200 calories/day and see how you feel. I eat ~1700 on rest days.

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