Burnout :(

aepdx
aepdx Posts: 218 Member
in Motivation and Support
I think I might be burning out. I have been exercising every day for the past 4 months and have lost almost 30 pounds. I don’t have a gym membership, so I am not burning like 500+ calories every time I work out. It is usually low impact exercises. Lately, I have been getting up at 5am (going to bed around 11) to exercise. I cannot go to bed earlier most nights, but I am going to try to. Usually these exercises are from Fitness Blender, yoga, or just biking intensely around the neighborhood for 35 minutes (which burns about 200 calories). Since they are not high impact exercises, I never feel like I really deserve a day off from doing them.

Maybe it is more the planning of the exercises that is burning me out. Constantly counting calories, planning exercises, etc. I enjoy this lifestyle but I don’t want to continue obsessing over this when there is so much more to life.

Has anyone else felt this way? What do you do to avoid burnout?

Thanks for your input!

(ps: I am absolutely exhausted today, so I might be a little more down than usual.)

Replies

  • daisymae850
    daisymae850 Posts: 127 Member
    Since you're doing things around the neighborhood, don't look at it as "exercise", look at it as you're going out to have a nice bike ride and have fun. Obviously log it into your calculator but try to have more fun with it. That may help you some.
  • djeffreys10
    djeffreys10 Posts: 2,312 Member
    I wish I could help, but I am not really like you. I do want to obsess over it. I use fitness to keep my mind occupied. I am a single dad, and most months I have my kids all but 4 nights. So my life is basically dedicated to raising kids and work. This is something that I can do for me.
  • aepdx
    aepdx Posts: 218 Member
    Thanks Daisy Mae, that is a good idea. My muscles have been seriously fatigued lately so it is getting even harder just to exercise! I tried to do Zumba the other day and holy crap, that was embarrassing. :). It could just be my iron levels (although I take an iron pill…)

    Thanks for your help!
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    I think I might be burning out. I have been exercising every day for the past 4 months and have lost almost 30 pounds. I don’t have a gym membership, so I am not burning like 500+ calories every time I work out. It is usually low impact exercises. Lately, I have been getting up at 5am (going to bed around 11) to exercise. I cannot go to bed earlier most nights, but I am going to try to. Usually these exercises are from Fitness Blender, yoga, or just biking intensely around the neighborhood for 35 minutes (which burns about 200 calories). Since they are not high impact exercises, I never feel like I really deserve a day off from doing them.

    Maybe it is more the planning of the exercises that is burning me out. Constantly counting calories, planning exercises, etc. I enjoy this lifestyle but I don’t want to continue obsessing over this when there is so much more to life.

    Has anyone else felt this way? What do you do to avoid burnout?

    Thanks for your input!

    (ps: I am absolutely exhausted today, so I might be a little more down than usual.)

    Part of the 'lifestyle' is having enough willpower and commitment to know that if and when you take a much needed break...you will jump back into the game. That being said, your body is saying it needs a rest!!! Take it!! And trust in your commitment to the lifestyle to return back to the plan in a day or two or three!!
  • aepdx
    aepdx Posts: 218 Member
    Truth. I love exercising and the whole MFP deal, but I think my body just needs to relax for a few days. I haven’t really given her any type of break (because she had one for 27 years prior!). I should quit being such a hard *kitten* for a few days.
  • Justjoshin
    Justjoshin Posts: 999 Member
    I feel burnt out when I don't nourish my body.

    Eat plenty. Drink Water. Take a rest day. Then enjoy the next days workout.
  • kiern18
    kiern18 Posts: 61
    Change up your exercise maybe? I reached a plateau recently and it frustrated me. I was working really hard at the gym and losing excitement over going because of stress. So I decided to switch things up and go swimming for about a week. I lost 5 lbs that week just by swimming, and once I got back into the gym, I got right back on track. Sometimes your body just needs a break from the same ole' routine. :)
  • gatorginger
    gatorginger Posts: 947 Member
    I would make exercise every other day if your feeling burnt out. Your body needs rest also so maybe give yourself a day or two off. I only exercise 5 days a week, if I had to do it every day I would feel burnt out too.
  • Angimom
    Angimom Posts: 1,463 Member
    I was feeling this way last week, and then I got the flu, and then my family had the flu, and I got the flu again, and so I kinda rested for the week, I only worked out twice. But I made sure I got my butt out of bed this morning to get back in the grove of working out, and it felt GREAT. I feel great. I am glad I didn't take more time off, but I am really glad I took that time off. I really feel like this is my life now. It is not a diet or just exercising for now, it is my life, this is what I do, and I feel good. Take a break, you deserve it, then get back with it, you deserve that too!
  • nroth57
    nroth57 Posts: 21
    I have been battling fatigue too - i had blood work done and found that i am really deficient in vitamin D. I eat really healthy and exercise daily. Doc put me on a mega prescription D supplement. Hopefully that helps, but if you are just feeling wicked tired, it wouldn't hurt to rule out all that stuff.
  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
    Your body / muscles need rest to recover from exercise. You should take 1-2 days off each week. You can just adjust your total weekly calorie intake for the difference in calories. Taking 2 days off from exercise = 400 less calories burned / 7 days = 57 calories a day. If you currently eat 1500 calories daily, you would reduce that to 1443. You should see the same results.
  • aepdx
    aepdx Posts: 218 Member
    This is all very helpful! Thank you. I think I will start working out every other day, too. I have lost the bulk of the weight already, so if the loss is slower from here on out, that is okay by me. I don’t want to be so dang tired anymore! I need to up my vitamin D supplement too.
  • reese307
    reese307 Posts: 72 Member
    im very burned out too... i just dunno anymore.. i wanna give up :(

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