pre-workout enegry boosting help?

rodrigcz
rodrigcz Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello all,

I’ve come to this board in search for help with increasing energy before my workouts. Let me explain a little why I am in search of this. Since January of this year I have been very dedicated with going to the gym about 4-5 times a week and really cleaning up my diet. For the most part I eat very clean and try and stay away from foods that will not help me lose weight, but at the end of the day I am human. Since my start I have lost close to 20 pounds and am fairly happy with my results.

My normal routine is that I go to the gym and workout on most days after work. The problem I am running into now is that I am lacking the energy or desire to go to the gym. This is in large part because I have a standard 9-5 job. On an average day I probably spend about 6-6.5 hours just sitting at a desk behind a computer. Although I normally get up a few times throughout the day to stretch, and I always go for a 10 minute walk on my lunch break, it’s hard to just hit a switch at 5 and have the energy to go put in a workout.

So my question to you my fitness pal members, is does anyone have any good tips/suggestions for increasing energy before a workout? Whether it’s through vitamins or supplements, or just a routine you may have? Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Chris.

Replies

  • refuseresist
    refuseresist Posts: 934 Member
    Have a coffee
  • kirkor
    kirkor Posts: 2,530 Member
    What kind of workout/how long?

    Caffeine is the obvious choice :)

    but maybe you could try mixing up the type of workout ... having a fun/novel workout to look forward to rather than the 'same old, same old' workout might help get you jazzed up about it.

    also other mental tricks like 'sooner I get the workout done, sooner I can eat that awesome dinner' or 'can't wait to get off work and start working on ME' etc etc
  • jmlosingit
    jmlosingit Posts: 61 Member
    What works for me is to drink Emergen-C about 30 minutes before my workout. I'm not sure if there is any scientific proof, but I can tell a difference when I don't drink it before hand. :)
  • lisahenneberry83
    lisahenneberry83 Posts: 37 Member
    Is there any way you would consider getting up and going before work?? I worked for many years and found that if I went early I have tons of energy, however instead of coffee I would use a pre-workout (drink) from the local place here in town called Nutishop. That kept me going pretty much all day and I found I did not need coffee. I would finish the tub of pre-workout then lay off it for about 3 weeks. Reason, because my body got use to it and it would not be enough. With that being said coffee did the same thing for me, I had to lay off because one would no longer work. You should go online and check out the stuff Body Building has. Good luck!
  • jenhen007
    jenhen007 Posts: 1
    Depending on your lifestyle choice, I say, try drinking a coffee before a workout, no sugar and if you like it with milk, make it with skim. I'm not typically a coffee drinker, so I was a little reluctant to drink it after work, as I also work a 9-5 job and only have time to work out after the office. My concern was not staying up all night because of the caffeine. After a workout and especially an intense one, your body has worked out most of the effects.

    I would caution you about purchasing workout supplements, especially from supplement stores. Depending on your sensitivity to chemicals and your state of health (i.e. heart) this make be too strong of an alternative. When I started my workout regime, I wanted to go hardcore (bad choice) and tried supplements (pre-workout drink). For me, I felt like I was on drugs (which I really was), had problems concentrating and couldn't get to sleep very well or have a good solid sleep at night.

    One last thing, if you're really just too tired at the end of the day, rest. Sometimes the worst injuries happen when you're tired and your body needs to be at rest. But play it by ear. If you can't do a full workout, change up your activities to something that works for you (like a brisk walk or leisurely being on the treadmill). However, don't let your tiredness become a habitual excuse to not exercise.

    All the best to you. Good luck and keep going!
  • aubyshortcake
    aubyshortcake Posts: 796 Member
    I eat a small snack after 4 pm (by the time I drive home, change, etc. I usually end up in the gym around 6:15). It doesn't give me a whole lot more energy, but it does give me some and it also helps eliminate the "I'm too hungry, I'll go after dinner (which won't happen)" excuse.
  • folgers86
    folgers86 Posts: 84 Member
    Giving yourself a little snack about 30 min beforehand will help you through the workout itself - I personally munch on raw carrots but back when I was working 13-14 hour days on my feet I would swig a protein shake (with added nutrients) and use that as my dinner. If you're prone to insomnia or light sleeper syndrome, stay away from caffeine that late in the day. And of course make SURE that you're hydrated! I always had a hard time drinking enough water when I had a desk job :)

    How do you feel on the days when you go straight home? Do you collapse in a heap as soon as you get through the door or do you find yourself feeling relatively restless? If it's the latter, I knew I had gotten into a work out regimen when I dreaded my rest days. Not because I didn't want to relax (boy did I EVER want to relax after being on my feet for 13 hours a day) but because my body had figured out that at 6-7:30 when I got off work, we were going to run 3-4 miles and do some weights. Sometimes I would sit in my car when I got to the gym and debate getting out because I was so so tired but I knew if I went home I'd be tapping my feet and feeling crummy because I missed my workout. Sometimes it's just getting your foot in the door and pushing yourself to follow through and letting your body pull the energy it knows it needs :( I generally would spend the 25 minute drive to the gym trying to psych myself up - thinking about my last workout, whether I think I can improve my run time, which muscle group I'm going to exercise that day, etc. Sometimes it helped me get into the mindset that I was done with work and now I was going to the gym.

    I may be in the minority on this but I found it also helped if I went every day during the work week unless I had something else going on after close. I didn't do cardio every day and I didn't stay as long every day, but I found something to do and it helped me keep momentum (also in teaching my body that we were really doing this). I usually used the weekend or at the very least Saturday as my rest day. If anyone at work wanted to go out for happy hour at the end of the day then I would use that as a rest day as well, etc.

    That being said, there will always be days when you, for whatever reason, won't have enough energy to do a full workout or any workout at all.
  • rodrigcz
    rodrigcz Posts: 2
    Awesome advice everyone, thank you very much. I suppose I should have mentioned my workout routine, it’s normally 30 minutes of cardio on the treadmill, and then about 30-45 of weight lifting.

    I will give a cup of coffee a try, my only concern is that it would keep me up all night but I will give it a shot. Thanks again.
  • Wilbur_NOLA
    Wilbur_NOLA Posts: 120 Member
    I've taken several pre-workout boosters, and have had the most success with C4. I usually take it for 2-3 months and cycle off for a month.

    http://reviews.bodybuilding.com/Cellucor/C4_Extreme/

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/cellucor/c4-extreme.html

    For the month that I am not taking it, I use a combination of Beta Alanine and Ccitrulline Malate.

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/betalanine.html

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/citrulline-malate-the-fatigue-fighter.html

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