So tired since working out

girl_brett
girl_brett Posts: 166 Member
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
You know how when you work out, in general you usually feel like you have more energy and such. Well I have changed my eating habits, have been working out religiously for close to 2 months (with the exception of the past week and a half from vacation), but I feel no difference like I have in the past. If anything I feel more tired. In the mornings I have a very hard time working out and I just feel drained during the day. Even on vacation I was so tired alot. I don't know if I should start taking a multi vitamin or what. It's not like me at all to be this tired and weird that now I really wouldn't expect it.

Any ideas...like I said maybe a vitamin or iron.

Replies

  • Denziee
    Denziee Posts: 523 Member
    SNAP!!!
    I feel really tired since starting up an exercise routine, i thought i was supposed to feel more energetic?! i have to say i just power on through it. but my advice is to make sure you are eating well and eating your exercise calories.

    And, if you are realyl worried and are eating well, sleeping well, drinking well. pop along to the doctors........ get some real advice
    :-) xxx
  • WanabeHotMama
    WanabeHotMama Posts: 102 Member
    Could be any number of things! My Mom had a similar situation and went to the doctor. Turned out it was her thyroid, was put on medication and is back to normal! Hope you find something that works for you! :)
  • kylakesgal
    kylakesgal Posts: 952 Member
    Hi I just checked your food diary and have a few suggestions. Hopefully you are open minded lol. Anyway, looks like maybe you need to eat 3 smaller meals with a couple of snacks in between. That way you are satisified all day, your metabolism is at peak performance. Larger meals can affect you just as eating too little. It can store fat , thinking you aren't going to be eating again anytime soon. Try for 2 snacks (200-300 cal each) and meals 300-400 calories. I'm never starved. Oh and are you getting plenty of water to drink? Make sure you are getting plenty of protein in each meal too since this will help with your energy level. Supplements are great too if you aren't taking a good multi-vitamin.
  • girl_brett
    girl_brett Posts: 166 Member
    Hi I just checked your food diary and have a few suggestions. Hopefully you are open minded lol. Anyway, looks like maybe you need to eat 3 smaller meals with a couple of snacks in between. That way you are satisified all day, your metabolism is at peak performance. Larger meals can affect you just as eating too little. It can store fat , thinking you aren't going to be eating again anytime soon. Try for 2 snacks (200-300 cal each) and meals 300-400 calories. I'm never starved. Oh and are you getting plenty of water to drink?

    I'm not starved though and never had such major sleepiness before. Alot of the foods I'm eating are foods I've always eaten, just maybe prepared differently and smaller portions. I'm also drinking more fluids now then I ever do.
  • MisdemeanorM
    MisdemeanorM Posts: 3,493 Member
    There is the chance that 1500 cals is not a high enough base for you. Are you set to lose 2lbs a week? Try lowering that to 1. It's good that you eat your exercise cals.

    I was at 1200 + ex cals and SO tired. I upped to 1lb a week and 1500 cals + exercise and it did the trick!

    My personal experience. You can try it for a few days or 1-2 weeks and see where it gets you.

    I am a 1/2 and 1/2 fan of vitamins. I take one because (other than that I am pregnant), I know that i am not going to get all my nutrients from my food, and I consider it a "safety net" for those I don't get - but I don't rely on them to be what gets me vitamins. So I think throwing a vitamin at a fatigue problem is not necessarily the answer.

    That being said - anemia can cause fatigue. Try eating higher iron foods, or if you need to, add an iron supplement. I have had points where I would eat well but every few days need to pop an iron just to get my levels above a near-anemic level. Always look to your food first though before going with supplements.

    If none of the above - any chance you are pregnant? I knew above anything else because of a couple weeks of severe fatigue.
  • girl_brett
    girl_brett Posts: 166 Member
    There is the chance that 1500 cals is not a high enough base for you. Are you set to lose 2lbs a week? Try lowering that to 1. It's good that you eat your exercise cals.

    I was at 1200 + ex cals and SO tired. I upped to 1lb a week and 1500 cals + exercise and it did the trick!

    My personal experience. You can try it for a few days or 1-2 weeks and see where it gets you.

    I am a 1/2 and 1/2 fan of vitamins. I take one because (other than that I am pregnant), I know that i am not going to get all my nutrients from my food, and I consider it a "safety net" for those I don't get - but I don't rely on them to be what gets me vitamins. So I think throwing a vitamin at a fatigue problem is not necessarily the answer.

    That being said - anemia can cause fatigue. Try eating higher iron foods, or if you need to, add an iron supplement. I have had points where I would eat well but every few days need to pop an iron just to get my levels above a near-anemic level. Always look to your food first though before going with supplements.

    If none of the above - any chance you are pregnant? I knew above anything else because of a couple weeks of severe fatigue.

    You make very valid points. I am only set to lose 1 pound per week. I'm pretty sure I'm not pregnant considering I have an IUD (I know nothing is 100%) Before I started on MFP I was doing smaller portions and working out and alot of the same so it has not been since getting on this website. It's weird because people will ask how I'm feeling and my response is no difference except more tired. My dad and boyfriend said it's probably because I'm not doing like an hour of cardio a day, but how I look at it is I am doing 100% more then I was doing before so I would think I would notice more energy.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    I start to feel like that when I've been eating at a deficit for too long. I took two months off (Nov and Dec, conveniently :wink: ) and ate at maintenance. On Jan 4th, I started back with the deficit and feel fine and am losing.

    I honestly believe one's body adapts to the lack of fuel and slows down. Call it whatever you want, but that's how it's worked for me.

    Also, working out releases endorphins and tends to energize you. If you've cut back on exercise, you may be missing that release.
  • girl_brett
    girl_brett Posts: 166 Member
    Oh yeah and the excercise calories are hard for me cause alot of days I don't know what workout I will do so I'm not sure what they will be. Once I finish dinner I'm done eating. I am not the snacking type and definately not a night time snacker.
  • girl_brett
    girl_brett Posts: 166 Member
    I start to feel like that when I've been eating at a deficit for too long. I took two months off (Nov and Dec, conveniently :wink: ) and ate at maintenance. On Jan 4th, I started back with the deficit and feel fine and am losing.

    I honestly believe one's body adapts to the lack of fuel and slows down. Call it whatever you want, but that's how it's worked for me.

    Also, working out releases endorphins and tends to energize you. If you've cut back on exercise, you may be missing that release.

    My excercise has increased, not decreased.
  • MisdemeanorM
    MisdemeanorM Posts: 3,493 Member
    Oh yeah and the excercise calories are hard for me cause alot of days I don't know what workout I will do so I'm not sure what they will be. Once I finish dinner I'm done eating. I am not the snacking type and definately not a night time snacker.

    don't be afraid to work on a weekly average if you can't keep up daily with eating exercise cals.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    It could be the foods you're eating. It looks like you eat a fair amount of processed foods, especially chips and sweets. Try eating only fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and low fat dairy. Making your own food ensures that it's healthy and doesn't have any unnecessary additives. Also, cut out the alcohol and diet soda. Alcohol does nothing positive for your body, you don't need it. And the artificial sweeteners in diet sodas are bad for your body as well.
  • AJDistel
    AJDistel Posts: 93
    Do you eat before you workout? I was getting up in the morning and just working out and I would be tired all day. I read that if you eat a small meal before you workout, you'll feel energized the rest of the day. I have been eating egg whites and oatmeal and have so much energy for the day. It's amazing the difference. I would recommend that and drinking a protein shake after to restore the calories burned. Try that and see if it works.
  • girl_brett
    girl_brett Posts: 166 Member
    It could be the foods you're eating. It looks like you eat a fair amount of processed foods, especially chips and sweets. Try eating only fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and low fat dairy. Making your own food ensures that it's healthy and doesn't have any unnecessary additives. Also, cut out the alcohol and diet soda. Alcohol does nothing positive for your body, you don't need it. And the artificial sweeteners in diet sodas are bad for your body as well.

    I mentioned that I feel a difference since I began working out and changing my diet. I also mentioned that I was on vacation, so the chips, alcohol and diet soda were from vacation, but I was still not horribly bad. THIS HAS ALL STARTED SINCE MAKING CHANGES! I know you have commented on my foods before and like I said before...I eat alot better then I did before. I'm not the type of person who is going all out to make huge changes that are not realistic with my lifestyle. I eat a ton of veggies these days. I am very happy with the changes I have made and that's what matters. I just am curious that since making the changes in my diet and working out I have been alot more tired...this all began about 2 months ago.
  • girl_brett
    girl_brett Posts: 166 Member
    Do you eat before you workout? I was getting up in the morning and just working out and I would be tired all day. I read that if you eat a small meal before you workout, you'll feel energized the rest of the day. I have been eating egg whites and oatmeal and have so much energy for the day. It's amazing the difference. I would recommend that and drinking a protein shake after to restore the calories burned. Try that and see if it works.

    See I have my alarm set to wake up early every day, but can not even drag myself out of bed until the time I know I have to get up and get me and my kids ready for the day. I work out in the evening. Maybe I should really try and get up and do the workout to get me started for the day.
  • Tuckersn
    Tuckersn Posts: 149
    I agree with the gal that said breaking up your meals would probably help . . . eating small meals more frequently might help. Also, I don't know if this relates to you, but if I exercise hard day after day, I feel worn down. But you said you were on vacation and that didn't help, so maybe thats not the problem. I know you were kind of sensitive to the remark about processed foods, but that will drag you down, if you eat too many. I haven't looked at your diet though, so don't take that comment personally. :0)

    Hope you find a solution . . . a doc visit perhaps. Feeling tired all the time isn't very motivating. :0(
  • Tuckersn
    Tuckersn Posts: 149
    Do you eat before you workout? I was getting up in the morning and just working out and I would be tired all day. I read that if you eat a small meal before you workout, you'll feel energized the rest of the day. I have been eating egg whites and oatmeal and have so much energy for the day. It's amazing the difference. I would recommend that and drinking a protein shake after to restore the calories burned. Try that and see if it works.

    See I have my alarm set to wake up early every day, but can not even drag myself out of bed until the time I know I have to get up and get me and my kids ready for the day. I work out in the evening. Maybe I should really try and get up and do the workout to get me started for the day.

    I can't workout early in the morning either . . . well, one or two days a week and thats it. I get up with my kids and workout after they're in school . . . or in the evening. Something about early mornings knocks me out for the rest of the day. Everyone is different though.
  • jennk221
    jennk221 Posts: 85 Member
    That has happened to me twice in my life...the first time I had mono and the second time I found out I had an underactive thyroid. :frown: I would call your doctor just to be safe. Good luck!!!
  • AJDistel
    AJDistel Posts: 93
    Early morning is about the only time I can work out. I have a 1 and 2 year old so I try to get it out of the way before they wake up. I guess I assumed you worked out in the am since you were tired all day. :blushing: I would still try to eat before and after you work out. Not a huge meal, but something full of protein and carbs so you have the energy to work out and it'll help with recovery too. :happy:
This discussion has been closed.

Categories