Exercise and fatigue

Yes, it is possible to over do it, and it may be that your body is not getting enough recovery time.

Do you ever take recovery / rest weeks?
Are you fuelling your workouts properly i.e. eating back exercise calories?

You can certainly train so much that it impairs recovery. There are a few options to alleviate this. First is the obvious one, train less. Maybe ditch one of the cardio days, or maybe do strength training 3x a week, low intensity cardio 1 day, and high intensity cardio 1 day. I wouldn't cut back on the strength training. 3x a week is appropriate for weights. Another option would be to eat more. Increasing the total calories taken in per day can help with recovery. This will slow weight loss though so keep that in mind. Finally, sleep more. I don't know if that is personally an option for you, but getting more sleep can improve your recovery.

jendpositive wrote: »

Just wanted to ask can you over do it with the exercise. I'm feeling constantly fatigued at the moment. I exercise 6 days a week, one day strength training at the gym followed by a high intensity dance cardio class the next. I push myself to the limit and I'm walking around craving sleep and feeling so sluggish. Any suggestions?

Are you eating enough to support the activity you're doing. That's where most people seem to go wrong...they eat like birdies and train like they're an athlete...doesn't work that way.

Is it a new regimen? Anything else going on right now? Sometimes you will have an adjustment period...

For me, I think I have the March blahs--it's just so gray and gross outside it makes me want to crawl back into bed.

Yep, getting enough fuel and sleep are a big part of it. What is your calorie goal and are you meeting it? Do you eat back exercise cals?

jendpositive wrote: »

Thanks for the great advice, means a lot to me. I'm eating around 1300 calories a day, I am hitting my protein targets as I know that's important. I get about 8 hours of sleep...lots of restless patches according to the fitbit.

thats it?!?!

jendpositive wrote: »

Thanks for the great advice, means a lot to me. I'm eating around 1300 calories a day, I am hitting my protein targets as I know that's important. I get about 8 hours of sleep...lots of restless patches according to the fitbit.

At a minimum take a couple of days to recoup. Rest is very important. I sometimes take a week off for recovery after 3 or 4 weeks of extensive training and it helps, not only physically but mentally.

The problem may have revealed itself. 1300 sounds low for intense workouts 6 days/week, unless you have a lot of body fat to draw upon. There's a metabolic limit to how much energy body fat can provide--~30kcal/lb fat. Hence, lean people have to be more accurate with calorie intake (and can tolerate less deficit) than people with more stored energy on hand. I would recalculate your energy need before scaling back the exercise. Solid sleep would help, too.

1300 isnt enough calories to sustain that kind of activity long term. thats why youre tired.

eat back your exercise calories, at least half of them.

jendpositive wrote: »

Thanks for the great advice, means a lot to me. I'm eating around 1300 calories a day, I am hitting my protein targets as I know that's important. I get about 8 hours of sleep...lots of restless patches according to the fitbit.

1300 calories is a very low intake for that much activity...you're under feeding which leads to the issues you're experiencing now and put you at greater risk for injury and/or recovery issues.

You have to strike a balance between properly fueling your body and your activities, including your training with your weight loss goals. I don't know what else to tell you, but that's why you're fatigued all of the time.

Something I think that hasn't been mentioned yet apart from ncreasing protein and rest times - get your iron levels checked! Too low for most women and can make you feel debilitated with exhaustion.