Muscle fatigue

sharidiane
sharidiane Posts: 212 Member
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
So, I am not super educated about all things fitnessy, nor do I especially have the desire to be. It's just too overwhelming for a beginner.

However, I've been doing the 30DS now for about 9 days. I've taken 1 rest day, and once, when I was really sore, I did it without weights. I REALLY like it, and it's really motivating to me, especially since I don't find many workouts at all to be very motivating. Unless you count power donut lifting, but I doubt that anyone actually does, lol.

So here's the problem - my muscles are just super super tired. NOT sore - that's a different feeling. No, this is more like fatigue. Last night I was worried I might be getting the flu, but no, I think it's the excercise.

I've tried adding in protein with tuna, and yogurt shakes, especially right after I work out. I'm not a fan of anything super processed, I generally like eat clean and whole.

Any ideas about the muscle fatigue? Lay off 30DS? Do it w/o weights? Eat more protein? Thanks for your ideas!

Replies

  • campb2ti
    campb2ti Posts: 104 Member
    BUMP! This would be something for me to watch for since I plan on starting 30DS on Monday!
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    Your starting fitness level is a huge variable.
  • jpooley1988
    jpooley1988 Posts: 119 Member
    Bump also, as I am interested in the answer as think I am the same a little!
  • iamhealingmyself
    iamhealingmyself Posts: 579 Member
    If you're not using a HRM it's possible you're underestimating your burn. Also, if you don't eat back your exercise calories you could be under nourishing your body after all of the activity. It might not seem like much of a work out until you actually do it, but it's pretty intense. I did it modified for my back and every other day or 3rd day back in April and never used weights and had quite a burn (per my HRM). Unfortunately I had to stop doing it. In the little time I did do it, even without the weights and without doing it daily I noticed quite a change in my body so i can only imagine what it does to someone who uses weights and does it everyday.

    Good luck.
  • sharidiane
    sharidiane Posts: 212 Member
    Your starting fitness level is a huge variable.

    Hmmm ... starting fitness level .... somewhere between 3 Toed Sloth and Manatee, haha.

    I do use a HRM, but it's a pile of dookie. I'm getting a Polar F Something tomorrow. Maybe nckrystalblue is on to something. I would LOVE to eat more calories!
  • Agglaki
    Agglaki Posts: 105
    Think about taking a 30 year old car that has done very little in those 30 years and then racing round a course of your choice.

    How would it respond? Would the breaks work, will the engine overheat, will the tyres end up flat? So many things can go wrong.

    (Please note the numbers and the example were purely by chance) The point I'm making is that if you hit something too hard you will end up feeling it.

    Recently I've also felt fatigue, I also felt sore, but I know it was fatigue which I felt. Ultimately you need to rest up. Sure you can carry on with your workout, but if you dont get the rest you need you will end up with an injury or come down with a cold or something.

    Keep at it, if needed take things slow, baby steps and you'll get into the swing of things. Oh and before I forget, yes eat more protein, fuel up with good healthy carbs and healthy fats of course. But proteins are the building blocks your muscles need. Make sure to keep fuelling them :)

    In fact going back to our car analogy, that same car if it wasn't filled up before entering the race, how far would it go?
  • sharidiane
    sharidiane Posts: 212 Member
    Also - for anyone who is worried they can't do something like the 30DS. Here's a quick outline of my first 9 days:

    Day 1 - OMFG. *Maybe* did 50% of each thing, felt like a loser and a joke. Felt great about 30 min afterward. Determined to continue.
    Day 2 - a little sore, not crazy sore. Was it just sweat or actual tears doing the pushups? Maybe did 9 whole pushups. Still determined.
    Day 3 - Holy blazers was I sore. Did 30DS no weights. Felt better, less sore. Maybe this Jillian nut is on to something.
    Day 4 - Feeling stronger. Can complete 30 seconds of jumping jacks. Feeling much less like a loser. Want to start doing jumping jacks in the office just to show off, but shins are much too sore. Even more determined.
    Day 5 - must rest. 13 hour workday. Good day to skip a workout.
    Day 6 - tired, do it anyway, discover that yes, workouts DO give more energy. Seems paradoxical, but I like it.
    Day 7 - this is where the muscle fatigue set in. Can barely walk to bus stop. Contemplate driving. The fear of looking like the fat loser who drives to the bus stop overrides the fatigue. Shuffle to bus stop and back. Collapse.
    Day 8 - As described - crazy fatigue. Getting sick? No, definitely not. Must be doing something wrong. However, did 30 seconds of push ups. Take THAT chocolate cupcakes in my refrigerator. Collapse after 2 rounds of 30DS. Italian restaurant for dinner required it.
    Day 9 - I am Super Fitness Rockstar. I can do ALL of the cardio steps in 30DS without stopping. Pushups still hate me, but cardio? Cardio fears my wrath.

    If I can do this, I think most anyone can. I hate to workout. I hate to sweat. But this? This assinine 30DS? This I will do. I *will* finish it. You can too!
  • sharidiane
    sharidiane Posts: 212 Member
    Think about taking a 30 year old car that has done very little in those 30 years and then racing round a course of your choice.

    How would it respond? Would the breaks work, will the engine overheat, will the tyres end up flat? So many things can go wrong.


    ooooooo, good analogy.
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    It's ok to hit pause, take a shirt walk to smooth out your heat rate, get a drink, barf or what ever you feel like.. then start back where you left off.

    Muscle fatigue is serious biznes. This is where a balanced diet is very important. For me, under-eating is a very bad thing.
  • sharidiane
    sharidiane Posts: 212 Member
    The (extremely unscientific) results are in:

    I did it. I ate one of my daughter's extraordinarily decadent birthday cupcakes tonight. I estimate that lovely little cheat at approximately 300 calories.

    I was going to beat myself up about it a little .... or do 2 rounds of 30DS as pennance tomorrow .... but now I'm actually really glad I did it. For the first time in about 3 days, I feel energized again. So unless there was crack in that cupcake (hmmm....possible), my body definitely needed/wanted some specific combination of fat and carbs that I have not been giving it.

    I also found this little nugget on WebMD, my health bible (I kid, I kid people):

    "Burn, baby, burn. Maximize the calories you burn after exercise by integrating high intensity intervals into your workout. Alternate 3 minutes of moderate intensity running or biking with 30 seconds of all-out effort. You’ll burn another 100 to 200 calories this way, Berardi says, even while sitting on the couch or lying in bed."

    So, even though my for-dookie HRM says 270 calories burned, it may not actually be enough. Plain and simple, I need to eat more, and I quite possibly need to be specifically eating more carbs and fat. YAY for cupcakes!!!! Cupcakes everyday!!!!

    I kid again - please don't flame me. I know, I know, complex carbs and healthy fats, good grief I KNOOOOWWWW.

    It's just that Yay for Brown Rice, Steelcut Oatmeal, Quinoa, Olive Oil, Avocados, and Fish! doesn't have quite the same ring.
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