How do you handle - Sluggish - low energy days

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  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
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    _dracarys_ wrote: »
    Your plan is overkill for what you're trying to accomplish. There's nothing wrong with walking, but you say your goal is to look "healthy/toned"...that's going to require some resistance/strength training, which p90x will provide. I would just do that program and really really cut down on all the walking. You can still walk while running the p90x program, you just don't need to shoot for 4.5 miles every time.

    This is accurate, but nothing wrong with walking. For me, it's important for my mental health. I walk 5x a week no matter what. If I'm tired I cut back on distance or just walk really slow that day.

  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
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    And your doing all this while trying to stick to a calorie goal of 1200. It's NOT enough calories. Your tired because you need to eat more. Losing weight, should not be a race. If you really want to be healthy, and live the rest of your life with a normal relationship with food educate yourself about BMR and TDEE. What you are doing now is not sustainable. White knuckling your way to a goal weight is not going to teach you how to maintain that goal weight.
  • Balaru
    Balaru Posts: 203 Member
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    Thanks guys. So this week I am switching to just a Zoey walk - big block/little block which is a little over a mile (1.35 miles) and trying out the P90X dvds.

    What's BMR and TDEE? I'm still learning the ropes. Definitely don't want to burn out but I suppose I do get a little zealous. Lol

    Hubby had to drop off the car for new tires this morning and he walked back - wasn't even 3 miles total and he was dying. It's about 85 degrees today with 60+ percent humidity. Plus he's a skinny minney.

    I definitely want to make this stick for lifetime. No more Yo Yo!

    Where do I find out about BMR and TDEE?
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    edited April 2016
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    Balaru wrote: »
    Thanks guys. So this week I am switching to just a Zoey walk - big block/little block which is a little over a mile (1.35 miles) and trying out the P90X dvds.

    What's BMR and TDEE? I'm still learning the ropes. Definitely don't want to burn out but I suppose I do get a little zealous. Lol

    Hubby had to drop off the car for new tires this morning and he walked back - wasn't even 3 miles total and he was dying. It's about 85 degrees today with 60+ percent humidity. Plus he's a skinny minney.

    I definitely want to make this stick for lifetime. No more Yo Yo!

    Where do I find out about BMR and TDEE?

    BMR or Basal Metabolic Rate is the amount of energy expressed in calories that a person needs to keep the body functioning at rest.*

    TDEE, total daily energy expenditure, is the amount of energy in calories you burn per day. TDEE is best calculated by factoring in your BMR, or basal metabolic rate, and your activity level.*

    *copy/paste from Dr. Google
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    hill8570 wrote: »
    If it's a motivation thing, I get started. Most of the time, anyhow.

    If it's a physical tired, I rest. Fitness is not just something I do for a while -- it for the rest of my life. Recovery is as necessary as activity.

    THIS.

    Also consider how much you're eating. I think you said on your wall post yesterday that you're sticking around 1300 - that may not be enough. How much do you have to lose, and what did you set your weekly loss goal to? Food is fuel, and rest is essential. Going too hard for too long on too little food can land you with what you're experiencing now - exhaustion! As I said on your wall - don't be afraid of rest days, PLAN on them - they are part of the fitness and weight loss process.
  • Balaru
    Balaru Posts: 203 Member
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    I started at 198 lbs. - going to weigh in on Sunday. Only weighing once a month so I don't get obsessed with the scale. I'm 5'8" so I'd like to get to 125 in a perfect world but would be happy with 135. But more than the number on the scale I want to be toned and strong. For instance, we have a wave-runner (4 person jet ski) that I look like a beached whale trying to get back on when I am over 150. I need that upper body strength to pull myself back up on the back of it. And I want to be able to squat down and pick things up off the floor without getting stuck down there. Lol I want to be able to garden without huffing and puffing to get back up. Guess I've got the I wannas -

    The MFP suggested 1200 calories and it has the ratios for the macros as Carbs 50%, Fat 20% and Protein at 30%. Sugars are supposed to be at 50 grams according to MFP. Where can I find out more info about that? I'm looking into the MBR and TDEE to see if I can tweak it that way. I'm only on Day#20 of MFP still learning the ropes.
  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
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    Balaru wrote: »
    I started at 198 lbs. - going to weigh in on Sunday. Only weighing once a month so I don't get obsessed with the scale. I'm 5'8" so I'd like to get to 125 in a perfect world but would be happy with 135. But more than the number on the scale I want to be toned and strong. For instance, we have a wave-runner (4 person jet ski) that I look like a beached whale trying to get back on when I am over 150. I need that upper body strength to pull myself back up on the back of it. And I want to be able to squat down and pick things up off the floor without getting stuck down there. Lol I want to be able to garden without huffing and puffing to get back up. Guess I've got the I wannas -

    The MFP suggested 1200 calories and it has the ratios for the macros as Carbs 50%, Fat 20% and Protein at 30%. Sugars are supposed to be at 50 grams according to MFP. Where can I find out more info about that? I'm looking into the MBR and TDEE to see if I can tweak it that way. I'm only on Day#20 of MFP still learning the ropes.



    Did you read the link to the article I posted on your wall post this morning? It explains BMR and TDEE really well, and why starting out with a super steep deficit is not the way to go. MFP gave you 1200 cals because I imagine you entered your weight loss goal as 2lbs a week, and maybe your activity as sedentary or lightly active? I've been on MFP since 2012, and have a lot of "pals" who had 1200 calorie targets. Some of them lost a lot of weight, then disappeared only to come back a year later with it all back plus some. Some crashed and burned in a few weeks. I have never seen any of them successfully maintain. I'm currently cutting about 1/2 lb a week eating on average 2200-2400 cals a day. I average about 12,000 steps a day and I lift 4x a week. I currently weigh about 213 and am 5'6". I don't count my exercise cals, I just track my protein and calories.
  • miss_aims
    miss_aims Posts: 64 Member
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    I assess where I am nutrition/calorie-wise, drink water, and try to determine why I feel sluggish. Luckily on workout days when I lift, I get pretty pumped almost immediately so that helps. But if it's something my body is trying to tell me (health vs. laziness) I try and remedy that. Also: coffee.
  • Balaru
    Balaru Posts: 203 Member
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    Mamamaltz3 - I did read it and have adjusted my calories to the BMR/TDEE. Will try that for awhile. I feel like I'm eating so much. Definitely a mental thing that I'll need to tweak. I need to get out of "diet" mode and get into lifestyle mode because that's what I'm going after. Miss_Aims I'm going to be tweaking what makes up my calories too nutrition wise. I eat pretty well. We got into Forks Over Knives and Kris Carr and other healthy lifestyles but I tend to snack on the not so good stuff. Right now I'm doing a little better - getting my chocolate fix with Sun-Maid Dark Chocolate Yogurt Raisins.

    Thanks for all the tips ya'll. You guys are AWESOME!
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,265 Member
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    Balaru wrote: »
    Mamamaltz3 - I did read it and have adjusted my calories to the BMR/TDEE. Will try that for awhile. I feel like I'm eating so much. Definitely a mental thing that I'll need to tweak. I need to get out of "diet" mode and get into lifestyle mode because that's what I'm going after. Miss_Aims I'm going to be tweaking what makes up my calories too nutrition wise. I eat pretty well. We got into Forks Over Knives and Kris Carr and other healthy lifestyles but I tend to snack on the not so good stuff. Right now I'm doing a little better - getting my chocolate fix with Sun-Maid Dark Chocolate Yogurt Raisins.

    Thanks for all the tips ya'll. You guys are AWESOME!

    You're already making progress by taking some good advice. Upping the calories and getting your brain to stop thinking that losing this weight is a "diet" thing. It IS a lifestyle thing, because once you've lost the weight, you can't go back to old habits. So make slow changes, find things to do that you enjoy (like Zoey walks!), and since we know that we're not inherently perfect, make a plan for when things start sliding downhill. Our motivation to "get fit" or "get healthy" takes over our general sensibilities, and we want quick results. When what really works is losing slowly as we adapt to new habits, adding more activity, subtracting extra calories.

    Good luck! (And read the stickies at the top of each forum topic. They're full of great information for people just starting out)
  • SarahPeters3
    SarahPeters3 Posts: 100 Member
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    1200 IS NOT ENOUGH. I am 5.4 130 pounds and that's not even enough for me. Unless you're laying in bed all day. My best suggestion is to get some sort of fitness tracker, you can use your phone but for the most accurate results I'd suggest a fitbit so you can see exactly how many calories you burn everyday and then eat around 200-400 calories less than that everyday and you'll see great results! A caloric deficit is everything.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,980 Member
    edited May 2016
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    Balaru wrote: »
    I started at 198 lbs. - going to weigh in on Sunday. Only weighing once a month so I don't get obsessed with the scale. I'm 5'8" so I'd like to get to 125 in a perfect world but would be happy with 135. But more than the number on the scale I want to be toned and strong. For instance, we have a wave-runner (4 person jet ski) that I look like a beached whale trying to get back on when I am over 150. I need that upper body strength to pull myself back up on the back of it. And I want to be able to squat down and pick things up off the floor without getting stuck down there. Lol I want to be able to garden without huffing and puffing to get back up. Guess I've got the I wannas -

    The MFP suggested 1200 calories and it has the ratios for the macros as Carbs 50%, Fat 20% and Protein at 30%. Sugars are supposed to be at 50 grams according to MFP. Where can I find out more info about that? I'm looking into the MBR and TDEE to see if I can tweak it that way. I'm only on Day#20 of MFP still learning the ropes.

    I'm a little shorter, weigh a little less, and am a little younger than you. You must have selected the goal of losing two pounds per week. I'd be miserable on 1200 calories.

    Your goal weight is way lower than mine - you must have a much smaller frame. http://www.myfooddiary.com/Resources/frame_size_calculator.asp

    Sounds like you're sluggish because you're not eating enough, and know the solution for that.

    When I'm sluggish because I've overdone it or am weak from that TOM, I do gentle yoga or pick up sticks in the yard. Sometimes I'll start something more vigorous and give myself permission to stop in 15 minutes if it is true physical fatigue. (When the source of my malaise is not physical, I can keep going.

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