Muscle Fatigue and dehydration?

hiyomi
hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
edited November 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone, I've been working out for about 3 weeks now, 1600 calories more or less, (1800 to 2000 on weekends) and 30 minutes cardio and weight lifting 5 days a week. As of yesterday my muscles all over my body started feeling so tired and drained to the point where I was dragging my feet and slouching around the store grocery shopping lol maybe I was a little dramatic, but the issue is pretty bothersome lol I've also been extremely thirsty despite drinking lots of water, I never feel like I'm getting quenched. Nothing in particular has changed except for sweating alot more at this new gym I started going to this week, but I don't think it's excessive enough to really make me feel this way.. Any tips on what I can do to recuperate or what may be making me feel this way?

Replies

  • CMNVA
    CMNVA Posts: 733 Member
    It could be that your calories are not high enough for the activity you are doing. I have that issue if I go too low. It can give you feelings of thirst also. You probably aren't getting enough fluid either. But basically you probably are not getting the right nutrition/energy for your activity. I had that issue on 1300 calories if I tried to exercise.
  • hiyomi
    hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
    Also, the day that this happened, my shoulders fell asleep while I was actually asleep and it woke me up because the tingly feeling was so bothersome! This is the area, along with my arms and back, that I feel really drained from despite me being sore from leg day yesterday..
  • MommaGem2017
    MommaGem2017 Posts: 405 Member
    Are you logging and eating back your exercise calories?
  • hiyomi
    hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
    CMNVA wrote: »
    It could be that your calories are not high enough for the activity you are doing. I have that issue if I go too low. It can give you feelings of thirst also. You probably aren't getting enough fluid either. But basically you probably are not getting the right nutrition/energy for your activity. I had that issue on 1300 calories if I tried to exercise.

    I'm at a sedentary level and using the calories that Mfp has recommended for me at the moment. I don't do very much lately since I'm out of school and on summer vacation. Weight is 293ish lbs and height 5'7, female
  • hiyomi
    hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
    Are you logging and eating back your exercise calories?

    I don't eat back my exercise calories and haven't had this issue before in not doing so :neutral:
  • peraltapiano
    peraltapiano Posts: 26 Member
    edited August 2017
    I'm no expert, and I haven't lifted regularly in three years, so I could be wrong and this may be an experience key to the program you're doing, like a wall you're just going to break through.

    But it does sound like your muscles might require more rest between your workouts. Are you stretching as best you can beforehand?
  • MommaGem2017
    MommaGem2017 Posts: 405 Member
    edited August 2017
    hiyomi wrote: »
    Are you logging and eating back your exercise calories?

    I don't eat back my exercise calories and haven't had this issue before in not doing so :neutral:

    ETA: I see the answer to my questions above. MFP calorie goals are before exercise, so it is designed that you add and eat back your exercise calories.

    It's only been 3 weeks. It could be that you're now experiencing the fatigue that has been building up.
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
    Yeah, I'd go with the calories too. There's a saying, "there's no such thing as overtraining, there's only undereating", but you get the idea. Then again, it totally could be dehydration, or lack of sleep. Everything is related to recovery though. Dehydration and sleep, you know how to fix.

    Undereating could be catching up with you over the 3 weeks training. You could do a few different things depending on your goals. If it is weight loss you are going for, then maintain your calories and cut lifting and cardio to something a bit more sustainable. I don't know what that looks like, but for instance, do the weight lifting routine you did last week if it was lighter, you might have to play around with that a bit. I'm not big on cardio for losing weight. I think it's easier to not eat the cookie than to eat it and go for an hour jog :), but that's just me. I think you could easily do 3 cardios per week instead of 5 if you kept your 1600 calories.

    I will say, most people start with 3 day full-body weight lifting and get the best results, so maybe you want to reduce that to start.
  • xvolution
    xvolution Posts: 721 Member
    I highly doubt the exhaustion is from dehydration since you haven't mentioned having cramps. Muscles tend to cramp up when they're lacking enough water.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    What is your lifting routine? 5 days of lifting is a LOT for a beginner. You should be sure not to hit the same muscles two days in a row. You'd probably be better off doing 3-days of full-body lifting Mon, Wed, Fri.
  • kimothy38
    kimothy38 Posts: 840 Member
    Check there's not a medical reason for this. Thirstiness can be sign of many things. Make sure you get 7-8 hours sleep too.
  • RamboKitty87
    RamboKitty87 Posts: 272 Member
    edited August 2017
    Hey I'm no expert, still a noob to this healthy lifestyle... but your body is clearly telling you something isn't right, try and up your calories a little or up your protein? if you're tired have a rest day? also possibly go see a doctor as dehydration and tiredness is a symptom of diabetes, great advice from previous posters also, its better to lose weight slow and be healthy than to lose weight fast and have health issues, I feel like a broken record but I worked myself too hard at the beginning and under ate and due to it I have gallstones that are so painful all because I thought losing as much weight as fast as possible was the best thing to do, I recently found a useful discussion I wished I found a few months ago: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10569458/why-eating-too-little-calories-is-a-bad-idea/p1.
    I wish you all the best in your weightloss journey and I hope you feel better soon :)
    Safe paths
  • crackpotbaby
    crackpotbaby Posts: 1,297 Member
    Maybe it's the changes you've made. Maybe it's something else.

    Go to the doctor.
  • theritestuff
    theritestuff Posts: 101 Member
    Sounds pretty normal to me. Extra demand on your body = should be reflected somehow initially. I would just make sure to drink plenty of water and make sure you are getting enough calories. I suppose you could increase them slightly on some days just to be sure
  • DamieBird
    DamieBird Posts: 651 Member
    1600 calories at your ht/wt, especially considering that you're not eating back your exercise cals seems very low. I'm also 5'7", and started at 217, eating around 1850 adjusted for exercise and dropped between 1.5-2lbs/wk in the beginning. You could definitely eat more and still lose weight!! I'm currently 183 and eat an average of 1700-1900 and still drop about a pound a week, so I think you're undereating based on your stats. Important to note: I realized that when I ate less, I lost less because I had less energy to get through my day and get through my workouts. Your body NEEDS that fuel to lose weight!

    Barring any medical issues, try upping your cals by 100-200 and see how your feel. Give it a couple of weeks for your body to recover and for the scale to catch up before you get concerned that you're 'not losing'. The scale *may* rebound a bit, but let your body settle into being fueled for your workouts and the pounds will start to drop again.
  • CWJuly2017
    CWJuly2017 Posts: 4 Member
    When my body starts wearing down, it usually means J have slacked on stretching. Stretching does wonders for me. Give it a try. Good luck.
  • rmgnow
    rmgnow Posts: 375 Member
    If you're going hard in the gym you definitely should eat those calories back.
    You gotta fuel yourself.

    Yah 1850 per day for your height and weight right now seems very aggressive. try that
  • dionecs
    dionecs Posts: 3 Member
    Drink amino acids during your workout!!!
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    IF you're thirsty and drinking a lot, you may have electrolyte imbalance which can progress to this

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10583723/warning-to-others-drinking-too-much-water-can-be-deadly-and-this-is-real/p1
This discussion has been closed.