Work and gym zombie

Brandi87224
Brandi87224 Posts: 15 Member
edited November 23 in Motivation and Support
Hello. I haven’t linked up with the community lately and wanted to say hi. I am Brandi. My problem here is that all I seem to do is go to work and to the gym. My job requires so much enegry throughout the day. I’m a program director for a dementia care community and it is draining mentally, emotionally and physically. I find that it is easy to get to the gym, despite the cold weather, it’s gotten very hard to stay focused after work to get through my workout though. I drink coffee or c4 before my workout but it isn’t touching me lately. Is there anything else I could try to help? Any super duper power foods or anything? I love working out and all I want is to just focus and have the energy to stay there for an hour. What kinds of things do you tell yourself to stay alive during your workout?

Replies

  • sofchak
    sofchak Posts: 862 Member
    I was going to recommend the same as @hellyaitskriss. Sometimes, fatigue is telling you to listen to your body.

    Back in March, I was in a stressful, large scale negotiation that included several long nights and several more pots of coffee. Just so happened that the timing was toward the tail end of my marathon training where the miles were really starting to ramp up. I was juggling both for a while, but the mental fatigue of the negotiation eventually won out. I could see my resting heart rate on my Fitbit skyrocketing...

    I took a break from my marathon training, got extra sleep, went for relaxing swims and walks, took a few yoga classes and partook in a bit of light reading. It was a good decision for me. I think I turned out stronger for the break in the routine and I finished my marathon 15 minutes faster than planned!

    Good luck! Hope you find the right solution for you.
  • Brandi87224
    Brandi87224 Posts: 15 Member
    Thank you so much for your responses. You’re both probably right! I don’t usually get home until 8:30 after the gym and then it’s time for a new day before I know it. I should probably ease up for a little while and get into some self care.

    I have a book called Ten poems to change your life that I have been meaning to finish reading. It’s awesome. Check it out sometime!

    That is AWESOME that you finished a marathon and fifteen minutes faster than expected. Totally cool.

    I appreciate your help! Thank you again.
  • GOT_Obsessed
    GOT_Obsessed Posts: 817 Member
    Is there any way you could workout before work instead of after it?
  • Brandi87224
    Brandi87224 Posts: 15 Member
    I would workout in the am, but for the most part it’s been very difficult to get up in the morning to workout. I am one of the people who sets like 20 alarms and doesn't wake up until the last one goes off lol I try almost everyday to get up early enough for it but I sleep until the last possible second every time.

    Maybe someday I will get it together, but that is a good suggestion! Thank you for that.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    How many days a week are you going to workout? What are you doing while there and for how long? It's possible you're overdoing it or not exercising as efficiently as you could, hard to say without more info.
  • joemac1988
    joemac1988 Posts: 1,021 Member
    What are your macros? Are you getting enough carbs?
  • Brandi87224
    Brandi87224 Posts: 15 Member
    I’ve been going six days a week. I stay for an hour, a little over. I have days where I run, row, bike and strength train in between. I’ve been doing it for a while but I don't know man, something is taking me down lately.

    As far as carbs, I have cut them down some in the last two months because I was trying to go for more protein. Think that could be my problem?
  • Bry_Fitness70
    Bry_Fitness70 Posts: 2,480 Member
    You get to a certain point (especially once you have kids) that you just don't have 100% effort to give at the gym most of the time. Short of illness or injury, I'm there (usually at 5 am) - grinding through a workout tired at 75% is still totally worth my time and so much better than skipping it.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    edited December 2017
    Brandi87224 wrote: »
    I’ve been going six days a week. I stay for an hour, a little over. I have days where I run, row, bike and strength train in between. I’ve been doing it for a while but I don't know man, something is taking me down lately.

    As far as carbs, I have cut them down some in the last two months because I was trying to go for more protein. Think that could be my problem?

    Going low carb and doing a lot of cardio sounds ROUGH. Perhaps go back to your old macro split and see how you feel, energywise?

    Many people like doing heavy lifting 3 days a week, then doing cardio after or not at all on lifting days. I've heard it's more efficient, timewise. My understanding is that if you're strength training to the point where you're optimizing muscle retention, it's hard enough that you can't really perform other activities in tandem (like going for a jog). Lifting vs cardio: do one thing well or two things poorly. Here would be an example of an efficient training sched, if you wanted to mix it up: Sun: Rest. M, W, F: Lift. Tues/Thurs: Cardio. You spend fewer hours in the gym because, after lifting, you'll probably just stretch and get out of there or just walk on the treadmill.



  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    Oof. The mental and emotional fatigue is real.

    You may benefit from meditative exercises such as yoga, African or Middle Eastern dance, tai chi and maybe martial arts.

    Also you may benefit from giving your sleep a look. If you aren't resting...and stress and fatigue do just that...you won't be able to put out your best physical effort.
  • Brandi87224
    Brandi87224 Posts: 15 Member
    I really appreciate that you have all replied to me.

    Damn, there are truly many different things it could be. I think I came to the right place for help.

    You’re right up there^ about being so exhausted mentally to the point where you truly cant give 100%. It is better to give a little than nothing at all. I have just burned this idea into my brain that I need to give 110% and that less than that isn’t good enough, maybe thats a part of my problem as well.

    I think that workout schedule would suffice and I should rethink what I have been doing as far as my regimen.

    I will absolutely give those meditative exercises a try. That sounds awesome. I’m into that.

    Thanks everyone! I appreciate the time you took today to write to me.






    joemac1988 wrote: »
    What are your macros? Are you getting enough carbs?

    Bry_Lander wrote: »
    You get to a certain point (especially once you have kids) that you just don't have 100% effort to give at the gym most of the time. Short of illness or injury, I'm there (usually at 5 am) - grinding through a workout tired at 75% is still totally worth my time and so much better than skipping it.
    leggup wrote: »
    Brandi87224 wrote: »
    I’ve been going six days a week. I stay for an hour, a little over. I have days where I run, row, bike and strength train in between. I’ve been doing it for a while but I don't know man, something is taking me down lately.

    As far as carbs, I have cut them down some in the last two months because I was trying to go for more protein. Think that could be my problem?

    Going low carb and doing a lot of cardio sounds ROUGH. Perhaps go back to your old macro split and see how you feel, energywise?

    Many people like doing heavy lifting 3 days a week, then doing cardio after or not at all on lifting days. I've heard it's more efficient, timewise. My understanding is that if you're strength training to the point where you're optimizing muscle retention, it's hard enough that you can't really perform other activities in tandem (like going for a jog). Lifting vs cardio: do one thing well or two things poorly. Here would be an example of an efficient training sched, if you wanted to mix it up: Sun: Rest. M, W, F: Lift. Tues/Thurs: Cardio. You spend fewer hours in the gym because, after lifting, you'll probably just stretch and get out of there or just walk on the treadmill.


    kenyonhaff wrote: »
    Oof. The mental and emotional fatigue is real.

    You may benefit from meditative exercises such as yoga, African or Middle Eastern dance, tai chi and maybe martial arts.

    Also you may benefit from giving your sleep a look. If you aren't resting...and stress and fatigue do just that...you won't be able to put out your best physical effort.

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