same work every day, feeling sore and weak

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crimsongrey
crimsongrey Posts: 329 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I own a horse farm and do a lot of manual labor every day. I've been doing this type of work for 15 years and although it's always been tough, over the past year I've been feeling really sore and weak from the same amount of work. Lugging buckets of water, cleaning stalls, lifting 50lb bags of grain, etc. It's all feeling really hard lately. I'm getting older (46), but I think I'm pretty fit. Would it make sense for me to lift weights or would it just make me even more sore and tired? I already do cardio a couple of times a week.
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Replies

  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    Are you also trying to lose weight while doing all this labor intensive work?
  • jessicapk
    jessicapk Posts: 574 Member
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    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    Are you also trying to lose weight while doing all this labor intensive work?

    I second this! If so, you might simply be eating too little.

    As far as cardio, if you're already doing all this manual labor, ditch it and work on your strength. But make sure you're eating enough at the same time. Your body needs fuel.
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
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    You may need to be doing stretching and work on flexibility. If you've been focusing on strength, you may not realize that overbuilding, slouching, bad posture and so on is slowly making it harder for your body to rebound. Age is also a factor, of course. But as Indiana Jone quipped, "It's not the year, it's the mileage."
  • crimsongrey
    crimsongrey Posts: 329 Member
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    I've had blood work recently and everything is good.
    I am trying to lose weight and am doing a modified low-carb diet, which I've been on for about 6 weeks. Despite all the work I do, I'm still not losing much weight. I'm confused.
    I like to do cardio for my mental health.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited January 2018
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    crimsongrey wrote: »
    I've had blood work recently and everything is good.
    I am trying to lose weight and am doing a modified low-carb diet, which I've been on for about 6 weeks. Despite all the work I do, I'm still not losing much weight. I'm confused.
    I like to do cardio for my mental health.

    Could lack of carbs in your diet along side dieting be something to look at?

    How many calories are you eating and what did you setup MFP to lose weight each week? And activity level?
  • Poisonedpawn78
    Poisonedpawn78 Posts: 1,145 Member
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    crimsongrey wrote: »
    I've had blood work recently and everything is good.
    I am trying to lose weight and am doing a modified low-carb diet, which I've been on for about 6 weeks. Despite all the work I do, I'm still not losing much weight. I'm confused.
    I like to do cardio for my mental health.

    Are you tracking the calories of your food by weighing them? How much is "not losing much weight" have you lost at all? Are you sure low carb is the right diet for you? Low carb isnt really meant for athletes and people who do lots of manual labour. You need to replenish your glycogen stores which mainly comes from carbs.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    crimsongrey wrote: »
    I've had blood work recently and everything is good.
    I am trying to lose weight and am doing a modified low-carb diet, which I've been on for about 6 weeks. Despite all the work I do, I'm still not losing much weight. I'm confused.
    I like to do cardio for my mental health.

    When you had blood work did they specifically test for a thyroid problem? You are at the age when the risk of thyroid problems increases greatly for women so you might want to mention the fatigue and problems with weight loss to your doctor. Those are classic symptoms of hypothyroidism.

    We don't have horses but I also live on a farm and know the type of work it takes to keep it running. How long have you been eating low carb? Did the problems begin about the same time? You might try upping your carb intake a bit and see if it helps.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
    edited January 2018
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    Sounds like a lack of food and carbs - it takes carbs to help us with energy.
    You might have chosen too aggressive a calorie deficit and your body its telling you to feed it.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,975 Member
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    Yeah, you still didn't mention how many calories you are eating.

    I know for me, if I try to cut too much I get the same problem but when I add back some food it solves it.

    Try setting your Goals less aggressively, this site's goal wizard is sometimes way off. I know for me it underestimates by about 600-700 calories per day. Try eating more.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
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    crimsongrey wrote: »
    I've had blood work recently and everything is good.
    I am trying to lose weight and am doing a modified low-carb diet, which I've been on for about 6 weeks. Despite all the work I do, I'm still not losing much weight. I'm confused.
    I like to do cardio for my mental health.

    Low carb = low energy for a lot of people. If you've been on it for 6 weeks and you haven't lost weight, then you are netting your maintenance calories. Low carb does not always lead to weight loss, a calorie deficit is what is needed. What's you % macro split? How are you measuring your calories?/carbs?

  • crimsongrey
    crimsongrey Posts: 329 Member
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    Thanks for all of the input! To lose 1.5 lbs/week, MFP says to eat 1200 calories a day. I haven't been tracking my calories lately so I'm not sure where I am with that. Maybe I'll start adding in some carbs and tracking my foods to see if it helps. I chose the low carb option b/c it's worked really well for me in the past. However, when I used it before I probably wasn't doing as much physical labor. I have had extensive blood work done (thyroid, B12, Vit D and a few others) and the only thing that was abnormal was a really low Vit D. Now that I've been supplementing for that, I feel great other than the soreness and weakness. I also do a gentle yoga once a week to help my back problems....maybe I'll do it more often to work on flexibility. If I add more carbs, should I do some lifting to get stronger?
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    edited January 2018
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    The soreness is odd, I think - I can think of many diet and health related reasons why you would suddenly be tired, but not many reasons that your muscles would start becoming sore from the same amount of work you have done for years with no soreness. What did your doctor suggest as a reason for this? If your doctor blew you off, find another doctor.

    Your age should not be a factor. My mother is 81 and did all the things you mention today.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    edited January 2018
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    You goal is likely too aggressive at 1.5 lbs per week and you aren't getting enough nutrition to fuel your activity. What is your current weight and your goal weight?

    Add in low carb and that would explain the lack of energy and recovery.
  • crimsongrey
    crimsongrey Posts: 329 Member
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    current is about 160, with a goal of about 140.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    crimsongrey wrote: »
    current is about 160, with a goal of about 140.

    Yes, way too aggressive. You are within 20 lbs of goal weight. 1 lbs per week max. 3/4 or a half would be even better. You don't have the fat/energy stores to make up that difference. As you are closer to ideal weight, the rate at which you lose should be slower. Reset your goal, eat more and I'm betting your energy level will get better.

    And, you are very active. You need adequate carbs!! If you need input on setting appropriate macros, say so and I'm sure you'll get some some suggestions.
  • crimsongrey
    crimsongrey Posts: 329 Member
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    I blame beer for the gaining of weight, despite all the work. I haven't had any in over 6 weeks.
  • crimsongrey
    crimsongrey Posts: 329 Member
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    What types of carbs would be best? Fruits? Grains? ??
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    edited January 2018
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    crimsongrey wrote: »
    I blame beer for the gaining of weight, despite all the work. I haven't had any in over 6 weeks.

    Certainly cutting beer will significantly reduce calories. 2 beers a night is an extra 300 calories. Good carbs like fruits, veggies and some grains will help sustain your energy level.

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