Morning Work Out Help Needed

mszallar
mszallar Posts: 34 Member
edited December 20 in Getting Started
So, I just started working out in the morning. I do some circuit training that mixes cardio and weight lifting. I don't have any issues with it, but I go to work and I struggle to stay awake through the day.

I'm trying to lose weight.

I usually eat 500-600 calories for breakfast. 400-500 for lunch.

I don't drink coffee.

Help me!

Replies

  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    Can you workout after work instead?
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    How much sleep are you getting?

    Are you doing low carb?

    I'm assuming the trouble staying awake at work us new since you've been working out in the AM?
  • Samantharavenclaw84
    Samantharavenclaw84 Posts: 161 Member
    I had to adjust my bedtime. I distinctly remember turning to my husband at 1:30 AM (that was the average time I had gone to sleep for years) and telling him that I had no idea why I was so tired. I was getting up at 4:15 am 2-4 times a week. whereas I used to get up between 6:30 and 7:45 am. Another thing to look into is if you are eating too few calories.
  • sugarpig2018
    sugarpig2018 Posts: 1 Member
    I started morning workout too since this month. I did that like 2-3 days a week before work. I have to wake up at 6am so go to bed at around 10:30pm the night before. In addition work out or do yoga during weekends. I can feel that my metabolic rate is raising and I actually feel more energetic than before. I have daily coffee but you may try tea or mint?
  • Ahaziz842016
    Ahaziz842016 Posts: 7 Member
    You have to get at least 8 hours of sleeping at night to manage to get your metabolism up and to do your workout routine

    PS: try to drink coffee befor working out and eat a banana it will boost your power .
  • mszallar
    mszallar Posts: 34 Member
    Unfortunately I can't work out after work. It just wouldn't fit my schedule.

    I'm usually getting 6 hours of interrupted sleep. I have a newborn at home. More sleep is always desired, but rarely possible. Lol

    It might be a calorie issue? I'm eating the recommended amount for my weight loss, and eating back my calories I gain through working out. I keep my macros within 5% of what is recommended. So, no low carbs.

    Me being tired at work is nothing new, but this is new level of tired for me and I can't risk it due to the work environment.
  • Ahaziz842016
    Ahaziz842016 Posts: 7 Member
    You have get more sleep ... and coffee ;)
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    Go to bed earlier! Also, there are lots of ways to get caffeine in that aren't coffee. There are sodas, water flavoring, tea, even caffeine pills.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    If you don't like coffee, then have redbull!
  • CeeseOrtiz
    CeeseOrtiz Posts: 3 Member
    I use to not like it either, but that cup of Joe sure does help with more than staying awake.
  • mszallar
    mszallar Posts: 34 Member
    I use to survive on Rockstar energy drinks until I started logging them here and realized how bad they are. Lol. I swapped to the new Mountain Dew EnergiIng Fruit Punch.

    For sleep...

    Example last night: Sleeping by 9pm. Awake at 1230am to fees the baby. Sleeping by 1am. Wake up 450am to go work out. Leave no later than 6 for work.

    I'm usually sleeping by 9 or 10. Going to bed earlier is not an option.
  • neugebauer52
    neugebauer52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    I went to my gym and asked them to pull out some simple exercises from their files which I can do at home. Then they printed them out for me (little sticky - man pictures with explanations) - I had the pages (6 in total) laminated. Easy - peasy, as they say...
  • KimberlyCapone
    KimberlyCapone Posts: 42 Member
    mszallar wrote: »
    I use to survive on Rockstar energy drinks until I started logging them here and realized how bad they are. Lol. I swapped to the new Mountain Dew EnergiIng Fruit Punch.

    For sleep...

    Example last night: Sleeping by 9pm. Awake at 1230am to fees the baby. Sleeping by 1am. Wake up 450am to go work out. Leave no later than 6 for work.

    I'm usually sleeping by 9 or 10. Going to bed earlier is not an option.

    I know you said you've switched from Rockstar to Mt. Dew, but PLEASE be careful of the amount of caffeine you're taking in. We spent $10K last year having tests done on my spouse because his heart was out of rhythm. In the end, he had to have it shocked to reset it. It has been fine since, and the only thing he has done differently is cut out the energy drinks. He has a soda every now and then but doesn't go overboard. He was drinking 2-3, sometimes more, in a day to stay awake.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Newborn = tired. There's no way around it. This is one thing you're just going to have to wait out.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    You might have to temporarily adjust your training until your baby is sleeping better. I know when I was getting up all night there is no way I could handle anything more than a 30min lifting session 2-3x per week.
  • mszallar
    mszallar Posts: 34 Member
    Thanks for the input so far!

    When I get tired, I typically take a walk around the facility I work in. At least once per hour. Though, I can only do that so many times before it takes away from my work requirements.

    Breaking my intake into smaller, but more, meals isn't possible either because I can't bring food into the facility. They provide "lunch" or I can (and usually do) go to my car to eat a meal that was prepped the night before.

    On work out days, I usually eat a large breakfast which sustains me until lunch. I eat a smaller lunch to make up for eating a bigger breakfast. If I don't, I won't be able to eat anything for dinner... I usually drag after lunch... It's a struggle.

    Besides, get more sleep or drink coffee, any other suggestions?

  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    edited April 2019
    In all honesty, if the root of the problem is you're not getting enough sleep, anything else will just be a temporary bandaid. It may work sometimes, but it's not really going to fix it.

    As someone else suggested, I'd have a couple of rest days during the work week where you can sleep a little later. Try to stay well hydrated, as mixing tired with not being hydrated can be even more exhausting. I find chewing mint flavored gum can help give me a little boost.
  • Clarisse_McClellan
    Clarisse_McClellan Posts: 44 Member
    edited April 2019
    Using caffeine to make it on less sleep is bad, but with a new baby in the house, I recommend Jet Alert; it's around $3 at Walmart for around 90 tablets. I couldn't do that, because I breastfed, but my husband was the one bringing the infants to me and he lived off the stuff for awhile.

    One thing I've noticed that's made a big difference in my daytime alertness is balancing my macros. Get enough protein, get enough fat, and I doubt I have to tell anyone to get enough carbs. My husband gets his cardio in during his lunch break - 45 minute walk, quick sponge bath, them back to work, where he grabs a sandwich at his desk. Since your job won't allow you to do that, do you think you can maybe get in a half hour walk, clean up, then grab a quick bite to eat? If you're allowed to bring drinks in, I find that protein shakes (I buy the Equate high performance protein shakes, perk me up between meals. They're less than $5 for a 4 pack. Give it a try and see if it helps.
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