In a defecit but starting to feel too tired to workout

bloomblythe5
bloomblythe5 Posts: 24 Member
edited July 2020 in Food and Nutrition
Hey everyone,

I’m a 20 year old girl 5’3 and 165lbs. I’ve been cutting/in a defecit for the last 5 weeks and I’ve been eating 1600 calories. I’m not 100% sure what my maintenance was but I think I was eating something like 2100 at least. 1600 has been a good defecit for me so far, I’ve gone down about 5lbs which is normal about a pound a week! But most importantly I’ve seen a huuge difference in my strength and my body has changed a lot. I’m not a seasoned bulker and cutter, this is my first time doing dieting the RIGHT WAY. So the last 5 weeks have been great and I’m those 5 weeks I’ve had maybe 3 refeed days (ate at about 2300cal) or had a cheat meal within my calorie defecit (not cheat DAY) and those have kept me going. So here’s the BUT, this last week ever since Monday I’ve just felt sooo drained and tired, I am getting slightly less restful sleep but I don’t think that’s the issue because even a few weeks ago on nights where I’d only get like 4 hours of sleep, I was still pumped for my workouts. But now this whole week I’ve had to really force myself to workout and I’m working out “intensely” but I think it’s only because I’m more tired so of course it’s going to feel more intense.

I think I’m going to wait until next week before changing anything but, I’m wondering if this is a sign I need to start upping my calories??

I don’t really want to because 1600 is working for me right now and I’m not at my goal fat loss weight yet. I was planning on starting reverse dieting when august comes and take it easy for a few months while I’m back at school and not worry about weighing everything or not eating over the small number of 1600 and just workout and eat maintenance.

Should I wait it out and see if this tired wave passes, or is there a way I can increase calories but still try and stay in a cut??

Also here are my macro breakdowns:

Protein 30% (121g)
Carbs 40% (160g)
Fats 30% (53g)

Replies

  • bloomblythe5
    bloomblythe5 Posts: 24 Member
    edited July 2020
    Oh also side note here’s some info on how I workout currently:

    I workout 5 days a week
    I do pretty intense 30 on 30 off HIIT sessions 2-3 times a week with full body dynamic moves and isolating moves like jump squats into Russian twists into jumping lunges etc
    And on the days I do HIIT I also do a strength workout in the evening with about 8 exercises, anywhere from 10-15 reps/3 sets for each
    On the days I don’t do HIIT or am not resting I just do a strength workout again with 8-10 exercises, 10-15 reps/3-4 sets

    It sounds like a lot written out but I’m def not wearing myself down too much! :))
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    edited July 2020
    You are doing a lot right - very good job. And great insight in to your workout intensity too.

    So you were eating 2100 as basis for maintenance.
    Did that include your level of workouts then?

    Also remember that you may have dropped 5 lbs in weight, but that could include gaining some water weight, therefore more fat loss - therefore bigger deficit than you think. Monthly hormone changes could hide that fact also.

    1 lb of fat loss weekly could be reasonable for amount left to be lost (15-30 lbs?), but your body could be under enough stress already you have elevated cortisol and water retained from that, in which case the deficit, whatever it really is, is too much.

    You can always make your deficit smaller.

    Ever tracked your wake-up-in-morning HR?
    Could be body is about to start fighting something off or was, or just unrecovered from recent load on it.
  • MaltedTea
    MaltedTea Posts: 6,286 Member
    I'm curious as to how many calories do your workouts generally average out at? You're talking plyo and HIIT but not the duration.

    I mention it because if you're not eating back some of your calories - and you've started this new, more intense routine - then you may be at a lower deficit then calculated. That may impact your energy levels/output from time to time...but more often over time.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    What % of the calories you earn from exercise are you eating back?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    If you are doing 5 hrs a week of workouts, split evenly between traditional weight lifting (not circuit training with 1 min rests) and that HIIT that is probably calisthenic movements with little rest, I'm showing a TDEE around 2350.
    So may be a bigger deficit than you think.
    If it is circuit training - even bigger deficit.

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1G7FgNzPq3v5WMjDtH0n93LXSMRY_hjmzNTMJb3aZSxM/edit?usp=sharing

    Do you do the interval workouts (not going to use fad mis-named HIIT term) with muscles proceeding the lifting workouts using same muscles?

    What's rest of your daily activity - helping around house with chores outside work, active work, or bump on log outside of exercise?
  • bloomblythe5
    bloomblythe5 Posts: 24 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    What % of the calories you earn from exercise are you eating back?

    I never eat back calories from working out just because I didn’t really think it worked like that. In my head I just feel like we’re not 100% sure about nutrition label and my fitness watch isn’t 100% accurate about how much I’m burning so I could be a little more than 1600 without knowing and I could be burning less than I think I am, even though I feel like I’m working out hard! So I just play it safe and eat 1600 everyday regardless.

  • bloomblythe5
    bloomblythe5 Posts: 24 Member
    heybales wrote: »
    If you are doing 5 hrs a week of workouts, split evenly between traditional weight lifting (not circuit training with 1 min rests) and that HIIT that is probably calisthenic movements with little rest, I'm showing a TDEE around 2350.
    So may be a bigger deficit than you think.
    If it is circuit training - even bigger deficit.

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1G7FgNzPq3v5WMjDtH0n93LXSMRY_hjmzNTMJb3aZSxM/edit?usp=sharing

    Do you do the interval workouts (not going to use fad mis-named HIIT term) with muscles proceeding the lifting workouts using same muscles?

    What's rest of your daily activity - helping around house with chores outside work, active work, or bump on log outside of exercise?

    I try to not do the same muscles after “HIIT”! So if I know I’m going to workout my legs later that day I’ll adjust my HIIT session to include more like full body moves that take some pressure off my legs, same thing if later is an arm day etc.

    On my rest days it just kind of depends what I’m doing that day but I’m never like crazyyy active. I’ll either clean the house, go shopping, walk around, see a friend, or do absolutely nothingg!

    I’ve thought about how I might be in a bigger defecit than just 1600 with how I workout but with the numbers I pull on the scale I just never worried about it because it seems I’m in the right defecit. Most weeks I only lose half a pound instead of a full pound which is what leads me to think my defecit is probably fine?
  • Hanibanani2020
    Hanibanani2020 Posts: 523 Member
    It could be to do with your cycle or a deficiency. Have bloodwork done to check your levels, especially iron. 1600 should be fine if you have proper nutrition. I’m 5’4 a bit lighter than you and at 1300, very active, have poor iron absorption plus I am vegan and I know that if I ignore proper vitamin balance I tend to feel tired and don’t have stamina. First step is GP then go from there. Best of luck
  • Hanibanani2020
    Hanibanani2020 Posts: 523 Member
    And by 1600 I mean net 1600 so definitely eat some of your calories back at least.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    bloomblythe5 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    What % of the calories you earn from exercise are you eating back?

    I never eat back calories from working out just because I didn’t really think it worked like that. In my head I just feel like we’re not 100% sure about nutrition label and my fitness watch isn’t 100% accurate about how much I’m burning so I could be a little more than 1600 without knowing and I could be burning less than I think I am, even though I feel like I’m working out hard! So I just play it safe and eat 1600 everyday regardless.

    Weight management life lesson.
    You do more you eat more.
    You do less you eat less.

    In a diet a tad less in either case.

    So you aren't sure about the watch being 100% accurate so you'll ignore it. And 0 is most obviously the 1 huge wrong amount.
    But you also admit nutrition labels aren't 100% accurate but you don't chuck logging calories out the window. Wouldn't 0 be correct there too by same logic?

    There is 1 problem to deciding intensity by feel - if you were up for 24 hrs and did a workout - would it feel hard?
    Does the end of a marathon feel as hard or harder than the start?
    Is the intensity of the workout really the same at the end or when tired compared to fresh?
    Can't go by feelings.
    Measurements - pace, speed, weight on the bar, number of pushups in same time - that's how you tell if the workout is just as hard, comparing to past, and in many things should see improvements.

    Regarding weight loss differences - the reaction to a body being underfed by more than it wants is to increase cortisol. That increases water retention.

    I'm just suggesting play it careful - or like sadly the majority of dieters - you may not reach goal weight, and if you do will fail to maintain it. Not all of them are because of weak willpower - some have caused their body to fight them badly to be successful.
    Bigger deficit is not better.
  • RockingWithLJ
    RockingWithLJ Posts: 243 Member
    Sleep is everything! When i read that i thought, "No wonder why youre tired and feel this way." 7-9 hours for proper recovery. Id add in some casein 30-60 min before bed just to assist
  • LinkedEmpire
    LinkedEmpire Posts: 40 Member
    Interval training is intense, kudos to you 💪. When I was doing HIIT, I took a class labelled as level 3. I told myself, I can do this 🤷.

    No. 😒

    Sometimes I think these classes are more of a leg day that doesn't end, even when it's over. My quads were torched. I felt like jelly sliding off the bread. Then the bread smacked the floor and I was burnt out. My biggest mistake in those first few weeks too was also being under the impression that I eat what MFP says and workout. Everything seemed to go fine but then you notice the exercise headaches, the internal search for food (you don't think of it that way though), losing focus and not being able to sleep at all. It starts with little punches and then it feels like you were dumped in a desert without food for awhile.

    I'm not an expert and not seasoned as others, but good thing you've noticed you're getting fatigued. Be thankful for those cues.

    Searching around and talking to PT and the like you might find that they recommend taking a 48 hr recovery after a HIIT session. Since legs are primarily worked in those classes like a sumo ballerina 😏, I do some stretching for the hips, PSOAS, quads, hamstrings, etc the next day. Maybe add some restorative yoga too. Make it a full rest day when necessary. Gauging how you feel, the third day or even the day after HIIT could be upper body day. Doesn't always have to include weights. There are days when more reps works out vs carrying extra baggage. Use modifications when and where appropriate. A gym bench on weight day helps me out here because it could help alleviate excess tension in the lower back and knees...ensuring that you keep good form.
    Do your legs feel like tired mush even the day after HIIT? If so, might be best to ease up on the intensity, weekly amount or session length.
    With all that said, it's agreeable that your basic strength comes from fueling and refueling. A car isn't going to get far on empty. Although you eat your 1600 cal, that's already your deficit before adding more deficit (your intentional workouts). I compared my devices, online calculators, MFP catalogue and built in cell sensors and the margins were pretty small. The largest deficit I seen was 20 cal between this sensor or that. Unless you have your macros and calories down to a T, which most of us, including me don't always..eat back majority of those calories, knowing you'll be fine. Once you do, you'll notice an improvement in stamina and sleep quality, including less water weight and scales or what not tipping this way over that.

    Sleep issues can be another thing but unless you know you have sleep on/offset insomnia like little ol me, I always blamed it on a full moon 🤷.

    Good luck to you, your determination will ensure you get it right for you.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,222 Member
    OP, you're getting advice from the best, here on your thread. Take it.

    You're doing some really great things for yourself: Kudos. But otherwise-unexplained weakness/fatigue is a flashing red warning sign. Sleep may be a factor, but it seems very likely that you're undereating for your current level of exercise stress.

    Some of the PP may be right in thinking that you're overdoing intensity for your current fitness level. That's hard to tell for sure, just from a post without data (resting heart rate changes, exercise history (what/how long), more about physical effects you feel, etc.). Even elite athletes use intensity - where "intense" is defined in terms of their personal fitness level, as it should be for all - as a sort of condiment or spice in the overall menu of workouts. It's not a main dish for sure, and during much of a typical annual training calendar, it isn't even a featured side. If well-rounded fitness is among your goals, consider that.

    I'd add that in my (not uniformly positive) experience, something around 5 weeks can be about where the wall is, in that "hitting the wall" idea. What are your priorities: Weight loss per se, fitness, body composition, something else? Think about the order your priorities fall in, and make a plan to support that. "I want to do everything, all at once, as fast as possible" is not a realistic or achievable plan.

    Wishing you much success!

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