Is it normal to be so tired from walking?

netitheyeti
netitheyeti Posts: 539 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm a 30yo woman, 5'3 (or a hair under) and in the high 110s/low 120s depending on the day.
Because of the lockdown all public transport has been shut down for close to a month now so I've been walking about to/from work... this means on average about 2h of walking per day... I log the activity (or part of it anyway), I'm set to "maintaining", and when I get home I try and work out another 30-90 minutes 4-5 days a week...

I am *dying*
I got home yesterday, I was in bed and asleep by 9pm
Is it normal to be THIS tired?
I work 8am to 4pm, I'm usually up at 5:30, I leave at 6:30am to get to work on time.. I'm usually home just after 5pm.
Also my right knee has been aching (I have hypermobility issues).
I don't feel like this is *excessively* active? So why am I so tired?
(my job is sedentary)
I'm averaging about 13-14k steps per day
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Replies

  • freda666
    freda666 Posts: 338 Member
    edited December 2020
    netitheyeti wrote: »
    I'm a 30yo woman, 5'3 (or a hair under) and in the high 110s/low 120s depending on the day.
    Because of the lockdown all public transport has been shut down for close to a month now so I've been walking about to/from work... this means on average about 2h of walking per day... I log the activity (or part of it anyway), I'm set to "maintaining", and when I get home I try and work out another 30-90 minutes 4-5 days a week...

    I am *dying*
    I got home yesterday, I was in bed and asleep by 9pm
    Is it normal to be THIS tired?
    I work 8am to 4pm, I'm usually up at 5:30, I leave at 6:30am to get to work on time.. I'm usually home just after 5pm.
    Also my right knee has been aching (I have hypermobility issues).
    I don't feel like this is *excessively* active? So why am I so tired?
    (my job is sedentary)
    I'm averaging about 13-14k steps per day

    When I first started walking for exercise it killed me and when I got in it took a good 30 minutes to recover. Having been steadily increasing my walking since the spring, now doing 5 miles up and down hills every evening, I come in and just get on with my day. Sure I know I have done it, but I used to be totally exhausted.

    So perhaps it is just about your level of fitness? Given you have only been doing this amount of walking for 4 weeks.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    edited December 2020
    lorrpb wrote: »
    2 hr is a lot of walking. Have you been doing this since March or did you start recently? If you just started, then would be a huge amount of walking for anyone conditioned to it. If you’ve been doing this since March and only recently became fatigued, I’d check with the doctor.
    Your knee pain makes me wonder if you are wearing appropriate shoes for walking, that have been professionally fitted to you, and have been recently replaced.
    I also wonder what you might be carrying while you walk.
    All these things can contribute to discomfort or fatigue.

    Just recently. See also:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10816590/public-transport-is-shut-down-daily-walk-to-work-is-causing-pain/p1
  • netitheyeti
    netitheyeti Posts: 539 Member
    just to clarify - yes, I am eating enough so I'm not losing more weight - if I was massively undereating I'd notice that after a few weeks.. now some days I eat more and some days I eat less (depends on how hungry) but looking at the past week for example I'm averaging about 2000-2100kcal, my sedentary maintenance would be just around 1500

    When I walk I carry a light backpack with my wallet, disinfectant, some tissues, my phone charger and some spare masks (obligatory to wear one at all times, even on the streets, so I go through a few single use ones per day).. I'll sometimes grab groceries on the way back, but I'm only carrying those for the last 1/3 of the walk

    I tend to do either gentler stuff (stretching) or workouts with weights in the evenings because I don't want to lose the strength I've been working for months to get :/ also, walking doesn't quite feel as satisfying sometimes?

    I seriously think it's partially my shoes but I still have no way to buy new (water/snowproof) ones, all shoe shops have been closed since october
  • Redordeadhead
    Redordeadhead Posts: 1,188 Member
    netitheyeti wrote: »
    just to clarify - yes, I am eating enough so I'm not losing more weight - if I was massively undereating I'd notice that after a few weeks.. now some days I eat more and some days I eat less (depends on how hungry) but looking at the past week for example I'm averaging about 2000-2100kcal, my sedentary maintenance would be just around 1500

    When I walk I carry a light backpack with my wallet, disinfectant, some tissues, my phone charger and some spare masks (obligatory to wear one at all times, even on the streets, so I go through a few single use ones per day).. I'll sometimes grab groceries on the way back, but I'm only carrying those for the last 1/3 of the walk

    I tend to do either gentler stuff (stretching) or workouts with weights in the evenings because I don't want to lose the strength I've been working for months to get :/ also, walking doesn't quite feel as satisfying sometimes?

    I seriously think it's partially my shoes but I still have no way to buy new (water/snowproof) ones, all shoe shops have been closed since october

    Could you order some shoes online, if you think that's part of the problem? Lots of places allow free returns, so you could try them on and everything before committing.

    I can also highly recommend reusable, washable cloth masks: less waste for the environment but also, you don't need to carry so many. I bought a pack of 5 in Amazon, usually have 2 with me at all times and just wash them in rotation.

    I think you're right about the mental part too though. It can be hard in winter when it's dark all the time, even worse during this period of social isolation. If your mood is a bit low that may well be making you feel more tired.
  • charmmeth
    charmmeth Posts: 936 Member
    edited December 2020
    netitheyeti wrote: »
    I seriously think it's partially my shoes but I still have no way to buy new (water/snowproof) ones, all shoe shops have been closed since october

    Could you buy shoes online? I realise it's a risk, but you could choose somewhere that lets you send them back if they don't fit.

    netitheyeti wrote: »
    I feel like maybe some of this is mental... I've been thinking today and 2 things stand out to me:
    1) I haven't seen sunlight in over a month, I go to work and come home in darkness, I work in a basement with no windows
    2) I am stuck in a town with 0 friends and no way to get to my family (haven't seen anyone outside work, where I'm one of the "new"-ish people, in over a month)

    That sounds debilitating. I really sympathise: I was in lockdown on my own for three months (but in the spring, so in the light) and saw very few people. i found it exhausting and depressing. Can you use zoom to talk to your family and friends at least?
  • netitheyeti
    netitheyeti Posts: 539 Member
    charmmeth wrote: »
    netitheyeti wrote: »
    I seriously think it's partially my shoes but I still have no way to buy new (water/snowproof) ones, all shoe shops have been closed since october

    Could you buy shoes online? I realise it's a risk, but you could choose somewhere that lets you send them back if they don't fit.

    netitheyeti wrote: »
    I feel like maybe some of this is mental... I've been thinking today and 2 things stand out to me:
    1) I haven't seen sunlight in over a month, I go to work and come home in darkness, I work in a basement with no windows
    2) I am stuck in a town with 0 friends and no way to get to my family (haven't seen anyone outside work, where I'm one of the "new"-ish people, in over a month)

    That sounds debilitating. I really sympathise: I was in lockdown on my own for three months (but in the spring, so in the light) and saw very few people. i found it exhausting and depressing. Can you use zoom to talk to your family and friends at least?

    my family don't know how to use tech/webcams so we stick to phonecalls, no cams (this is people in their 60s to late 80s)

    my normal places to buy shoes from don't do online, and I have very unusual feet so it's a challenge even when shopping in person :( I tend to be JUST able to fit into the smallest adult womens size, but then there's my high arches, wide feet and super long toes
  • netitheyeti
    netitheyeti Posts: 539 Member
    Redordeadhead wrote: »
    netitheyeti wrote: »
    just to clarify - yes, I am eating enough so I'm not losing more weight - if I was massively undereating I'd notice that after a few weeks.. now some days I eat more and some days I eat less (depends on how hungry) but looking at the past week for example I'm averaging about 2000-2100kcal, my sedentary maintenance would be just around 1500

    When I walk I carry a light backpack with my wallet, disinfectant, some tissues, my phone charger and some spare masks (obligatory to wear one at all times, even on the streets, so I go through a few single use ones per day).. I'll sometimes grab groceries on the way back, but I'm only carrying those for the last 1/3 of the walk

    I tend to do either gentler stuff (stretching) or workouts with weights in the evenings because I don't want to lose the strength I've been working for months to get :/ also, walking doesn't quite feel as satisfying sometimes?

    I seriously think it's partially my shoes but I still have no way to buy new (water/snowproof) ones, all shoe shops have been closed since october

    Could you order some shoes online, if you think that's part of the problem? Lots of places allow free returns, so you could try them on and everything before committing.

    I can also highly recommend reusable, washable cloth masks: less waste for the environment but also, you don't need to carry so many. I bought a pack of 5 in Amazon, usually have 2 with me at all times and just wash them in rotation.

    I think you're right about the mental part too though. It can be hard in winter when it's dark all the time, even worse during this period of social isolation. If your mood is a bit low that may well be making you feel more tired.

    I bought washable ones! After 30ish min of walking in high humidity I feel like I'm getting suffocated by wet cloth getting sucked into my mouth/nose
  • netitheyeti
    netitheyeti Posts: 539 Member
    littlegreenparrot1 wrote: »
    If you're not doing so already I would suggest a Vitamin D supplement is worth a try.

    Lack of it might be contributing to the general 'meh' along with everything else of course.
    Advice in the UK is now that everyone takes it in the winter, because even if you do manage to get into the daylight it isn't strong enough to generate vit D.
    I've taken it consistently since the autumn for the first time this year, and feel better than I usually do.
    I'm already taking supplements including vit D! :) but yeah the "No sunlight" thing has been miserable
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    You describe some effects that are characteristic of depression. Consider talking to your doctor and starting on a mild antidepressant.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,148 Member
    netitheyeti wrote: »
    littlegreenparrot1 wrote: »
    If you're not doing so already I would suggest a Vitamin D supplement is worth a try.

    Lack of it might be contributing to the general 'meh' along with everything else of course.
    Advice in the UK is now that everyone takes it in the winter, because even if you do manage to get into the daylight it isn't strong enough to generate vit D.
    I've taken it consistently since the autumn for the first time this year, and feel better than I usually do.
    I'm already taking supplements including vit D! :) but yeah the "No sunlight" thing has been miserable

    Do you have one of the "SAD (seasonal affective disorder) lights"? They're not a panacea, but do help some people. Can be online ordered, normally (haven't checked lately for availability).
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    They are easily available in the US -- I just got one. Internationally may vary, of course.
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,464 Member
    Lunch outside, for sure!
  • globalc00
    globalc00 Posts: 103 Member
    I used to do the exact same routine as you for 3 years ago for a couple of years. I used to walk 1+ hour to work and then back home, then do strength training. I was averaging 20K a day and I have a desk job where I really didn't move at all once I got to work until it was time to come home. I can say it was much easier in the winter time vs summer when it was super hot and humid. I was covering my self head to toe to protect myself from UV light in the summer, which was much more of a hassle then wearing a jacket.

    I also found the the right shoe made all the difference in the world. I started with work shoes which were definitely not made for walking for 1+ hour at a time. Then when I switch to hiking shoes since it rains a lot, it was significantly better. But when I made the switch to actual walking shoes, it was again a night and day difference.

    When I first started doing it, and starting to diet, I did intuitive eating and not really calorie counting. I did lose weight and didn't feel tired. I felt like I could just walk forever and not feel anything after sitting down for 10 minutes.
    However, I eventually stopped walking to work because I started to feel pain in my knees. Not sure if it was just from overuse or getting old or combination of both. I also started counting calories and at some point I started to feel much more fatigued when I was trying to be in a deficit. I was also going to sleep at 9:00 pm and on a Friday, i would often goto sleep at 8:30.

    Unlike your situation, when covid hit, we had to start working from home, so to replace the walking to and from work, I walked on a treadmill, which I think may be a little more difficult since there are no breaks at stop lights. I initially decided to get all my exercise in at one time. So i was doing strength training then 2 hours on the treadmill instead of having it broken up as before. This meant I had to get up earlier to do this. I did this for 5 month and found my self much more exhausted even the amount of exercise was the same as before, just in different times of the day. I recently went back to splitting up the work out so I could sleep in a little more and feel significantly less fatigued.

    So my experience is (TLDR)
    The right shoes definitely helps walking long distance.
    Eating the right amount of calories also helps.
    Not forcing your self to wake up earlier than what your body wants helps.
    Getting some rest before you go from 1 workout to the next helps.
  • netitheyeti
    netitheyeti Posts: 539 Member
    corinasue1143 wrote: »
    Lunch outside, for sure!

    unfortunately not allowed to atm, masks must be worn at all times outside, no eating or drinking allowed (400€ fine for it)
  • netitheyeti
    netitheyeti Posts: 539 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    netitheyeti wrote: »
    littlegreenparrot1 wrote: »
    If you're not doing so already I would suggest a Vitamin D supplement is worth a try.

    Lack of it might be contributing to the general 'meh' along with everything else of course.
    Advice in the UK is now that everyone takes it in the winter, because even if you do manage to get into the daylight it isn't strong enough to generate vit D.
    I've taken it consistently since the autumn for the first time this year, and feel better than I usually do.
    I'm already taking supplements including vit D! :) but yeah the "No sunlight" thing has been miserable

    Do you have one of the "SAD (seasonal affective disorder) lights"? They're not a panacea, but do help some people. Can be online ordered, normally (haven't checked lately for availability).

    I'll look into that! not sure how easily available it is here (I live in a small EU country, getting stuff can be a pain sometimes), might be able to order online tho, provided it's not too expensive
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    netitheyeti wrote: »
    corinasue1143 wrote: »
    Lunch outside, for sure!

    unfortunately not allowed to atm, masks must be worn at all times outside, no eating or drinking allowed (400€ fine for it)

    The point is not where you actually eat (do you have somewhere completely private indoors? otherwise outdoors without the mask briefly actually seems safer, but whatever), but getting outside in the sun before it goes down. I used to go walk around a bit if I needed light (I realize more walking may not be exactly what you want). Maybe even ask one of the other new people if they want to come with you.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,920 Member
    If you're deficient in vitamin D then it might be worth consulting a calculator. There you type in your current level and the level you aim at. The calculator then tells you how much Vitamin D you need to take to raise your level to that number in for example 3 months. It usually takes quite a lot of vitamin D to raise levels substantially.

    Other than that: agree to all that other people have said here.

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