Have days when you don't feel like working out?

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Speakeasy76
Speakeasy76 Posts: 961 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been feeling that lately...not so much with any of my cardio activities, but more so with me going to the gym and weightlifting. I actually love weightlifting and have been doing it for a long time and am quite disciplined when it comes to working out, but these few weeks I've felt kind of burned out. I only go 3 days a week for total body lifting so it's not even like I'm there 5-6 days. I'm supposed to go now and really it's my only time to go, and it's not like I have room in my schedule to swap out times or days. I think I am actually just going to try and nap and hopefully get outside for a brisk walk afterwards. I haven't been getting enough sleep for the past several weeks, which I think is a big part of the problem. There's that anxious part of me that worries if I intentionally skip a day I'll get out of the habit, but logically I know that's not likely. I guess I just needed to vent.

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  • SnifterPug
    SnifterPug Posts: 746 Member
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    Sounds like you may need a deload. I have days when I don't much feel like it but I have a programme to complete and my coach will check what I have done, so that makes me do it and I am always glad I went. But with fatigue and lack of sleep I think discretion is the better part of valour.
  • goal06082021
    goal06082021 Posts: 2,130 Member
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    Yeah. For most of the past year I've been working out first thing in the morning - what I do each day varies some, but I had been in the habit of getting up and working out right away. The past few weeks I've been dealing with some scary health stuff with my husband, which has been affecting my sleep, so I've been opting to sleep a little longer in the mornings and then go for a walk or play some Ring Fit Adventure at night. I have actually been doing the nighttime workouts, to my credit, but I want to get back to doing them in the morning again. The worst of the scary health stuff should be over early next week, though, so I'm optimistic about being able to rebuild that habit. In the meantime I'm giving myself grace and reminding myself that my body doesn't care if it's 6 AM or 9 PM when I go for that walk or fire up the Switch, so long as I do the dang thing.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
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    Sometimes, you just need to rest. Listen to your body. Your mitochondria know what they need.
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 9,008 Member
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    Speakeasy76 wrote: »
    I haven't been getting enough sleep for the past several weeks, which I think is a big part of the problem.

    Guessing this. I am not above skipping a lifting day if I need sleep in the morning. If it becomes more than once, I take stock of my sleep pattern and see what I can amend.

    @SnifterPug identified the possible need for a deload, which some do by working out just at a light intensity (less weight, or fewer sets/reps). My personal schedule is a 13-week pattern: work out 12 weeks, take a week completely away from the gym. This gives me four cycles a year. Maybe you need a light week, or simply accept a week off completely. Maybe you might want to change out your exercise selection, try some new lifts, or new ways of doing the same lifts (go from 3x10 to 5x5, or from flat to incline, or BB to DB, etc).
  • Speakeasy76
    Speakeasy76 Posts: 961 Member
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    Thanks everyone. I ended up taking a nap and then going for a long walk outside. I intended to take a "coffee nap" after my one cup of coffee for the day, but what I thought was going to be 20-30 minutes ended up being an hour! So, I definitely think I needed that nap.

    I actually program deloads into my training and vary lifts and rep/set schemes, but not so much it stalls progress. My last deload wasn't "deloaded" enough, I think. I've notoriously been one to ignore body signals and "push" through, which of course lends to more aches and even injuries, or injuries not being properly rehabbed. I've made a more conscious effort to listen to it more, though.

    I've also been overwhelmed with a busy schedule, and while I don't seem to be as mentally stressed and waking and staying up in the middle of the night (thanks, Lexapro), I do think it's taking a toll on my sleep. When I don't sleep well, I get more aches, which impacts my training along with the sleep quality and it leads to a vicious cycle. My 12-year old son has been dealing with insomnia on and off (last night was an "on" night), so that's been impacting it as well. I've been taking some steps to try and fix my sleep, but may need to do some more mindfulness stuff before sleep.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,977 Member
    edited November 2021
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    "Have days when you don't feel like working out?"

    Of course, who doesn't?

    Sometimes I take a break and sometimes I just push thru & do it.

    No one is watching me and it's entirely up to me to decide what to do about it.
  • AKTipsyCat
    AKTipsyCat Posts: 240 Member
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    YES. I just took a three week break. Need to get back on the wagon. I don't know why I do this to myself - I LOVE how I feel when I'm regularly working out... and then I just wake up one morning and am all like "meh" and it takes me a bit to motivate myself. I know this is supposed to be about habit and discipline and not just about motivation... but I just never seem to find the right balance... I'm either all in... or completely, ineptly all out..
  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,508 Member
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    It's fine to have a day off if you've not been getting enough sleep, if you need a deload from weights, etc.

    I find definite benefits from the "transfer effect" researchers have talked out, i.e. the connection between exercise and healthy eating. If I'm exercising regularly, I find it much easier to have the willpower to avoid unhealthy foods and behaviors. So if I just don't feel up to doing weights one day, I'll delay that a day and spend time on the bike instead.

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