Tired, tired, tired

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ouandi
ouandi Posts: 135 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
By the end of every week I'm just sooooo tired. It happens every week. I'm trying to get my macros right, my calories right, get the to gym every day, manage the household mess, feed the family, get everyone to their activities, laundry, bedtime....totally exhaustion by the end of the day.... and by Friday I'm just raw.

It keeps me in this cycles of being good all week and then crashing and burning on the weekends. I just want to sleep and eat out, I'm too tired for anything else.

I'm not sure what to do about it. I'm eating plenty (1500 + exercise calories). I also take supplements, vitamins, and Spark. Any ideas? This is such a great week I'm terrified of screwing it up this weekend.

Thanks!

Replies

  • bsinno
    bsinno Posts: 358 Member
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    hmm...i feel ya girl! maybe try "pre planning" for weekends? I know that even if i have a fridge full of fab & healthy food i never feel like cooking on fridays. so i "plan" ahead and have a frozen bag dinner in the fridge that doesn't destroy my macros! (i like the meat & veg only stirfrys and i add my own boil n a bag brown rice and extra veggies)

    declare friday an exercise free day so that when saturday morning rolls around, you are more eager to jump up and kill a quick workout.

    having said all that - i dont think its totally detrimental to take it a little easier on the weekends :)
  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
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    some suggestions:

    Drink more water.

    Make sure you are getting adequate iron and if so are you eating enough vitamin C or eating them both together some times.

    If all your iron is suppliments or plant iron get some iron from meat (if you can according to your diet/beliefs)as it is the most easily absorbed form.

    Eat more often. Not required for "boosting" metabolism but may keep you more even keel throughout the day.
  • Kalraii
    Kalraii Posts: 89
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    I know your feeling. I don't have kids but I have a hectic and unpredictable work schedule and 93 animals to care for around it. My friends want to go out on a friday or a saturday - I just want to eat myself silly and sleep. The only thing I found that worked was no matter how exhausted I was I got up and went to a gym class. Seeing everyone else there and knowing I'm there for myself helped reduce stress. I like to exercise as the last thing of my day - it's not a chore to be slotted in and I can relax after. That doesn't suit everyone's schedule ofc. The thing that kept me by was that friday nights were my "early nights" so that I'd wake up refreshed on saturday and alert for my days journery (or struggle). Keep us updated i'd be interested in any quirky methods that helps with this problem. best of luck!! :)
  • Aehisme
    Aehisme Posts: 60 Member
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    I know how you feel. I've worked a 60 hour week this week and i'm shot. I think today we try to be all thing to all people. Just take a little time for yourself. Have a treat if you want one and don't beat yourself up about it, you'll just crave it even more if you don't have one now and agan.

    If one isn't enough take your mind of the craving by read a book or something similar.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    By the end of every week I'm just sooooo tired. It happens every week. I'm trying to get my macros right, my calories right, get the to gym every day, manage the household mess, feed the family, get everyone to their activities, laundry, bedtime....totally exhaustion by the end of the day.... and by Friday I'm just raw.

    It keeps me in this cycles of being good all week and then crashing and burning on the weekends. I just want to sleep and eat out, I'm too tired for anything else.

    I'm not sure what to do about it. I'm eating plenty (1500 + exercise calories). I also take supplements, vitamins, and Spark. Any ideas? This is such a great week I'm terrified of screwing it up this weekend.

    Thanks!

    Since this is a weekly pattern, why not do something to change it? Give yourself an extra 200 calories on Fridays at breakfast. Or plan for an extra hour of sleep Thursday night. Or just make a rule that you don't do laundry or chores on Friday? Change something about your routine to make it more manageable for you!
  • frhenderson
    frhenderson Posts: 32 Member
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    I can totally relate. The thing that keeps me exercising despite the exhaustion is the fact that I always feel more energized after I exercise than after I sit on the couch for a couple hours. I just keep reminding myself of that fact, and plan family activities for the weekend that are actually active. The rest of my family isn't all that into this exercise thing, so I try to make it fun, like biking or swimming. Not as big a calorie burn as I could get if I went to the gym, but I get quality time with the family, so that's worth it.

    About once or twice a month I count housecleaning as my Saturday exercise. Again, not as big a calorie burn as I could get during the same amount of time at the gym, but the mental health of being able to sit in a clean house more than makes up for it.
  • tuckyfatbutt
    tuckyfatbutt Posts: 28 Member
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    All great ideas. But am I the only one who thinks that ALL family members should be helping out here?? I am older, but have learned tons over the years. You can't be all things to all people. Even the youngest child (and hubby) can take their dirty clothes to the laundry basket, wash dishes, dust etc. It may not be perfect but it's good for the whole family to participate in maintaining the home, and family.
  • ouandi
    ouandi Posts: 135 Member
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    Thanks for the ideas everyone. I didn't get to exercise today which was probably for the best. I always try to go on Friday and literally almost fall off the treadmill from exhaustion. I think I may just make Friday exercise free day and make it up one day on the weekend.

    I've tried maintaining less exercise, like 3 times a week, but it makes my calories too low for me to maintain. I only seem to lose weight if I can get at least 5 days of exercise a week in. It doesn't help matters much that I moved and switched gyms. My old one felt like home, I could chat with friends and trainers and I loved the classes. My new one feels more like a chore instead of something invigorating and fun.
  • ncates00
    ncates00 Posts: 51
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    It sounds like you have a lot on your plate. I don't really recommend energy drinks and the like. It sounds more like there is a division of labor issue. You are doing too much! The family should help out and have chores! You need time for yourself to relax and enjoy things for you!
  • BandedTriaRN
    BandedTriaRN Posts: 303
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    are you anemic or do you have sleep apnea, how are your thyroid levels, vitamin D levels, B vitamin levels?? Those can lead to tiredness. Maybe go in and see a Dr.? Tell them immediately that you sleep well and eat enough calories and that you EXERCISE or they will tell you to exercise more! Hope you can find an easy answer. Mine ended up being a genetic illness (FXTAS) which also causes fibromyalgia
  • Themuseinme
    Themuseinme Posts: 224 Member
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    how much iron and B6 are you getting and or taking in pill form?
  • Cristofori44
    Cristofori44 Posts: 201
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    Don't forget your micros--vitamin C, iron.

    Also, are you netting 1,500, or are you eating 1,500 then going below 1,000 net when you subtract exercise?
  • Cristofori44
    Cristofori44 Posts: 201
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    Also, if you're not getting enough sleep, this is a common factor.
  • ouandi
    ouandi Posts: 135 Member
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    I actually do have a maid who comes every two weeks to do the major cleaning otherwise I wouldn't be able to keep up. We have about 4500 ft2 which is impossible to maintain alone. My husband travels a lot and I run the household. It's a good arrangement for both of us. I have a sitter sometimes or my mother comes and helps but two little active kids are just a lot of work. I should mention I'm also remodeling the house so another thing on my plate!

    I get great sleep, about 8 hours a night, sometimes more. I have my blood sugar and thyroid checked once a year because it runs in the family and both are great. What I haven't checked is my iron. I eat a pretty good amount of meat but I was anemic in highschool. I also haven't had my B or D vitamins checked. I might get that done. I do have a pool so I know I get a ton of sun. My supplements also have 1500IU of D. And my supplements have B in them, 6mg B6.

    Interestingly though is that when I eat more at maintenance or a bit over maintenance calories I'm not as tired.
  • Cristofori44
    Cristofori44 Posts: 201
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    Not sure what you mean by maintenance calories? Maintenance calories are what you eat when you don't lose weight. The app gives you net calories which already figure in the targeted weight loss--.5 to 2 lbs. per week. So that net number has a built in calorie deficit, and if you go below that. it is perhaps a factor in tiredness. The app is designed for you to hit your net calories in consumption--to eat back any exercise calories. Are you hitting your net each day?

    If you have been hitting your net, it's also possible that, if you have been running around like you say you are and exercising, you may have set your activity settings too low in the app. A good test is this: If you specified a 1 lb. loss per week, logged all your calories and exercise calories, and ended up losing 3 or 4 lbs. in a week--you obviously need to up your calorie intake so as not to go over 2 lbs. in lost weight per week.

    Maybe you already know all this--apologies if you do--but if all this is right, and you have been getting sleep, and water, vitamin C, and iron--I don't know! Sometimes people get emotionally exhausted, their body's on a downcycle, you have some kind of low-laying virus---could be anything.
  • ouandi
    ouandi Posts: 135 Member
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    Not sure what you mean by maintenance calories? Maintenance calories are what you eat when you don't lose weight. The app gives you net calories which already figure in the targeted weight loss--.5 to 2 lbs. per week. So that net number has a built in calorie deficit, and if you go below that. it is perhaps a factor in tiredness. The app is designed for you to hit your net calories in consumption--to eat back any exercise calories. Are you hitting your net each day?

    If you have been hitting your net, it's also possible that, if you have been running around like you say you are and exercising, you may have set your activity settings too low in the app. A good test is this: If you specified a 1 lb. loss per week, logged all your calories and exercise calories, and ended up losing 3 or 4 lbs. in a week--you obviously need to up your calorie intake so as not to go over 2 lbs. in lost weight per week.

    Maybe you already know all this--apologies if you do--but if all this is right, and you have been getting sleep, and water, vitamin C, and iron--I don't know! Sometimes people get emotionally exhausted, their body's on a downcycle, you have some kind of low-laying virus---could be anything.

    By maintenance I mean TDEE. I believe it's somewhere around 2100-2200 calories. I feel great can get through my workouts, my day, etc. without exhaustion. I did do this for awhile and slowly gained about 3-4lbs. I've jumped my calorie targets around a bit after that with no real success (went to 1800, now down to 1500 + exercise calories).

    My body has been at this weight for so long now it's having trouble letting go. I'm not obese just a muscular body build with about 10-14lbs of fat on top. Really, really struggling to find the balance between energy and weight loss. I've even tried to slow my workouts down. I had more energy but no weight change. In January I tried the 1200 calorie thing, lost 7lbs and ended up in the hospital with vertigo so bad I couldn't move! Apparently my body is very sensitive to calorie and activity changes. It's annoying.
  • Sharonks
    Sharonks Posts: 884 Member
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    If you feel better when you eat more then eat more. You sound like you are super active and probably need more fuel than you are eating. Sometimes it takes your body awhile to adapt to a new cal amount so maybe eat more but give it a month or so before you decide it isn't successful. You may put on some water weight when you do this but water goes away.

    As I understand it, spark contains B complex. Iron may really be a problem though, it is for many women. When I got very anemic I was sleeping 12 hrs and still needing a nap. It might be a good idea to have them test some of your micros and see if you have enough.
  • Cristofori44
    Cristofori44 Posts: 201
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    Not sure what you mean by maintenance calories? Maintenance calories are what you eat when you don't lose weight. The app gives you net calories which already figure in the targeted weight loss--.5 to 2 lbs. per week. So that net number has a built in calorie deficit, and if you go below that. it is perhaps a factor in tiredness. The app is designed for you to hit your net calories in consumption--to eat back any exercise calories. Are you hitting your net each day?

    If you have been hitting your net, it's also possible that, if you have been running around like you say you are and exercising, you may have set your activity settings too low in the app. A good test is this: If you specified a 1 lb. loss per week, logged all your calories and exercise calories, and ended up losing 3 or 4 lbs. in a week--you obviously need to up your calorie intake so as not to go over 2 lbs. in lost weight per week.

    Maybe you already know all this--apologies if you do--but if all this is right, and you have been getting sleep, and water, vitamin C, and iron--I don't know! Sometimes people get emotionally exhausted, their body's on a downcycle, you have some kind of low-laying virus---could be anything.

    By maintenance I mean TDEE. I believe it's somewhere around 2100-2200 calories. I feel great can get through my workouts, my day, etc. without exhaustion. I did do this for awhile and slowly gained about 3-4lbs. I've jumped my calorie targets around a bit after that with no real success (went to 1800, now down to 1500 + exercise calories).

    My body has been at this weight for so long now it's having trouble letting go. I'm not obese just a muscular body build with about 10-14lbs of fat on top. Really, really struggling to find the balance between energy and weight loss. I've even tried to slow my workouts down. I had more energy but no weight change. In January I tried the 1200 calorie thing, lost 7lbs and ended up in the hospital with vertigo so bad I couldn't move! Apparently my body is very sensitive to calorie and activity changes. It's annoying.

    So in your first post, it just sounded like you had just too much on your plate--you're trying to take care of your family and do all this calorie-counting stuff, with macros, etc. and getting in your exercise. And here, it sounds like the fact that you can' t get the numbers to work on weight loss is perhaps an additional kind of stress.

    Stress is generally not good for weight loss, so I would side with the other poster who said to try to reduce some stress.

    Also, you say you have 10-14 lbs. of fat on top. If that equates to 10-14 perc,. bodyfat you're already in pretty good territory, no?
  • agent99oz
    agent99oz Posts: 185 Member
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    By the end of every week I'm just sooooo tired. It happens every week. I'm trying to get my macros right, my calories right, get the to gym every day, manage the household mess, feed the family, get everyone to their activities, laundry, bedtime....totally exhaustion by the end of the day.... and by Friday I'm just raw.

    It keeps me in this cycles of being good all week and then crashing and burning on the weekends. I just want to sleep and eat out, I'm too tired for anything else.

    I'm not sure what to do about it. I'm eating plenty (1500 + exercise calories). I also take supplements, vitamins, and Spark. Any ideas? This is such a great week I'm terrified of screwing it up this weekend.

    Thanks!

    Get some B Vitamins in you - B12 and B6 - they are for energy and boy does B12 boost you!

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