Intensity workouts are feeling harder

[Klrip]

I have been trying to up the intensity of my workouts because I have been trying to gain muscle but for some reason I have just been getting slower and weaker. My abs had finally started showing and now they are slowly disappearing even through my weight has remained constant. I have not been able to lift as much and to make matters worse I probably will have to take a break from running and sprinting because I injured my foot and it is extremely painful to run. I have been doing the stair stepper instead but I don't know if I can get the same intense workout out of it. Is it normal to feel so tired at the gym all the time? Also, is it possible to keep abs while gaining weight? I really need to gain some weight and muscle because I am 5'8" and I weigh 110 pounds. 

[Miw_Sher]

Sorry, I posted on your other topic but it disappeared. The reason you are feeling so tired is that you are most likely undereating - you mention that you need to gain muscle, so you probably already know this, but at 5'8" and 110 lbs you are severely underweight.

 

Think about it this way - muscles are like bricks, they need material to be built. In the case of the human body, material is food. Food that is both of the right type and in large enough quantity. If it doesn't have that material, it cannot build weight. Furthermore, it does not even have the fuel to give you the energy to exercise.

 

I will link you to Staci's story, since she was very much in a situation like your own a while ago. It explains where she went wrong and how she finally achieved her goals. https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

 

And yes, STOP running on your foot. It will only get worse. It''s frustrating, I know, i had to stop training due to a similar injury and had to suspend my training again just the other day. However, running is only secondary to your goals at this point and if you keep running on it, you could get an even worse injury than the one you already have and be forced to stop training indefinitely - lifting included.

Finally, a word of frankness - right now, your first and foremost goal should be to reach a healthy body weight, not abs. You can always figure those out later. Your body right now is desperate for fuel, and if you keep going at this rate, you are going to get even more injuries or worse. So focus on that right now.

[Klrip]

Thank you for the advice. I have started adding a few more carbs in my diet and I have started feeling a little bit better even though I have been looking more bloated. I am hoping the injury gets better soon but if not at least it should be easier to build muscle without running. I have been in recovery from an eating disorder so that is why I am at such a low weight. 

[Miw_Sher]

On 2/19/2017 at 5:50 AM, Klrip said:

Thank you for the advice. I have started adding a few more carbs in my diet and I have started feeling a little bit better even though I have been looking more bloated. I am hoping the injury gets better soon but if not at least it should be easier to build muscle without running. I have been in recovery from an eating disorder so that is why I am at such a low weight. 

 

I see! Are you getting any support for that? Or are you on your own now?

 

Another word of advice - if you can, make sure you have your injury checked by a sports doctor and get his or her ok before you decided to start running again. Doing so would have saved me loads of trouble and complications a while back.

 

In terms of more specific advice for putting on muscle, I am unfortunately as far as an expert as you can be. So I recommend you post in the Powerlifting and Weightlifting Forums for more advice.

 

[Klrip]

I have a little bit of a support system but I have to be self responsible for the most part. My injuries have cleared up, I think I just had a bad case of plantar fasciitis. It would probably help me build muscle if I ran less but most of my runs are interval training and I really enjoy running. I lift alongside running as well. 

[Miw_Sher]

17 hours ago, Klrip said:

I have a little bit of a support system but I have to be self responsible for the most part. My injuries have cleared up, I think I just had a bad case of plantar fasciitis. It would probably help me build muscle if I ran less but most of my runs are interval training and I really enjoy running. I lift alongside running as well. 

 

That sounds tough. :/

As I said, i can't really help you with specifics except to make sure you get both enough calories and proteins, eventually stop worrying about how you look until you reach a healthy weight and then go from there. Check out the forum I liked you to. They will be more help than I can be.