I'm so tired!

[IcePrincess]

So heres the deal, I want to go work out and I have been working out about 5 days a week for the last 2 weeks. But Sometimes I am so tired I can't get the motivation to go. I want to work out before work because my gym is closed by the time I get off, but I end up sleeping late because its so hard to get out of bed. So should I just listen to my body and rest when its super exhausted. Should I still do my workout, or at least get some kind of work out in? I'm just not sure what is best right now.

[Librarian of Doom]

Do you have any conditions that could be causing your problems getting out of bed? Or have you tried going to bed earlier (if that's possible) so you can have an easier time getting up early? If you're going to bed at midnight and trying to get up at 5:30, your body is going to fight you.

[IcePrincess]

I've had medical conditions checked out, I'm basically normal. I go to bed around 11 because I get off work around 930 and I'm trying to get up at 8. So I'm allowing myself enough time.

[Elastigirl]

I agree with Librarian. What time are you getting to bed-can that change? And what about aiming for 3 days a week and then walking on the other 2. Maybe 5 days is just such a big chunk of time it is overwhelming you.

[Toph821]

I have the same problem with not wanting to get out of bed early in the morning. I generally work out at night (but it seems like that is not an option for you). It may just be a matter of training yourself to get out of bed when you NEED to, not when you WANT to.

Also, make sure you're not overdoing it. Working out 5 out of 7 days a week can really take a toll on you. Try an every other day routine and see if it helps with your fatigue.

[Haikoo]

Are you sure you are eating enough?? Or the right things?

Changing my diet over this past 6 week challenge has SERIOUSLY changed my energy levels. I used to drag all morning long. Now I am waking up earlier and not able to go back to sleep. The only mornings I drag now are the ones where I just didn't get enough sleep.

[Laney]

I had a similar issue but I started to make sure I was sleeping in increments of 90 minutes (a co-worker told me to try this) so if I get 7.5 hours of sleep I'm golden, but 8 and I'm a useless lump. I believe it's something with the REM sleep cycles being interrupted if you wake up at the wrong times.

[Leimanu]

More sleep, good nutrition, ease your way in to a new work out.

I have a terrible time trying to get myself up to workout. I've been trying to be a morning person for a year now. Even though I feel awesome and accomplished when I do it, it's so against my nature. Good luck.

[Lachy]

So there's a lot of good stuff already posted, but I'll weigh in here too

What is your current goal? Weight loss? Strength gains? Some other awesome thing? What are you doing in your workouts? How are your workouts varying over the course of your 5 days per week? How long have you been trying for 5 days, and what were you doing before that? I think all that info is important in working out what might be causing issues, and what a possible solution could be.

That said...

If you're jumping into 5 days per week from nothing, or just 2 days, it could be your body isn't ready. Ease it back to 4 days a week, with a break in the middle. Or maybe 5 days one week, 3 the next. And over time ease back up to 5 days a week, if you think that's what you really want.

If wight loss isn't your goal, eat more. If weight loss is your goal, how are your results? Maybe eating slightly more, or a change to what and when will make a difference (getting enough protein?).

Are you working the same parts of the body each time, or is it split out over different days with a rest in between? It's important to let body parts rest before taxing them again.

Lots of possibilites and more, might take a little trial and error, but you'll work out the best solution.

[IcePrincess]

Are you sure you are eating enough?? Or the right things?

Changing my diet over this past 6 week challenge has SERIOUSLY changed my energy levels. I used to drag all morning long. Now I am waking up earlier and not able to go back to sleep. The only mornings I drag now are the ones where I just didn't get enough sleep.

How did you change your diet? I'm eating around 1800 calories a day but I know that some of what I eat is crap. I'd say its about half and half. Changing my diet is the hardest thing for me to do so that is probably part of the problem.

[Hondo]

I have to get up at 4am so that I can get a run in before work. I also have a family that I enjoy spending the evenings with more than I enjoy going to sleep early. So when my alarm goes off in the morning, I'm often so sleepy that I end up wanting to go right back to sleep for another hour, rather than getting up. My trick is, I immediately grab my phone and start playing a video game before I even get out of bed. It gets my brain warmed up and functioning and in about 5-minutes or so, I'm good to go. You should try it!

[IcePrincess]

First of all thanks to everyone for the advice!!! I think I've come up with a workable plan to keep my fatigue down. I'm going to work out 2 days then rest the 3rd. I think that should keep me from over working myself until I'm in better shape and can step up my work outs! Thanks again.

[Sam]

I'll share with you a nugget of gold from my Father, (I might even make a separate thread for this after) Its helped me stay alert through the week, train hard, work hard and sleep well.

A good diet that burns clean, plenty of hours sleep and avoid Wednesday Washouts.

Wednesday washouts apply to those that have a Monday to Friday, work/school week.

Despite most people hating Mondays, the start to the week is usually when we have the most energy, following the weekends down time.

Obviously, Tuesday see's similar highs

The problems start mid-week, energy levels are still high and you're feeling good, this is especially pertinent if you're training hard.

You hit Wednesday feeling great, expend energy, workout, go to work etc... BUT, Thursday and Friday suffer.

This messes up your whole energy expenditure/intake rhythms, and causes a deficit. You're then forced to play catch-up as you run on 'reserves'.

TL : DR If you're working a classic Monday to Friday job and working out at the same time. Keep Wednesday as your rest DAY!!

Who knows, it works for me at least

[Sam]

First of all thanks to everyone for the advice!!! I think I've come up with a workable plan to keep my fatigue down. I'm going to work out 2 days then rest the 3rd. I think that should keep me from over working myself until I'm in better shape and can step up my work outs! Thanks again.

Okay never mind my previous post you've practically just said it haha, apologies.

[coonskee]

I have to get up at 4am so that I can get a run in before work. I also have a family that I enjoy spending the evenings with more than I enjoy going to sleep early. So when my alarm goes off in the morning, I'm often so sleepy that I end up wanting to go right back to sleep for another hour, rather than getting up. My trick is, I immediately grab my phone and start playing a video game before I even get out of bed. It gets my brain warmed up and functioning and in about 5-minutes or so, I'm good to go. You should try it!

I really like this idea. I will steal it. Muahaha.