Exhausted at gym

[bslchump]

This is something that has been frustrating me for a few weeks now. I've been going to the gym about 4 days a week, and every time I get about half-way through my weights, I feel completely drained. Not that my muscles are too sore, I just feel like I don't have enough fuel, even though I'm not particularly hungry.

 

Most mornings that I work out I usually eat 2 egg whites (sometimes with the yolks), 1-2 pieces of whole wheat toast, a piece a fruit (banana usually), and 1-2 glasses of water. The other thing that I sometimes eat is just oatmeal, a piece of fruit and water. I usually workout before lunch, though I wait roughly 1-2 hours after eating breakfast.

 

I get 7-9 hours of sleep every night and I don't have any illnesses. Like I said, it's not that I feel like I'm too drained by the activity, I just feel...empty. Deprived of energy. I usually drink coffee MAYBE once or twice every few weeks and I never touch energy drinks. I generally drink 10-20 glasses of water a day.

 

My lunches/dinners have become a little more sporadic since my gf moved out. I find that most of my recipes remind me of cooking with her (which is pretty silly when I see it typed out), so I've been avoiding making them. I'll usually eat a sandwich and some chips with water for lunch and maybe a piece of chicken with a veggie for dinner.

 

I'm 5'6 and I weigh roughly 135. I've been trying to put on some muscle while trimming some fat (not a ton, just a bit unsightly to me) around my stomach, so I have been leaning more towards eating fewer calories. Could that be it? If so, I really have no idea what GOOD things I can eat to get more energy.

 

Any ideas? I'm really frustrated that I can't get a good workout.

[tman666]

If your typical diet looks like what you mentioned eating for breakfast, lunch and dinner, then you're definitely not eating enough, even for a 135 lb'er. Why are you throwing out the yolks in your eggs? Also, your goal of bulking up and trimming fat can be done, but only when your diet and training are very honed towards your body's natural responses, and even then it's tough.

 

What does your training look like? How long does a typical training session last? How long have you been consistently training for? Give us or PM me what a typical day would look like (or even better, send what you'd do over the course of a week). Include everything (warm up, sets, reps on each exercise, cardio, etc.).

 

Without more information from you, it's pretty much impossible to nail down exactly what your problem is. However, at this point I can pretty much guarantee that you need to eat more.

[bslchump]

Thanks for the response Tman.

 

I tend to throw out at least one yolk because high-cholesterol runs in my family. Each egg is roughly 70% of your daily value of cholesterol. And eating 2 egg yolks 4-5 days a week seems like it'd be tempting fate a bit, though I do know that there are plenty of good things about them. Plus I enjoy them

 

I think it'd be a tad presumptuous of me to try to say I "train". I'm no bodybuilder or muscleman, but my workout tends to be like this:

 

For a warm up I stretch and maybe a quick jog to get my blood pumping. Not much else, to be honest.

 

At the gym, 3 sets of 10 reps of: inclined bench presses, bicep curls, lat pull downs, rows, triceps (dunno the name of the workout), shoulder press, leg extensions, and pushups. Then I tend to run/walk or just walk on an incline for as long as I can.

 

Now, admittedly this is a gym in my apartment complex, but they have a pretty diverse set of free weights (5 lbers to 30 lbers) and machines (7 I think). It's not as good as a real gym, but my living situation is apt to change any day now, so I plan on joining an actual gym when i get home and some more stability.

 

I've been doing this for about 3 months, and I was loving it for the first 2 or so. It's just lately I feel really drained.

 

Hope this helps. Thanks!

[tman666]

To start off, the whole "eggs raise your cholesterol" thing has been debunked by modern research for a long time now. Egg yolks are full of great EFAs (essential fatty acids), minerals, vitamins, etc. Throwing them away is a waste of your money and a slap in the face to mother nature herself. Seriously though, eat yo' damn eggs whole.

 

How often are you weight training? Also, not to be rude, but your routine sucks, big time. There's no balance, there's no variation, there's no real leg work, etc. It's absolutely no surprise that you've stopped progressing and you're feeling deflated and worn out, especially considering that you probably need to double your caloric intake.

 

There is hope though! Since you might be moving soon, you have the prime opportunity to join a real life, honest to goodness gym. Make sure that wherever you join has a squat rack and plenty of free weights/barbells. Ideally, a good gym will have dumbbells that go at least to 150 lbs (hopefully more), multiple squat racks, a deadlift platform, pull up bar, etc. It doesn't have to be fancy. You'll be surprised how soon you'll be needing the heavy dumbbells after you get your training and diet in check.

 

You don't need any sort of fancy training programs either. A basic 5x5 program should provide what you need at this point. You don't need to lift more than 3 or 4 days per week. For example, Monday could be deadlift day, Wednesday could be bench/rows day, and Friday/Saturday could be squat day.

 

5 sets of 5 reps each at a fairly heavy weight (75-90% of your estimated max). The exact percentages do not matter. The point is that you have to lift heavy and focus on upping the weight/number of reps you do on a given weight every week or two. Forward progression is crucial. Muscle size almost always increases with strength increases. Also, make sure that you keep balance in your routine. Isolating muscles is not the goal for most of us non-bodybuilders. Stick with compound movements that work entire areas, not just 1 or two muscles. Good examples of compound exercises are: deadlifts, squats, lunges, pull ups, rows, push ups, presses, sprints, etc.

 

Save your money and don't waste a bunch of your cash on supplements. Eating more whole food will serve you much better for all your goals. If you absolutely must use a supplement, regular ol' whey protein is fine post-workout. Creatine may be beneficial too if your goal is to put on size/strength.

 

I'm obviously not able to condense everything on the subject in one post (not that I even remotely know everything there is to know). There are plenty of good resources out there, especially for beginners. There's also probably 10 pieces of misinformation for every 1 piece of good or relevant info. There are also many of sites that present information in a way to sell supplements or other products/snake oil. T-nation.com is notorious for this, and wannabebig.com and bodybuilding.com aren't much better. However, they are worth a look for the simple fact that if you can shield yourself from getting sucked into the hype, there are often good articles on training/nutrition from reputable authors and coaches.

 

I personally think that Leangains.com, JCDfitness, Alan Aragon's blog, Lyle McDonald's Body Recomp. site, along with other "research based" websites are the best sources for honest information. The Nate Green Experience (Nate Green's blog) has good info on it too, even though it's not as research oriented. However, these resources tend to be a little "sciency" at times, and not particularly accessible from a beginner's standpoint. It's all worth a look though. Read as much as you can, try different things, and learn about it all first hand.

Edited February 23, 2011 by tman666

[USMCHokie]

I can condense everything Tman just said into three words:

 

"Just do curls."

 

You'll be full of energy and also be completely jacked.

[bslchump]

How often are you weight training? Also, not to be rude, but your routine sucks, big time. There's no balance, there's no variation, there's no real leg work, etc. It's absolutely no surprise that you've stopped progressing and you're feeling deflated and worn out, especially considering that you probably need to double your caloric intake.

 

Yeah, I kinda figured it sucked. For a while now I've wanted to be more complete with it (ie joining a real gym), but with the breakup/impending move, my life's been kind of up-in-the-air.

 

So you think I need more food in general? I'm just thinking that if I'm worn out with a sh*tty routine like this, I'd probably crash and burn at a big-boy gym. What kind of foods should I look for? I'm not really interested in supplements, so I prefer whole foods.

[tman666]

Yeah, I kinda figured it sucked. For a while now I've wanted to be more complete with it (ie joining a real gym), but with the breakup/impending move, my life's been kind of up-in-the-air.

 

So you think I need more food in general? I'm just thinking that if I'm worn out with a sh*tty routine like this, I'd probably crash and burn at a big-boy gym. What kind of foods should I look for? I'm not really interested in supplements, so I prefer whole foods.

 

Look at it this way. The body is a thermodynamic system. Calories in must equal calories expended to maintain weight, calories in must be greater than calories expended to gain weight, and the reverse hold true for weight loss. That's a no-brainer.

 

If you're trying to bulk up, you need to create a caloric surplus, i.e. you need to be taking in more calories than you're expending through things such as RMR (resting metabolic rate), exercise, and non-exercise physical activity. There are many formulas out there to calculate your estimated energy expenditure, but they are all very subjective and often vary to a point that could derail your goals. The easiest way to keep track of things is to look at your scale weight, your strength in the major lifts, and how you look in the mirror.

 

Based on my personal experiences, you will need to eat quite a bit more to gain lean mass. At 5'6", 135, you're not at a point where I'd recommend you hit the Chinese buffet every day, but you could stand to up your calories with normal eating habits. Shoot for getting at least 1 gram of protein per pound of desired body weight per day. For example, if you want to weigh 180 lbs, make sure that you're getting 180 grams of protein per day.

 

Understanding the role of dietary fat and carbohydrates is important too. Carbohydrates (and to some extent, protein) cause an insulin spike, meaning that your body produces insulin when it detects an increase in blood sugar following carb intake. Insulin is a hormone that basically decides on where that energy (in the form of blood glucose) is going to be stored. Post workout, your muscle glycogen stores are mostly depleted, which makes it an optimal time for carbohydrate intake, as it will maximize your muscle growth and recovery while minimizing fat gain.

 

Dietary fat does not illicit an insulin response. The most important thing with fat is to make sure that you're getting a variety of fats (vegetable sources, animal sources, etc.) while keeping track of the caloric load. Fats have a higher caloric density than protein or carbohydrates at 9 kcal/gram (protein and carb. both have 4 kcal/gram).

 

As far as food sources, stick to what you like to eat within reason. Avoid heavily salted and processed foods if possible, but don't ditch your favorite foods. The most important thing is 1) getting your daily protein in 2) post workout carb intake and 3) getting in your fats through a variety of sources, weighing more heavily on the vegetable side of things. If you start gaining fat more quickly than you anticipated, the proper course of action would be to shave off calories from your carbohydrate and fat sources. Protein is kept constant.

 

My personal favorites are things like potatoes, blue cheese/jalapeno stuffed burgers, grilled tri-tip, chicken of most varieties, coconut milk (found in a lot of Thai dishes), and pizza.

 

I recently also came across a dessert made from frozen, unsweetened strawberries, sugar free jello, and angel food cake, all mixed together into awesomeness. Muahahaha. Can you tell I'm a little hungry?

Edited February 23, 2011 by tman666

[Whatshername]

Cut Carbs, eat more protein and good fat. Your body will burn muscle if it does not have energy to burn and fat = energy. Hydrate. Find a good Multi-vitamin. Muscle Milk is a grea supplement you can mix with just water and get great protein/low fat and fuel for your workouts/or right after. Lots of fruits and veggies for carbs instead of processed foods.

 

Check out Paleo diets........not for everyone, but good ideas for training/energy/balance btwn carbs that do not come from processed foods/starches and ones that are natural.

[Seamless74]

Yeah man i feel ya... Ive worked out the majority of my life.. Like you im the classic ectomorph i mean i think i was like 130lbs and 5'6 in college actually lol... but in my late twenties to early thirties like 25lbs. just fell from the sky and landed on me now im a pretty svelte 152lb and if i wanted to i could be 162lb by next wednesday albeit with a pronounced gut..

 

My point is later in life your gonna get your man weight,, but in the time being i understand how hard it is to gain when your that small.. Your stuck in the classic I wanna get bigger but have a six pack at the same time.. thats tuff for anybody but especially for guys with our build.. In my case if i try to bulk up i run the risk of getting fat... If i choose to cut and go sixpack (at least as close as i can get anyway) I feel puny and lose size everywhere else..

 

You have to understand to go both ways like that would probably necessitate a hollywood full time chef and trainer as well as a nice cycle or two of steroids.. Its just really hard on your own as a novice to figure out the caloric intake that would be just right to accomplish both goals... Never mind your own fitness program..

 

Id advise maybe to just stick to the bulking up part for now and maybe try to cut it up later when youve added some pounds of muscle...

[starryeyed12]

I'm on week 7 of the p90x workout program/diet plan and it's been awesome! I think if you don't have the money for a gym right now you should look into this program. A lot of people are trying it so you may even be able to find someone to burn copies from like I did.

 

I've learned a lot from the program and have watched my "on and off" ex bf go through the same problem that you are. He has lost weight in his midsection, but at the same time wants to get bigger in other areas and also gain a 6 pack.

 

According to trainer Tony Horton, size is all about upping your weight and maxing your muscles out at the end of each workout. You should be really feeling the burn after about 8 reps. You don't really need a fancy gym to the results you want if you are disciplined enough. Good ole fashion push-ups, pull-ups and the free weights you are using will do the trick. Granted, he does about a million variations of push-ups and pull-ups that I never even knew existed, so it's helpful to have the program.

 

Also, make sure you are switching it up- one day arms, shoulders, and core; one day cardio, one day legs, back, and core; then back to cardio. Don't overwork the same body parts.

 

After any workout they always suggest a recovery shake, which is whey protein and some other amino acids. You pay for what you get in this department. I've noticed that the more expensive whey usually has better ingredients.

 

Increasing your protein intake is key for muscle growth. The carbs will give you energy, but you still need to keep them in moderation, at least according to p90x diet.

 

Also, you may be feeling tired partly because of the stress of your break-up. You may not even realize the drainning effect this may be having on you.

 

Don't give up! The results will come if you keep trying new things.

[tman666]

Cut Carbs, eat more protein and good fat. Your body will burn muscle if it does not have energy to burn and fat = energy. Hydrate. Find a good Multi-vitamin. Muscle Milk is a grea supplement you can mix with just water and get great protein/low fat and fuel for your workouts/or right after. Lots of fruits and veggies for carbs instead of processed foods.

 

Check out Paleo diets........not for everyone, but good ideas for training/energy/balance btwn carbs that do not come from processed foods/starches and ones that are natural.

 

Why on earth would he cut carbs if he's trying to bulk up?

 

Why would a "Paleo" diet be advantageous to his goals over a normal diet? Also, how exactly is Muscle Milk "Paleo"?

[tman666]

You have to understand to go both ways like that would probably necessitate a hollywood full time chef and trainer as well as a nice cycle or two of steroids.. Its just really hard on your own as a novice to figure out the caloric intake that would be just right to accomplish both goals... Never mind your own fitness program..

 

It might be "harder" to produce lean gains and/or lean mass retaining fat loss results, but it's not impossible. It certainly doesn't require any chefs or steroids. It DOES require some trial and error. It DOES require hard work in the gym. It DOES require one to be aware of what they're eating and why.

 

But yeah, I suppose you're right. Waffling between big/fat and puny is definitely the easiest way to go.

[bslchump]

Pizza is alright? I've been dying for one for a while now.

[tman666]

Pizza is alright? I've been dying for one for a while now.

 

Yeah, pizza is great, especially for bulking. Like I wrote earlier, you're going to have to experiment a little bit with your caloric intake to find the groove of bulking up without turning into a fatass. A little bit of fat gain is generally inevitable when bulking.

 

Obviously, the optimal time for the intake of such calorie dense foods (such as pizza) is post workout.

[johnachillies]

i have done many combination and the teas for this but exercise was the only remedy for me but it is a slow way of remedial .. then i heard about the drops of prohcgdiet.com and that is perfect remedial medicine and now i am satisfy with its courses and my wife too needed this so there is also packages for couples too ..