Anonymous
04/23/2023 07:45
Subject: Weird sudden decline in fitness?
Exercise (especially when already stressed) and your job etc is likely leading to cortisol spikes which can lead to all sorts of mayhem with your hormones and adrenals. You are doing too much and you have an addiction to exercise that needs to be addressed. Combine that with what I assume is a low fat, plant based diet and you have a recipe for disaster.
Slow down, figure out why you are torturing your body and get some good nutrient dense foods in you.
Be well!
Slow down, figure out why you are torturing your body and get some good nutrient dense foods in you.
Be well!
Anonymous
04/23/2023 07:11
Subject: Weird sudden decline in fitness?
Anonymous wrote:I have been struggling a bit the last week and wondering if I need to be concerned or...honestly not sure what I should do.
I have had a VERY stressful and demanding and difficult March/April both physically and work/life/everything. It came to kind of a head on April 7 where I had an EXTREMELY physically demanding day where I also had a very hard workout (it was not this but something like, run a 10k at disney and then walk the park the whole day on very little sleep) and due to time management issues I ate very little that day until almost 2 in the afternoon. The next day I had like, a full on mental breakdown honestly and just lost my crap and cried a lot and my husband and kids rallied and helped me out a bunch and I rested all weekend.
I had been keeping up a pretty demanding workout schedule despite all that but something in my body just like, shut off last weekend and I literally did almost nothing for four straight days (which is just extremely unusual for me). On Wednesday I kind of came back to myself a bit, cooked a big dinner and did a low key endurance workout that night (low key for me is an hour low intensity/zone 2 peloton while watching a show).
I did a pretty low key arms workout on Friday too where I just did a half hour of mild strength and felt pretty tapped both times. And I got my period on Friday.
Anyway, I just tried to get back to like, what I would call a more standard workout for me at like 60-70% effort (I would say last week's stuff was more like 30-40% effort and I regularly work out at 80/90% effort multiple times a week) and I feel like I could barely do it!
My legs are shaking, I feel week, I couldn't get through sets that would have been no problem two weeks ago. I feel like I've been 'resting' for 10 days! Although resting as a mom of three young kids so not full on but still you know.
This is weird right? Do I keep resting or push through? I feel like I need to push through to get back on my routine and back to stability but my body is just kind of saying it intends to say no to this request. I've never really faced this in the last 3 years or so since I have gotten into exercise (and lost 60 pounds woohoo!). Exercise is an IMPORTANT part of my routine for many reasons so I really do want to figure out how to get back to myself here but maybe that means resting for another week? That feels so excessive. How could one day zap me that badly?
I've been running for 25 years. You need rest. After a race, I often do nothing for a few days, then limited workouts for a few weeks. One day can absolutely "zap you that badly." Sometimes, if I've been overtraining, it takes several months of low key exercise to recover. And those crash days are your body telling you to rest. Give your body what it needs now, or you will suffer from months of low performance.
Anonymous
04/23/2023 06:36
Subject: Weird sudden decline in fitness?
OP - overtraining poster again here. You are getting a lot of good advice here.
You should be using this as an opportunity to realize you don’t need to constantly exercise to maintain your weight loss. I am confident you made other changes that are more important.
Someday you might get injured in a way that does prevent you from doing all this stuff for an actual extended period. It will be good for you to mentally realize all the weight isn’t going to come piling back on.
You should be using this as an opportunity to realize you don’t need to constantly exercise to maintain your weight loss. I am confident you made other changes that are more important.
Someday you might get injured in a way that does prevent you from doing all this stuff for an actual extended period. It will be good for you to mentally realize all the weight isn’t going to come piling back on.
Anonymous
04/22/2023 21:13
Subject: Weird sudden decline in fitness?
I ran a Disney 10k on zero (I mean literally zero sleep--could not sleep the night before and had to be up at 2:30am) then did the park the entire rest of the day plus another park the next day. I couldn't run for at least a week or two after that even though I didn't run a marathon or anything like that but the zero sleep combined with the running and walking wore me out. Give yourself a break. Your body is telling you something.
Anonymous
04/21/2023 20:08
Subject: Weird sudden decline in fitness?
Fatigue can be a sign of cardiac issues in women. Hard to tell but I might make an apt with my GP.
Anonymous
04/21/2023 17:22
Subject: Re:Weird sudden decline in fitness?
I pushed through to run a pretty fast half marathon on very little sleep and had something similar happen. It took me a month to recover fully when I usually take a few days after a race, and during that time I pretty much cut out all intense exercise and limited myself to HR Zone 2 easy runs, walks, and easy yoga. I tried to get more sleep and nourished my body. I also had my bloodwork done to rule out thyroid, iron, among other issues. I recommend all of this.
Agree with the PP who said it could also be COVID or another virus/post viral syndrome.
I don't think you necessarily exercise too much in general, but you do need to adjust based on how you are feeling. Either way, your body is telling you to rest and you should honor that.
Agree with the PP who said it could also be COVID or another virus/post viral syndrome.
I don't think you necessarily exercise too much in general, but you do need to adjust based on how you are feeling. Either way, your body is telling you to rest and you should honor that.
Anonymous
04/21/2023 17:06
Subject: Weird sudden decline in fitness?
When I suddenly underperformed on workouts for a few weeks it turned out I had just had COVID. It got better
Anonymous
04/21/2023 16:51
Subject: Re:Weird sudden decline in fitness?
Anonymous wrote:It seems like you are a bit obsessive with exercise, have lost your ability to judge what is normal and your body is doing what it needs to do to make you slow down.
This, plus you need more fuel in your body when you workout.
Anonymous
04/21/2023 16:08
Subject: Weird sudden decline in fitness?
Switch it up and focus on your diet.
Like someone else said, overtraining is a thing. I've felt it myself recently. I normally exercise daily and recently found I was just always feeling so sore and lethargic. So I've been incorporating more yoga and lower intensity/rest days and just trying to be more disciplined about my diet instead.
Like someone else said, overtraining is a thing. I've felt it myself recently. I normally exercise daily and recently found I was just always feeling so sore and lethargic. So I've been incorporating more yoga and lower intensity/rest days and just trying to be more disciplined about my diet instead.
Anonymous
04/21/2023 15:56
Subject: Weird sudden decline in fitness?
Your body is telling you to rest a lot more and eat more OP.
You are pushing yourself towards a breakdown.
You are pushing yourself towards a breakdown.
Anonymous
04/21/2023 15:45
Subject: Re:Weird sudden decline in fitness?
You sound obsessive compulsive and could probably use some therapy or meditation, in addition to some rest.
Anonymous
04/17/2023 17:49
Subject: Re:Weird sudden decline in fitness?
No offense, but I feel exhausted just reading your post! Sounds like your body is asking for a break.
Anonymous
04/17/2023 17:45
Subject: Re:Weird sudden decline in fitness?
It seems like you are a bit obsessive with exercise, have lost your ability to judge what is normal and your body is doing what it needs to do to make you slow down.
Anonymous
04/17/2023 14:41
Subject: Weird sudden decline in fitness?
Overtraining is a thing. You won’t lose any real fitness over a week let alone over two weeks or more. And, if you aren’t building for any event, it simply doesn’t matter.
Just chill for a little while.
I’ve been dealing with physical therapy for months now and unable to do any real volume and my bike and run fitness are not that much below where they were in December last I was doing real weekly work.
Take a week or two and I’ll bet you feel stronger.
Just chill for a little while.
I’ve been dealing with physical therapy for months now and unable to do any real volume and my bike and run fitness are not that much below where they were in December last I was doing real weekly work.
Take a week or two and I’ll bet you feel stronger.
Anonymous
04/17/2023 13:40
Subject: Weird sudden decline in fitness?
I have been struggling a bit the last week and wondering if I need to be concerned or...honestly not sure what I should do.
I have had a VERY stressful and demanding and difficult March/April both physically and work/life/everything. It came to kind of a head on April 7 where I had an EXTREMELY physically demanding day where I also had a very hard workout (it was not this but something like, run a 10k at disney and then walk the park the whole day on very little sleep) and due to time management issues I ate very little that day until almost 2 in the afternoon. The next day I had like, a full on mental breakdown honestly and just lost my crap and cried a lot and my husband and kids rallied and helped me out a bunch and I rested all weekend.
I had been keeping up a pretty demanding workout schedule despite all that but something in my body just like, shut off last weekend and I literally did almost nothing for four straight days (which is just extremely unusual for me). On Wednesday I kind of came back to myself a bit, cooked a big dinner and did a low key endurance workout that night (low key for me is an hour low intensity/zone 2 peloton while watching a show).
I did a pretty low key arms workout on Friday too where I just did a half hour of mild strength and felt pretty tapped both times. And I got my period on Friday.
Anyway, I just tried to get back to like, what I would call a more standard workout for me at like 60-70% effort (I would say last week's stuff was more like 30-40% effort and I regularly work out at 80/90% effort multiple times a week) and I feel like I could barely do it!
My legs are shaking, I feel week, I couldn't get through sets that would have been no problem two weeks ago. I feel like I've been 'resting' for 10 days! Although resting as a mom of three young kids so not full on but still you know.
This is weird right? Do I keep resting or push through? I feel like I need to push through to get back on my routine and back to stability but my body is just kind of saying it intends to say no to this request. I've never really faced this in the last 3 years or so since I have gotten into exercise (and lost 60 pounds woohoo!). Exercise is an IMPORTANT part of my routine for many reasons so I really do want to figure out how to get back to myself here but maybe that means resting for another week? That feels so excessive. How could one day zap me that badly?
I have had a VERY stressful and demanding and difficult March/April both physically and work/life/everything. It came to kind of a head on April 7 where I had an EXTREMELY physically demanding day where I also had a very hard workout (it was not this but something like, run a 10k at disney and then walk the park the whole day on very little sleep) and due to time management issues I ate very little that day until almost 2 in the afternoon. The next day I had like, a full on mental breakdown honestly and just lost my crap and cried a lot and my husband and kids rallied and helped me out a bunch and I rested all weekend.
I had been keeping up a pretty demanding workout schedule despite all that but something in my body just like, shut off last weekend and I literally did almost nothing for four straight days (which is just extremely unusual for me). On Wednesday I kind of came back to myself a bit, cooked a big dinner and did a low key endurance workout that night (low key for me is an hour low intensity/zone 2 peloton while watching a show).
I did a pretty low key arms workout on Friday too where I just did a half hour of mild strength and felt pretty tapped both times. And I got my period on Friday.
Anyway, I just tried to get back to like, what I would call a more standard workout for me at like 60-70% effort (I would say last week's stuff was more like 30-40% effort and I regularly work out at 80/90% effort multiple times a week) and I feel like I could barely do it!
My legs are shaking, I feel week, I couldn't get through sets that would have been no problem two weeks ago. I feel like I've been 'resting' for 10 days! Although resting as a mom of three young kids so not full on but still you know.
This is weird right? Do I keep resting or push through? I feel like I need to push through to get back on my routine and back to stability but my body is just kind of saying it intends to say no to this request. I've never really faced this in the last 3 years or so since I have gotten into exercise (and lost 60 pounds woohoo!). Exercise is an IMPORTANT part of my routine for many reasons so I really do want to figure out how to get back to myself here but maybe that means resting for another week? That feels so excessive. How could one day zap me that badly?