Needing some support or encouragement...So tired at end of day - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

willow49 · 10-30-2013, 09:49 PM

I feel like I am in this crazy and unhealthy cycle. I leave for work at 8:00am and get home at 5:30pm, which does not seem like I should be so tired when I get home. I don't seem to have the energy to do anything once I walk out of my office building. I know this is a combination of things-not eating properly, taking breaks at work. I just don't know where to start with making those changes I know would help. Any tips?

alwaystomorrow · 10-30-2013, 09:57 PM

Do you have any flex time during the day? I don't know what your profession is, but when I used to be an office manager I was sitting 8 hrs a day, and SO tired after my 8 hours shift. What was helpful for me was to take 20 minutes during the day and be active, even if it was low intensity. I would take a walk at lunch, and then eat my lunch either at my desk, or quickly afterwards. Also, having a snack (which seems counter-intuitive) about 30-60 min before leaving gave me energy to workout after work.

Palestrina · 10-30-2013, 10:08 PM

It depends on what kind of work you do. If you're lifting heavy construction all day then it's no wonder you're tired at the end of the day. A desk job can be very tedious, if you're a teacher you're battling kids all day, if you're a hair dresser you're on your feet all day etc. You can find ways to battle whatever is making you tired at work. You can never go wrong if you find ways to be active during work.

alaskanlaughter · 10-30-2013, 10:43 PM

I hear ya there

i'm still working on figuring out how to limit what I eat at night due to being so very tired and my willpower is done at the end of the day

i'm up at 6 a.m. and out the door with my son before 7 a.m....i'm on the go all day until 6 p.m. with work, the gym, and various home errands, and often work meetings too...some evenings I continue past 6 p.m. with meetings for various things that i'm involved in and son's soccer practice etc....I keep trying to get my calories under 1500 and not doing so well

because I can't figure out how to do it without being hungry with up at 6 a.m. and to bed by 10 p.m. ugh

jenn marie 87 · 10-30-2013, 10:45 PM

I completely understand where you are coming from. I leave my house every morning at 7:25 and I get back around 4:45 and I have no energy! And all I do all day is sit at a computer. I have no excuse to be tired especially since I usually get 8.5-9 hours of sleep a night. But all I have found that works for me is to make myself exercise AS SOON AS I GET HOME. If I sit down even for a minute, I am likely to not exercise. I literally walk in the door and start changing into my exercise clothes.

Jacqui_D · 10-30-2013, 11:06 PM

Have you had your vitamin D level tested anytime recently? I was feeling exhausted, and my doctor decided to test mine and it was so low, it didn't even register a 1. She was shocked and said she didn't know how I was even getting out of bed. After a month of prescription strength 50,000 IU of D3, it went up to a 7. After a few more months, it went up to a 24. My dose is lowered to 10,000 IU now. I'm not saying yours will be as low as mine started out and I certainly hope not, but many if not most people today have low vitamin D and it does affect your energy level. I feel so much better now, but if I don't take my dosage every week, I can feel it! You might want to get your level checked.

Edited to add: I guess I should mention that anything below a 30 is considered deficient and anything below a 50 is considered low. Also, a recent study has linked a lack of vitamin D with weight gain. It's something to think about!

lazylioness · 10-30-2013, 11:21 PM

I have a long day myself. Up at 4, work 630-4, home at 530.

I get super tired on my drive home. If I don't hit the door, change and head to the gym, I will sit, want to eat crappy, be hungry and have a really hard time with the next day. Obviously this can lead to a really rough pattern. But, if I work out as soon as I get home, I get that energy to get through the night, get better sleep and keep up with good habits

Katz · 10-31-2013, 03:10 AM

Do you get enough iron from your food? Iron supplements helped me a lot. D-vitamin is also important during the dark fall and winter. And it does help to battle fatigue.

Naama · 10-31-2013, 03:33 AM

Nap! As soon as I get home from work I lie down for 20 minutes. It's amazing how fresh and recharged I feel after.

HuggerBunny · 10-31-2013, 04:32 AM

Okay, this might sound really obvious, but how much sleep are you getting at night? If I don't get enough sleep (or no sleep...), I can get through the day okay because I'm being active, but I conk out as soon as a I get home. Maybe try going to bed an hour earlier?

I hope you feel better soon! Tiredness can be so hard to fight.

Inkrid · 10-31-2013, 07:13 AM

I second the Vitamin D! I was tired, listless, weepy, etc. The Doc said my hormones were perfect, my stats were perfect ~ but my Vitamin D levels were super low! Take a multi-vitamin. It could be as simple as one vitamin, or even food group off.

For housework, check out the Flylady website. Comes right up on Google. The tiredness could be psychological having to come home to your second job of minding the house/family.

Palestrina · 10-31-2013, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacqui_D

Have you had your vitamin D level tested anytime recently? I was feeling exhausted, and my doctor decided to test mine and it was so low, it didn't even register a 1. She was shocked and said she didn't know how I was even getting out of bed. After a month of prescription strength 50,000 IU of D3, it went up to a 7. After a few more months, it went up to a 24. My dose is lowered to 10,000 IU now. I'm not saying yours will be as low as mine started out and I certainly hope not, but many if not most people today have low vitamin D and it does affect your energy level. I feel so much better now, but if I don't take my dosage every week, I can feel it! You might want to get your level checked.

Edited to add: I guess I should mention that anything below a 30 is considered deficient and anything below a 50 is considered low. Also, a recent study has linked a lack of vitamin D with weight gain. It's something to think about!

Do you need a blood test to check this? I'm annoyed just hearing about this honestly because, shouldn't a doctor just do this without having to be asked? Why hasn't my doctor even thought of this, do I have to think it up for her? Sorry for the rant, I'm just annoyed right now that I think about why my doctor hasn't even addressed or asked about my weight. It's like you're all alone in this world and unless you're morbidly obese nobody is willing to help you.

Jacqui_D · 10-31-2013, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wannabeskinny

Do you need a blood test to check this? I'm annoyed just hearing about this honestly because, shouldn't a doctor just do this without having to be asked? Why hasn't my doctor even thought of this, do I have to think it up for her? Sorry for the rant, I'm just annoyed right now that I think about why my doctor hasn't even addressed or asked about my weight. It's like you're all alone in this world and unless you're morbidly obese nobody is willing to help you.

Yes, you do need a blood test, and if you are low, it takes a prescription strength dosage to get you back up. Unfortunately, a multi-vitamin won't do it. I think more and more doctors are starting to test for vitamin D now, but if yours hasn't, do ask. I don't know why doctors in general are so reluctant to discuss weigh issues with their patients. I don't know if they just haven't been properly trained in nutrition or if they've experienced resentful patients if they bring weight up or if it's just part of a prevailing societal attitude that weight is a matter of choice and people have to decide on their own to eat well and exercise. Hopefully new doctors are being trained to discuss weight with their patients, especially since more and more people, including children, are obese!

mem7883 · 10-31-2013, 02:23 PM

I hear you... lack of sleep makes me feel "weak" an less able to stay on track diet-wise. I'm trying to figure out how to change it, but I also feel that same time crunch in the morning and exhaustion when I get home. Luckily I'm "forced" to work out right away on at three nights a week because I teach Pilates and aqua aerobics. It's absolutely transformational, the difference I feel after one hour at the gym, even if I'm technically "working". It's still incredibly hard to get myself to go for a run, do yoga, or any other exercises just for myself when I'm so drained. Maybe it would help to set up some sort of accountability system to get in that physical activity that helps boost energy... set up a gym "date" with a friend? Just an idea!

10-31-2013, 04:54 PM

I found for me it was carbs. When I was on a carb heavy diet I was tired all the time.

But I turned it around. Lowered carbs and started doing at least 30 mins of cardio a day. It is weird but for me working out begets more energy. I have taken a good quality CQ10 for quite a while.

Recently, actually based on suggestions here, I started taking magnesium. That has seemed to help. And this is a little pricey but I have started taking phytoplankton I found on Amazon. That has been AWESOME. It is around $30 an ounce after you do a 20% discount (combo subscribe and save and being an Amazon mom member). Seems like it will last a month or two for one person.

It has trace minerals which can be important. But carbs can make you VERY tired. Exercise, good sleep, low carbs, a few supplements which may have helped also, turned my energy level around.