[Persicae]

So I have lost about 32 pounds in the last 4 months since I started exercising/reducing my calorie intake.

I know a lot of people would be happy for big lost like that; however, I am scared that is too much too quickly. I feel tired most of the time and my muscles and joints are sore every morning and it continues through most of the day.

To help you understand, here are my stats:
Sleep each night: Between 6.5-7.5 (and the occasional 8) hours of sleep (I can't seem to get much more than that)
Exercise:
-Cardio is done 2-3 times/week doing between 25-45 minutes of elliptical, walking/jogging, etc.
-Strength training is done 1-2 times/week doing between 20-30 minutes using weight machines
Calorie intake:
- During the week: Anywhere between 1300-1600 (sometimes I go up to 1700, but rarely)
- During the weekend: Anywhere between 1600-2000 (maybe more depending on the event/occasion that is occurring during that weekend)
Occupation: I work in a mail room environment; meaning I am on my feet most of the day- delivering packages/mail, replenishing paper/supplies for clients, pushing carts, lifting boxes, etc. (I also take the stairs a lot, and the building is 10 stories)
Nutrition/Food: Normal ratio- 50% Carbs/25% Protein/25% Fat (Livestrong tells me I am double over my protein with that amount.) My food is normally raw/cooked veggies, lean meats, wheat bread/fibrous carbs (such as Special K), occasional fruits, nuts, and low-fat dairy. I take a One-A-Day Multivitamin and cranberry pills. My water intake is between 8-12 cups a day.

Is my plan all kinds of whack?
What could I do to feel better?
I need your help.


Sorry for the long post, ladies (and some gents).

[FitNeSsJeWeL]

To me it seems that you have a great plan. But obviously something is wrong, considering the way you are feeling. Do you know how many calories you are burning between your job and working out? Maybe you should talk to a nutritionist to see what you need. Every person is different. I tend to function better with more carbs than protein. Others need lots of protein.

The only thing I can think of is that you need to keep up your water intake, and maybe make sure you are getting enough potassium.

[Persicae]

Oops! I added my water intake. How could I miss that?

Potassium you say? Should I maybe add a banana to one of my meals?

[FitNeSsJeWeL]

It could help. Potassium helps your muscles recover from working out, along with protein. Generally people say that if you are prone to cramping that you should take in more potassium.

The only other thing that I can think of that would cause all the soreness is the fact that you have an active job, and you are working out quite a bit on top of that. It might just be too much for your body.

[JessLess]

Have you had a physical? That's what I would suggest. You could be anemic or any number of things. Good luck feeling better!

[vdander24]

I am with JessLess. there are any number of reasons for the joint fatigue.

As far as the weight, 32lbs is great, doesn't sound like too much too fast. Sounds like you have been realling controlling your calories and working out pretty hard. that may be a big change from where you were before, so 8lbs a month is definitely possible.
Hope you are feeling better soon.

[joyfulloser]

Maybe try increasing your protein? Protein is a staple to my diet...provides me long lasting energy and helps me to recoup better from my exercise. Also, I've been taking 5 hour energy shots...helps alot with energy when I feel like poo before my workout. Hope this helps

[Persicae]

FitnessJewel- Thanks for the help! I'm gonna try adding a banana to my afternoon snack today. If my active job and working-out is too much for my body, should I eliminate the cardio-aspect of my exercise and just stick to my active job & weight training as being my sources of exercise?

JessLess- I have an appointment in a month with a nutritionist to help me with my food choices a bit. I haven't had a physical in almost 3 1/2 years (WOW THAT'S A LONG TIME ), so maybe I should make an appointment as soon as possible.

vdander24- You're right, I probably am losing at an okay rate. I'm just scared that the muscle and joint soreness was coming from losing too much in a short period of time.

Joyfulloser-- How could I add more protien to my diet? I have tried to up my protien with nuts and lean meats, but it doesn't increase it too much. Any other suggestions would be bangin'.
And I can't drink those "5-Hour Energy" shots. They make my pulse race; I get all sweaty and I get chest pains.

[joyfulloser]

Try adding 3 oz grilled chicken breast. I snack on that sometimes. It only has 120 calories...and packs a whopping 26 grams of protein!!!! How's that for a "bangin" treat!

Oh and you may also wanna try adding some simple B12, B6 vitamins. You may have a deficiency and they are known to give a boost in energy (that's the main ingredient in 5hour energy)

[Scolecite]

Whats your total caloric intake?

[Tinky]

I can't do the 5 Hour Energy shots either, but I do take a Nature Made Super B vitamin every now and then when I need a natural (and let's face it, cheaper overall) boost of energy. I love those things.