Hi,

I am sorry if I am posting this in the wrong place or if it is something that has been posted before. I am sorry if I sound like I am ranting, but I kinda am, I just feel so frustrated and need some advice please.

I have been working on on my elliptical trainer since the end of Dec 2012 and so far I have been doing well, losing steadily and feeling pretty good. I have also been eating better, really trying to make an effort to change my lifestyle. So all good, right?

Well, I don't know if it is just that I have been working a crazy schedule this month or what but over the past week I have felt exhausted. My body aches in the morning when I get up and not the good kind of ache you get when you have worked out but can still get up and go the kind that I just wanna curl up and go back to sleep.

I started a routine of doing a minimum of 30 minutes per day, usually in the morning but lately it's been dropping, I started doing 20 minutes at a higher intensity and was feeling good but the last week I just feel so finished I am lucky if I get to 10 or 15, and they are not good workouts, even though my heart rate isn't very high I get so tired and sore.

So I think I need to change things up, maybe some different exercises for a bit. I really wanna start doing kettlebell workouts, I actually bought myself some bells about 3 weeks ago, but I have read so much about how you need the right form and you need to see an instructor and with mu work schedule the way it is that is not possible until at least next month. In fact I have been trying to contact some gyms to see if they offer any programs but it’s so frustrating, I am willing to pay for the sessions and classes but they all want me to take out a membership and right now that is feasible. I don’t have access to my own transport and while my BF is wonderful I don’t want him to have to take me every time I wanna go work out. It will mean trying to work around his schedule and I don’t want to feel discouraged if there is a conflict. I can’t help feeling annoyed at the gyms they all seem to be trying to push some sales pitch, which I know logically is what they are meant to do, they are a business and they want to make money but I just get annoyed when one says something like: “Well you can do that but it’s better if you follow our programme which will cost X amount for so many sessions and...” Yes, I know it is probably a good idea, and I know it will probably help but right now I don’t know if I could deal with someone dictating to me. I feel like that would just end up discouraging me more and make me not want to go at all.

The logical part of me says I am making too big a deal out of this, that I am tired and just need to relax and calm down and then another part of me is terrified that I am losing motivation, that I will end up giving up and all the effort I put in and the little I have lost so far will be for nothing. Does anyone know of any videos or books I could get that could help me with the kettlebells just for now. I do want to find an instructor but it’s just not going to happy right now.

Otherwise, maybe there are some other exercises I could try, squats? I heard they are good but I can’t seem to do them without lifting my heels. Still I don’t mind working at it. I just hate feeling so frustrated. Please if anyone has any advice or even if you have been where I am just let me know, I’m sorry for the long rant, really, I just needed to get it out and talk to people who might be able to understand.

Thanks for listening.

Some of what you are describing sound like classic signs of overtraining such as not being able to workout as long, the lower heart rate, and feeling more tired and sore...

Let me ask you this... When you say you started an exercise routine that included 30 minutes a day did you build up to that point? Or did you just start doing 30 minutes everyday? Because depending on that answer will really determine how you should proceed...

I keep a record of how many minutes I exercise each day since I started. I tried to make a graph but at the moment it is just not working right so here is the info, sorry it is so long:

28-Dec-12 - 20
29-Dec-12 - 42
30-Dec-12 - 50
31-Dec-12 - 60
01-Jan-13 - 30
02-Jan-13 - 90
03-Jan-13 - 60
04-Jan-13 - 30
05-Jan-13 - 60
06-Jan-13 - 92
07-Jan-13 - 60
08-Jan-13 - 69
09-Jan-13 - 30
10-Jan-13 - 91
11-Jan-13 - 30
12-Jan-13 - 90
13-Jan-12 - 30
14-Jan-13 - 30
15-Jan-13 - 30
16-Jan-13 - 30
17-Jan-13 - 60
18-Jan-13 - 30
19-Jan-13 - 30
20-Jan-13 - 60
21-Jan-13 - 60
22-Jan-13 - 60
23-Jan-13 - 30
24-Jan-13 - 90
25-Jan-13 - 30
26-Jan-13 - 20
27-Jan-13 - 0
28-Jan-13 - 20
29-Jan-13 - 41
30-Jan-13 - 0
31-Jan-13 - 42
01-Feb-13 - 20
02-Feb-13 - 0
03-Feb-13 - 30
04-Feb-13 - 20
05-Feb-13 - 50
06-Feb-13 - 41
07-Feb-13 - 30
08-Feb-13 - 15
09-Feb-13 - 0
10-Feb-13 - 30
11-Feb-13 - 50
12-Feb-13 - 30
13-Feb-13 - 30

It really just depends on how much time I have or how tired I am. I used to be able to work out for a 30 min session at a time, now I have to do 2 x 15 minute or 10 minute sessions and I just don't feel it is helping much.

Sounds like burnout and fatigue to me. Why not give yourself permission to take a week or two off? If you can't stand the idea of not doing any exercise, then go for gentle walks outside or go swimming or do something else gentle but different.

So from what you posted it definitely looks like "Too Much... Too Soon..."

I'm not sure what you were doing before you started this but unless it included regular exercise sessions that were 90 minutes long... you were doing too much, too soon... for example in that first week that you posted you went from 20 minutes one day to 40 minutes the very next day and then up to 90 minutes within a week... just really not the best way to go about things...

A good rule of thumb that has served me fairly well in all my years of training and especially in my training for marathons... is to not increase the time or distance of my training by more than 10% a week... might seem slow... but it really does make a difference in the long run...

I am sorry u are feeling so burned out and in turn becoming discouraged. I have felt a little worn out myself and have considered using my elliptical only 3-4 times a week instead of everyday. I think we may be over working our poor bodies. It's strange but some times nice that I am so tired by bed time that my anxiety is not bothering me. I want to take naps and staying out past 10 is out of the question now. When I first started and was taking all the vitamins I took, I woke up feeling great, physically and emotionally. Maybe u can try adding some vitamins. But it kind of seems now that my body is just used to them, I sti take them religiously. About the end of last month I told the hubby I was exhausted and ready to call it goal as the scale had stopped too. I just ended up taking some elliptical breaks and eating more calories and carbs. That helped get me to goal and beyond and helped realize I needed to continue instead of quit. I still feel some what tired but have not needed a nap for about a week. I know I was kinda all over the place so my point is maybe take a couple days off from the elliptical per week, try adjusting your diet and try adding vitamins. What ever you do don't get discourages u have done fantastic, u are a superstar!

Oh and I just started weight training again, hubby made me an adjustable kettlebell, I pretty much do squats with them and line myself up with the wall. If I hit the wall, well then I am doing it wrong. I love the sorenes. They give me. I started at 24 lbs but since then have been using 44 lbs. I use you tube videos cause I don't have no money for a gym or class or trainer.

Thanks to everyone who replied here, you've all pretty much said what I think I knew deep down. So I am gonna take a break this weekend and not do anything until next week. I have been working everyday for the last 12 days and my job while not strenuous is not one that allows me a lot of time to sit down, I am in my feet probably 80% of the day. That together with working out I think is what has hit me so hard.

So Sunday is my day off and I intend to sleep, we will see how next week goes. I am not going to let myself panic. I have gotten this far and a few days rest won't break my resolve, I just needed to hear from people who understand and to get over my fear and emotions.

So thanks again!

J9