Scrutinise my day and help me become more energised!

Quite! I didn't need to read past your first line.

Ah ok. So the exercise is a bit of a red herring.

You dodged the food question I noticed...

You say you're on HRT, does this include testosterone?
That was the missing piece of the puzzle for me - after 3 months on testosterone I had SO much more energy.

One other thought - what do you do on your commute? It would be an opportunity for an audiobook/podcast. I’d try and use that time for you.

I think that's a lot of exercise. There's a great podcast with Stacey Sims being interviewed by Hubermann. She talks about how women in 40/50 need to change their exercise substantially.
I have gone from 4 or 5 runs per week to 1 heavy lifting, 2 x pilates yoga type, 3 runs. It's taken a while to get used to this but finally I feel a lot better. The other game changer is that I have a small protein smoothie before exercise. This apparently is needed due to cortisol production in women and again women 40/50 need to massively up protein.

Isn’t it obvious OP? You get up at 4.30am to exercise for an hour.

Yea sorry it seems pretty obvious to me why you are tired….! I would say you really do need to prioritise sleep over exercise at 4.30am. Could you do half hour in the evening instead. Then bed at 9 and up at 6.

Also agree with PP, you’re not really eating the right foods to fuel your body. Higher fuller fat option and protein and less refined carbs. Eggs, full fat yoghurt, meat etc would help I think.

It doesn’t sound like you’re eating enough, or the right things. Cereal and salad isn’t enough to fuel a whole day, including an hour of exercise. I would add in a more substantial breakfast with plenty of protein and fat - scrambled eggs on seeded toast with avocado, protein yoghurt etc. You’re currently trying to fuel your morning on a couple of hundred calories, and almost all carbohydrates.

You’re only getting 7 hours sleep a night. You’re pronanly tired because your no sleeping enough.

Have you had any blood tests? I was similar and had very low serum ferritin. Been on iron tablets for a while and finally feel much better.

I'd love to know what your DHs routine looks like too. Does he get any downtime? Is he also doing his fair share of cooking, housework, childcare?

A few suggestions from me (that I am also trying to help with similar issues, so tbc if they work!):

• Batch cook so you have min 3 easy meals mid week. Then do exercise whilst meal is being reheated rather than getting up so early.
• Get outside for a walk once a day, even if only 10 minutes. More for the daylight than the exercise.
• Drink water.
• Can you afford a cleaner? Even just every other week for a couple of hours? Helps reduce admin load on the weekend.
• Try to shift more household admin to during the week, so the weekends are true family time (only works if not getting up so early….)

I'm exhausted looking at that to be honest. You get up at 4.30, you work full time long hours in a notoriously full on and exhausting job, you have kids including one with a disability and you have a health condition yourself. I'm amazed it's taken this long for you to run out of energy.

Is there any scope for you to drop a day at work?

Is there any scope for you to drop a day or 2 of early starts?

Are you eating enough really? Is your low BMI and your something and salad something and veg diet the same as it's always been or have you been losing weight?

Try swapping one of your coffees for matcha? Provides more of a steady energy rather than a high followed by an energy dip/crash.

It doesn't look like you have much downtime in the day if you are going to bed at 8pm. Do you have time for a bath, reading, or even just mindless TV? Obviously teaching, I'm guessing, will also involve no downtime during the day? It's not just physical exertion, the mind needs to be able to slow down during the day, exercise at 4.30 doesn't count as 'me time ' imo, so when are you just chilling?

How old are your children?

Yup it's the getting up at 4:30 and if you're marking in the evening then I guess you're teaching in the day? Also knackering.

Totally agree.

Your early mornings would kill me and you're just doing too much. Is it an option to move to a four day week to get on top of housework and have your weekends free for more fun/relaxation time?

Err this. That's far too early. You can't be asking us this question and then telling us you are tired. Go easier on yourself. Exercise a few times a week and eat better food if you don't already. Enjoy your evenings a bit more.

That routine would kill me. You are getting up really early, doing a demanding job and looking after a young child. I know you said you go to bed at 8 but it sounds intense. Also, like pp said, where is time for relaxation? I don’t think you need to get up so early if kids are in bed until 6. My only other advice is to do less marking. Difficult I know - I’d be interested to know your schools marking policy as most places are moving to less marking.

I exercise in the evening and I’m about the same (7 lb heavier), I’m full of energy. If I exercise in the AM I’m tired by 3.30pm.