Exercise exhaustion

Yy to Build Your Running Body ! Great book.

Also, in my above post, I should've said I do count walking as a rest day, not I don't. Typo, I'm tired

Oh - and also check your trainers (when is the last time you replaced?) New shoes could literally put a spring in your step.

I run more than that per week (around 50km) though probably walk less. My BMI is higher than yours (23/24). I don't think the mileage is too much in itself.

Have an exercise holiday for a week or two. You could keep the walking in if you want, but drop the running & HIIT. I bet you would feel the benefit when you go back. Do this at least a couple of times a year.

I would also plan one rest day per week, with nothing more than a gentle walk & stretching. The HIIT is probably quite hard on you - rest day after that if possible? Or, just drop the HIIT.

Try mixing up your runs a bit. Do you mostly road run? If so, swap for a trail run sometimes? Or a shorter session of hill reps instead of a 10k sometimes?

Also - heavy legs can sometimes be helped by eating more. Have a big bowl of cereal in the evening and see if you feel better the next day? (You shouldn't need to continue to do that every day). Also make sure you're hydrated - though for me dehydration seems more general tiredness than heavy legs.

I recommend a book called 'Build Your Running Body'.

Now you've said you're a steadier runner, I've revised my opinion. If you're running slower than 10 minute miles, what I'd think of as a "short" run of 10k or 12k is going to be more than an hour on your feet, and taking a large amount of effort.

I think you need to significantly ease back on the time on feet and shake it up a bit - perhaps some spin classes or similar might make you feel energised, rather than the endless plodding?

I don't count walking as a rest day either, and also can't remember the time I did less than 10 000 steps a day, so I'm with you on that front. Nothing wrong with being active if you enjoy it. But it sounds like the runs are doing nothing for you, and wearing you out. The fact you're not getting faster proves it.

I'd say you need to go much shorter and sharper, or drop a day entirely. You'll feel better for it.

I'm really glad you posted this. I'm training for a HM and feeling exhausted to the point where I'm sitting on the floor staring at my trainers wondering if I've the energy to put therm on. I'd not cut out my other exercise. I've just totted up my strava and realised this month I've averaged 45 miles/week running and walking on top of trying to do a couple of hours/week of strength/flexibility online classes.

I clearly lost sight of what is reasonable, now have to persuade myself I need to cut some stuff out.

Bloody hell OP that's loads! The reason you're exhausted is that you need to REST completely, at 1 day a week, ideally 2.

Which runners do you 'know' run every day and for far longer? I follow a good number of runners and running influencers on social media and a) they do it for a living, not in addition to working and b) they all have rest days!

I've had to cut down this week as my dd has covid so I've stayed in. So have done no yoga classes (I usually do 5 classes a week) and no long walks (I usually do 15-20000 steps a day). I have used the peloton and done weights sessions. I have got so much more energy.

I think you're just doing way too much. Plus 1500 cals won't be enough. You'd burn off, what, 600 cals at least one one of those runs and you need to eat carbs to fuel them too.

I think your carbs and calories are too low to sustain you. I was similar at one stage and because my weight was normal / BMI 21 no one could advise. Actually my set point (where my body is happiest) is more like BMI 23 and I needed to eat more and weigh more to have more energy. I also think you should have a full rest day, physical and mental.

The other thing that springs to mind - have you had Covid?

I am active. I am bad at rest days. Your exercise schedule is exhausting!

Why are you doing so much running? Does it help your MH in which case I understand but you are wearing your body down.

Have one day off a week when you walk but don’t walk 6 miles!

Perhaps you could do shorter runs and add in some weights at the end instead so it is less cardio?

And on a gentler day add in some barre or Pilates?

You need to eat a lot when you do that much running. Are you sure you aren’t low in iron? Normal levels are often not optimum

I exercise a lot too (BMI 20) but have recently had a flare up of acne and IBS and the doctor has advised me to swap cardio for yoga/Pilates.

Over exercising can cause increased cortisol in the body which can cause sleep problems and low energy (& stress symptoms).

I usually do 30 mins spin 5 x week and 30 mins strength 4 days a week, plus 1 yoga session and daily dog walks . Now reducing this to 20 mins spin 4x week and 30 mins yoga 3 x week (I have a peloton). X

If you have weight training in your schedule, you NEED rest days. And loads of sleep.

That's a lot of exercise every week with zero rest. Like, actual rest.

OP, if you never take a holiday from the exercise, of course you're tired! I love a walking holiday too but it's also important to have the occasional chill day or even a week off. It does sound problematic that you wouldn't book longer than 4 days away for not being able to do weights - that sounds like exercise addiction to me. Muscle will not significantly reduce in a week or two off, in fact you'll probably come back stronger for the rest! Please give yourself a break! You're tired because your body is crying out for a holiday. I'm sure you give your mind a holiday from work, so your body deserves the same every now and then.

I'm saying this from a place of experience as I used to be the same - but it didn't do me any good and just made me end up getting injuries as well as developing an anxious reliance on exercise. Now I still have an active programme, like I said above, but I take proper rests. It's vital.

That's not 6 hours of excercise unless it's incredibly intense. I reckon more like 10½ based on 15 min miles walking and 1hr ish for 10k.

It's a lot of running and walking, plus the cross training. It is possible to exercise daily but it does need to be gentle "active rest with clear distinctions in intensity and strategically planned around heavier workouts.

Nutrition is important and while officially BMI 21 is "healthy" it may be on the light side at an individual level and more calories or more energy from certain nutrients may be needed to fuel the exercise and recovery.

Your diet seems low on carb for all that running & walking. Plus you must be burning a lot with all that exercise.

If you have lost six stone, you have probably reduced your calorific intake to get there yes ? You have increased your level of exercise as your weight reduced and you initially found it easier to do the exercise ?

You have to try to remember that your body doesn't have the stores it used to have, when you started it could dip into those stores at anytime for some energy, by losing weight you have depleted that store.
Now you have to rely on what you put in on a daily basis for energy, so you need to be honest with yourself, are you honestly giving it enough ?

@VeraDeara You get fitter and faster after rest, in itself, exercise is just tearing yourself down.

If you carry on ignoring what folk are telling you, you'll end up not running at all.

Hmm. You're not answering any of the questions about your diet/calorie counting etc, which is a worry.

Your body needs recovery time. You’ll feel better for it.

Be!

Hi Verdeara, what else are you coping with in life at the moment as that could contributing to your feelings of exhaustion?

and I'd never book longer than 4 days away anywhere as I don't want to go too long without doing the weights too

that doesn't sound healthy

Yes, it's excessive OP, but I think you know that, and even if you don't, your body is telling you.

What about calories? I presume you're restricting them too?