Post school run exhaustion

[orchidsun]

Just wondered if my post school run exhaustion is normal.

LP so busy and stressful life. Probably got 2 - 3 stone to lose (I am working on it).

Just getting back in habit of school run post lockdown. We have a mile walk to school and I jog back, a slightly longer route jogged back. So 2.5ish miles, takes just under an hour in total to get there and get back.

I get home and sit and chill until around 11am, usually too flat out to do much. Is this normal?

My circadian rhythms aren't great and I struggle with getting up early which could be a factor. I am working on the weight loss and wonder if once this is gone I will have more energy.

I tend to wake up after lunch and be buzzing through afternoon and evening.

Does anyone else struggle with this? I wish I were more productive through the morning so I could make full use of my child free time.

I am still adapting to the exercise routine, got a lot less during lockdown, this could be a factor I guess.

Could you leave earlier, jog the longer route there then have a slow walk back with DC? No way would I do jogging on the way back in the am because like you I'm just not a morning person and my body isn't ready for that.

Are you having breakfast?
Could you come back and shower immediately and see if that helps wake you?

@sleepingstandingup thanks for the ideas :) unfortunately my DC won't jog with me much at all and is a fairly slow walker so it would be pointless trying to jog a longer route with him whilst we are also trying to get to school (I struggle to leave on time as is).

I do wonder if my body is just trying to adapt to it. Or maybe if I lose weight I may be a bit more energised once I do.

I avoid breakfast because I'm doing OMAD at the moment fasting.

I think Sleeping meant doing your run at pick up. I find that you get into habits and you need to change things up a bit. When DS was sleeping badly, on days I didn't work I would have a productive morning then have a nap at lunchtime and often feel groggy afterwards. DS sleeps ok now but I still get that post lunch slump. I find doing something different e.g. having a bath breaks the cycle and I feel less groggy afterwards.

Yes I meant walk to and from school in the morning, then jog to pick up and walk home.

I do think if you're tired and not eating then jogging home unfit and overweight is a bit of a silly idea. Your body isn't used to the exercise and isn't having anything in it for energy to help.

No idea what the OMAD but you need to nourish your body to exercise it

You are, quite literally, running on empty

I’m not a natural early morning exerciser. How about doing an online exercise routine early afternoon when you’re more energetic. Or if I’m stuck for time I do an online workout whilst kids eat tea?

OMAD - one meal a day

OP, bring flat out for an hour or more (I’m estimating?) after that amount of exercise does seem a bit unusual. I think you probably need to eat something if you are going to run, and drink plenty! I also have a couple of stone to lose, I’m doing 5:2 and C2 5K. I try not to run on fast days, but if I do, I try to time it with a meal afterwards. If you are only having one meal a day, this may be trickier! You definitely need to drink plenty of water. I think your body will probably get used to it to an extent too, but as pp, you need to nurture it!

Thanks everyone. I think it's to do as much with my circadian rhythms as being rather unfit.

As I mentioned I come alive in the afternoon and evening and am bursting with energy.

I may try to change my OMAD to the morning although I struggle with this because I prefer to eat in the evening and if I eat in the morning the rest of the day becomes a drag!

I do wonder if I find the school run a general assault on the senses and my exhaustion is due to a reaction to the stress of it plus all my life stresses (LP with no support). Basically my body going "aaand relax" for a few hours after the buidl up of the stress of parenting etc.

Maybe I will try moving the jog to the afternoon although I think I need to give the routine a bit more of a chance to kick in first.

Agree with the water thing too. Thanks

I think you are probably right. Assuming your child has only recently returned to school, your body is likely reacting to that and going 'phew, time to myself!'

If anyone else told you they were doing OMAD what would you say to them? It's a bonkers method of restricting that will lead to more and more disordered eating.

I was unknowingly doing OMAD when I was anorexic. Then that led to bulimia.

Be careful

You're introducing way too many things at once which means you're likely to fail so just give them all up.

School run, Omad, running.

Omad sounds a bit mad tbh. Where did you get that from?

Why don't you just do the school run and walk briskly when you don't have the kids as a starting point?

How stressful can your life really be if you can sit down and do nothing till 11am?