I've plateaued (is that a word??) help!

[indiegrrl]

Advice gratefully received...I'm 37, and exercise for an hour 5 times a week (run for 40 mins 3-4 times per week plus stretching, and do yoga/weights class 1-2 times per week). I've built up the running over the last year from nothing, though I've always been a gym bunny, and outside my office job I am fairly active - walk and cycle rather than use the car. I'm lucky enough to have more time over the summer and would like to do more exercise but find I'm too tired to do more than I'm doing. Gets to Wednesday, and my legs are wobbly; even pilates/yoga feels too much. If I don't have a rest day on Wed and at least one at the weekend my running slows and I find any form of exercise really hard.
So two questions to you exercise experts (or enthusiasts, or just anyone kind enough to bother, frankly): firstly, is the amount of exercise I'm doing now enough (I'm at my ideal weight and I feel good on it)? Secondly, any tips for how to up the tempo - ideally I'd like to do some form of cardio 5 days per week whereas at present I'm doing 3-4. Thanks a lot!

Sounds like you're not eating enough post exercise so you take a very long time to replenish the glycogen you used in it - therefore each subsequent session is harder and harder until you get the break at the weekend and then eat enough.

What's your post exercise routine?

Mmm, d'you think? I tend to exercise first thing, esp if I'm running, and I can't stomach anything before I go out. When I get back I have a large bowl of porridge with raisins and fresh fruit, plenty of water, some fruit juice and coffee. Then nothing til lunch, which is usually salad, some carb - pitta bread and falafel or veggie tart, and a slice of malt loaf, and then dinner's usually chilli and rice or a stiryfry.

Could you manage a glass of juice in the morning before exercise? Are you running on the road or in a gym?
Have you tried changing your route (could be as simple as doing it backward) or introducing fart-lek training on one day? (Having three speeds, jog, run, sprint, and alternating between them using lampposts or trees as landmarks to hit)

Have you tried spinning? It's brilliant for the lower body and cv fitness, and has no impact like running, so will make a nice change for you.

Hitting a plateau is an indicator of over training syndrome, do you think you might be doing too much, esp of the same thing? Do you pick up injuries more recently?

oh, and if I were on your diet, I'd be VERY grumpy and skinny. I can't go very long without food. I hate morning exercise, so I avoid it, but even without it I couldn't make it to lunchtime on a bowl of porridge! You are having long periods of fasting, esp between last meal of the night, then exercise THEN eating breakfast. Your body won't be able to perform well on no food.

Is it porridge with lots of milk or little or none? I'd say your post exercise carbs may be sufficient, although they're all low GI, and high GI is better for rapid glycogen replenishment. But you in general look low in protein and I'd certainly want to ensure some post exercise to help ensure. I comfortably do cardio every day, and immediately after I ensure I have high GI carbs and protein, flavoured milk is quick and simple if I have nothing else. Exercising first thing without eating should not be a problem, as long as you've not fasted for too long since sleeping doesn't consume much glycogen at all, but you need to make sure it's full.

Of course it may not be energy related, but as you're at a good weight, I would try that first. I think it's unlikely to be overtraining syndrome, as whilst that can happen at the low volumes you're doing, it's very unlikely unless you have a lot of other stresses in your life which it doesn't sound like.

I would also struggle on that diet (but I'm 73kg and do more like 15hours of cardio a week)

I always exercise on an empty stomach, ie before eating in the morning, suits me fine.

I find that there is a limit to the amount of exercise that I can do before I start to feel a bit run down and tired..it seems to depend alot on how many demands I have from other area's of my life

Sorry for the silence, was on hols. These are really helpful tips, thank you! I started to have a few snacks between meals and it seems to help but thanks mercury7 for pointing out that depends what life throws at you - think holiday brought home to me how much energy we end up using day by day on work!
Frefredgeorge: wow, your exercise routine sounds amazing. Any tips on how to get from where I am to where you are - what kind of routine you do, what kind of diet (or from anyone else who has managed to up their exercise) much appreciated.