@robg Make sure you are getting enough nutrients so your body can rebuild the damage you did during your workouts. How much protein, fats, carbs are you getting each day? Protein is most important followed by fat. U can go without carbs if u have the will power. Tho carbs do help with energy. Eat some veggies too.
@robg You just need to sleep more to recover. When I'm lifting regularly, I need a solid extra hour of sleep to feel human. That's waking up naturally at 8.5 - 9 hours for me. I notice the same thing when I'm working very long (14+ hour) shifts at work. Your body just needs longer to recover and you should def consider giving it that care by going to bed earlier.
@robg Tbh, I haven't been able to consistently sleep less than 7.5/8 hours a night since I started weightlifting a few years back. I get the same symptoms you do. I usually shoot for at least 8 and 9 where possible. Obviously the occasional little sleep due to a party or and occasion doesn't bother much
@robg Because you’re new and doing a hardcore and high frequency workout that you need to ease into. Your body is telling you to slow down, it’s not ready, need more sleep, and/or need better nutrition/hydration.
Dial it back, you’re new. Sleep earlier too. I wake up at 5 in the morning and have to be bed by 9-9:30pm to have a chance at waking up.
I doubt you are even recovering properly. 3-4x a week to a novice def does not give the chance for you to actually recover and you being tired is reflecting this.
@robg A lot of people mentioned sleep and hydration, but eating enough, and essentially cutting back on your workout time can help too. Whether you are weightlifting or doing calisthenics you are demanding more energy from your body then usual. You have to replace what you lose in your diet.
Also, 4x a week is too much for some people especially if you are already active in your daily life and/or your workout are intense. try scaling it back to 3 for now, and see how it goes from there.
@robg Sleep but deep sleep. Look into Magnesium or Ashwaghanda to help with that. Look into the benefits and get a small bottle to try out to see if it works for you. I take either of those on workout days and I notice a difference the next morning.
@robg try not eating for at least 4 hours before bed. Sometimes if we eat before bed, especially heavy food or carbs, our body spends all night breaking it down and our recovery is lessened by the strain of digestion leaving us tired and groggy.
@robg You don’t have to work out in the morning. I used to have the same routine and it was very difficult to hop out of bed and try to have a decent workout.
I started doing my stuff in the afternoon at 4pm and it was a game changer. I’m fully awake and practically done with everything that I need to do so I can get a good workout, shower and chill the rest of the night. I actually look forward to my 4:00 workout.
@robg I made the mistake of being on a 1600 calorie diet for years trying to loose weight and saw no results. I’m 5’4 and at the time was 148lbs and was stuck. I am now working out 5x a week on a 3000 calorie diet weighing in at 160. My muscles are more toned and waist is significant slimmer. Starving yourself is not the way to go if you’re working out hard at the gym. I wake up at 5am to workout and by 11am I’m already at close to 1400 calories. I think you need more food and that’s why you feel tired. I had a fitness coach for about 3 months which helped me learn how to eat properly for the exercise I am doing. If you’re lifting heavy you need to load up on good carbs to fuel your workouts. Good luck on your fitness journey.
@robg You might need to eat more, get more healthy calories in. I used to row at a very high level and if I didn't eat enough on any training day I'd find it very difficult to wake up the next morning because the body hasn't had enough calories for full recovery. Now I sometimes forget to bring an extra little meal for after a weights workout and I really feel it the next morning.
Also worth trying is creatine for recovery and energy but I recommend doing your research on it and making an informed decision.
@robg I get up at 5am for work also. I typically go to bed around 8-9pm. If I go to bed at 10pm usually I'll be tired the next day. Everyone's body is different, but it's possible you need a little more sleep to compensate for working out.
