Getting super fatigued after personal training?

C

countrygurl32

New member
A little over 6 weeks ago I joined a new gym that opened near me which has a ton of amenities including a huge array of equipment, multiple pools, hot tubs, saunas, and a ton of classes.

In the past I’ve always done yoga and Pilates, so right now I’m doing 1-2 classes a day most days of the week (average 5 days a week and maybe 2 of those days are double class days). The classes aren’t that difficult for my level but I generally enjoy them.

I also started doing personal training once a week. My goal was to get stronger and learn how to use gym equipment since I was always kind of scared to. But my trainer is awesome! He is very thoughtful about everything he has me do and is always asking questions about what I do the rest of the week and how I’m feeling. He keeps me challenging myself where I wouldn’t on my own but is careful to work me up to certain things so I don’t injure myself. I’ve made a ton of progress in 6 weeks!

Aside from small things like taking walks at lunch I’m not doing any other fitness aside from above. So that includes cardio. Not really doing any cardio except for a few minutes warmup on my personal training days.

My only issue is that after my late Sunday morning training sessions I have low energy. I do genuinely work myself to the fullest so it’s by far my toughest workout of the week. So I end up crashing for a nap late in the afternoon and generally have little energy for anything.

Sometimes this happens during the week, too. Certain days I WFH and I’ll crash on the couch for hours. Or else I’ll crash on the couch immediately when I get home. All of this while I feel like I’m generally getting good sleep (7-9 hours).

Like I said, the yoga and Pilates classes aren’t very challenging for me (this gym is run by a hospital so there’s a lot of old people friendly stuff) so I don’t feel like I’m overdoing it. But maybe I am?

I don’t really take preworkout (sensitive to caffeine and had issues in the past puking when running with anything in my stomach) but I do always make sure to either have a protein shake right after or eat a high protein meal.

Any advice?

Edit: For context, I’ve gained about 7 lbs or so in these 6 weeks. Currently 5’8” and 153 lbs which is my heaviest (and strongest) ever. With a little bit of stubborn pandemic belly fat to spare. So I think I’m eating fine. I generally eat healthy food with some treats here and there.

Edit2: I get 7-9 hours sleep consistently and usually wake up at the same time every day to feed my cats. My classes are right after work so I’m not waking up crazy early for them or anything.
 
@countrygurl32 Your exhaustion is a sign you are doing too much. Remember that keeping an unsustainable pace can harm your end goals as much as skipping workouts, if not more - you’re more prone to injury in addition to mental fatigue and boredom.

I’ve always struggled to maintain a routine, and have learned to set my bar low in the beginning. Let yourself feel like you could be doing more as opposed to feeling like you have nothing left. The closer it feels to easy the easier it is to keep going. Knowing your limits is a part of body awareness that is isn’t easy to learn, but it is important.
 
@countrygurl32 I sometimes workout twice a day (weights 2x, weights+ yoga, weights + swimming) but usually have a just walking day the day after to stretch my muscles and work them without demanding too much from them. This could be a doing too much problem.

If you're fatigued, take a "rest" day and make sure to fuel your body before and after. I eat cottage cheese with 1/2 serving of protein powder and berries after and that's very satisfying. I don't workout on an empty stomach. I usually try to eat a yogurt or a piece of fruit an hour or so beforehand.
 
@countrygurl32 Get your iron levels checked, but also make sure you’re eating enough protein. You need about 1 gram per pound of your body weight, per day. It’s more than we’ve been led to believe imo. Drink a little more water than you think you need to.
 
@countrygurl32 When was the last time you had a physical? If it has been awhile - make an appointment. Perhaps you have a vitamin/mineral deficiency (ie - iron), or something underlying that is being exacerbated by your pretty intense workout schedule.
 
@countrygurl32 You’re overtraining for sure - talk to your PT about it, it’s literally what you’re paying them for! You can keep your workouts progressive without completely draining yourself. That said, there is nothing wrong with a nap on your rest days: sleep is when your body heals, repairs and builds muscle.

Check you’re getting adequate nutrition - don’t assume you are just because you’ve gained weight, this could well be water. Don’t worry about things like caffeinated pre workout, but make sure that pre- and post-workout you’re getting some electrolytes/salt/magnesium in. Magnesium glycinate is a wonder for tiredness.

Ultimately, as females we have to be really mindful of overtraining, it can really mess with our hormones. Listen to your body and be kind to it!

(Edit: typo)
 
@countrygurl32 Could have something to do with what you’re fueling your body with. You can try to:

• Increase water intake to up to a gallon a day (thermos bottles with ice in them can help keep water cold all day + adding BCAAs to the water can make it more enticing in case you get bored of drinking plain water). BCAAs help with fatigue and muscle repair

• Do your best to cut fructose sugar, processed foods, fast food (each of these cause fatigue and weight gain). Natural sugars and carbs from fruit and whole grains an hour or less before your workouts will help you with bursts of energy and stamina.
 
@countrygurl32 How long have you started the PT? I did something similar recently too (3 weeks+ ago) where I challenged myself to exercise daily. The first week I thought it was doable, the second and third week I was soooo tired even on days when I would do basic yoga for a few days (very simple ones where I did not even push myself and half *ssed my workout). I was demotivated and would take naps and even when I was awake I didn’t have the motivation or energy to do anything.

Now that I’m on my 4th week, a few things I’ve observed:
1. I take less naps now and am more productive - I think it was just the ramp up of new activities and working out different types of my body that I was previously not used to.
2. I like my classes more and dread them less because I’m just used to the schedule now/have a set schedule where I do certain workouts. Like I know every time I wake up, I’ll be off to class and what kind of classes I’ll be taking. There’s no thinking involved. Do you have a set schedule when you do your exercises daily? I find it very mentally draining when I have to book classes/play around with my schedules and find empty slots when I can get my workout in. It’s way worse if you have an unpredictable work schedule and / or kids because those have to take precedence.
3. You mentioned gaining weight but have you been eating healthily? When I first started I gave myself allowance to eat treats and was eating bars of chocolates on some days when I was hungry yet I was getting tired and heavier for no reason. Eat the proteins and carbs too and keep them as unprocessed as possible.
4. I gave myself breaks where I would just stick to a simple yoga class and skip my other weights/HIIT classes for days if I have to and it felt great! Don’t feel guilty if some days you only do 3-4 classes a week, sometimes that’s all you need to. And don’t feel guilty if you’re not putting your all in all your 7 classes a week, sometimes appearing in the gym is all you need to do to build the habit!
5. Change my goal. Not sure if during your yoga classes, the teacher tells you to set an intention. Sometimes my intention isn’t to get better at yoga or to be more flexible, my intention is to just wake up lol. And more often than not, I find myself hitting my intention.
6. You mention your new gym is near you but is it near you every time you go for classes and how near is near? Maybe not so relevant for you but I was spending sometimes 2-3 hours just to make time for the gym daily (because I take public transport to and fro them) and that really put me off. Sometimes I just want a quick workout, you know? I started doing online yoga some days and that helped because I could literally get ready 1 minute before class starts and continue with my work the moment it ends. Even the nearest yoga centre to my place takes me 15 mins walk, to and fro takes me 30 mins and if I do it x7 times a week, that’s 3.5 hours a week gone!
 
@countrygurl32 How long have you started the PT? I did something similar recently too (3 weeks+ ago) where I challenged myself to exercise daily. The first week I thought it was doable, the second and third week I was soooo tired even on days when I would do basic yoga for a few days (very simple ones where I did not even push myself and half *ssed my workout). I was demotivated and would take naps and even when I was awake I didn’t have the motivation or energy to do anything.

Now that I’m on my 4th week, a few things I’ve observed:
1. I take less naps now and am more productive - I think it was just the ramp up of new activities and working out different types of my body that I was previously not used to.
2. I like my classes more and dread them less because I’m just used to the schedule now/have a set schedule where I do certain workouts. Like I know every time I wake up, I’ll be off to class and what kind of classes I’ll be taking. There’s no thinking involved. Do you have a set schedule when you do your exercises daily? I find it very mentally draining when I have to book classes/play around with my schedules and find empty slots when I can get my workout in. It’s way worse if you have an unpredictable work schedule and / or kids because those have to take precedence.
3. You mentioned gaining weight but have you been eating healthily? When I first started I gave myself allowance to eat treats and was eating bars of chocolates on some days when I was hungry yet I was getting tired and heavier for no reason. Eat the proteins and carbs too and keep them as unprocessed as possible.
4. I gave myself breaks where I would just stick to a simple yoga class and skip my other weights/HIIT classes for days if I have to and it felt great! Don’t feel guilty if some days you only do 3-4 classes a week, sometimes that’s all you need to. And don’t feel guilty if you’re not putting your all in all your 7 classes a week, sometimes appearing in the gym is all you need to do to build the habit!
5. Change my goal. Not sure if during your yoga classes, the teacher tells you to set an intention. Sometimes my intention isn’t to get better at yoga or to be more flexible, my intention is to just wake up lol. And more often than not, I find myself hitting my intention.
6. You mention your new gym is near you but is it near you every time you go for classes and how near is near? Maybe not so relevant for you but I was spending sometimes 2-3 hours just to make time for the gym daily (because I take public transport to and fro them) and that really put me off. Sometimes I just want a quick workout, you know? I started doing online yoga some days and that helped because I could literally get ready 1 minute before class starts and continue with my work the moment it ends. Even the nearest yoga centre to my place takes me 15 mins walk, to and fro takes me 30 mins and if I do it x7 times a week, that’s 3.5 hours a week gone!
 
@svonaly
  1. It’s been 6 weeks for me, which is what seems weird. I thought that would be more than enough time to adapt but perhaps not.
  2. My classes are right after work on weekdays or mid-morning on weekends. I’m not straining to get to classes but if even the weekend morning classes seem tough to meet I’ll usually just sleep in instead of forcing myself. I don’t have kids.
  3. My diet isn’t really that different from before I started working out, I’ve even allowed more carbs in than usual to try to give myself energy in my workouts. But I should probably track it more closely.
  4. This week I’m going to take a closer look at my classes and figure out which ones I love the most and focus on those. Then if I’m not doing a full class I could practice certain advanced moves at home for a little bit, maybe.
  5. Lol I don’t always know what intention to set in my classes either!
  6. I have a car and the gym is like 8 mins from my house so it’s extremely convenient!
 
@svonaly Yes, the schedule thing happens to me because of my kid and our work and childcare issues. It would definitely be less tiring if I could get into a schedule like I used to but it doesn't sound like OP has that problem.
 
@countrygurl32 1) is there a reason why taking a nap here and there is a problem
2) I know what it’s like to train hard everyday and the only way I survived is by drinking ungodly amounts of water. Bonus points if it’s cold and doubly important around your workouts.
3) on the PT days ensure you are well fed circa workout and try eating as full a meal as you can tolerate (25+g protein and some carbs). You might try drinking a Gatorade during or after.

4) if none of that works then discuss with your trainer. Maybe they are pushing you a little harder than needed.
5) when you need a day, take it.
 
@mags1234
  1. I don’t usually need naps so it’s a change from my normal. I don’t necessarily mind naps but the fact that I’m “crashing” into those instant Black-out kind of naps was concerning to me.
  2. I do drink a decent amount of water but I could always drink more!
  3. I’ll make the effort to eat before. Might have to change my PT schedule but that’s ok!
  4. I am getting stronger which is good but my trainer is a power lifter so he might be biased toward gains more than I actually care about them, despite seeming very gradual and intentional. It’s definitely worth a chat!
  5. I’m going to take a hard look at the classes I’m taking this week and figure out my true favorites so I make sure I go to those and then I can skip the ones I don’t love! The 5 days a week average is partially because I’d have too little energy those two days so maybe I need at least one more day off a week
 
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