Millennial here

[childofgodforever]

UPDATED POST: wanted to thank all the helpful, thoughtful and kind replies from everyone. It looks like I’ve been getting in my head (and pantry) too much. Going to work with a nutritionist to see if I can dial in a better, feasible diet I can stick to. AND tell the dumb voice inside my head to shut up - at least for a few more months. I’d also like to thank everyone who saw the broader cry for help in my post that I typed at 1 AM rather than honed in on something I mis-conveyed.
P.s. to clarify - my younger in-shape self was fast/agile but weak (see? Mis-conveyed)

Millennial here (late 30s): former-in-moderate-shape-person struggling with crossfit. Used to run> 5 minute miles, strong calisthenics (muscle ups, ghd, etc), and generally lifting a decent amount for my size ten-years-of-sitting-on-my-ass.

Have been back at crossfit and diligently going 3-days per week (and not great with diet, if I’m being honest) for close to a year. I keep doing all these workouts I used to do effortlessly in my 20s and am confused with my body.

I feel like I’m probably lifting more than I used to, but I’m also about ~10 lbs heavier at 5’6”(thank you, slowing metabolism), my runs are embarrassingly slow compared to my youth (~8 minute mile), and my calisthenics are on the very low-end (Kipping ok, but can’t do muscle ups, etc anymore). I’m absolutely wiped out immediately after a workout, but feel like I left a lot on the table when I get home. Anyone else feel this way? I’m trying to figure out what it is.

1. Am I unconsciously holding back because I’m lazier?
2. Am I unconsciously holding back because I’m listening to my body better than when I was younger?
3. Am I going all-in and just don’t realize it?
4. Is 3-days a week not enough/too much?

I can’t figure it out and it’s getting harder and harder to quiet the little voice in the back of my head telling me to go back to being a lazy ass. Any input from people who went/going through the same thing would be helpful. Thank you

 

[webbotpredicts]

@childofgodforever Bruh you're comparing your athletic ability after sitting on your ass for a decade to someone who was at the peak intersection of testosterone and experience. Of course you're never gonna look good in that comparison.

 

[veritasinhabitum]

@childofgodforever What are your goals? Are you trying to compete with your high school self or maintain optimal health? An 8-minute mile is a killer than most adults who can’t even run a full mile. And if you’re lifting heavier with a bit of extra body weight, then gymnastics get harder. You are being way too hard on yourself. Showing up three days a week is awesome! But again, what are your goals?

I would say figure out why you’re doing this and see if that helps, and then get that nutrition dialed in. Getting older is harder on the body, and the nutrients we give it make a hell of a difference (in physical and mental health)

From one elder millennial to another, you got this dude. Good luck!

 

[childofgodforever]

@veritasinhabitum Thanks! I’m not looking to get back to college-aged-shape. But not being able to do muscle-ups and weight-lifting PRs making glacial-paced-improvements is bearing down on my motivation to continue.

I don’t necessarily have a goal; would just love to see progres. But the progress seems stymied compared to before.

I’ll keep at it for now!

 

[abeck0486]

@childofgodforever Not being able to do muscle ups? Of all the boxes I've been to, usually about 95% of the people there can't do 'em.

Why beat yourself up over one of the hardest movements in one of the hardest sports when you've been inactive for a decade?

This stuff takes time, you'll get there. Gradually increase to 5 times a week and do some postwod accessory stuff.

 

[lenanais]

@childofgodforever Reset your timer for goals. Pick something you want to improve based on your current self/ performance. You’ll probably never run a 5 minute mile again, but going from 8:00 to 6:30 is attainable, for example.

Also, realizing that the process is more important than the outcome is key to maintaining motivation to workout for the rest of your life.

As long as you are showing up 3 days a week, you’re going to be light years ahead of your peers over the next few decades.

 

[willingfollower]

@childofgodforever Thanks to "constantly varied" it can be hard to see and feel the improvements in CrossFit. If that's what you need, I would create some benchmarks for yourself, and maybe work toward improving them in extra-credit time. E.g. do Karen. Then once or twice a week for a couple months do some wall ball work. Then do Karen again!

Of course you can put extra focus on weightlifting or calisthenics stuff if that's more motivational.

 

[marco124]

@childofgodforever Think you might just have to work through it if you want to improve. You can't turn the clock back on 10 years of being out of shape very easily. You can lose weight in that time, get fitter and be much improved physically and mentally but not enough to outperform your younger self if that younger self was in decent condition to begin with.

You can still be in elite shape in your 30-40-50s, and it will actually stand out much more, but it will take extra dedication. Most obvious thing is your diet. You said it still wasn't good. That is going to drop weight, improve energy and all sorts. Especially when thinking about your muscle ups and run times if those are measuring stick for you. 10lbs lighter would have huge impact on mile time of someone training and make muscle ups a lot easier.

 

[imlost]

@marco124 It's your diet. Especially as you get older and metabolism slows down, you can no longer just eat whatever you want and get away with it. For me (38M) and most of the people Ive coached, that is the difference maker.

 

[childofgodforever]

@marco124 I think you’re right. I’ll definitely start working on diet while keeping up with what I’m doing now. Thank you for the encouraging words!

 

[neowatchman]

@childofgodforever

and not great with diet, if I’m being honest

You should look at this first. Your body constantly needs the right nutrients to sustain good energy levels. Start there, keep focusing on your training but put some more work into correcting your nutrition.

 

[childofgodforever]

@neowatchman I think you’re right! I’ll start dialing in my diet and see where it’ll take me.

 

[catherine1192]

@childofgodforever 3 days a week isn’t enough. Also late 30’s millennial here.

I found a lot of success in my late 30’s with supplementing zone 2 cardio.

If you can add 1-3 days per week of running/ rowing/ biking/ stair climber/ etc. I think you’d see a big difference.

https://www.whoop.com/us/en/thelock...g-is-the-secret-to-unlocking-peak-performance

https://misfitathletics.com/articles/a-crossfitters-guide-to-zone-2-training/

https://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/zone-2-training/

 

[firsthandsemiuniversalist]

@catherine1192 Yeah I’m in my early 40s and I really got benefit from doing long, slow workouts like hiking and keeping my heart rate around the 130-50s.

 

[straightcurvylines]

@catherine1192 I'm 34 and beginning to incorporating more Z2 work. Curious to hear more about your experience. I can fit in extra 40-60 minute sessions 1-2x per week but anything much longer is not really doable given general life commitments. What time domain are you working with to have found success?

 

[catherine1192]

@straightcurvylines Been doing 4x per week, 65 minutes including warm up and cool down.

On one of the 4 days typically the running day I stop my zone 2 pace around 40 minutes and do fast intervals 1:1 for work:rest. (2 minutes at goal 5k pace followed by 2 minutes walking for 4 rounds as an example)

If needed some weeks less, or if I need a break from strength stuff I’ve done 5 days for zone 2. Just go by feel with 4 days being the majority of my weeks.

 

[straightcurvylines]

@catherine1192 Wow nice. Good for you. Are you doing two-a-days with z2 work and regular crossfit class/programming?

 

[dawn16]

@straightcurvylines I'm doing 2 a days with zone 2. Here is what last week looked like

Mon Wod at 12:30pm then 6:30pm or so I worked endurance by doing four rounds of acid drip (modified Acid Bath) for pacing Ski Erg 100m, Row 100m, 8 assault bike calories. I set goals for the number and held consistency well. 3 minute rest inbetween rounds. Round 1: 27 seconds, 25 seconds, 23 seconds. Round 2: 26, 26, 23. Round 3: 26, 25, 22. Round 4: 27, 26, 22.

Tues Rode the recumbent bike at home for 1 hour

Wed Wod then did a 1000m row in 5:02.

Thurs Did Acid Bath (7 minute time cap) Ski Erg 500m, Row 500m, Assault BIke 1000m. First Round got 6:25, then really wanted to see if I could shave off a few seconds, rested for about 7 minutes (in hindsight shoulda pushed the rest a bit longer) then did it all again and got 6:29.

Fri-Sun rested due to travel.

 

[catherine1192]

@straightcurvylines Very rarely.

Typically I just do the 4 days a week as described above with 2 days a week for strength work/ CrossFit/ combo of both.

Occasionally I’ll have like a “test” week where I go hard like when I was in my 20’s and tilt more CrossFit. My Murph time has been dropping consistently as an example for a test/ benchmark. I feel like I might be knocking on the door of my 20’s time next May as I won’t do it again until then.

 

[childofgodforever]

@catherine1192 Thank you for these (and resulting comments)! Very helpful.