How to Reduce Fatigue for Easier Working Out
Drink enough water., Have a pre- or post-workout snack., Watch your calories., Eat a balanced diet., Get enough sleep., Manage stress.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Drink enough water.
One of the number one causes of fatigue and drowsiness is dehydration.
Even mild dehydration, which may include up to 75% of the population, can cause you to feel tired.The minimum amount of fluids you should drink daily is about eight glasses, or 64 oz; however, most health professionals are now saying to drink between 10–13 glasses of fluid daily.
This amount will increase with your physical activity level.Keep a water bottle handy.
This will help you stay on track with sipping all day long and can help you see how much more you need to drink.
Stick with no-calorie, hydrating fluids like water, flavored water (add some herbs or fruit), and unsweetened decaf coffee and tea. -
Step 2: Have a pre- or post-workout snack.
In addition to water, your body is fueled by food.
If you do not eat to fuel a workout or to recover from one, your performance and stamina can suffer.
You need a little fuel or energy to get your body through a workout.
Without a pre-workout snack, it's like trying to drive a car on an empty tank.
Go for carbohydrates like a piece of fruit, a small bowl of oatmeal or yogurt.
A small meal or snack that has simple carbs can provide your body with enough energy to get through the workout.
Without one, your performance and stamina will suffer and you will see fewer or slower results long-term.Carbs combined with protein are the best choice after you exercise to help resupply the energy you used and provide the protein to help rebuild muscle.Try fruit with yogurt/cottage cheese, a glass of skim milk, or a smear of peanut butter on a piece of whole wheat bread. , In addition to your pre-workout snack, it's also important to consider your entire diet.
If you're trying to lose weight but are feeling tired all the time and have little energy to exercise, your total calorie intake may be too low.
Many diets, cleanses, and fad diets usually suggest eating very low amounts of calories.
When you do not eat enough food, your body can't get enough nutrition to function at its optimal level, with fatigue being one of many side effects.In addition, if you're regularly working out, you may need more calories to help support that activity.
Try not to cut out calories so that your total level goes below 1,200 daily.
This is typically recommended as the absolute minimum., A balanced diet is important for overall health, but will also supply your body with all the essential nutrients it needs to function.
When your diet is not balanced, you may suffer from fatigue and other side effects.
A balanced diet is one that includes foods from each food group most days.
In addition, it's a diet that includes a wide variety of foods from within each individual food group over the course of a week.Some diets and dieting patterns suggest avoiding large quantities of foods or entire food groups.
Low-carb diets for example may want you to avoid grains, starchy vegetables, dairy foods and fruits.
A common side effect of low-carb diets is fatigue.Ask your doctor about getting your iron checked.
Low iron levels in the body can have a major impact on your energy levels.
If your doctor finds you have low iron levels, you can discuss getting more iron through diet or supplements. , If you're feeling fatigued, obviously getting enough sleep should be high on your list.
Without adequate sleep it may be hard to find the energy and motivation to work out.
Without adequate sleep you may notice you're more tired.
In addition, chronic lack of sleep can put you at increased risk for a whole host of health problems.It's typically recommended adults get around seven to nine hours of sleep each night.Try going to bed earlier and sleeping later if you can. , Too much stress or long periods of chronic stress can wreak havoc on your life.
Being fatigued and tired is just one of many symptoms that are associated with too much stress.Although exercise is thought to help relieve and help manage stress, it can become a vicious cycle when you're too tired to exercise and can't get a hold on your daily stresses.
If you can't fit in your usual workout, try other stress relieving activities like talking to a friend or family member, meditating, taking a hot shower, going to bed earlier or reading a good book.
If you find that stress is the number one cause of your fatigue and you're having difficulty managing it, consider speaking to a therapist for additional techniques. -
Step 3: Watch your calories.
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Step 4: Eat a balanced diet.
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Step 5: Get enough sleep.
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Step 6: Manage stress.
Detailed Guide
One of the number one causes of fatigue and drowsiness is dehydration.
Even mild dehydration, which may include up to 75% of the population, can cause you to feel tired.The minimum amount of fluids you should drink daily is about eight glasses, or 64 oz; however, most health professionals are now saying to drink between 10–13 glasses of fluid daily.
This amount will increase with your physical activity level.Keep a water bottle handy.
This will help you stay on track with sipping all day long and can help you see how much more you need to drink.
Stick with no-calorie, hydrating fluids like water, flavored water (add some herbs or fruit), and unsweetened decaf coffee and tea.
In addition to water, your body is fueled by food.
If you do not eat to fuel a workout or to recover from one, your performance and stamina can suffer.
You need a little fuel or energy to get your body through a workout.
Without a pre-workout snack, it's like trying to drive a car on an empty tank.
Go for carbohydrates like a piece of fruit, a small bowl of oatmeal or yogurt.
A small meal or snack that has simple carbs can provide your body with enough energy to get through the workout.
Without one, your performance and stamina will suffer and you will see fewer or slower results long-term.Carbs combined with protein are the best choice after you exercise to help resupply the energy you used and provide the protein to help rebuild muscle.Try fruit with yogurt/cottage cheese, a glass of skim milk, or a smear of peanut butter on a piece of whole wheat bread. , In addition to your pre-workout snack, it's also important to consider your entire diet.
If you're trying to lose weight but are feeling tired all the time and have little energy to exercise, your total calorie intake may be too low.
Many diets, cleanses, and fad diets usually suggest eating very low amounts of calories.
When you do not eat enough food, your body can't get enough nutrition to function at its optimal level, with fatigue being one of many side effects.In addition, if you're regularly working out, you may need more calories to help support that activity.
Try not to cut out calories so that your total level goes below 1,200 daily.
This is typically recommended as the absolute minimum., A balanced diet is important for overall health, but will also supply your body with all the essential nutrients it needs to function.
When your diet is not balanced, you may suffer from fatigue and other side effects.
A balanced diet is one that includes foods from each food group most days.
In addition, it's a diet that includes a wide variety of foods from within each individual food group over the course of a week.Some diets and dieting patterns suggest avoiding large quantities of foods or entire food groups.
Low-carb diets for example may want you to avoid grains, starchy vegetables, dairy foods and fruits.
A common side effect of low-carb diets is fatigue.Ask your doctor about getting your iron checked.
Low iron levels in the body can have a major impact on your energy levels.
If your doctor finds you have low iron levels, you can discuss getting more iron through diet or supplements. , If you're feeling fatigued, obviously getting enough sleep should be high on your list.
Without adequate sleep it may be hard to find the energy and motivation to work out.
Without adequate sleep you may notice you're more tired.
In addition, chronic lack of sleep can put you at increased risk for a whole host of health problems.It's typically recommended adults get around seven to nine hours of sleep each night.Try going to bed earlier and sleeping later if you can. , Too much stress or long periods of chronic stress can wreak havoc on your life.
Being fatigued and tired is just one of many symptoms that are associated with too much stress.Although exercise is thought to help relieve and help manage stress, it can become a vicious cycle when you're too tired to exercise and can't get a hold on your daily stresses.
If you can't fit in your usual workout, try other stress relieving activities like talking to a friend or family member, meditating, taking a hot shower, going to bed earlier or reading a good book.
If you find that stress is the number one cause of your fatigue and you're having difficulty managing it, consider speaking to a therapist for additional techniques.
About the Author
Judith Simmons
A passionate writer with expertise in lifestyle topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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