Tired, weak, unmotivated, and lack of energy??? Don't know why?
Sorry for the long post, but I feel this isn't a simple answer which is why i'm reaching out to the bodybuilding.com forum community for help :) If you skip some of what i've written, you might have a suggestion that I've already considered...so keep that in mind. And thanks for reading.
History:
So I went through a bulk with lots of time off last year (due to injuries) and went from 13ish% bf to 18%.(Off and on lifting) I recently (beginning of february-end of march) went through a cut. I cut calories, did more cardio, and kept strong in the gym. After about 10 weeks of cutting, I got down to 12% bf at 194 (i'm 6' 1''), from about 207 at 18%. Anyways, I felt great after the cut, I had more energy, I was running about 15 miles a week, and lifting 5 times a week. I wanted to start another bulk so I started for a week and tried to get my appetite/metabolism back by eating more. One week later, I realized I went through something extreme, and perhaps I should give my body and joints (i have lots of tendonitis) a break for a week, still eat mostly healthy, and just jog 2 or 3 times. So I did.
First week back (we're now at the middle of April) I started to eat more and lift more. I went back to the same routine from when I was bulking in the winter.
This consisted of;
Monday Chest, back and abs and a short jog if i had energy afterwards
Tuesday Legs and some abs (no squats or deadlifts as my knees have been hurting lately)
Wednesday rest
Thursday Arms, and cardio (usually 10-15 of intervals or jogging)
Friday shoulders, abs, jog
Saturday and sunday rest
I would do 4-5 exercises of 5 sets, mostly high reps. 10-15reps
I never had a problem with this before, and honestly, in the past years, i've had much, much more difficult workouts than this. I was eating 4500 cal/day, my bmr is 3500, but this time around I couldn't eat that much so i'm eating about 3500cal/day.
Now here is where I start to illiminate certain go to assumptions as to why i'm not only tired, but weak.
1. Caffeine(preworkouts) have been a significant help since i started taking them 5 years ago. I switch between 4 dif pre workout drinks every week. In the past year ive had a harder time getting a good "high" from them, but was always able to maintain a good pump. I also run for 5 min before every workout to get the blood flowing.
2. I have depression, and i've been dealing with it for 10 years...The only difference is recently I went off my meds (yes correctly) in january and have felt better since then (until the past few weeks). If this was a factor, then it should have affected me by early january when I stopped taking the last pill. It's out of your system within a week of not taking it.
3. I'm healthy, athletic, and never had issues with being active. I've never had more than a few months of sedentary lifestyle and have been eating healthier each year since I was about 14 when I cut out most sugars and fast food.
4. I don't overwork, i work as a valet for 20 or less hours a week. In between semesters, so no school. I am spiritually healthy, emotionally (that could be argued either way because of the depression), and physically healthy.
5. I will admit that when i lifted form 18-21 yrs old I had a bounty of energy and moreso STRENGTH. I've taken this small step down in strength, energy, recovery, and hairloss (haha) with a grain of salt and have tried to make appropriate adjustments with that.
6. My diet is healthy. Eggs/egg whites, eng muffin, steel cut oats, and a scoop of whey for breakfast.
2 hours later i'm at the gym.
Then a scoop and a half of whey with whole milk
Then a spinach salad with oil/vinegar, and 10oz chicken
Then half a peanut butter sandwich (natural pb, and healthy whole wheat bread)
Then 10oz of chicken
Then a scoop and a half of casein before bed with water.
I drink a gallon and a half of water every day.
I sleep 9ish hours every day
I take multivitamins and fish oils every day
MY CONCLUSIONS
The one particular feeling i've noticed recently in todays work out of chest and back which I wasn't able to finish was i had an impossible time getting a pump which is my go to answer that i'm overtraining. Thing is, i've only trained last week before i had a break and I did partial workouts to ease my way back into it.
I'm 23 now and I'm feeling the effects of loss of general loss of strength. I can't rep out 225 on the bench anymore or rep out 350 on the squat. I go light and focus on a pump and i'm happy.
Not sure what's going on but anyone who's read all this I appreciate it! and if you have any thoughts let me know.
My only conclusion is a partial combination of overtraining (though I don't see what's wrong with the routine) and I wonder if i'm overworking my liver with supplements? Caffeine has very little effects anymore.
By the way, I've never been a daily coffee drinker...