Exhaustion, Age, Exercise,or Sleep

[BJoe]

I’ve been back in the gym lifting about 5 days a week and an hour at a time for nearly 10 weeks now. I have found that I do get tired, not always rested after waking, and in some cases taking a short nap between getting off work, the having dinner before hitting the gym. Not sure if it’s being utterly out of shape, age (45y/o now), that I’m living late in the evening (approx 9:30pm-11pm) and not crashing as soon as I get home as well as my typical 8am-5pm work shift with 1hr lunch (call center, work from home, still), maybe my sets, or some combination of the above. It’s not always unusual for me to not go get to sleep before 12am, working from home, I typically get up 7:30a-7:45a and go into a different room to work, don’t always each breakfast, but sometimes will have milk to drink for the first couple hours plus iced tea for the caffeine in the morning since I don’t do coffee and cut back my pop drinking. I may crash for 30min or so after work and before dinner then hit the gym after dinner. When living, I’ve been lifting so that I start light for 25 reps, add weight and do 20, then 15, 10 when I near max, and 5 reps at max for example, below is my bent barbell curls from tonight (ate after lifting instead);

Bent Barbell Arm Curl
20x25
30x20
40x15
50x10
60x5

Sleep really depends on me coming straight home then going to bed, then maybe seeing if I stay at 8a-5p or get moved to 9a-6p. I also recently had 3 weeks of working Saturdays that were 8a-1p then had one half day and another that was an hour shorter to make up for it, so I couldn’t easily make up for some of the sleep on those 3 Saturdays. Then when it comes to being mid 40’s and very over weight also brings on it’s own issues. I’m not to sure if the way I’m doing my sets and reps is to blame, or if it’s a combination of the above. Anybody got any suggestions?

[mtpockets]

I’ve been back in the gym lifting about 5 days a week and an hour at a time for nearly 10 weeks now. I have found that I do get tired, not always rested after waking, and in some cases taking a short nap between getting off work, the having dinner before hitting the gym. Not sure if it’s being utterly out of shape, age (45y/o now), that I’m living late in the evening (approx 9:30pm-11pm) and not crashing as soon as I get home as well as my typical 8am-5pm work shift with 1hr lunch (call center, work from home, still), maybe my sets, or some combination of the above. It’s not always unusual for me to not go get to sleep before 12am, working from home, I typically get up 7:30a-7:45a and go into a different room to work, don’t always each breakfast, but sometimes will have milk to drink for the first couple hours plus iced tea for the caffeine in the morning since I don’t do coffee and cut back my pop drinking. I may crash for 30min or so after work and before dinner then hit the gym after dinner. When living, I’ve been lifting so that I start light for 25 reps, add weight and do 20, then 15, 10 when I near max, and 5 reps at max for example, below is my bent barbell curls from tonight (ate after lifting instead);

Bent Barbell Arm Curl
20x25
30x20
40x15
50x10
60x5

Sleep really depends on me coming straight home then going to bed, then maybe seeing if I stay at 8a-5p or get moved to 9a-6p. I also recently had 3 weeks of working Saturdays that were 8a-1p then had one half day and another that was an hour shorter to make up for it, so I couldn’t easily make up for some of the sleep on those 3 Saturdays. Then when it comes to being mid 40’s and very over weight also brings on it’s own issues. I’m not to sure if the way I’m doing my sets and reps is to blame, or if it’s a combination of the above. Anybody got any suggestions?

You need to post your full routine as well as macros for people to critique or make suggestions. The arm routine you mentioned means nothing really and of little value, it's biceps, a muscle you can probably ignore for quite a while if you are doing compound lifts.

What are you doing for Cardio?

[Airos]

Agree with the *above* poster about posting macros. I was feeling lower energy as well while still losing some weight. I got a trainer and we went over my diet and I was under eating. Since I increased to 2200 cals, I have had much more energy and my lifts have been better. Keep at it!

[BJoe]

I’ve never actually counted macros, even when I was lifting ‘07-‘13, I just ate as much protein as possible lifted after work or dinner, depending on if I had to work and was working vs closing shifts at the store I worked for at the time. I’ve not done as much for cardio now that late fall/winter and daylight savings time is here, I had been taking a few of the crawler and scale r/c trucks I’ve acquired at that last job put into some parks where I could run them when my schedule for my current job was right. I do need to find something to do for cardio, I just hate treadmills and my legs are too big for the elliptical and bikes at the gym. Even though I just posted my bicep workout from the other day, my lifts generally follow that same pattern, doesn’t matter if it’s legs like tonight, bench and back like tomorrow will likely be, or any other work that I’m doing. I’m just not sure if Inreally need to do the lifts like I am or if I should pare them down to 3-4 sets and start a little heavier then still do multiple heavy sets of 5 reps at the end instead.

[drkelly74]

I'm 48, and no expert, but those are some high rep sets you are starting out with. I typically stick with the 8-12 rep range for all sets.

[TheResistance]

45 and tired.
- Goes to gym 5 days a week doing a million reps.

Just go 3 X week.
Do 3 sets
8-15 reps

NB 5 Reps not great for joints.

[coachcalande]

Nothing wrong with a nap after work!

At 55 I’m darn glad I learned the value of an every other day split years ago!

Train your tail off sandwiched between recovery/real life responsibilities days.

[startingat56]

casual diet
casual program

equals

inconsistent results

"cutting down on pop" ... you need to eliminate this as the sugar rush can be causing your crash in the afternoon (depending on when and how much you drink). Drinking diet pop is the single most ridiculous practice it's pointless

three months without pop and you will not only not crave it, you will find the taste disgusting.


energy begets energy

push!

[BJoe]

Thanks everyone, I’ll change what I’m doing for reps starting tonight, changed things up a bit with taking a quick nap after dinner and eating right after work instead in hopes it’s better digested when I get there. If I do drink pop, it’s the normal stuff as I don’t like diet and only about mid day, otherwise it’s milk, water, and iced tea. I think The Resistance is right, so far as 45 and lots of reps 5x a week. I want to keep up on days as best possible, but will change how I’m going about things otherwise. BTW, I may be having a brain fart, but what is NB 5 Reps?! Going as heavy as I can for 5 reps at the end of each exercise that I’m doing?

[TheResistance]

Thanks everyone, I’ll change what I’m doing for reps starting tonight, changed things up a bit with taking a quick nap after dinner and eating right after work instead in hopes it’s better digested when I get there. If I do drink pop, it’s the normal stuff as I don’t like diet and only about mid day, otherwise it’s milk, water, and iced tea. I think The Resistance is right, so far as 45 and lots of reps 5x a week. I want to keep up on days as best possible, but will change how I’m going about things otherwise. BTW, I may be having a brain fart, but what is NB 5 Reps?! Going as heavy as I can for 5 reps at the end of each exercise that I’m doing?

NB just means 'note'.

My point was 5 Reps will be a bit harder on your joints, which have a limited effective life.

Assuming your warrmed up I would do it first or second set not last. You will be weaker by the third set and it will tax your joints more also.

Cheers

[BJoe]

NB just means 'note'.

My point was 5 Reps will be a bit harder on your joints, which have a limited effective life.

Assuming your warrmed up I would do it first or second set not last. You will be weaker by the third set and it will tax your joints more also.

Cheers

Oh, ok, thanks! I did cut back on sets last night as well as was able to get more exercises in at the same time, and sweat more too, which kinda surprised me.

[MrCarrot]

Drinking diet pop is the single most ridiculous practice it's pointless

Please explain

[BJoe]

Please explain

This is probably what he’s referring to, personally, I just can’t stand the taste of artificial sweeteners used in it. I just cut back on normal soda for caffeine and drink unsweetened iced tea since I don’t care much for coffee either.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/health....oda-habit/amp/

[carbkilla]

Are you drinking enough water? If you get too dried out it will make you tired.


CK

[DustinTheHuss]

The nap after work and working out late impacts your sleep. I’ve experienced the same as I find I need a nap when I get off of work, but many times people want to play tennis or walk at 5:30, and I always go to sleep earlier and sleep better those nights.

But when I lift I go alone so I get tempted to take that nap. But if I resist it then I sleep earlier. We’ll see if I do that tomorrow lol.

[BJoe]

The nap after work and working out late impacts your sleep. I’ve experienced the same as I find I need a nap when I get off of work, but many times people want to play tennis or walk at 5:30, and I always go to sleep earlier and sleep better those nights.

But when I lift I go alone so I get tempted to take that nap. But if I resist it then I sleep earlier. We’ll see if I do that tomorrow lol.

I keep thinking that one possibility for me is that I work for a call center, so trying to get an hour of so of peace and quiet either before or after dinner might be some of it. I used to prefer late evening gym visits years ago since there’s fewer people and that has tended to work better for me. Thursday of last week I changed things up by eating dinner before then nap, then hitting the gym and doing fewer reps and sets, but tried to do similar weights to what I had been doing. Was able to get more exercises in that night, but woke up with a cold or something Friday (which I normally take off) and haven’t gone back until I shake what ever this is. I also have a plastic model project I need to get done by Saturday and have been procrastinating badly on it, so I can do that and try to make sure I’m getting some decent sleep for the entire week and see how things shake out for next week.

[BJoe]

Are you drinking enough water? If you get too dried out it will make you tired.


CK

Honestly, I have been drinking a ton of water, iced tea, and when I can, milk of late and I don’t know why, that had affected my sleep as well as work since I’m having to go into an “unapproved” time from my laptop that can affect my work metrics.

[startingat56]

Please explain

what are you drinking when you drink diet pop/soda?

carbonated water
artificial flavour
sweetner
and potentially caffeine

Why?
For what purpose?
For what benefit?

if you drink water or diet pop/soda, two minutes later it matters not what you drank, unless it's the belch your after

your body only needs the water and nothing else


now pop/soda with actual sugar/ fructose / etc is pretty much the same and in fact, the sugar may be more detrimental to your health than the sweetener

[DustinTheHuss]

I keep thinking that one possibility for me is that I work for a call center, so trying to get an hour of so of peace and quiet either before or after dinner might be some of it. I used to prefer late evening gym visits years ago since there’s fewer people and that has tended to work better for me. Thursday of last week I changed things up by eating dinner before then nap, then hitting the gym and doing fewer reps and sets, but tried to do similar weights to what I had been doing. Was able to get more exercises in that night, but woke up with a cold or something Friday (which I normally take off) and haven’t gone back until I shake what ever this is. I also have a plastic model project I need to get done by Saturday and have been procrastinating badly on it, so I can do that and try to make sure I’m getting some decent sleep for the entire week and see how things shake out for next week.

I used to manage a call center so I feel you as you do need some down time. I had to skip my nap Wednesday and Thursday of this week and I slept better during the night. It's really hard, though. Mon and Tues I napped and then worked out after my nap, but I couldn't get to sleep until 1am and I wake up around 8am since I work from home now.

[keyboardworkout]

[BJoe]

I used to manage a call center so I feel you as you do need some down time. I had to skip my nap Wednesday and Thursday of this week and I slept better during the night. It's really hard, though. Mon and Tues I napped and then worked out after my nap, but I couldn't get to sleep until 1am and I wake up around 8am since I work from home now.

Thanks, what's funny is that I took Black Friday off and ended up getting sick last Friday. Turns out the old I thought it was ended up being a sinus infection and had to take yesterday off since I kept getting worse before I had been able to get the antibiotic. Figured that since the CSR's in my company are all working remotely still, I wasn't going to be risking anybody else by working while sick, just couldn't push through it yesterday. One thing that sucked though, I had to get an ok from our insurance provider to go to an urgent care after my shift Wednesday, then find out when I got there that they aren't seeing patients with symptoms that could be like Covid's and the approval line was closed by the time I got the chance to call for another one, ended up just doing a TeleMed visit, which was free, at least. I also haven't been to the gym for a week now, mainly since I wasn't sure what it was I have and didn't want to spread it, hopefully I'll be feeling good enough to go back in on Monday!

Luckily we we don't work on major holidays unless it's o/t that is offered and if one falls on a weekend, like Christmas this year, we don't work the nearest week day! When I got this job and was able to, I started saving what vacation days I can for the week between Christmas and New Years, that was I can start my time off on Christmas Eve and then not have to go back until after New Years Day.....so needless to say, I'm looking forward to that!

[weiss1967]

I I’m not to sure if the way I’m doing my sets and reps is to blame, or if it’s a combination of the above. Anybody got any suggestions?

I don't see the question preceding these last two sentences. What are your troubles, man? Genuinely trying to help.

[BJoe]

Cliff Notes, I was trying to see if I was pushing myself too hard for a morbidly obese 45 y/o trying to do things like I would have tried 10, if not 20 years ago when I was still obese, but younger and in better shape.

[supramax]

I’ve been back in the gym lifting about 5 days a week and an hour at a time for nearly 10 weeks now. I have found that I do get tired, not always rested after waking, and in some cases taking a short nap between getting off work, the having dinner before hitting the gym. Not sure if it’s being utterly out of shape, age (45y/o now), that I’m living late in the evening (approx 9:30pm-11pm) and not crashing as soon as I get home as well as my typical 8am-5pm work shift with 1hr lunch (call center, work from home, still), maybe my sets, or some combination of the above. It’s not always unusual for me to not go get to sleep before 12am, working from home, I typically get up 7:30a-7:45a and go into a different room to work, don’t always each breakfast, but sometimes will have milk to drink for the first couple hours plus iced tea for the caffeine in the morning since I don’t do coffee and cut back my pop drinking. I may crash for 30min or so after work and before dinner then hit the gym after dinner. When living, I’ve been lifting so that I start light for 25 reps, add weight and do 20, then 15, 10 when I near max, and 5 reps at max for example, below is my bent barbell curls from tonight (ate after lifting instead);

Bent Barbell Arm Curl
20x25
30x20
40x15
50x10
60x5

Sleep really depends on me coming straight home then going to bed, then maybe seeing if I stay at 8a-5p or get moved to 9a-6p. I also recently had 3 weeks of working Saturdays that were 8a-1p then had one half day and another that was an hour shorter to make up for it, so I couldn’t easily make up for some of the sleep on those 3 Saturdays. Then when it comes to being mid 40’s and very over weight also brings on it’s own issues. I’m not to sure if the way I’m doing my sets and reps is to blame, or if it’s a combination of the above. Anybody got any suggestions?

A couple of things: You're working out too late in the day and wasting time and energy doing isolation exercises like ****ing bicep curls. Work the big muscles and as many muscles at the same time as possible. That means squats, deadlifts, rows and OHPs or a press of your choice. Make the workout doable. Get up off your ass every half hour and walk for five minutes. Diet wise, check out OMAD.

[BJoe]

A couple of things: You're working out too late in the day and wasting time and energy doing isolation exercises like ****ing bicep curls. Work the big muscles and as many muscles at the same time as possible. That means squats, deadlifts, rows and OHPs or a press of your choice. Make the workout doable. Get up off your ass every half hour and walk for five minutes. Diet wise, check out OMAD.

The arm workout is just the last day of lifting each week, Mondays are usually legs and I’m doing leg presses (on a machine vs sled), calf raises, then leg curls and extensions, the rest of the week is spent doing benches like flat, incline and decline (in place of dips) and wouldn’t mind doing reverse grip flat bench fin too, as well as lat rows, pull downs (front and otherwise), and shoulder press (which my left shoulder doesn’t like), and pec fly and Delt exercises.
I do need to look up the best way to do squats and dead lifts on a Smith Machine since there aren’t any free weights outside of the dumbbells and bent and straight barbells, I’m not always steady with squats, but deadlifts are something I should get into.
Getting up and walking every 30 minutes and walking 5 minutes at a time is not possible if it’s during the work day as too much time spent away from the computer during my shift counts against my job performance metrics, even if I just have to go to the bathroom between my breaks and lunch and spend 3-5 minutes on that (either working at home or at the office.
Late in the day has always been a thing for me when I was last going to the gym, mainly due to the hours I was working at the time at the retail job I had then. I am reducing the number of sets though, so I can see how that works out over what I had been doing.

[supramax]

The arm workout is just the last day of lifting each week, Mondays are usually legs and I’m doing leg presses (on a machine vs sled), calf raises, then leg curls and extensions, the rest of the week is spent doing benches like flat, incline and decline (in place of dips) and wouldn’t mind doing reverse grip flat bench fin too, as well as lat rows, pull downs (front and otherwise), and shoulder press (which my left shoulder doesn’t like), and pec fly and Delt exercises.
I do need to look up the best way to do squats and dead lifts on a Smith Machine since there aren’t any free weights outside of the dumbbells and bent and straight barbells, I’m not always steady with squats, but deadlifts are something I should get into.
Getting up and walking every 30 minutes and walking 5 minutes at a time is not possible if it’s during the work day as too much time spent away from the computer during my shift counts against my job performance metrics, even if I just have to go to the bathroom between my breaks and lunch and spend 3-5 minutes on that (either working at home or at the office.
Late in the day has always been a thing for me when I was last going to the gym, mainly due to the hours I was working at the time at the retail job I had then. I am reducing the number of sets though, so I can see how that works out over what I had been doing.

You need to do full body workouts rather than body part workouts. Do squats and presses one workout and deadlifts and pulls the next workout. Put your energy into those exercises and don't waste it on stupid **** that you don't need like leg curls and extensions and bicep curls.

You have to exercise earlier in the day, because working out too late in the day will **** up your sleep. Workout at lunch if you have to. Instead of the walks every half hour, stand up and sit back down 10 times.

CHECK OUT OMAD!! I have a feeling that you snack throughout the day. Do you?

[BJoe]

I don’t snack much during the day, especially when call volume is high, usually for my 1st break, I have a beef stick, which is basically my breakfast. Depending on how busy we are and how comfortable the chair is on a given day, I do stand up for a couple seconds between calls, not always 10 times with or outside of breaks, lunch, and trips to bathroom. In some ways, going to the gym helps de stress from the day, as does going and relaxing and maybe just getting a little shut eye in a quiet room right after work.

[BJoe]

Ok, was back in the gym tonight, only did squats on the smith machine (only option there) and I don’t think I have ever done squats with one, even at the last gym I spent a lot of time at about a decade ago. Found a video on YouTube that was pretty much what I was going to try, though instead of 3 sets of 15, 12, 8 reps like with the machine leg press. I had a brain fart and did 15, 10, 5. That said, I was still a bit off due to still being on the mend from that sinus infection, so I was just a hair out of it when I started tonight on top of doing something new.
Below is what I did tonight and even went into the gym and left a bit earlier than normal too.
Exercises 12/13/21
Smith Machine Squats
25x15 (bar only)
50x10
75x5

Machine Leg Press
80x15
180x12
280x8

I did look up OMAD, need to look further into that, though since I’m still taking meds related to the sinus infection, one of which is an oral steroid that needs to be taken early or mid day as well as the antibiotic through this week, I’m not going to try that right away. I’m also wanting to research this more since I’m not as familiar with it and generally only eat 2 meals a day under normal circumstances.

[BJoe]

Went to the gym last night and it appears I'm still down on strength from last weeks illness, think I'm going to skip the gym tonight, try again tomorrow, and see how Saturday is.

[startingat56]

OP, this board moves slow, but this thread does have 1500+ views, so keep posting

Many who arrive here with similar circumstances stop posting .... try to keep it up

set small goals and exceed them

December is probably the toughest month to stick to a plan ... don't let December beat you