I don't know if I'm really tired or just making excuses.. (Beginner workout here)

[aocruz19]

Please excuse me for the long post and some of my grammar here as I'm currently typing out this out quickly during my job. I really want to get this problem of mines solved.

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I am a 21 year old, 5'10 male who weighs 165lbs.

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About one month ago I decided to get in touch with an online bodybuilder coach in order for me to reach my dream of becoming a bodybuilder as well.

However, I ended up having to cancel his services because of me not properly checking whether or not I could continue to afford his services for the next following months due to the amount of money I was receiving from my current internship program.

I'm also planning to send him an email to ask him about my issue but I wanted to know your guys input first.

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I was started off with a Resistance training program:

DAY 1:

1. 1-arm DB row: 3 x 8-10
2. Wide-grip cable pulldown: 3 x 10-12
3. DB pullover (with straight arms): 3 x 10-12
4. Cable or machine row: 3 x 8-10
5. Bent over DB lateral raise: 3 x 10-12
6. BB deadlifts OR hyperextensions: 3 x 6-8 (if deadlifts), or 10 - 15 (if hyperextensions)
7. BB curl: 3 x 10 - 12
8. DB hammer curl: 3 x 8-10/ea

DAY 2:

1. BB squats OR front squats: 3 x 10-12
2. Leg press (plate loaded): 3 x 10 - 12
3. Leg extensions: 3 x 10-12
4. Walking DB lunges OR Bulgarian slit squats: 3 x 10-12/leg
5. DB Romanian deadlifts: 3 x 8-10
6. Lying or seated leg curl: 3 x 10-12
7. Stading calf raise: 3 x 10-12

DAY 3:

1. Flat DB bench press: 3 x 8-10
2. Incline DB bench press
3. Flat DB flyes OR dips (with wide grip): 3 x 10-12
4. Overhead DB shoulder press: 3 x 8-10
5. Standing DB lateral raise: 3 x 10-12
6. Skullcrushers: 3 x 10-12
7. 2-arm overhead DB triceps extension: 3 x 10-12

(As I'm writing this post I just realized I was doing Flat and Incline DB bench presses with BBs... fffffffffuuu)

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Cardio:

On training days, I basically had to run only 15 mins. However, in every minute I would increase the intensity of the run and then reduce it back down whenever I reach 5 minutes. For example:

First minute: regular walking
Second minute: walking a bit faster while increasing incline
Third minute: jogging with a higher incline
Forth minute: running with a higher incline
Fifth minute: running as fast as possible with a higher incline

And repeat this cycle until I reach 15 minutes total.

And lastly, on non-training days, I would do a steady state cardio for 45 minutes with my heart reaching between 130-140 bpm.

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For eating, the goal was to begin building muscle while reducing body fat levels at the same time due to my levels were already being a bit high. So on training days it's higher carbs and non-training is lower or moderate carbs.

But the eating became a bit of an issue as I was gaining 2 lbs everyweek and as we tried to adjust the food intake I would either lose 2lbs per week or gain 2lbs per week.

After cancelling his services, I decided to continue on with this program as usual but reduce down the amount of food I was eating in order to try and lose 1lb per week. I'm also eating the same exact food everyday and not following the higher carb/lower carb days rule.

I've included some multivitamin into my diet as well and I don't take creatine or fish oil.

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Additionally, I noticed that my form for some of the workouts were out of place because I was trying to increase the weight by cheating. So I've decided decrease the weight down by either 10-20lbs in order for me to use slow controlled movement with proper form.

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However, by making these changes I've been feeling a lot of sleepyness lately during work and at the gym. I tried to do a squat yesterday but with every squat I did my head felt as if I was pulling an all nighter or something. I ended up leaving the gym earlier without completing my other workouts, which made me feel guilty but at the same time a bit grateful.

This sort of issue has been happening last week as well (I only skipped cardio for the rest of the week) but I figured it was something that was going to go away. But for 2 weeks it hasn't.

Some workouts I was doing proper form with ended up either staying within the same weight or reduced a bit more in order for me to feel some intensity in my workout.

And on only one week I wasn't able to go to the gym as I was heading for a week long trip. So when I came back I felt refreshed and was able to continue with my workouts as normal and I even lost only 1lb because I didn't have access to my meals throughout the entire trip.

So all and all, I'm utterly confused on what's going on. Some weeks I'm tired, I eat a lot and feel tired, one week I didn't exercise nor eat a lot and was able to lose only one 1lb and progress...

Is there anything in my post that I'm doing wrong? I have a feeling me skipping the gym probably was but I feel like there's a lot more too it without me realizing it.

I also feel as if all of this is in my head and I'm just making constant excuses for myself.

(Don't know if this information is important but I used to do SL 5x5 until the whole covid pandemic happened...)

[paulinkansas]

Thank you for the lengthy novel. Take a week or 2 off from the gym then follow one of the programs in the stickies up there ^^^ like the Fierce 5. It's free and it has progression.

[aocruz19]

Thank you for the lengthy novel. Take a week or 2 off from the gym then follow one of the programs in the stickies up there ^^^ like the Fierce 5. It's free and it has progression.

"Thank you for the lengthy novel." lmao I know it's really long. I just decided to throw everything down in one go.

But I definitely appreciate the response!

[safcpaul]

Thank you for the lengthy novel. Take a week or 2 off from the gym then follow one of the programs in the stickies up there ^^^ like the Fierce 5. It's free and it has progression.

This right here and if that doesn't work then instead of investing in a personal trainer, start investing in different size dogs.

[paulinkansas]

start investing in different size dogs.

Start with a German Shephard or Labrador retriever sized dog. I weighed about 140 when I started doing dog lifts with an 80 pound German Shephard. There are some variants to this that don't require a dog, and I'll post a picture later today.

[air2fakie]

However, by making these changes I've been feeling a lot of sleepyness lately during work and at the gym.

Sleep more.

[paulinkansas]

However, by making these changes I've been feeling a lot of sleepyness lately during work and at the gym.

Stay awake less.