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Before deciding to recover from a lifetime of dieting/overexercise, I was a machine. I could run, strength train, and ellipticize myself into a frenzy on a daily basis and be ready for more the next day, or even twice in one day.
Now, however, I do taekwondo twice a week (as well as some walking) and feel fatigued, stiff, and incredibly out of shape.
Is this normal? I have three months of “normalcy” under my belt and have probably put on about 20-25 lbs in that time.
You’re mostly on your own and will have to experiment.
There are people on here who will tell you that previously you were running on adrenalin. That is probably true for a lot of people. I will let them speak for themselves.
Of course, the truth of the matter could be that you have gone to an opposite extreme and are now out of shape. Maybe it’s time to re-adjust without going back to your old extremes.
The key (I think, because I am struggling with a similar issue as you) is to be aware of your body. Stop eating when your body say it’s full and eating when it is not. Listening to the cues for exercise is a bit trickier, but I think it’s the same. Of course, when you’re out of shape, you’re not going to be able to do the same as before. But you do want to push your body a bit. I don’t think there is a hard and fast rule, and you’re going to have to feel your way through this one.
What do you think? One of my fav quotes: All things in moderation, including moderation.
I really know what you mean Phoenix, before recovery al la YourEatopia last year, I was able to beast miles and miles without a second thought. I also, when not ‘working out’, got dizzy going up stairs too fast, and was fatigued constantly (I never even restricted to the extreme, between 1500-2000/day). It really is possibly to do a lot of damage to your body when overexercising, though at the time it feels like you are invincible. It takes its toll and eventually the body cannot do it any longer. 3 months is a very short time for recovery, and, though of course the weight gain is not pleasant, it is necessary for your body to heal- you should not be as fit at the moment, purely because that is ot where you are physically right now. Gentle pleasant movement is good, but it is all about PATIENCE and really really listening to what your body wants, not what you want it to do or be, and completely disregard the standards of the past- feel out new ones. It is bloody frustrating, but it takes time and is not pretty. A lifetime of damage? how quickly do you think that your body would be able to repair all of that and pick up where it left off. The plus is, once you let it repair, you will never have to fear ‘ballooning’ in the same way again- that extreme physical reaction shows just how much damage has been done, but it can be repaired.
As an aside- after over 6 months of complete complete inactivity, when I started some gentle weight training again, I found that I was able to lift at least 5-10 kg more on every single machine than I had been when exercising 3-4 times a week. You might be surprised what your body can do when left to its own devices :).
Thanks Imago, your reminder that patience is key helps a lot. Three months is not a long time. It just frustrates me that 45 minutes of minor activity a week seems to floor me. I am not a patient person, nor do I have realistic expectations of myself. This process is really testing everything in me.
No problem Phoenix. I really know where you are coming from- it is actually the waiting that is the worst thing about it! But it is an investment worth making- you’ll likely find that if you can hold off as much as possible, you will be more robust eventually than you have been for years. Pushing too hard too soon only leaves on trapped in a constant state of forcing your body to damage itself, you do not get anywhere that way. Also remember too though- it is not ‘you’ unable to do 45 mins of activity, it is a necessary and temporary hiatus on extraneous activity which will allow you to be able to do much more in the future. Such as strong signal should not be ignored, treat it not like weakness, but more like a bodily need like hunger or sleep. When you have had enough rest and healing, you will be able to do that easily and more, and the more you can give in in the short term, the sooner that will be. All the best,
Nat
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