Getting tired a lot

[VAB_Ride]

Hi,
So I've been cycling for a couple of years but have picked up the intensity since Jan this year when I was diagnosed as being pre-diabetic.

I now cycle 15-25 miles pretty much almost every weekday with a longer ride or 2 at the weekend (25-30 miles).

I've been (intentionally) losing weight, calorie controlling myself to 1700 calories a day (to lose 2lbs a week) but regularly going over that amount due to the calories I am burning whilst cycling (My iPhone activity linked to Garmin and Strava says I'm burning 1200+ calories just in exercise every day).

Since Jan I've lost 4.5stones / 28kg or 60lbs depending on which unit you work in and at my last testing, I am no longer pre-diabetic so a big win to me .

However, I'm always tired or sluggish and feel that my rides are mainly turning into slogs. It takes me a good 6-8 miles before I'm in the 'swing of things' but am generally tiring somewhat, running out of steam by 15-20 miles.

Obviously, I'm doing something wrong as I don't seem to be able to eek out the miles and start to stretch my rides to longer durations. I've recently been tested for full blood count, liver/kidney function, hormones, glucose levels, etc and all were normal.

I've thought that it may simply be that the diet isn't conducive to my cycling desires, or perhaps I need to eat more protein/ balanced meals, perhaps at 45 and still weighing 15stones (yes, I was H E A V Y) I'm just taking longer to progress, maybe I am doing too much? but I want, I now need to exercise each day to feel good but should I have every other day as a 'rest day', maybe go for a brisk walk instead to give my cycling muscle groups a rest? But the ride is a sort of commute... I work from home and so cycle with my wife to her place of work with her 6.2miles, cycle home (sometimes the same way I came, others a longer route) then cycle back to meet her in the evening (generally only 1/2 the morning distance). Hence the variation of 15-25 a day!

Just wondering why I feel tired and don't seem to be at least levelling out... any advice or insights from you experienced lot would be appreciated.

 

[fossyant]

Are you eating enough now ? Might be the issue.

 

[VAB_Ride]

Are you eating enough now ? Might be the issue.

Tbh I have no idea... I guess that I should try to find out the calories that are necessary to maintain what I am burning plus general living

 

[stoatsngroats]

Do you get much rest? That sounds like quite a lot of regular effort to me.

 

[fossyant]

You need to eat something before getting on the bike. Don't go of calories - better off using carbs if counting - we do it as my son is Type 1.

Other thing, ask for a copy of your blood results. You should be somewhere in the middle of the range, if not, then you might need to do something about it. Docs won't do anything if you are at the bottom of the range.

Ps also add in stress etc currently - so don't beat yourself up.

Ps you are doing well.

 

[VAB_Ride]

Do you get much rest? That sounds like quite a lot of regular effort to me.

I generally get 7 hours a night

 

[VAB_Ride]

You need to eat something before getting on the bike. Don't go of calories - better off using carbs if counting - we do it as my son is Type 1.

Other thing, ask for a copy of your blood results. You should be somewhere in the middle of the range, if not, then you might need to do something about it. Docs won't do anything if you are at the bottom of the range.

Ps also add in stress etc currently - so don't beat yourself up.

Ps you are doing well.

Yes. Sometimes I don't eat and try to run myself off of glycogen stores (mainly morning rides), other times I do eat / have eaten (afternoon rides).

I use 'MyFitnessPal' to monitor what I am eating and I saw that I tend to eat more carbs than protein...

I've got a copy of my results and so will check where I am sitting in the ranges, thanks.

I like to think I'm not too stressed, feeling better since I lost the weight... thanks also for the nice comment, I was really pleased when I dropped into the 14st weight last week... then went to Whitby (North England) and ate scones, cream & jam for a week (well not a whole) week!

 

[si_c]

You're doing a fair amount of exercise whilst on a calorie restricted diet. It's hardly surprising you feel a bit tired and sluggish.

Build in an extra rest day and increase the amount of food you're eating - add some more protein so you're not entirely cannibalising muscle mass.

I'm on a weight loss kick at the moment - currently 15.5 stone or thereabouts and want to get down to about 14 if I can. Last couple of days I've done a ride, come home and had a nap which is very unusual for me and I've gone from 4-5 hours sleep a night to 8-9. It can really take it out of you if you're not careful.

 

[MntnMan62]

I agree with others. Since you've been tested for organ function and all is working properly, your issues are probably related to your diet. Your diet is geared towards losing weight. But doing the kind of exercise you are doing means you need to feed your body a sufficient amount of protein to ensure you have the energy needed to do the exercise you are doing. By the way, congrats on losing 60 lbs. That's a serious amount of weight to lose. You should be proud. And you are seeing the benefits by you no longer being pre-diabetic. I too was able to go from a pre-diabetic blood test in January to no longer being pre-diabetic this past July. Now, just get your body the protein it needs. You may need to up the calories as well. Don't forget that you burn calories during the day when you aren't exercising. You'll find a balance between providing yourself the energy needed to ride longer and continuing to lose weight.

 

[CXRAndy]

Sounds like a bit too much exercise, not enough rest days. ensure your diet is well balanced, not too great in volume. Eat porridge before riding, ot has great slow release energy

 

[HarryTheDog]

@VAB_Ride youre not alone in your predicament. I have done a lot of cycling over the years and a lot of diets, 4 months ago decided I need to lose the 1.5 stone (20lbs actually)v I had built up. I Also went on a proper mainly turbo based pre CX season training plan . I tried to do the hard thing of lose weight and gain power. I lost the weight and gained some power . However in the last 6 weeks I felt tired a lot and had to take 10 days off as was always shattered. I also used fitness pal and calories expended were measured on the bike via a power meter so fairly accurate.
I had rest days at least 2 a week . I have now finished dieting and my training as of yesterday ( hit my goal of 10st 7 and increased my watts/kg by exactly 0.5 watts per kg) .
7 days a week is not clever though you think its further helping your diet and maybe you should put some rest days in and lower your weight loss speed goal to say 1lb a week not 2.
Many years ago I dieted for a year to shift 5.5 stone but put my goal at 0.5 to 1 lbs per week and that worked without not feeling shattered all the time ( just some of the time LOL) .
Sometimes its best to listen to your body and slow up a bit for a while.

 

[screenman]

How hard are you riding? Your body would soon adjust to a gently 20 miles a day without a rest day, a hard 20 would be different. Also I feel 400 calories an hour an is maybe a better estimate.

 

[VAB_Ride]

I agree with others. Since you've been tested for organ function and all is working properly, your issues are probably related to your diet. Your diet is geared towards losing weight. But doing the kind of exercise you are doing means you need to feed your body a sufficient amount of protein to ensure you have the energy needed to do the exercise you are doing. By the way, congrats on losing 60 lbs. That's a serious amount of weight to lose. You should be proud. And you are seeing the benefits by you no longer being pre-diabetic. I too was able to go from a pre-diabetic blood test in January to no longer being pre-diabetic this past July. Now, just get your body the protein it needs. You may need to up the calories as well. Don't forget that you burn calories during the day when you aren't exercising. You'll find a balance between providing yourself the energy needed to ride longer and continuing to lose weight.

Thank you. I'll definitely look into upping my Protein. I assume it's a balance of protein and carb to get the fuel I need.

 

[VAB_Ride]

@VAB_Ride youre not alone in your predicament. I have done a lot of cycling over the years and a lot of diets, 4 months ago decided I need to lose the 1.5 stone (20lbs actually)v I had built up. I Also went on a proper mainly turbo based pre CX season training plan . I tried to do the hard thing of lose weight and gain power. I lost the weight and gained some power . However in the last 6 weeks I felt tired a lot and had to take 10 days off as was always shattered. I also used fitness pal and calories expended were measured on the bike via a power meter so fairly accurate.
I had rest days at least 2 a week . I have now finished dieting and my training as of yesterday ( hit my goal of 10st 7 and increased my watts/kg by exactly 0.5 watts per kg) .
7 days a week is not clever though you think its further helping your diet and maybe you should put some rest days in and lower your weight loss speed goal to say 1lb a week not 2.
Many years ago I dieted for a year to shift 5.5 stone but put my goal at 0.5 to 1 lbs per week and that worked without not feeling shattered all the time ( just some of the time LOL) .
Sometimes its best to listen to your body and slow up a bit for a while.

Thanks. I thought that with it being an 'easy' commute ride each day it wouldn't amount to much but you're right; I need to get a rest day in during the week and perhaps ease off at the weekends too.

 

[VAB_Ride]

How hard are you riding? Your body would soon adjust to a gently 20 miles a day without a rest day, a hard 20 would be different. Also I feel 400 calories an hour an is maybe a better estimate.

That's exactly my point. I'm doing a 15 to 20-mile daily ride with approx. 1000-1500ft elevation at an average 12.5mph, burning an average of 75W (which I admittedly know isn't a lot). The power value is def going to be a little out (prob not THAT much though) as it's based on calculations by Strava rather than a power meter (my crank doesn't have a compatible power arm available on the market and the pedals seem either out of stock or extortionate... and I'm using SPD cleats).

Now my partner is back to work an average weekday consists of an hour, hour and a half of cycling (roughly 400-600cals) and 2 brisk 1 to 1.5 mile walks with the dogs with a bit of activity logged on my watch thrown in too. Until last week we were doing 1.5-2 hours of cycling and 2 hours of walking a day (during the Summer holidays).