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Am I overdoing it

Posted , 3 users are following.

fabafterfifty
fabafterfifty

I am 53 year old woman.  I always exercised a lot when I was younger but over the last ten years or so not so much just the occasional trip to the gym but not a lot.  In December I decided to start exercising 3 times a week so I was brought a treadmill and was going on that run/walk or doing a 20 min kettlebell workout.  Two weeks ago I started on a 30 day plank challenge (I had never done planks before) I also started a 30 day squat challenge and a 30 day pushup challenge on the same day.   I cant do floor pushups so have been doing them against the wall.  I have been doing these in the morning when I get up as well as doing my stomach crunches with an ab roller.  I then walk to work and back 20 minutes each way.  (I do sit down all day in work)  When I get home in the evening I am working out for 6 out of 7 days as well, either 20-25 minutes on the treadmill or 20 minutes kettlebell workout (which I do from Youtube).  I found it really hard last night doing the kettlebell workout, up until then I was feeling great and full of life.  This morning I got up and did my plank, (no squats cos rest day for those) pushups and some bicep curls with my dumbells.  It was a struggle and now I feel completely exhausted like someone has drained all of my energy.  Have I overdone it and done too much too soon?  I eat a very healthy diet, I do have an under active thyroid which does make me feel drained sometimes.  I have decided this morning that maybe I should cut my evening exercise down to 3 or 4 days a week instead of 6, any advice would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance biggrin

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • tim31456
    tim31456 fabafterfifty

    Posted

    It seems that you are burning too much calories. If you are having same types of healthy meal in the same proportion like before, then definately you need to focus on your diet too.
    • fabafterfifty
      fabafterfifty tim31456

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply.  I do eat very healthy, and since exercising do find that I am eating slightly more, because I seem to be hungry more.  I eat more than 5 portions of fruit and veg per day (probably about 8 portions approx) I eat porridge for breakfast topped with fruit, I snack on fruit mid morning and fruit and nuts in the afternoon (normally a few almonds) I then have something like an tuna and pasta for lunch or omelette and salad and chicken with sweet potatoes and lots of veg in the evening, followed by greek yogurt with more fruit.  If I am hungry in the evening (which I wasn't before did so much exercise) I am having a slice of seeded toast with peanut butter or more fruit! lol
  • koko66162
    koko66162 fabafterfifty

    Posted

    Wow you must be in great shape!  My advice is to listen to your body. If you are tired take a rest but maybe do lighter exerices since you are used to working out so much. Like maybe do the walk to and from workd but not the kettlebell. And then once you start getting your energy back add that back in. I am also 53 and exercise a lot and have found that listening to my body is what has always worked! Hope this helps. :o)
  • fabafterfifty
    fabafterfifty

    Posted

    Thank you for your reply.  Surprisingly all the exercise I am doing I am not in as great shape as I would like to be.  I have a bit of a spare tyre which I want to get rid of as going to Cyprus in May as my daughter is getting married over there.  I am only size 10-12 but this roll around the middle has got to go!  I had to listen to my body as you said over the weekend, as Friday I felt like I had hit a wall and was completely exhausted.  At the weekend I carried on with my morning exercises as they are part of 30 day challenges, but did not do any other exercise.  I think exercising 7 mornings and 6 evenings as well as walking to work and back five days a week was probably a bit too much for me, I just felt so great and energised until Friday.  Going to cut down a bit and just exercise four evenings instead of six, and carry on with the morning workouts and walking to work and see how that goes.  You say you are 53 too, what type of exercise do you do? I find that sometimes my energy levels are low due to my underactive thyroid, that is when i struggle but I want to stay active as long as possible as my mum has never exercised and can barely walk now, and I dont want to be like that when I get to my 70's.
    • koko66162
      koko66162 fabafterfifty

      Posted

      Hi! Great that you are doing what you are doing so you won't be like your mom when you get older :o))

      I do a lot of walking, eliptical, swimming during the summer and light weights and I normally exercise 6-7 days/week until I suddenly feel exhuasted (or at least the body does) and then I just slow down and take it really easy until I feel like exercising again. For under active thyroid you should probably follow a good diet too, make sure you cut gluten out completely as that is most likely the worse thing for an underactive thyroid. Hope this helps :o))

       

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