Fatigue during Work Outs Continuing

[kaehard]

Hello - 

  I am on Day 16. I feel much less tired overall, however, I am a swimmer and during swim practice I have fatigued much earlier, and workouts feel much harder, and my performance has decreased the last 16 days.

  Pre workout I have 1-2 hardboiled eggs, and a slice of avocado; post workout I have starchy carb and protein.

  I work out in the early am.

  Is this likely to pass?

  Should I add a starchy carb to my pre-workout  snack?

 

Thank you!

[ChickenNoodle]

Are you adding starchy carbs/fruit/dried fruit to your other meals?

You may be just needing more.

I swim 3x week and run 3+x week....I typically have additional carbs at all three meals, sweet potato at,breakfast, dried apricots with lunch, sometimes 1/2 apple and almond butter for snack and often winter squash or sweet pot with dinner.

Edited to add, you don't need to add carbs to you're pre work out snack, you want your body to burn fat not carbs so don't confuse it. You need carbs to replenish glycogen stores...not enough available glycogen = fatigue/ crappy work out,

[kaehard]

I have starchy carbs at breakfast.  Sometimes at a second meal. Maybe a piece of fruit at another meal as well. 

[ChickenNoodle]

Maybe you could try to focus on adding in a few extra carbs and see if that helps. For me it helps tremendously.

Just track it for the next week and see how you feel.

[vkanders]

Couple of questions:

 

-What are your swim workouts like (distance/pace/intensity)?

-What is your meal timing like throughout the day?

-When are your workouts?

[kaehard]

I swim at 5:30 am four days a week, usu 3000-3500 yds, often high intensity intervals. Two mornings I do Timed Exercise (30 min -- similar to a Cross Fit lite--but high intensity).

I eat a hard boiled egg and slices avocado pre workout, breakfast abt 7-7:30-- protein and starchy carb, lunch 11:30-1 range, snack if hungry and dinner usu around 6 ish. I feel like I eat well, I am satisfied, and not really hungry between meals anymore. Sometimes a few cashews with raisins before bed.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

[ChickenNoodle]

Can you describe your typical lunch and dinner?

[amberino21]

I've had good success including carbs at night - this is after I train, but I don't eat a lot of starchy carbs until postWO and dinner.

[vkanders]

For the morning session, if you are doing things at high intensity, you might need to have some carbs in the morning, or right before you start. I've tried what Amber has suggested - carb intake at night to preload your muscles - but it's just not enough for sessions that are both long and intense (swim lactate threshold work, extended tempo runs, etc). I will either eat some starchy carbs 30 minutes before an intense/long morning workout, or I will take in some raisins or dried fruit right before to get a little energy boost.

 

Maybe try both approaches - try extra carbs at night, then try a boost of something quick-acting, like dried fruit, right before the workout.