Day 10 and Feeling EXHAUSTED

[vadams]

Hi everyone, 

I've had horrible afternoon lulls the past two days (Day 9-10). My gym performance is suffering because I'm so exhausted. Is it normal to feel this tired on Day 10-- when can I feel this "magic" kick in? I've been eating enough, I think. I'll write out my meals below. 

M1: paleo egg muffins, a chicken sausage, 1/2 avocado

Snacked on mango/strawberries

M2: salad with roasted squash, asparagus, mushrooms, and carrots, and lots of chicken, oil & vinegar

Pre-workout: Rx bar

M3: 2 salmon cakes, 1/2 avocado, brussel sprouts, sweet potato 

 

This is basically what I eat everyday. Anybody still feel exhausted on Day 10?

[ShannonM816]

Days 10 and 11 are the hardest for many people and the time when people are most likely to quit. (Here's a somewhat humorous look at what to expect throughout your 30 days.)

That said, there are some thing you could improve with your food. I don't know how many veggies are in your egg muffins, but probably not a plate full as the meal template suggests, so you might want to add some. Are your meals easily keeping you satisfied 4-5 hours? If not, then you may need to eat a little more -- maybe try a whole avocado when it's your fat source, adding fat in addition to the oil in your salad dressing by having olives or sometimes a handful of nuts in your salad. If you are hungry between meals, having just fruit on its own can cause a spike in blood sugar, followed by a crash, which could contribute to you feeling tired and hungry afterwards. It's better to have a mini-meal with some protein, fat, and vegetables, or at least two of the three.

Pre-workout, you want protein and fat, no carbs. So a hard boiled egg, or whatever leftover meat you have, maybe with some mayo or guac. Even more important if you're doing intense workouts is your post-workout, which should be lean protein and optionally some starchy vegetables, eaten very soon after your workout -- like, people who go to a gym often take a few minutes to eat their post-wo in the car before they drive home/to work. This article explains more about the post-workout, what you should have and why it's important.

In addition to these things, be sure you're drinking plenty of water -- aim for 1/2 oz per pound of body weight, so a 120-lb person needs at least 60 oz. Also be sure you're salting your food.