Too Exhausted to Exercise?
If every "solution" you've tried to lose weight involves getting up earlier or staying up later to work out when you're already exhausted, shedding pounds can seem impossible. Yet you do not have to give up sleep or push to fit more into your day to lose weight. In fact, the first step to success for many of our clients is to rest and do less.
How exactly does that work?
Although exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, many people who start an exercise regimen specifically to lose weight overestimate how many calories they burn during a workout. This can lead to overeating the wrong foods and actually gaining weight.
After giving up sleep and pushing yourself to maintain an activity that isn't bringing you any joy, this is especially discouraging. It can lead to feeling like getting to a healthy weight is hopeless.
Here's the good news: If you're looking to lose weight and get the most out of your time, adding long, grueling workouts just doesn't make sense for most people.
While an intense 30 minute gym session can leave you feeling drained, it may only have burned 200-300 calories. Add in the time it took you to get to the gym, get ready, and then change (and probably shower) after the workout, and even a "quick" workout can be an hour-long commitment. If you've had to get up early or stay up later and you're downing an extra energy drink just to make it through, you're playing a zero sum game.
There is a reason why many don't make it past January with their resolutions to visit the gym every day, and it's got nothing to do with lack of willpower or drive.
Adequate rest is a key component to real, sustainable weight loss. In order to heal your body and release weight, you need to prioritize consistently getting enough good sleep.
When you don't get enough rest, your body is primed to consume more high-fat and high-sugar foods. Lack of sleep also affects the levels of hormones regulate your blood sugar levels and metabolism. All this can leave you feeling simply too exhausted to do anything at the end of the day but scroll mindlessly on your phone or zone out to Netflix while snacking.
For those who already lead busy lives, dietary changes, stress management, and adequate rest are key to better health. Movement should be part of your daily routine - but it should be joyful, comfortable, and something you look forward to doing.
Taking an after-dinner walk with your dog, kicking a soccer ball with your grandson, or enjoying the peace of a solitary morning hike are types of movement that feel amazing in so many ways... and are more valuable uses of time than a slog to the gym at 5am or 8pm in the darkness.
Taking Control of Your Time
If you feel that what's holding you back from taking charge of your health is a lack of time, you first need to get real about how you're spending yours (and why).
Add up all the minutes you spend scrolling through social media or watching videos on your phone... You do have the time to take a walk, meditate, or play a game of catch. What you really need to examine is what's keeping you from having the drive and energy to do the things that bring joy to your life and promote good health. Carefully investing for the future isn't just about increasing your financial worth. How you invest your time and attention now speaks to what type of a future you want for yourself and your family.
Instead of trying to implement major schedule changes that upend your already limited rest time, start to focus on the micro-habits that create good health. Drink water. Get sunlight. Move your body throughout the day. Plan your day and pack your food. Give gratitude. Rest.
Losing weight, balancing your blood sugar levels, and feeling good is not just about eating less and exercising more. Sustainable lifestyle changes start with getting enough quality sleep, addressing stress and other issues that rob you of rest, and consistently moving in ways that make you feel invigorated (rather than exhausted). Changing your diet to include healthy amounts of nutrient-dense foods and understanding the effect certain foods have on your system is also a powerful tool that can lead to immediate results.
Looking for the path to becoming a happier, more energetic person who is able to enjoy life and stop feeling exhausted? I've been where you are now. After many failures and struggles, I've healed myself. My purpose now is to coach others through these challenges and put them on the quickest path to success. I'm ready to help.
AUTHOR
Jessica Tarleton
Nutritional Health & Lifestyle Coach
Has worked with over a thousand clients on weight loss and lifestyle changes since 2009
Graduate of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition
Lost 60 pounds from her highest non-pregnancy weight using the strategies taught in this program
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