Too exhausted to exercise?
Wanting to exercise but feeling too exhausted to do it is a common issue for women. The combination of having too many responsibilities and coping with low energy and tiredness from poor sleep and menopause symptoms puts exercise on the back burner. The intention is there but the reality is that you just can't figure out how to do it and make it stick.
So, how do you break the cycle?
If you are constantly shattered you have to see if you can isolate the cause of your exhaustion. This has been a regular issue with my clients and the women I’ve coached on my podcast, so I’d like to share with you some of the strategies that have worked for them.
Are you over-committed?
Many women simply take on far too much leaving us out of time and too drained to work out. This was something that Bev realised after appearing on my podcast (listen to this episode here). It’s an easy trap to fall into. We want to make people happy and take care of them. Being good at our jobs is important to us, but we can go too far, making ourselves available to people 24/7.
When we overcommit, people take full advantage but we end up feeling fed up, not just because we’re making all the effort without reward or recognition, but because we’ve got nothing in the tank for ourselves.
Bev worked hard at her job and taking care of her family. She also ran a running group in her spare time. Her phone was pinging at all times of the day and night. She was on HRT, but still had problems with her sleep and was exhausted. She wasn’t getting enough time to work on her own running and was desperate to add strength training to her routine to help with the running, but it just wasn’t happening.
The thing that changed everything for her was learning to say no and setting new boundaries so she could carve out time for herself. This needed a mindset change. From feeling compelled to keep everyone else happy, she committed to making herself her priority, and this changed everything.
She started making time to do things she enjoyed. Tiny changes, like finally getting around to reading a book that had been sitting on her shelf for ages made her feel better. She turned off her phone notifications so she wasn’t interrupted after 8pm. Surprised by how good these small actions made her feel, she started looking for more and a snowball effect followed.
Her sleep improved, and her mood improved. She started performing better on her runs and just this week I saw an Instagram post of her in the gym!
Is your diet lacking in nutrition?
Another issue with being too busy and pressed for time is that we don’t feed ourselves properly. We choose things we can eat on the run and don’t make time for nutritious meals. Sooner or later we realise we’re too hungry and grab whatever we can. The foods that fit into this on-the-run-too-busy-to-stop lifestyle are carbs, carbs and more carbs.
The problem with eating like this is energy levels end up all over the place. We feel out of control with eating and wrestle with feelings of guilt, frustration and anger, dragging our mood down. In that state, you’re rarely in the right state of mind to exercise because you’re berating yourself for being so useless.
Changing your diet can make such a massive difference to energy levels, that you suddenly find the motivation to exercise. Too often we think about dieting as eating less, which tanks energy further. But when you think about your diet from the perspective of how much nutrition you are giving yourself, that feels very different.
The best thing about eating a more nutritious diet is that you notice the benefits within as little two or three days. Women who’ve struggled with cravings, low energy and poor sleep, suddenly feel full, energised and even sleep better. That is so powerful that their motivation to keep eating that way soars and is the complete opposite of previous experiences with dieting for weight loss. In my most recent podcast with Rachel, she explains the many benefits she experienced, simply by eating three nutritious meals a day.
Do you need HRT/Is your prescription right?
Our menopause experiences are completely unique, and for some women, the best first step is to discuss HRT options with their GP. It can take around three months to get the full benefits, although you may need to work with your GP for a longer period to adjust doses and brands before your symptoms ease.
Do you need more sleep?
If you’re not sleeping well and are struggling to function, it’s no surprise you feel too tired to exercise. If this is the case, then improving your sleep should be your biggest priority. HRT can be a huge help if hot flushes and poor sleep stop you from getting a good night’s sleep, but often it’s not that simple.
For some, nothing works whatever they try, but for many, simple changes can make the world of difference, so it’s worth having an open mind and being prepared to experiment and see if you can find something that works for you. Some of my clients have admitted to staying up later than they should, just because it’s the only time of the day they get to themselves.
The following interventions are known to help improve sleep:
Keeping your room cool and using natural bedding that keeps you from overheating (cotton, linen etc..)
Getting up and going to bed at the same time every day (or within 1 hour at weekends).
Turning off phones and screens for a couple of hours before bed.
Getting up early and exposing your eyes to early morning light
Meditation, especially helpful for learning how to keep your mind from wandering around those anxious thoughts
Getting your nutrition right - too many carbs late on in the day can cause blood sugar to drop, waking you up at 2 or 3am
Magnesium supplements and tart cherry juice taken before bed
Exercise. Oh the irony, but try going for short walks to begin with to see if that helps
Do you need to take the pressure off yourself?
It’s better to start small than aim for three, hour-long workouts, then feel like a failure when you can’t manage it. When I start with new clients, I tell them that just doing one workout a week is enough. They are usually so grateful to not have the pressure of doing more, especially when they are feeling tired and stressed.
Every client I work with feels better and sees improvements in their strength week to week, even with a single workout. They feel good about doing one small thing for themself. Then once that starts to feel easy, they add something else.
Great results come from small changes. Everything has a minimum effective dose, even exercise. So don’t think more is more. In fact I often advise people to do the minimum it takes to get some results.
One client did 15 minutes 3 mornings a week before work and found it immediately improved her energy and concentration levels. Being so aware of the benefits made her want to do more. She looked for more opportunities to walk, or climb stairs. Then she started making healthier food choices because she was enjoying how good she felt. She lost half a stone in a month without being on a diet, just because she committed to lots of tiny changes.
My Top 5 Tips to Start Exercising
Prioritise nutrition. The easiest place to start is to make effective changes to your diet because this can have immediate effects that make exercising much easier. For a simple 3-day meal plan and information about eating for menopause click here
Block out time for yourself. Doing this is a mindset change because when something becomes a priority you figure out how to do it. The problem most of us have is that we overlook our own needs. If this is what’s holding you back, this is what you have to work on.
Start small. Take the pressure off yourself and start with something that’s realistic for your time and energy levels. Play the long game and trust the process. Once you know you can make small changes and stick with them, you’ll find the motivation to do more and will be able to gradually build up to a level you’re happy with, and it will be a more enjoyable and satisfying process than overcommiting yourself again.
Find something you love. Stop thinking about what you should and shouldn’t be doing. Again, this only serves to put you under more pressure. When you find exercise or movement that truly brings you joy, you’ll want to find time for it.
Pay attention to how it makes you feel. Exercise releases feel-good hormones and even small sessions make a difference, so pay attention to how it makes you feel. Are you in a better mood? Do you have more energy? Can you concentrate more at work? Do you sleep better? Being aware of the benefits helps you stick to your routine. I don’t always feel like exercising, but I know that reluctance is temporary and as soon as I get in my gym and get my playlist on, I’ll be fine - and I’ll feel even better when I’ve done it!