Plate called me out on being tired all the time. She has a point. What to do about it

[englishman]

I'm 53, not in bad shape. But I'm not a young man anymore.

So I work construction, and when I get a job that requires a lot of heavy lifting I just get so that I need the weekend just to get over the week.

Thing is I've become a bit to set in my ways. I've become a bit to willing to do the work, buy a 6 pack of beers and then sit in my chair and watch sexy K pop chicks on you tube.

I recently got called out on this by a younger women that I was seeing and she kind of did a bit of a read of my style and I think did a pretty good job of nailing it.

She said; getting older, likes to sleep a lot, doesn't seem to want to go out much or do much other than work, sleep and ride my bicycle. ( I didn't tell her about the 6 beers and K pop videos)

So last night I found myself at home with ...yep, 6 beers that I'd picked up after riding my bike and then watching K pop videos, and it didn't feel good.

I think the chick is right, in fact theres no denying it as I complain to my buddies nearly every week about being out of energy to do fun stuff.

Think I need to kick myself up the azz to make a few changes.

I have to work a bit less, not work as hard and be so willing to sacrifice my energy and time quite so much.

And I've got to follow the money trail to live frugally, charge right ( self employed) and pick the right jobs/hire a helper.

I'm tired of being out of gas on the weekend... no energy left to chase skirts around or much of anything else.

Also I have to be active in actually doing things in my time off work, not just thinking I'll get around to it sometime.

Life's not forever!

 

[bmp2cpm]

Diet and food also play a huge role in your energy level. How do you do with fruits, veggies, and protein?

 

[mrgoodstuff]

You have to get on the ball about your life. Have some goals you are striving towards.

The going to work coming home to a six pack will get you used to setting on your fanny and the beers depress you.

Replace the habit with working out and sleep when you sleep.

Do some interesting hobbies that keep you active.

Basically fit your fitness routine, diet, drink a lot less and do more activities that have you active.

 

[taiyuu_otoko]

Diet and food also play a huge role in your energy level. How do you do with fruits, veggies, and protein?

^^^

Lay off the carbs. Be sure you get plenty of sober sleep. Thank the chica for calling you out. Cause eventually it will help you get even younger chicas.

 

[glass half full]

^^^ this, and get your helpers to do more of the work. You can tell them you need to clamp down more on the paperwork/business part of things. You have that right as the boss. Maybe sneak a hottie book to look at while doing your office chores, just to keep the "Yang" energy up too. And vitamins/supplements. Extra vitamin B variants for more energy.

Then go home, lock the door and bang the hell out of her ass lol. The herb Damiana used to crank my libido, along with Ginseng. I was 30 then, ex was 22. She told me I could quit taking that damn stuff, I didn't need it!

 

[zekko]

I'm 53, not in bad shape. But I'm not a young man anymore.

So I work construction, and when I get a job that requires a lot of heavy lifting I just get so that I need the weekend just to get over the week.

I'm in my 50s too, so I understand what you're talking about. I don't have a physically demanding job, and I don't drink, but I work odd hours and it can definitely drain you. Honestly, one of the most frustrating things about growing older is finding out you don't have the energy that you used to have. So I can relate.

There are all kinds of advice people will give you about this, and you can weed through that, some of it may even be good. Unless someone else is in their 50s though also, they may not really understand. It's like someone in their 20s telling you about your body. They may be right, but they have no real frame of reference.

 

[englishman]

So I work construction, and when I get a job that requires a lot of heavy lifting I just get so that I need the weekend just to get over the week./QUOTE]
I'm in my 50s too, so I understand what you're talking about. I don't have a physically demanding job, and I don't drink, but I work odd hours and it can definitely drain you. Honestly, one of the most frustrating things about growing older is finding out you don't have the energy that you used to have. So I can relate.

There are all kinds of advice people will give you about this, and you can weed through that, some of it may even be good. Unless someone else is in their 50s though also, they may not really understand. It's like someone in their 20s telling you about your body. They may be right, but they have no real frame of reference.

Thanks, I was thinking the same thing. I appreciate the replies, however slinging 3/4 inch sheets of plywood around .... facckkk at any age!

I have a plan though. My small renovation/handyman business is good. I just have to tweak things to make it that bit easier, watch my cash, pace myself and get enough rest and be sure to eat well.

The plate that called me out on this?

Yes she has a point about me working and being tired from working.

But! as I pointed out to her, she is choosing to live with a room mate that she can't stand, work a job that is comfortable and pays not so much in order to be able to do what ever on nights and weekends.

Myself I don't want to do that! I work hard but I honestly added over 150,000 to my net worth in the last 12 months. And yes, I am tired from it, but can't have it all ways.

 

[Scaramouche]

Dear Englishman,
Yeah I was A lecturer in Building and Engineering and had a Building Business at your age...
Building is not so much a Profession as a disease Mate...53 is too young to burn out...You and your Back are like a bottle of Whisky...finite...you need to measure it out...The smart ones get into management!!!...look carefully at the money you make,if you carefully analyse it you may find that like most human endeavour 80% of your worth is created in 20% of your time...I was a spec Builder,even though a professional Quantity Surveyor amongst other things,it took me ages to appreciate it was not building I was making money out of but Land appreciation!!

 

[zekko]

Yes she has a point about me working and being tired from working.

I remember one girl deduced (correctly) that I had other plates because I kept falling asleep when I went over to see her. Oh well.

Anyway, you have to follow your mission first and foremost. But you should also make some time for some recreation. There's nothing wrong with burning yourself out to get ahead, but you can't do it indefinitely. There has to be some light at the end of the tunnel. If I read you correctly, you have some in mind.

 

[Dryden]

Stop calling them plates.

Then ask her what she wants. If you can take the beers and possibly the k-pop out of the equation, what's left? You gotta have some free time.

If the work drains you, seriously think about doing something else. But not something that will just deplete you even more. So how would that even be possible?

In reality it can only be possible if you lower your cost of living.

It's just the way it is I think. You're at an age where you already have to start scaling back.

If you scale back appropriately (and proportionately) the balance (or distribution) of your time (in ideal measure) should not change.

She just can't be with a 26 year old god like that. If she wants that, well, you're not it.

Appreciate your older age. It has perks, for her too. Relaxation, not making a fuss. Being stronger mentally. It might not be as rough. That doesn't make it unrewarding. You need to cut back in some way how much you work so you get time for other things. Start being more lazy at the job you do and tell your boss. I know construction is a pacey pacey job. There is no time for anything and it has to be done yesterday. But you need to build in a slower pace in everything you do. See if it can grow gradually.

 

[mrgoodstuff]

I'm in my 50s too, so I understand what you're talking about. I don't have a physically demanding job, and I don't drink, but I work odd hours and it can definitely drain you. Honestly, one of the most frustrating things about growing older is finding out you don't have the energy that you used to have. So I can relate.

There are all kinds of advice people will give you about this, and you can weed through that, some of it may even be good. Unless someone else is in their 50s though also, they may not really understand. It's like someone in their 20s telling you about your body. They may be right, but they have no real frame of reference.

In my 40's and I notice if I don't workout, that I slow down a lot and I feel joint pains. A moderate to medium workout thrown in my daily regiment and I feel better blood flow and circulation, no sore joints, and my energy is higher.

I see I can totally relax to the point where I am lazy in everything and it's hard to focus, or I can wind it so tight that anything and everything makes me angry and I'm ultra critical.

I have to keep it moving and take care of this body that I have.

I work two jobs, 90-100 hrs a week is accounted for working. I notice when I add the "sauce" ( alcohol ) to the mix, that I get tired much quicker and I don't recover as well. Pure water is great.

When you are tired, you notice all the extra things that make you more tired or wake you up.

I'm not 50 so I don't know how that feels, but I think no matter what, you have to take care of your body, your health, your nutrition and your mind. You have to do some things for you, and you have to achieve goals.

 

[cordoncordon]

So who is your favorite K Pop group haha? Red Velvet? 2NE1? Wonder Girls? I'm a huge SNSD fan. By far the best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXnyN5ETFIk

 

[ubercat]

I'm 50 next year and the thing I notice impacts my energy the most is sleep quality.

Unfortunately its scientifically proven that alcohol deteriorate sleep quality. There s a very famous strength coach who has a blog called Strength Sensei. He believes that everyone needs a fish oil zinc and magnesium supplements so that might be worth checking out. And simple things like wearing a sleep mask and having chamomile tea before bed and there's an app called Twilight you can get for your phone/ipad Android and IOS. It adjusts the colour balance of your screen which is important if you're using it just before bed.

Physical job and alcohol will increase muscle tension. I'd suggest getting a 15 minute yoga routine that you can do in front of TV If the girlfriends giving you grief over it say its to improve your sack performance that will shut her up. Lastly I'd say every two weeks on the weekend when you're not seeing your girlfriend get a Thai massage and have an afternoon nap.

This one sounds for a little bit Twilight Zone but it's been studied by Harvard. Basically putting some salt water up your schnozin the morning and night toYou can buy bottles of saline with a nozzle at the chemist for about a quid.

Do all that and I say you will soon be a champion unboxer.

 

[zekko]

Ubercat, speaking of putting salt water up your nose, have you ever heard of a neti pot? Basically you pour saline into one nostril and it flows out the other, rinsing out your sinuses in the process.

They're big with certain yogis. You know how important breathing is in yoga, this keeps the nasal passages clear supposedly. So if you're into that sort of thing, maybe you can check it out.

 

[ubercat]

Interesting guess there s not much new under the sun. I do it for hay fever. Harvard found it was an effective non drug method. But its a medical fact that people's sinuses constrict over night. And its easy squirt squirt blow and yr done. Sounds like a low budget porno.

 

[mrgoodstuff]

Ubercat, speaking of putting salt water up your nose, have you ever heard of a neti pot? Basically you pour saline into one nostril and it flows out the other, rinsing out your sinuses in the process.

They're big with certain yogis. You know how important breathing is in yoga, this keeps the nasal passages clear supposedly. So if you're into that sort of thing, maybe you can check it out.

Breathing is important in atheletic performance. I wonder if this little trick will provide a slight edge.

 

[Scaramouche]

Dear English,
UberCat,has a very good point on sleep...My energy levels have improved maybe 30% after installing Blinds on all my Windows and an Air Conditioner for Summer...This and using Eye Shades...Alcohol plays the very Devil with your Vitamin B levels....I take four Capsules a Day plus Zinc and for my Prostate Lycopene...Six Beers a Night is quite a lot...Maybe you have to get up in the night?

 

[Scaramouche]

Dear UberCat,
Well we are an Aquatic Ape that's for sure...I take Salt up my Nose whenever I fly or anyone coughs around me,very effective in fighting Germs...Please elaborate on why you are suggesting something like this for Englishes energy problems ...If they are indeed problems,he is probably far better than normal folk just pushing a frenetic pace.

 

[ubercat]

Yeah sometimes I wander off the reservation but in this case:

Logic is nasal irrigation = unrestricted sinuses =no apoxia = improved sleep quality = more energy