I need help with my energy levels

[Vice]

I often have trouble getting up in the morning, whether it is 6am or 11am. And my daily energy levels are all over the place. I do exercise, but often after exercising I feel tired and sleepy.

Sometimes I take 2-3 hour naps after work (4pm), usually on mondays to recover from getting up later in the day.

I find that I cannot find a time in the day where I have consistent energy. Sometimes I have good amounts of energy in the morning, or usually late at night.

I've been making an effort to eat better, I have decided to start cutting energy drinks and junk food. I have difficulty finding good alternatives to them though.

I usually start my morning with a protein smoothie with 1 scoop of GNC protien power, milk, yogurt, a banana, and frozen organic blueberries. This does not happen as consistently as I'd like it to; I'm trying to make it a habit.

For lunch I have a bunch of raw broccli, and a tuna wrap. And occasionally two conrbread rolls.

I usually eat at about 5pm, that might be too early though, because it will be 12 hours until my next meal in the morning.

I usually get bored working out, so I almost never stay in the gym for more than an hour, unless I go swimming. I've started yoga as well, but again, it's not consistent.

Sleep is a big thing for me. I think I may be depressed, or bored, or actually tired. I do read alot, and sleep to "recharge" my focus.

 

[Ridingthelightning]

Seems to me you don't have a solid sleep schedule. I'm not sure what your other schedules are like so that may not be able to change.
I don't know why I'm like this but I get up out of bed and am ready to go whether I've had 4 or 13 hours of sleep, and both of those have happened very recently. My g/f on the other hand has to be dragged out of bed like a little kid sometimes no matter how much sleep she has had.
I would try getting up and going to bed at closer intervals of time #1.

As far as working out... I don't have the opportunity to go to the gym at the moment but when I did I was there for half an hour, 45 minutes tops, if it was busy. I just never understood how or why people spend so much time in the gym. It doesn't help.
I was in the best shape of my life around the 4th of July and I never exceeded 30 minutes in the gym and went at least 3 times a week.
When I would go I would do my absolute best to get my workout done as quickly as possible. This helped my energy levels and made for a good mix of weight training and cardio at the same time. I also ran at least every other day.

My energy levels were at an all time high all the time. I worked, went to school, and had an internship where I was outside in 90degree heat for at least 5 hours a day, 3 times a week.

Do you masturbate a lot? You don't have to answer that, but if you do then cut it down, it may help.

 

[Stud]

get on a set, or as set as possible with your working / school hours, sleep schedule.

diet, gym as mentioned.

i used to have a similar problem, getting tired whenever you've had enough sleep. could be just bored. next time you are sleepy, drink a lot of water. that's what helped me.

 

[Jariel]

Looking at your diet I'd recommend more complex carbs. Try eating Oatmeal, Porridge or Bran for breakfast. Maybe you could add in some wholemeal rice or pasta around mid day.

Another thing that will help your energy levels is peanuts or peanut butter. I also find they boost my sex drive too.

I just never understood how or why people spend so much time in the gym. It doesn't help.

I'll echo this. Too many people over train and this is not good for your energy or your muscle growth. If you're an athlete or competition bodybuilder it's a different story, but the casual guy wanting to get fit or in shape doesn't need much more than 30mins. Also keep in mind, those who train a lot also eat a lot.

 

[Vice]

It's good to know that I don't have to spend so much damn time at the gym. i guess the people who do spend alot of time socializing and waiting for others to finish using the machine they want to use.

I swam today, and I noticed I felt happy and vibrant after it. Before I went to the gym, I sat in my room and thought "I can sit here and feel sorry for myself, or I can take some ACTION and DO SOMETHING". I'm glad I took the second option.

Thanks guys

 

[Jitterbug]

Your energy level is all over the place because your diet, training and sleep are all over the place. Become consistent in those 3 areas and you'll be consistent with energy level.

 

[Fuglydude]

Your diet is quite inadequate for a young growing dude who's moderately active. Most people in the western world are undernourished even though lotsa fat phucks eat a shiite load of crap calories. You're a young growing man w/ a reasonably high activity level... you need a lot more calories and nutrients than what you're saying you need. Fitness/health is 75% diet, 25% other stuff. I'm willing to bet that if you cleaned up your diet, supplemented appropriately and trained in a more discipline fashion you'd have WAY more energy.

Start by eating 5 times a day (roughly every 3 hours). Incorporate whole foods into your diet. Have complex, natural source slow release carbs: things like yams, brown rice, and oatmeal. Also take in lotsa protein and fruits/veges. Supplement w/ a multi, B-complex and EFAs. The combination of B-complex and multi are great for increasing energy levels.

Sample meal plan:

Meal 1: (0700)
1 cup oatmeal and 1 scoop (40 g) whey isolate (mix in water)

Meal 2: (1000)

5-8 oz of yams, 6-8 oz of ground beef w/ veges. Or if you're at work and can't eat just drink a MRP/weight gain shake at your desk/work space.

Meal 3: (1200-1300)

Same as above but preferably w/ whole food rather than shakes.

Meal 4: (1700)

6-8 oz chicken/fish w/ brown rice and veges. Throw in 1 oz of almonds.

Meal 5: (2000)

1 cup cottage cheese and 1 apple w/ 1 oz almonds.

Have 4-5 oz of yams and a protein shake before your work out and fruit and a protein shake after your work out. Not sure what your budget is like, but there's a supplement called waxy maize. Its a complex carbohydrate derived from maize. Its a great peri-WO supplement to add to your shakes for additional carbs. Its pretty cheap too.

Core supplements:

* Multi vitamin (high potency time release mens' formula)
* B complex (time release 100 mg complex... take in the AM and pre-WO... some would say this is overkill, but B vitamins are water soluble and I think you'll notice great changes to your energy level with this!)
* EFAs (Fish oil caps. Try and get MINIMUM 3 g of EPA/DHA per day)

If you have a 9-5 kinda job you have it easy. There's guys like me that work 12-16 hour shifts and have to go on call as well and still manage to eat a bulking type 4000 calorie diet and train after a tough 12 hour day. Normalize your sleep schedule, execute the diet and add in the supplements and your energy levels will improve. You'll also be happier and probably get laid a lot more.

Good luck.

 

[Alle_Gory]

Fiber, fiber, fiber.

Complex carbs contain fiber and hard to break down starches. What happens is that your body slowly extracts energy throughout the day making you more stable.

Look at sugar for example. It gives you a rush of energy and then you feel lethargic. Bad carbs like white bread will do pretty much the same thing. Short boost of energy followed by a need to fall asleep when the eventual crash comes.

As far as your need to sleep, read, and just a general feeling of boredom... that's depression. Welcome to the club. You're going to have to figure out the problem and deal with it. And there is always a problem either stress, bad sleeping habits that caught up to you, or diet, or illness, or maybe the same routine every day that bores you and then you get depressed... there's alot of things that can add up.

 

[Quiksilver]

I usually start my morning with a protein smoothie with 1 scoop of GNC protien power, milk, yogurt, a banana, and frozen organic blueberries. This does not happen as consistently as I'd like it to; I'm trying to make it a habit.

This is a Protein + Carb breakfast.

Replace with a Protein + Fats/Carbs breakfast.

Something like eggs, meats, legumes, fruit.

Personally I just go for a protein/fats breakfast as it seems to work for me individually. Energy levels stay consistent throughout the day when carbs are eaten only on an As-Needed basis.

 

[Alle_Gory]

Personally when I avoid fats I find I'm more energetic because I end up compensating by eating more carbs.

I don't eat a completely lean diet, there is still some fat.