Advice please

[TJEL]

A very good morning to everyone 😃. I've just done a 2 mile walk with Toby, it's my rest day, it's W2R2 tomorrow but I have got NO energy today 😔. Can you advice drinks/food to have today to help restore energy levels for tomorrow please. If it had been run today really don't think I would have attempted it. Thank you in advance 🏃‍♀️

[SC1472 Graduate]

You'll be fine tomorrow - just eat and drink normally but protein helps to restore your muscles. I always have a glass of milk after a run as a recovery which has shown to be equally as good, if not better, than off the shelf expensive recovery drinks.

[TJEL Graduate in reply to SC1472]

Thank you. Really don't want to go down that route. I'm on a healthy eating plan. I'll try the milk 😃

[Gillma Graduate]

My energy level on rest days is also very low (am on w3). I don't really know what to advise except rest! Am hoping energy will build up / even out gradually . Would be interested too in others' experience. Good luck and well done so far - it's quite a learning curve.

[TJEL Graduate in reply to Gillma]

Yes it is a learning curve and from the posts I've read lots of ups and down but I think if we take everyone's advice on board we will find 'our own way' using their experience and knowledge. Learning a lot about myself too 😃. Thank you and good Luck to you too, you're just ahead of me 😃.

[Slinkyminky Graduate]

Can't really advise reference what to eat or drink to restore energy levels but I'm sure during the day you'll probably start to feel better.

Remember though it's okay to take an extra rest day if you need to.

[TJEL Graduate in reply to Slinkyminky]

I'll remember that but I'm doing this with my hubby so can't let him down. Hopefully I'll be ok tomorrow- thank you.

[Fatnorthernlass]

Going to bed stupidly early helped me. Woke up refreshed even thoigh I lay awake for a while. Drinking more water too😊

[TJEL Graduate in reply to Fatnorthernlass]

Yes I had an early (ish) night last night and will again tonight to get up energised for tomorrow (positive thinking 😳). Thank you

[Rignold]

Eat food and drink water. The body will turn it into energy.

Otherwise the usual food advice applies: Eat meat and vegetable, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake at a level that will support exercise but not body fat.

Go to bed early, never lie in.

[TJEL Graduate in reply to Rignold]

Thank you Rignold. I do eat meat/fish & veg, fruit, yoghurts, cheese and no sugar. I tend to keep away from potatoes, rice and pasta because I don't tend to lose weight when I have them. I thought more carbs are better when exercising/running - would you agree with this? Would like nuts & seeds but not sure which is best.

[Rignold in reply to TJEL]

I eat carbs in the form of green vegeteables and some legumes and avoid starchy carbs wherever possible. I don't agree with a carb heavy diet being better for exercise on the whole, no. Possibly for really serious endurance events - 100 mile runs, cross channel swims etc. Also in bodybuilding if one is bulking - increasing mass significantly without some carbs is hard work. I find a ketogenic approach much better the rest of the time.

[TJEL Graduate in reply to Rignold]

Thank you for your help and advice.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

I agree with Rignold really.... and although there have been quite a lot of posts on the forum about energy levels and eating, they are usually in preparation for an event.. It sounds, from one of your replies as if you have a healthy diet...

I have a low carb eating regime... and it seems fine... for my lifestyle... my running, walking, cycling, and all my Grammy activities with our small runner in training It maybe you have a little bug, or something? Otherwise, have your meals today.. a good healthy balance... some simple exercises too, to get everything moving... strength and flex maybe.. a good night's sleep and see how you go

[TJEL Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Hello Oldfloss yes I do eat healthy, I have done slimming world for over 20 years and when I got closer to my target weight I noticed if I ate pasta/potatoes I struggled to lose weight so stopped eating them and stuck to more of a protein plan. I only ask because I've heard that pasta/rice/potatoes help energy when training/running (but I also agree with Rignold). I don't feel 100% really so you maybe right with 'something else' going on. I will eat and drink as normal and will be doing strength & flex later with my running hubby, get an early night and hopefully will feel ok tomorrow. Many thanks.

[misswobble Graduate]

The programme won't burn many calories so,you don't extra grub so what you do eat on a daily basis matters. Make sure you get enough.! It is so easy when you are trying to lose weight to restrict yourself too much and then feel tired. If you are moving a lot more that's a good thing but the quality of your meals needs to be tip top or your energy will dip

On run days I have proper porridge oats with berries or three prunes 🙂 I always have bananas in the fruit bowl. I,don't eat more than one a day though. Nuts - just about 15 g which is a small amount but makes a good snack. I like almond butter with a red apple. Just a heaped teaspoon 🙂 Lots of fresh fruit and veg. Lentils and beans are good too. always have healthy snacks available when hunger pangs strike. You can make your own energy bars based on fruits, nuts and dates. Some yummy recipes out there

You will sort out what suits you and fits in with your runs days and rest days. Don't worry about it unduly. As long as you eat healthily that's the main thing. Be happy! C25k is a great thing to be doing 😃

[TJEL Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Many thanks. I wanted to lose a few pounds on the way 😔. I do everything you have suggested apart from nuts and seeds. I'll definitely try this 😃

[Shahzad89]

Do not worry about it. Keep it going you will forget about how tired you are within the first 10 minutes of your run.

[TJEL Graduate in reply to Shahzad89]

I hope your right 😊

[misswobble Graduate]

Nuts and seeds are good for runners. You can pop some hazlenuts in your back pocket for a healthy treat if you get peckish. Pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, sesame seeds etc. You can soon whip up a trail mix with some added dried fruit

[TJEL Graduate in reply to misswobble]

That's brilliant thank you. I follow Slimming World and you can have nuts/seeds but they are not a free food so I didn't know which ones would be good 😃

[misswobble Graduate]

nuts pack a punch for their size, they are healthy and nutritious but we just have to eat them in small amounts. Good to take on longer runs 🙂

[TJEL Graduate in reply to misswobble]

I'll remember that for when we are at that stage 😃