Fighting Fatigue

Fatigue

I said earlier that fatigue is the enemy and I meant it. I seem to spend as many hours trying to plan rest (really) as I do counting calories. There is some sort of cosmic irony that it exhausts me trying to get rest. I am constantly fighting without myself (especially on the weekends) to sit down and relax. It feels like I work hard during the week with little time to get the stuff done that I need and when the weekend comes I am ready to go!

Unfortunately, failing to carve out appropriate rest time on the weekends sets me up for failure the following week. What is more, I view weekends as the perfect time to get in intense workouts that I don’t always have the time for on weekdays. This process (usually a Saturday morning) provides great short-term energy, but eventually it dwindles and by Sunday mid-afternoon I am done. If I am not careful, then overdoing on the weekend (and weekdays) can affect my sleep, ability to exercise, and diet for days to come. I am trying out some new things to get my energy boosted and it is my hope that I will see an improvement over the next couple of weeks. (I realize that trying like crazy to get in 350 cardio minutes may seem to contradict efforts to relax, but I am counting a percentage of my commute in my totals and gym time has to be like eating in order for me to be successful. The how and what of going can vary, but the going is non-negotiable.

Fatigue-Busting
I looked online, reviewed my food journals, talked to my doctors and reflected on what I could do to increase my energy. This is what I came up with:

1) Drinking at least 10 glasses of water every day. I have been lax here and I shouldn’t be.
2) Taking a multivitamin with iron. The absorption problem is an issue, but my doctor recommended a chewable kids version. This – on top of shakes, bars, and vitamin-fortified cereals – is a no-brainer.
3) Eating 6 small meals evenly-spaced throughout the day. Stabilizing my energy levels throughout the day prevents sugar binges, which increase poor eating and fatigue.
4) Going to bed by 10pm. We moved nearly three weeks ago and the television still has not been set-up. Coming home in the evenings and focusing on decompressing has helped me sleep more. I also think I sleep better.
5) Exercising daily. It is hard to go to the gym when you’re tired and at times, I have been known to overdo it in this department. However, I think physical activity helps much more than it hurts. Some days I get to the gym and feel like I can only do 20 minutes – I think that’s ok because you don’t know what you can do until you push yourself. Some days I don’t get to the gym at all, but that’s okay. On the really difficult days, I make sure to take the long way on my commute, do a few push-ups, take extra stairs or anything that reminds my body that I expect more from it in the days to come.
6) Planning to relax. I told my mom recently that managing a chronic health condition feels like a part-time job some days. Juggling doctor appointments, writing down foods and liquids, feeling the need to be attuned to seemingly minor symptoms that may portend something more serious -- the time and discipline required takes its toll. It is admittedly self-driven. I don’t know if everyone approaches it this way -- I think that my need to understand and analyze habits can be maddening when applied to my own health. This wanes on occasion, but usually comes back in full force if something goes wrong or I start to feel ill. The remorse one feels for eating one too many dessert or having one too many drink is nothing compared to the regret that comes when you feel that you could’ve avoided feeling ill.

My doctors are quick to reassure me that much of what I experience is outside of my control, but much doesn’t mean all. Little things like sleep, diet, and exercise make a difference and those are the things that I am trying to address. This need to plan for all of these factors results in me sometimes forgetting what true relaxation feels like. Turning the brain off – ignoring all of the things that I have to do can be difficult and my best strategy has been to set aside actual time to do this. Friday nights and Sundays after 2 are usually good for this and I like to keep a least 1 weeknight free. Anything more, however, and I start to get too comfortable. I haven’t yet figured out how to relax without also saying “I don’t care what I eat!” or “I can stay up all night reading a book or watching Grey’s reruns!” Too much relaxation can be a bad thing.