Day 5: Sleeping/Exhaustion

This morning was an abs and cardio day.  I got to the gym around 5:25/5:30, did abs until 5:45 and then did 40 minutes of cardio on the elliptical.  I had less trouble breathing and getting to my water bottle without my arm being chopped off by the swinging elliptical arm.  My feet did start to go numb around 30 or 35 minutes but it was OK because I was almost done.  As I was on the elliptical, I tried to go to my happy place and think about being anywhere but on the elliptical staring at my swinging ponytail in the mirror (then a large man got on a machine in front of me so there went the swinging ponytail...).  I couldn't get to my happy place (except when Michael Jackson came on my ipod...RIP) because all I could think about was how freakin' exhausted I was.  When I woke up this morning to get ready for the gym I was so tired I almost fell back to sleep on the toilet (you know, after I squatted with major pain in my quads and hamstrings and plopped down).  I digress...I just felt like I could NOT wake up.  I had gone to bed at 9:00pm and got up at 5:10.  I thought that would be plenty of sleep, but apparently I need more...of something.

This weekend, I took a nap on Saturday and a nap on Sunday.  Greg had to wake me up both days so that I could go eat.  On the elliptical today I started thinking about why I felt so tired, and a little nauseous.  NO, I'm not pregnant (don't worry, Greg!) I'm just plain exhausted.  I think the problem is triple-fold:

1.  I have had my lovely, monthly, girly friend for the past week (see, there's no way I can be pregnant!)
2.  I have been putting out way more energy than I am used to and burning a bunch of calories before the day really even starts.  Once I refill with a protein shake and breakfast, I'm usually fine but I have been feeling like a 6pm bedtime doesn't sound too bad!
3.  Lastly, I'm starting to wonder if either I'm not getting enough of some kind of nutrient or if my body is just getting used to this new regimen.  This morning, I started thinking I was nauseous because I didn't have enough food in my system (I don't eat anything before I do cardio; I have a protein shake and part of a banana before I lift weights).  I don't know if I'm not eating enough dinner or if I'm not eating enough of something during the day that I should be.  All I know is that I need to figure out something better than what is happening now because I am extremely tired and feeling like I am going to VOM all over the elliptical in the first 15 minutes is not a pleasant feeling...although if I do vom at least I could leave the gym early...good excuse to come home early and call out sick from work, right? ;)

So my sleep/exhaustion plan right now is to sleep AMAP (as much as possible).  Tonight I'm going to get in bed by 8:00pm and see if I can get a little bit more sleep tonight than usual.  I'm also going to talk to Greg (you know, my live-in trainer and nutrionist) and see what he thinks about my current diet and see if there is anything I'm missing.  Lastly, I'm just going to SUCK IT UP!  This program and competition is not for wusses (like the Dallas Cowboys QB, wittle baby Womo who hurt his wittle pinky finger)...and if being tired is part of the deal, well, then I'll just have to deal with it.  I'm not sure that there's a way to do this program, diet, work a full-time job, tutor, and not be tired...

Wow, I just used a LOT of parentheses (sorry, my bad).  Alright, I gotta get my food ready for tomorrow so I can be in bed in 45 minutes.  Lifting arms with Greg bright and early tomorrow morning!  Just a few more days until pictures (I'm having anxiety about this)!

Pounds lost: 2 (gained 1 back, I think from not working out yesterday and from eating salmon for din)
Current food cravings: peanut butter and jelly, Melting Pot fondue, and gluten-free snacks

Until next time!
xoxo