Fatigue and Diet

**renman8** · 05-11-2007, 10:50 PM

I did a search but was unable to find my answer. Whether I am bulking or not I always seem to be tired. If I take in 2800 cals a day or 4000+ cals a day I am still tired. I get about 8 hours of sleep a night. If I try to sleep less or more I am still tired. Here is what I know:
-I am not anemic (had blood tests done)
-I am not ***ressed
-I do not have Diabetes
-I do not have sleep apneia
I rarely drink and my diet is fairly clean. I try to avoid simple sugars and too much caffeine but find myself needing caffeine just to make it through the day. I dont smoke, Im 24, 5'11" 192lbs and 10% BF. My doc says Im fine but I beg to differ. The only thing I can think of is my diet. I try to follow the bulking stickys to the best of my ability. I take a B vitamin supp, multi vitamin, magnesium, loads of carbs, protein, and drink about 2 gallons of water a day. Why am I so tired all the time? I dont even lift that often, like 4 days a week. Lastly I am fairly stress free.

Any ideas here for how my fatigue might be linked to my diet?

**renman8** · 05-11-2007, 10:55 PM

I follow this every day + about 400 cals from Olive Oil and more peanut butter....

Meal 1: Pro/Carb

8 Egg Whites, 1 Scoop Of Whey Protein, 1 cup oatmeal

50g protein / 54g carbs / 5g fat

Meal 2: Pro/Fat

Lean Ground Beef, ¼ cup swiss cheese, green veggies

55g protein / 2g carbs / 20g fat

Meal 3: Pro/Carb

Chicken Breast, 1 and a half cup Brown Rice

55g protein / 64g carbs / 3g Fat
**Disclaimer: Meal 3 can be a pro/fat meal if you are ultra sensitive to carb intake.

Meal 4: Pro/Fat

2 Cans of Tuna, 1 Tbsp Full Fat Mayonnaise, Veggies

60g protein / 2g carbs / 13g Fat

Workout

Meal 5: PWO Nutrition

2 Scoops Whey Protein / 80g of Dextrose

40g protein / 80g carbs / 0g fat

Meal 6: PPWO

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, ½ cup Brown Rice (Measured Uncooked)

50g protein / 70g carbs / 3g fat

Meal 7: Pro/Fat

Lean Protein of your choice, 2 Tbsp Natural Peanut Butter
50g protein / 5g carbs / 18g fat

Meal 8: Before Bed

3 Scoops of Whey Protein, 1.5 Tbsp. Flax Seed Oil

60g protein / 3g carbs / 21g Fat

That turns into approximately 420 grams protein, 250 grams Carbs, and 83 grams of fat. This is roughly 3500 calories

**InsaneInTheMembrane** · 05-11-2007, 11:30 PM

how long have u felt this way? recently? after starting eating clean? while cycling? or natural? These q's are crucial if you wanna nail the real reason

**Gungnir** · 05-12-2007, 03:21 AM

Bump on this thread. I've heard similar reports from people on certain AAS, the potential cause of which being the replacement of natural testosterone . I noticed a SHARP increase in fatigue, tiredness (taking naps at 1 pm) almost immediately after beginning my cycle of Deca five weeks ago.

From the opinions I've gotten, it's clinical ***ression caused by a hormonal imbalance which leads to tiredness, easy fatigue during simple activities, oversleeping, etc.

**TR'05** · 05-12-2007, 08:17 AM

Your diet looks fine, to me.

How does your training regime look? I use to be the same way last year. With practices, cross training, and weights I believe it was die to overtraining.

**kroshamwindsong** · 05-12-2007, 08:41 AM

Yeah..have you ramped up your training at all? Whenever I start a cycle I think I'm superman and tend to overtrain then its naptime for me too.

**renman8** · 05-12-2007, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by InsaneInTheMembrane

how long have u felt this way? recently? after starting eating clean? while cycling? or natural? These q's are crucial if you wanna nail the real reason

I have felt this way for a number of years. I used to supplement it with loads of caffeine throughout the day but in the past two years I have cleaned up my diet and stopped drinking soda and coffee. Now I drink Monster's low carb energy drink but even try to avoid that if I can... 6g of sugar per can and 20 cals. Caffeine helps for an hour or so but then I crash.

The point is that my fatigue is nothing new, its something that I have always dealt with but I am at the point where I can't deal with it anymore. I am currently on a cycle of Test C at 500mg/week and in my 9th week. This is my frirst cycle and I actually feel like I have more energy now and Im dreading coming off of the cycle.

I had blood test done when before I cycled and my natural test levels were ok. Thought it could be a blood sugar problem or thyroid problem and those levels checked out ok as well.

Bottom line is, that I have felt this way for years both on and off a cycle and before and after I cleaned up my diet. Again, Im not ***ressed so Im at a lost for why I feel so fatigued all the time.

**renman8** · 05-12-2007, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by TR'05

Your diet looks fine, to me.

How does your training regime look? I use to be the same way last year. With practices, cross training, and weights I believe it was die to overtraining.

I try to maintain a certain level of intensity in my work out regemine but I don't believe I am over training. I spend about six hours in the gym a week during 4 visits. If I had more energy I would be in there 10 hours a week or more. I don't believe 6 hours is that much. I do heavy weights 5x5s and 3x8s as I am trying to gain mass. I do not do much cardio but a little here and there. My metabolism is pretty high and I stay cut fairly easily.

**InsaneInTheMembrane** · 05-13-2007, 02:39 AM

Originally Posted by renman8

I have felt this way for a number of years. I used to supplement it with loads of caffeine throughout the day but in the past two years I have cleaned up my diet and stopped drinking soda and coffee. Now I drink Monster's low carb energy drink but even try to avoid that if I can... 6g of sugar per can and 20 cals. Caffeine helps for an hour or so but then I crash.

The point is that my fatigue is nothing new, its something that I have always dealt with but I am at the point where I can't deal with it anymore. I am currently on a cycle of Test C at 500mg/week and in my 9th week. This is my frirst cycle and I actually feel like I have more energy now and Im dreading coming off of the cycle.

I had blood test done when before I cycled and my natural test levels were ok. Thought it could be a blood sugar problem or thyroid problem and those levels checked out ok as well.

Bottom line is, that I have felt this way for years both on and off a cycle and before and after I cleaned up my diet. Again, Im not ***ressed so Im at a lost for why I feel so fatigued all the time.

hmm, glad u gave some background...if your metabolism is high, maybe you just need to eat more...however, if that is not the case and you are eating plenty, it then becomes quite clear that your fatigue is not dietary or hormonal in nature... it's more systemic in nature. Of course I'm no doctor, but I think you should look into chronic fatigue or chronic fatigue syndrome (cfs)... it's one area in medicine the medical community can't seem to agree on (as to the cause) but an increasing number of doctors believe its tied to brain chemistry (not just hormone).....some people say it's viral and undetectable if u dont know what you're testing for....I offer this far-fetched notion only because my mother had a phase of CFS a few years back where she would could sleep for days and even the slightest physical exertion tired her...all her blood work was normal..... as mysteriously as it came (for almost a year), it disappeared.... I would go for a consult ... maybe you finally wanna get to the bottom of it...
cheers

**renman8** · 05-13-2007, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by InsaneInTheMembrane

hmm, glad u gave some background...if your metabolism is high, maybe you just need to eat more...however, if that is not the case and you are eating plenty, it then becomes quite clear that your fatigue is not dietary or hormonal in nature... it's more systemic in nature. Of course I'm no doctor, but I think you should look into chronic fatigue or chronic fatigue syndrome (cfs)... it's one area in medicine the medical community can't seem to agree on (as to the cause) but an increasing number of doctors believe its tied to brain chemistry (not just hormone).....some people say it's viral and undetectable if u dont know what you're testing for....I offer this far-fetched notion only because my mother had a phase of CFS a few years back where she would could sleep for days and even the slightest physical exertion tired her...all her blood work was normal..... as mysteriously as it came (for almost a year), it disappeared.... I would go for a consult ... maybe you finally wanna get to the bottom of it...
cheers

I really appreciate the in ***th feedback. I have researched CFS a bit and like you said it is difficult to diagnos and from what I have found there are no treatments for it. All research indicates that its best to avoid alchohol, stay in shape, and live a healthy lifestyle which I do.

I mentioned it to my doctor and he pretty much brushed it off saying that "hey even if you have it there is not much we can do about it" Its just really frustrating because I am passionate about many things, fitness and training in particular, and my fatigue often limits my ability to do the things I really want to do.

Thanks Again.

**renman8** · 05-13-2007, 09:45 PM

Bump for more feedback.

From the ***artment of Health and Human Services...

"Avoiding Extremes
For patients with CFS, learning to manage activity levels is key to managing the illness itself. This requires a new way of defining exercise. While vigorous aerobic exercise is beneficial for many chronic illnesses, CFS patients can't tolerate traditional exercise routines. Exercise programs aimed at optimizing aerobic capacity are not recommended.

The majority of people with CFS are affected by postexertional malaise, which is defined as an exacerbation of symptoms following physical or mental exertion, with symptoms typically worsening 12-48 hours after activity and lasting for days or even weeks. It's important, however, not to avoid activity and exercise altogether. Such avoidance leads to serious deconditioning and can actually worsen other symptoms. It's also important not to engage in an endless "push-crash" cycle in which patients do too much, crash, rest, start to feel a little better, do too much again, and so on.

Instead, CFS patients must learn to pace activities and work with their health care professionals to create an individualized exercise program that focuses on interval activity or graded exercise. The goal is to balance rest and activity to avoid both deconditioning from lack of activity and flare-ups of illness due to overexertion. Effective activity management may help improve mood, sleep, pain and other symptoms so patients can function better and engage in activities of daily living."

Basically what this is saying is that if you have cronic fatigue syndrom or CFS and intense training routine will make matters worse. Interesting read, but should Im not sure if I could give up the intesity of my work outs... to think how far I have come and how much I have gained.

**InsaneInTheMembrane** · 05-13-2007, 10:28 PM

man don't give up... u got the right attitude. If you can tough it out, do it! Don't let this stand in your way of success...you dont have to be a victim of any "sickness" if you dont want to... I have arthiritis in my right shoulder (which would require surgery for pain relief but months of therapy and no 100% garantee for full recovery) so I am tou***ng in out and going ahead with my routine...pain, I can handle...giving up, no way

cheers bro

**daytrader** · 05-14-2007, 09:05 PM

Im in your shoes bro, i swear i think i have CFS.. its off and on for the past few months, its goes away,, but when i train to hard bam its back

**renman8** · 05-15-2007, 07:39 PM

I went to the doctor again and he things that it is not likely I have CFS and that Cronic Fatigue Syndrom is a cop out for a doctor who is unable to diagnos you. So he put me on Strattera and scheduled me for a sleep study to make sure sleep apnia is not the problem. Ill post results of the study and my progress on Strattera.

**InsaneInTheMembrane** · 05-15-2007, 10:14 PM

keep us posted bro! ....I love a good suspense

**daytrader** · 05-21-2007, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by renman8

I went to the doctor again and he things that it is not likely I have CFS and that Cronic Fatigue Syndrom is a cop out for a doctor who is unable to diagnos you. So he put me on Strattera and scheduled me for a sleep study to make sure sleep apnia is not the problem. Ill post results of the study and my progress on Strattera.

Funny, thats what my doctor told me as well, im getting a whole aray of blood tests done, just waiting for the results, i was tested for a bunch of viruses.

Its funny though im not fatigued all the time, itll come on for a few days which sucks, but as mysterously as it comes, its goes away... Ill be fine for a few weeks, and then, another epidosde. , so i have no idea what the hell it is.