Increasing Physical Energy Levels

matt b

Indexing all opinion
I have a problem. I'm basically tired all the time while at work. Like, falling-asleep tired. I eat OK, I'm not an alcoholic or a junky, get plenty of sleep, I've even joined a gym. I think a big part of the problem is that desk jobs, even nominally 'interesting' ones, inevitably suck out all your vital forces over time. It's just that some people have a naturally greater resistance to this than others.


Start doing ridiculous amounts of exercise and then use sitting down all day as recovery.
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
Start doing ridiculous amounts of exercise and then use sitting down all day as recovery.

I've recently joined a gym - tonight will be my third visit. I was cycling every day for work but then the weather turned shitty and I got a car. It's a poor excuse, I know, but barely a day goes by without a cycling death story in the news, and I know that's mostly in London but I'm in Oxford which is hardly without its traffic problems. (To which I'm aware I'm now contributing, of course.)

And I suppose I'm not sucking down bus exhaust while I'm using the reflex pectoral extendifier or whatever...
 

matt b

Indexing all opinion
I've recently joined a gym - tonight will be my third visit. I was cycling every day for work but then the weather turned shitty and I got a car. It's a poor excuse, I know, but barely a day goes by without a cycling death story in the news, and I know that's mostly in London but I'm in Oxford which is hardly without its traffic problems. (To which I'm aware I'm now contributing, of course.)

And I suppose I'm not sucking down bus exhaust while I'm using the reflex pectoral extendifier or whatever...

You can cycle safely in Oxford all year! It never gets too cold, main roads are wide, although Cowley Road is now a bizarre obstacle course designed by a madman, and there is a critical mass of cyclists, which means that car drivers are aware that students on bikes could lurch in front of them at any given moment so are less likely to hit sensible riders too.

Work really hard at the Gym- do intervals, do spin classes etc.

Go every other day and sitting down at work= part of a structured training regime :)
 

matt b

Indexing all opinion
Oh, yeah- as you get into going to the gym/doing more exercise, you do get more energy anyway. Just force yourself to go even when you don't want to.
I've joined a gym for winter too, for what it's worth.
 

Leo

Well-known member
tea, do you snore? i do -- bordering on sleep apnea -- and it prevents me from getting a good night's sleep even if i go to bed at a decent hour. snoring and screwy breathing patterns cause you to wake up throughout the night so you don't get that uninterrupted deep restful sleep and can feel sluggish/tired the next day.
 

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
Oh, yeah- as you get into going to the gym/doing more exercise, you do get more energy anyway. Just force yourself to go even when you don't want to.
I've joined a gym for winter too, for what it's worth.

Def true, that first bit. The way to stop the gym getting boring is, as twee as it may sound, to have some kind of goal of doing something that you can't currently manage. Just going and doing whatever, well that gets really old/boring very soon, cos gyms are inherently boring.
 

luka

Well-known member
thats a fucking sad sack life. go to the gym and expend energy acheiving nothing then sit down all day.
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
I suppose not all of us have the luxury of standing outside in the cold for 11 hours at a time.
 

Numbers

Well-known member
I have a problem. I'm basically tired all the time while at work. Like, falling-asleep tired. I eat OK, I'm not an alcoholic or a junky, get plenty of sleep, I've even joined a gym. I think a big part of the problem is that desk jobs, even nominally 'interesting' ones, inevitably suck out all your vital forces over time. It's just that some people have a naturally greater resistance to this than others.

Not to alarm you unnecessarily, but what you describe sounds like a burn-out. I'd see a doctor. Don't wait years like I did.
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
Not to alarm you unnecessarily, but what you describe sounds like a burn-out. I'd see a doctor. Don't wait years like I did.

I've heard of this phenomenon but I'm buggered if I can think of what, exactly, could have burnt me out. I mean, I'm hardly a workaholic. It's actually improved a lot over the last few weeks, which could be something to do with joining a gym and could be complete coincidence.

I also use an antihistamine most days, typically cetirizine, which is apparently one of the 'drowsy' ones. I'd always dismissed this as one of those things that happens to people who can get an appreciable high from aspirin but I'm going to try a different one anyway, see if that makes any difference.

@Leo - I do snore sometimes, very occasionally loud enough to wake myself up. But as a rule it doesn't disturb my sleep, I don't think (just my girlfriend's, haha).
 

luka

Well-known member
I've restarted my push up routine but it's harder cos I'm 2 or 3 stone heavier. With my new fat body I can do 8 on a good day. Im gunna practice every day and hopefully get to ten by 2016.
 

luka

Well-known member
I was also distressed to discover I can only do 1 pull up whereas ten years ago I could do 12
 

luka

Well-known member
I have also just done 7 days without drinking but dont feel better for it. Maybe I need another 7?
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
HEY GUESS WHAT GUYS I JUST DONE 10 PRESS UPS!!!!

I have this idea of myself that I'm not terribly fit and probably drink too much and all the rest, but yesterday I rowed 13 km in an hour, without a pause, maximum resistance setting, no warm-up or anything. And I don't even feel bad today, just got a bit of a blister from the handle. Weird.
 

luka

Well-known member
That sounds impressive. Ive never been on a rowing machine. I think the idea is to do it regularly?
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
That sounds impressive. Ive never been on a rowing machine. I think the idea is to do it regularly?

I go once a week but usually do the rower for only 10 or 20 minutes at a time and then do other stuff. I always think of your comment about being like a rat running in a wheel after driving to work, sitting down all day and then driving home, but I just don't want to have a heart attack when I'm in my 40s.
 
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