Burnt Out?

[buffgrl23]

Ladies,
I don't know what is going on with me. For the past several months I have been really struggling with my diet. I just DON'T want to diet anymore. Over the past several weeks I have also been struggling with my motivation to do cardio and now I also am having a hard time feeling motivated to lift as well. I have been training religiously for years and have never struggled like this with my motivation and dedication. I hate feeling this way and I don't know what to do. I read your posts and look at your pictures daily for motivation, but lately it is making me feel awful. I don't know. Could I be burnt out? Do I need a break? Do I need to change something else? Have any of you struggled with this and can offer some insight? Thank you.

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Take a week off dieting, training without guilt.

During that week, research new training routines - maybe try spinning, rockclimbing, swimming, running, *true* kickboxing etc. Something very different than what you had been doing.

It sounds like you need a new focus ..... maybe a competition or event, not necessarily BB or fitness comp, but something specific to train for. Like a 5k run, a mini-triathalon, karate training, etc.

Work on this for 6 months, and then reevaluate. Your "new" diet will be dictated by the new routine you choose.

 

[playmatesky]

Maybe you are stressed out? Have you taken to much time off lately? HOw is your diet? Enough calories? Hmmm. Or maybe like Jen said above...a new focus might help.
Hopefully you can figure out what it is. I know after I was down for a while from an injury I lost my drive. It was a matter of getting back into things before I felt able to push myself again. Good luck!

 

[Sassy69]

Periodic struggle over the years. I find my training & diet are most often interrupted or sporadic when my personal life is in flux or under some strain or lack of stability (e.g. when I moved to a different state, living in corporate housing until I found a house, starting a new job where my boss quit 2 days after hiring me...)

When that happens, sometimes if you are truly just not interested in training, diet, etc. its best to just step back from it because the guilt of feeling like you *should* be able to do this stuff will just drive you more nuts. If there's nothing under the same topic as training (e.g. competition, new routine, whatever), then try things that change your environment a little - can you train at a different gym occassionally w/ a friend (e.g. most large chains have a travel pass), a totally different type of training, like a karate class or something that is like learnign a whole new way of training vs. just a new aerobics class. If you are just not interested in general, then let yourself be not interested. Change is good. Doing nothing can be a form of change (or recovery if maybe your body is just tellign you it needs a break).

If you are experiencing some sort of upheaval in your life, then you can just get comfortable focusing on getting the upheaval taken care of.

The point is that you make time for what interests you. If training doesnt' interest you right now, then take a breather. As far as diet, maybe get soem good cookbooks (e.g. the South Beach Diet -- not so much to follow the diet, but I found the recipes to be fantastic!) and experiment w/ ways to *ENJOY* eating.

 

[buffgrl23]

Thanks ladies. You have made some good points. I have been stressed out lately and am struggling with my career and personal life. I guess for me, my training has always been the one thing that I feel in control of and the one thing that I always look forward to in my day. I think that these other struggles are really overwhelming me and getting me down.
I think the idea of changing my focus or trying something new might help. I have been training for years, but have not competed in any way. I use to be a competitive runner until injuries ended that. That is when I moved into weight training. Body building has become my passion. But I guess years of training "just because" makes me question is it all worth it. Maybe I need to look into competing in some way. It is certainly something that I have considered. In terms of competing the main thing that has always held me back is dieting. I have struggled with using food as a comfort in times of stress. When I get my diet under control something always comes up to sabotage it.
I will consider these suggestions. Thanks.

 

[Sassy69]

I think I can relate to you here -- over the years my gym time has been the one thing I can rely on to have some control over, make progress on and feel satisifaction from when other things in my life (personal, career) are not where I want them but they are outside of my control / dependent upon other people or details I have no control over). Then when the gym *doesn't* provide that balance or satisfaction, I'm lost.

That's when there are two ways to go - either you totally need to step away from the whole gym thing or dive into a competition or some tangible goal that has daily requirements on it. And if you are able to find a trainer who can help w/ a goal like that, it may inject a new or different sort of excitement as well.

 

[buffgrl23]

Thanks Sassy. It is good to hear that others relate. I am planning to take a week off in July because of a vacation (this will be my first week off since the January). Competing is definitely something I am interested in doing, but as you suggested, I would feel most comfortable going into the process with a trainer. I feel like this would provide me with the support and accountability I need. My problem is that I live in a very small town and already drive over 30 minutes to my gym. At my gym there are several trainers. They are all men and have no experience competing. The one trainer is a triathlete and the others just train out of hobby. I know that none of them could help me prep for a contest. Any ideas on how I could locate someone who could help me with the process?

 

[Sassy69]

Take a look at the "So you want to compete?" sticky at the top o the board. Generally if there is no one you can locate by word of mouth (at the gym or whatever) then you can usually contact your state's NPC chairman or locate a target show and lcontact the promoter for some names.

 

[treilin]

I can relate to this whole topic. I've been stressed out ridculously and I had to atke a step back from my pure 100% focus on diet and exercise and get my issues delt with. I started getting to the point where I was like argueing with myself. I would be in a continuous bad mood because I couldn't get anything done I needed too because my other side was saying you have to get to the gym, you have to eat this food. So yeah I started looing like he** and people were noticing at work. A few days later taht I slowed my self down peopel were coming up to me saying what happened, you look so good. So rather then being productive with my work-outs, I was actually wearing myself down. Don't worry you'll spring back just give yourself a breather.

 

[vixana]

hey ....I really relate to you...Life had gotten the best of me and I stopped dieting and training ...I just couldnt control what I was doing anymore...and I ate foods I hadn't touch in years!!! And it was damn good.....but a year later I am 30lbs heavier and i feel aweful and I am worse than I have ever been...I have lost all desire to work out but still strive for perfection....do yourself a favor take a week off.....eat healthy but don't restrict yourself too much....it's hard to pull yourself back into the game....I am trying soo hard and its tough....Remember how much better you feel after some cardio or a workout...that really helps my stress...and after I leave the gym I always feel like I can take on anybody or anything....
good luck to you!