Many of our clients arrive for a stay at Northern Bootcamp feeling completely exhausted – and this is before they have started exercising 6 hours a day. We hear lots of people talk about feeling tired all of the time, so we thought we’d put a few words together to help you understand why this might be – and more importantly, what can be done about it.
It is such a common problem that “feeling tired all the time” even has its own acronym
TATT – or ‘tired all the time’ as reported by NHS Choices is actually the most common complaint that UK GPs see in their surgeries.
It is documented that it is unusual to find anything physically wrong with a person complaining of TATT. It’s more common that the fatigue is linked to mood, which in turn builds on the stresses of life, accumulating in an overall exhausted and unmotivated feeling.
Once you have ruled out any underlying medical reasons for the cause of TATT, it is beneficial to look at the physical and physiological reasons why you feel constantly exhausted. Could it be caused by diabetes, sleep apnea or food intolerance? Or is it anxiety or insomnia? …The list goes on.
Several years’ experience of delivering residential boot camps has highlighted to us how important lifestyle factors are in general wellbeing.
A large percentage of our clients suffer or have previously suffered from depression and anxiety, which in turn is one of the major factors that contribute to a feeling of constant tiredness.
Although it’s not rocket science, we all know and understand that reducing alcohol, caffeine, drinking more water and eating a balanced diet will help with energy levels.
However, we also appreciate that this is easier said than done, especially when you have established habits that don’t fit these ideals!
1. Lifestyle
For those of you feeling tired all the time, we first recommend that you take a step back and assess what your lifestyle looks like.
Be honest with yourself and write down on paper the aspects of your lifestyle that don’t constitute a healthy one. Next, think about the reasons why and then think about some solutions or alternative actions that could help to kick the habits you may have fallen into.
2. Is your diet making you tired?
I appreciate it is difficult to find the motivation to make a change when you already feel tired and that it is far less energy consuming to order a takeaway than it is to cook a stir-fry.
However, food choice can be a quick and easy fix to start to reverse this pattern.
Your nutritional intake will have a huge impact on your energy levels and by eating cleaner, healthier food your body will immediately start to thank you for it and reward you by ditching the 6 pm (or 3 pm or whatever time) slump.
It is important not to overeat as we all know how we feel after that – TIRED. Food is fuel and a good meal choice may just give you that little bit of energy needed to put your trainers on and get moving.
3. Exercise = energy.
Exercise, exercise, exercise – our answer to everything – however, evidence has most definitely shown that it is the answer to halting the pattern of TATT.
Instead of hitting the couch, convince yourself hit the gym or the streets or the park for as little as 20 minutes. It is almost certain that you will have more energy than before you put your trainers on.
We see this day in and day out and if you have previously joined us, you will undoubtedly know this feeling. Day 3 of Bootcamp is most people’s “tired day” where you might be aching and stiff and find it much harder to open your eyes.
However, after the first morning session, personalities are transformed and the mood and spirit rises once again as everyone feels the sense of achievement and the rise in endorphins. Everyone realises: ‘if I can do that today, I can do anything now!’ (I must add it is easier when you have one of our trainers and the rest of your group to chivvy you along.)
4. Weight gain
Carrying more weight around than your body is designed to do is undoubtedly going to make it harder work for you and therefore increase fatigue.
Weight loss from our view is really a side effect of adhering to some lifestyle changes rather than being an action in itself. If you make some healthier food choices and eat less, you undoubtedly will start to lose weight.
If you can throw exercise into the mix, this process will be accelerated. It therefore works like a virtuous circle, as one thing impacts another and before you know it, you are well on the way to feeling more energised, and less tired!
5. Sleep habits
If you’re not sleeping well, it may be because you haven’t released stress or gotten enough physical exercise for your body to get a good rest.
Sleep is a huge highlight for many of our clients. Evenings on a Northern Bootcamp are very chilled and quiet – that feeling of physical tiredness is so different to the feeling of mental tiredness.
The physical tiredness has been well earned and is appreciated as soon as your head hits the pillow. Clients on boot camps often report that they have slept more during their stay with us than they have in years.
You didn’t always feel tired-all-the-time, but taking just one small step can lead to far bigger results.
It won’t just fix itself, so make it your mission to find your energy again and embrace BATT (Buzzing All The Time!)
Take steps to get that energy back and revitalise your motivation and direction. Wouldn’t it be nice to get back to feeling yourself again or potentially even become a more energic version of yourself?
Many people do join us here on camp not just for weight loss or even fitness, but to reset their bodies. They learn about themselves and are re-educated about how to lead a healthier lifestyle.
Although this may seem impossible to do in such a short space of time, so many of our clients have found that by living outside of their usual bubble, eating great food and exercising with like-minded people, they can start to break the bad habits they had established over years.
Ref:
NHS CHOICES (2018) https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/tiredness-and-fatigue/Pages/self-help-energy-tips.aspx (accessed 16/01/18)
