timmhaan

i feel very sleepy throughout the day. although i have plenty of energy when i'm on the bike, it's when i'm at work or walking around i just don't feel very energetic.

my diet is pretty good, i get enough sleep, i have no health problems, and i ride every other day (hardly overtraining).

what are some things i should consider on looking into for getting my overall enegry up? i've been a pretty low energy person for my entire life, but i'd really like to change this if i could.

Chop

Energy on bike.

No energy at work.

Sounds like a lack of interest to me.

timmhaan

very perceptive. you may be right about that. however, i just don't have the 'jump out of bed and start kicking a$$ energy' that a 26 year old ought to have. even as interested as i am in biking, it's still a close call between grabbing the bike and chiling out with a beer for the evening.

this raises another question...how do you not let yourself be drained by your job?

Chop

Sneaking away to bikeforums.com helps.

Vitamin X

We all suffer from a lack of energy from time to time even world class athletes who follow perfect programs. If you have plenty of energy on the bike you are probably nutritionally sound pre workout but what about post workout. You probably don't feel energetic at work because you probably have a $hitty job or post workout isn't nutrically sound.


That's easy. Most jobs are crap, repetitive and offer slave labour wages... I'm lucky, I get paid to play soccer. Most "9 till 5's" are draining on anyone.

catatonic

I'm 24 and like that...I can fall asleep anywhere, anytime, with anything going on...but once I'm on my bike or driving a car....I'm as alert as can be.

RiPHRaPH

looks like you picked the wrong week to quit smoking crack.

really>> how is your caffeine intake? your nutrasweet intake? your vitamin supplementation?

your fluid intake? your electrolyte balance (are you replacing your potassium and sodium)

are you anemic?

how can you be lethargic in the epicenter of the universe? living in nyc is good for at least a few extra heartbeats per minute. too much deli? too much famous ray's?

do you work in a sick building with stale air?

i have more energy here in my late 30's than i ever did in my 20's. this will get solved.

brokenrobot

Actually, I'd argue that living in NYC is good for getting exhausted without reason. Everything's an extra hassle, and it's much harder to get a good night's sleep, given street noise and general stress levels...

-chris

Wingman115

Less sugar in the diet, Try reading Sugar Busters.

slvoid

I'm kind of the same way. Once I'm on the bike though, I stay awake because I don't want to die, I have almost fallen asleep once or twice though, heh.

timmhaan

to answer your questions: i typically drink one cup of coffee a day, and never more than one soda. i do not take a vitamin supplement (although i probably should).

i probably need to drink more fluids, although i try to keep my urine "clear". i'll drink 4-5 glasses of water, along with other drinks (gaterode, iced tea, etc...) throughout the day. i have a couple of bananas a day on average. i eat a lot of them.

i don't think i'm anemic...maybe i should have a doctor test?

as for living in NYC - i do take advantage of it, and have a relatively active lifestyle here. at least as much as my budget can allow for

upon further reflection, i think my boring job has a lot to do with it (and it's warm in here a lot of the time) and my roommates are pretty low energy people as well, so i think those two things may be dragging me down a bit. i'm glad to hear that you developed more energy in your 30's, that gives me a little more hope.

Swoop

In line with what Wingman115 suggested - evaluate your glycemic index values through the day. If you're eating much refined carbohydrate, that could well be your problem.

Don Woodson

"upon further reflection, i think my boring job has a lot to do with it".

I hear ya there. My job involves a lot of staring at this box. I have to sneak away sometimes and run up some stairs and do some lunge thrusts or something to get my heart going again. Then come back and wipe the nose prints off of the monitor.
I have noticed that if I eat too many carbs for breakfast I get sleepy.
Maybe I'm wrong on that, because it just sounds wrong, but it sure seems that way to me.