Hey All,
For a while now I've been coping with a frustrating amount of fatigue. I'm 31 now, and just a couple years ago, I was good for six to seven miles daily. Then a year ago, I first started feeling the fatigue I now cope with. At the time I attributed it to burn out. I took some time off, started doing yoga and weights and at the beginning of this year, resumed running, starting off at two miles a day, and building up over the weeks and months. But I find I still struggle with low energy, and these days I can only reliably run four miles or so, at fairly slow 7:00 to 7:30 pace, and when I'm done I'm exhausted.
I had bloodwork done and everything was fine - normal testoserone, iron levels...my vitamin D was a little low, but not alarmingly so...the kind of low that is not uncommon for a lot of people who spend much of their day indoors. I compensated for this by taking a supplement, though this seemed to have little effect on my fatigue.
The fatigue is such that it impacts when I run. I resolve to run in the morning, but I wake up hungry and wanting breakfast, which precludes running after on a full stomach. Running in the evening is just as tough because I'm tired from work or, surprise, surprise, I'm hungry for dinner.
That's what's really annoying: I'm always hungry, which worries me because I'm concerned about eating too much without the commensurate exercise t keep my weight within range. I'm still trying to shave off a few residual pounds I've got from the time off I took from running last year. And maybe that's it?
The other variable is I'm eating better than I ever have...lots of fruit and veggies, cutting out the desserts. I've eliminated HFCS from my diet and I buy organic or local. I almost exclusively cook, and very seldom eat out. When I have the urge to snack, I eat a kashi bar, or piece of fruit, but then sometimes I find I just am craving something sweet.
Is it possible I'm not eating enough, or in my efforts to eat healthier I've impacted my overall caloric intake, or the kinds of foods I need to run my best?
Have any of you experienced this in your running...low energy combined with a lot of hunger? How did you cope and overcome?
Any advice would be deeply appreciated.
Thanks all!