Theory spelt s.h.i.t.
Posted by: pinkjellybaby on: June 17, 2009
People say that doing exercise will give you more energy…
I’ve been exercising for two and a half weeks now (alternate days gym/swim and EA Active)
I’m very pleased with myself and not actually hating it just yet…
BUT
I’m pretty sure it’s made any difference to my body, if anything, I feel bigger
and I’m absolutely knackered! Like lie down on the floor and fall asleep tired all the time.
…so whoever the ‘people’ are who think exercising gives you more energy, I would like to say that this is not a theory and it’s very much not true, it’s a load of smelly old crap.
26 Responses to "Theory spelt s.h.i.t."
June 17, 2009 at 11:10
I’m sleeping like a log but also falling asleep during the day as well, which isn’t good because I do actually have work to do!
Although I’m doing it all regular like, my body just can’t get used to it!
June 17, 2009 at 12:44
I think regular exercise gives you more energy in the long-term, as your stamina increases. But yeah, I reckon probably for about a month you\’ll feel exhausted until you get used to your extra energy expenditure.
Don\’t forget to increase the amount you\’re eating to make up for the extra calories you burn, because not eating enough will make you feel knackered as well.
Having said all that, I am absolutely not an expert and I would laugh out loud if someone came up to me and said \”so you\’re quite an active person, right?\”.
June 17, 2009 at 12:54
well, if you are taking up exercise to lose weight, then you might not want to read this article
http://nymag.com/news/sports/38001/
which questions the evidence that exercise makes us thinner.
Also, from personal experience, I went from cycling 2 miles to work to cycling 12 miles every day to work and didn\’t lose ANY weight (if anything, I gained a little). So I honestly, truly doubt that exercise makes you lose weight (it just makes you hungrier and maybe eat more – a study on 8 men and 8 women who ran 5k a day found the men lost a little bit of fat (5lbs average) and the women lost nothing – no weight whatsoever.
Men\’s bodies respond better to exercise than do women\’s – loads of studies have shown that.
Also, if I weigh myself just before TSC and I go for one of our long long cycle rides, I invariably come home heavier than when I left. I know for a fact that I\’m not overeating as it happends even when I\’ve fasted on a long cycle ride, burning in excess of 1500 calories and consuming almost none. It\’s crazy but there it is.
However, I don\’t think you should give up on the exercise. All the exercise that I do has made me so so much fitter than I\’ve ever been. I\’m definitely a bit leaner, I have muscles in my legs I never had before and have a strong heart and lungs that I can just get up and run 5k with no training whatsoever. It\’s hard work to get that level of fitness but it makes whatever exercise you DO do (be it running swimming, cycling or whatever) SO SO SO much more enjoyable. When your body is fit enough to take it, the exercise feels FABULOUS. Start gently, don\’t overpush yourself or you\’ll end up hating it. Find aspects of your exericse that you DO like (such as the fresh air or the sights or whatever and eventually, over time it starts to feel great.
June 17, 2009 at 12:57
oh dear. I seem to have got lots of / in my comment. unfamiliar keyboard.
June 17, 2009 at 14:35
2 weeks of exercise is a lot for someone who’s not done much in a while. I’d be knackered after just a few days.Your body will soon get used to it and you’ll be fighting the boys and the boy off with your new sexy trim bikini body. I can hear the wolf whistles now!!
June 17, 2009 at 14:59
If only two weeks of exercise was all it took to see a difference! Sadly – this is not the case. Its definitely worth perservering though, i’d give it three months before you see anything significant.
June 17, 2009 at 15:12
Blueskies but if i’m trying to lose weight, I don’t want to eat more!! I think it’s just my body trying to get used to it, coupled with the horrible dry heat we have here at the moment!
anotherblogger actually, for me, exercise does make a difference. I lost 16lb last year just from having to do the walk to and from work…so I know that I can do it without having to cut out too much food. It’s just me being impatient I should think!
I’d love to be able to just get up and go for a run,. especially in the winter months here when there’s no much else to do, so I have that to focus on as well as trying to lose weight!
Miss H eeeeeeeeeee thanks 
Kirses really?! that long? fuck. My sisters wedding is on the 16th August, so I was hoping for some results by then…it’s the only reason I’m exercising 6 days a week!
June 17, 2009 at 15:20
Re: eating more. Your metabolism works faster for quite a while after exercise (like, 24 hours or something ace), so it often means you need to eat more than usual just to feel OK (if I don’t eat a couple of hours after a run, I turn into the grumpiest, evilest person in the world), and will still burn more calories than if you hadn’t exercised.
Plus, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn even if you’re not exercising, so that’s good too.
Basically, what I’m saying is that if you’re expending energy, you need to take in energy to replace it, even if you want to lose weight. Otherwise you will be miserable and tired and probably grumpy if you’re anything like me, and you won’t have any energy for exercising and you will start to hate it.
June 17, 2009 at 15:35
Oh you’re not alone! I have started to step up my activity by wearing a pedometer, I aim to get 10,000 steps a day (compared to my usual 3,000). I’m completely shattered tired all the time as a result, I literally scrape myself out of bed every morning as stiff as a board.
Nothing enjoyable about this, apparently it will get easier but for that to happen I need to be consistent (for me thats the hard bit) 
June 17, 2009 at 16:14
re the tiredness after exercise, that will not last. You’re just making your body work much harder that it is expecting or planning for, so it’s not (yet) putting away the glycogen into the muscles. It will soon kick in and you’ll be surprised at how long/far/fast you can work out and not feel wiped out. It just takes a bit of time. It’s just the same with the muscle soreness after strength training. Eventually that becomes a thing of the past and it disappears without you even noticing it.
Definitely focus on some goal in exercise, such as ‘being able to run for 15 minutes without stopping’ or something similar. If you run or swim regularly your body cannot HELP but get better at allowing you to do it and when your body is fit enough, it feels pretty awesome.
I cycled up Ditchling Beacon on Monday, as a friend is doing the London to Brighton and held a fear of that hill. I offered to take her along and as I was going up it (working hard but feeling ok) I remembered how it felt when I FIRST did it (absolute bloody murder) and realised how much better I had become (and hadn’t noticed the improvement until now). At the top I felt absolutely bloomin’ marvellous (and not weak and jelly-legged as I did the first time). Getting fit is definitely, without a doubt worth all the investment. Keep us updated with your progress pinky. Set yourself a manageable goal and keep at it. I’m rooting for ya
June 17, 2009 at 16:21
Blueskies yes, I understand the theory behind it but in order to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you are consuming. As I’m not that fit at the moment, I’m not doing enough exercise to do that, so the last thing I need is to be going and eating more!
If I was my target weight and exercising, then yes, I can see that I would, but right now I need to up the exercise and if anything, decrease what I’m eating!
Cheeky trying to stay consistent is the hard bit, which is why I have a plan written up with what i’m going to do every day. I find it easier to follow that way and stick to it! Hopefully we will get over the tired soon!
Another ok so hopefully if I stick to it I won’t be as tired and will find some energy? Between exercising and work, i’m just wiped out!
I have a BUPA plan that i’m trying to stick to for a 5k run at the end of 8 weeks, i’m a bit behind on it but they said that’s ok if you’re starting out from nothing…so i have something in mind!
June 17, 2009 at 17:16
I head to the gym later at night, so I’m typically going to bed within two hours after I’m done anyway. But I’m finding that the time I am awake – and this was the same when I went to the gym in college – is more lively. I’m not as tired throughout the day, even if I am late at night. I def have more energy throughout the day, which is good.
Though I certainly don’t feel smaller! And the scale agrees. I may only be a week and a half in, but that instant gratification would be nice, ha.
June 17, 2009 at 17:18
Amind I found that when I went to the gym in the evening, I couldn’t sleep at night…but when I go in the day, i’m worn out!
Just noticing that my clothes are a tiny bit looser would be nice!
June 17, 2009 at 17:41
Oh my gosh, I am going through this very thing right now. I just started working out again and not only do I feel completely sore but I look the same and because of the lack of change in my appearance, I actually feel worse.
AND at the end of the day I’m so physically tired that I feel pathetic for being so tired.
I am so relating to you right now.
But (corny attempt to uplift coming) you know your body will reflect your hard work soon and it’s good for you and… oh shit, what am I saying? We know all that is true but why can’t we see instant results? Damn it would make exercise so much more gratifying.
Keep it up though! I will too!
June 17, 2009 at 18:09
Sigh. I’m with you… I’ve been avoiding all the foods I desperately want and walking miles upon miles a week, but it’s just not happening. Maybe it’s finally time to cut back on the booze… (sob)
June 18, 2009 at 06:16
Huh that’s weird… Then again, the body sometimes takes awhile to get used to exercise. I ALWAYS got a runner’s high and I actually did sleep better when I exercised regularly. Maybe it’s your diet? Are you getting enough carbs, protein, fats, etc.? You don’t necessarily need to eat more or less but maybe you’re not getting the nutrients that you need and your body is just letting you know now that you’re actually using it to work out.
June 18, 2009 at 12:45
hehe, I agree with you, I’ve been swimming for more than 2 weeks now, but instead of feeling good and energised I feel very tired and hungry!!!
June 18, 2009 at 17:36
you blog always makes me want to go to wordpress. I just LOVE the classic layout. too freaking cute.
June 18, 2009 at 17:45
Shelby I hope my body reflects it soon, even if it’s a tiny bit or just not feeling as tired, that would do!!
LiLu I think it’s time I cut down on the bread…but I love it 
Felisa I think my eating is ok, maybe it’s just that I’ve not done anything in such a long time. my body is in shock!!
V whhhhhhhhhhhhhy?! hopefully it’s uphill from here?!
jag thanks! I’m actually getting a bit bored of it and thinking of a change but I can’t be bothered at the moment!
June 18, 2009 at 19:08
so i’m the same.,…except i’m 6 months in and i’ve lost the total of 6 pounds….i can however now run half marathons, cycle for miles and bench press 20kg. I have learnt that because of the amount muscle weighs i will not loose so much weight but more i will notice a difference in my body shape. True i have more definition but my clothes aren’t looser and i am not thiner. It sucks but i will keep going because i sleep better at night because of it and i am sure at some point i will start loosing something…!!! i live in hope!!
In other news….how hard is the inline skating thing!!! x
June 18, 2009 at 20:50
Just keep it up girl, you’ll notice a different in time. It takes awhile, a long while sometimes. Also try changing up your routine. Take an aerobics class because they’re always different. I’ve found if your body gets used to one routine you don’t lose anything. Good luck!
June 18, 2009 at 22:49
Like the new layout! And I have skipped exercising for… well, let’s not go there But when I used to swim in high school, I did feel like I had more energy, but that’s only when you got used to exercising daily.
June 19, 2009 at 08:17
respectableside no way?! But did you have weight to lose in the first place? Goodness, I hope that doesn’t happen to me!!
DGthanks, I hope it does make a bit of difference…if not, I might get annoyed!
LPeg thanks! Hopefully my body will start to get used to it after a few weeks and i’ll have more energy, because i’m really not getting much done this way!
June 19, 2009 at 11:20
hehe! You have my sympathies, I’ve been running every day for the last few weeks and could sleep for Britain at any point of the day…
HOWEVER, I should also stick up for the ‘more energy’ lobby too… Back in the day when I played a lot of rugby and was actually fairly fit (yes, there was a time… ) I definitely had more energy. 2 possibilities here I reckon:-
1. I’m just getting old and can’t hack it any more
2. It’s about a lifestyle of exercise. ie. it takes more than a few weeks for my body to get used to the (relative) hammering I’ve been giving it recently. After a few months (if I can keep it up) it might decide it’s cool with this exercise thing and decide that’s it’s going to feel more energetic.
I hope it’s number 2…
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June 17, 2009 at 11:08
Two years ago when I was a regular exerciser, I found that this exercise give you energy theory was true. I’d be tired when I went to bed and sleep better, feeling more refreshed in the morning and so on. Over time, it just got better and better.
I haven’t found that this time at all. I’m just knackered all the time – and I hate exercising so I routinely skip it.
Perhaps some of your commenters will have some suggestions