Exercise Induced Negative Mood

[Vickie Lake]

Your workout program seems to allow for enough recovery but double check your sleep schedule and naps are a real plus. Also try to take off four to five consecutive days every six weeks and a full week every three to support your recovery capabilities.

I think you hit the nail on the head with nutrients. Just remember that supplements are great but calories are number one as Bigwill suggested. If you aren't getting the appropriate quantity of macro-nutrients your can't properly absorb your micro-nutrients. Calories not only provide the energy to support your work but also the resources to repair the micro-trauma you experience during your quest for superior strength. Also double check your complex carbohydrates. It has become a popular consensus that carbs are bad. Not true. You can cut your carbs when you are trying to decrease bodyfat but during a program of this caliber you need the calories. All power and body builders raise their carbs during the building phase. Remember that your muscles burn primarily sugar so be sure to eat as soon after your workout as possible, you have a real window of opportunity to efficiently uptake the nutrients. Waiting a couple of hours leaves you depleted after a hard workout and your digestive process adds more time for your body to run on empty. Keep it to sweet potatoes, red potatoes, brown rice, rice pasta but don't be afraid of the baked potato; it's always the topping that ruins these good foods. Also don't skrimp on your fats and be sure you are getting plenty of omega 3. I use flax in my protein shakes and take a fish oil tablet at night. FYI, if you keep these in the fridge they won't smell so bad. Protein goes without saying.

I'd be happy to figure your caloric intake if you like. Be sure you are eating meals every 3-4 hours, You need a lot of fuel but your carbs have limited storage so don't burn out your glucose and use up your glycogen reserves before you replenish your tank.

Finally, but really primary, be sure you getting enough water. Both headaches and fatigue are often dehydration. When I am training heavy I drink a gallon per day and 3/4 of a gallon otherwise. When you have a lot of muscle you hold more water. This is not water retention from a negative sense but the effeciency of your body to maintain itself at the level you create. You will get some fluid in your food but high respiration both during your workout and for hours after. This also insures that you don't get toxic (a sure precursor to fatigue and mineral imbalances) with all of your self inflicted free radical activity.

So, water, high calories to match your high level training, and full, uninterrupted night time sleep and a 20 minute nap during the day.

FYI: I intentionally didn't get into individual mineral supplementation, exercise elevation of cortisol, blood sugar levels or adrenal fatigue because it's so individualized and variable throughout the day. If you don't recover in a couple of weeks with all the suggestions get these factors checked for your own piece of mind. You can order saliva tests online and a blood glucose meter can be purchased in the drug store; this can be useful to allocate your caloric intake and would be especially interesting to see what's happening after your workouts.