A while back I was hitting the gym, but 20 minutes in I was exhausted. So I started to research what was causing this fatigue, why wasn’t I getting a good pump? I came across some things that I thought I’d share with you guys.

Alright to start this list off, I’ll start with something that we are all guilty of, OVERTRAINING! If you guys are anything like me you like to hit the gym hard six or seven days a week and go months without a real break. Overtraining will actually work against you and your muscle building goals. The body needs rest to grow. During the time that you are resting the body is constantly trying to repair damaged muscle tissue and replenish your body’s energy storage. When you over train, you are interfering with this process which can result in muscle tissue breakdown and even further depletion of your energy storage. So what’s the best way to rest? SLEEP! SLEEP! SLEEP! It’s important for your body to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night. Some other ways to help the body recover include; supplements like glutamine, Getting massages, cold baths, stretching, and last but not least Staying Hydrated. So drop those weights and pick up a gallon of water.

Next, let’s talk about diet. Some hate it, some love it, and most of us just tolerate dieting. But why would your diet effect how you feel when you work out? Well you need to fuel the body before you work out. That doesn’t mean you should hit taco-bell or McDonalds on the way to the gym. You need food that will give you proper energy. Bananas are a good pre workout food to eat because they are packed with digestible carbs and are also full of potassium, which can help aid in nerve and muscle function. Oatmeal is another great pre workout food because it is packed with fiber, which slowly releases carbohydrates into your bloodstream. Oats also contain B vitamins, known to convert those carbs into needed energy. Brown rice is another complex carb that can aid you in your workouts. Try to time these complex carbs like brown rice or oatmeal 2 hours prior to your workout. 30-60 minutes before you hit the gym down a snack that is pack with carbs; this can be a simple or complex carb. Some snacks can be wholegrain pretzels, fruits, or granola. OK now this next one I’ll mention again for the second time, hopefully you will see how important it is. Water, you must stay hydrated. If you are training high intensity you need to be drinking water all day long, 2 gallons a day is believed to be sufficient.

It’s important to supplement your diet with a complex B vitamin. Without getting to detailed: when the body produces energy it’s a process run by B vitamins. Energy or ATP needs to be released from the body’s cells. The energy or ATP needs to be separated from glucose, which is a byproduct of consuming carbs. Sugars are the building blocks or “monomers” of Carbs, and glucose, the sugar used in the human body, is where energy is taken from. A major part by which ATP is separated from carbs is a very confusing cycle called the Krebs cycle. So what does this have to do with B-Vitamins? Well the Krebs cycle is run by B-Vitamins and without them the cycle would not function.

Along with these fatigue fighters there are other important things to keep balanced, such as a healthy diet with a proper balance of fats, carbs, and proteins. So important notes, REST, Stay Hydrated, Eat Right, and take in some B-vitamins.

Feel free to add anything you guys do or use to fight fatigue below. Eat big, Train Hard, Sleep Long!