6 Reasons Why Your Workout Feels Harder Than It Should

There are some days where you feel like you could train forever, and then there are those days where you’re tired after 15 minutes. The days where you have to push yourself to finish are frustrating, but your body may be telling you something. Here are some of the most common reasons why your workout feels harder than it should on some days.

you’re not drinking enough

If you are having difficulty completing your workout, you may not be drinking enough fluids. Exercise performance begins to suffer when you have lost as little as 2% of your body water. When that happens, you’ll start to feel tired and less motivated to exercise. When you reach a dehydration level of 5%, you can really feel the effects. Don’t count on thirst to tell you when you need to drink. That usually happens after you’ve already lost too much fluid. Keep a bottle of water handy during your workout and drink 5-10 ounces every 15 minutes while you exercise, and drink 15-20 ounces before you start your workout. If you’re planning a session that lasts longer than an hour, drink a sports drink that contains electrolytes.

You are not worrying about your nutrition

If you feel exhausted during an intense workout, you may have run out of glycogen. This is more likely to happen if you do a high intensity workout first thing in the morning. During high-intensity workouts, your body primarily uses glycogen as a fuel source, and if you exercise intensely, your glycogen stores can bottom out after 1 to 2 hours. Not only will you feel tired, but you will have to slow down. You’re less likely to feel overly tired if you exercise at a moderate intensity, since your body burns fat primarily at a lower intensity.

If you exercise vigorously, have a snack with about 30 to 40 grams of carbohydrates before you exercise. If you’re in a hurry, a piece of fruit or an energy bar will work. If you plan to exercise for more than an hour, bring a sports drink with you.

you are overtraining

If you regularly feel tired during exercise or have trouble completing your regular workout and spend many hours in the gym, you may be overtraining. Take a few days off so your body can rest and recover. Other signs of overtraining include increased resting heart rate, poor appetite, weight loss, muscle soreness, difficulty recovering from exercise, increased susceptibility to colds and flu, changes in sleep patterns, and loss of enthusiasm for do exercise. If you have these symptoms, you may need a longer rest period.

You have an undiagnosed medical problem

A number of medical issues, such as diabetes and an underactive thyroid, can make training feel more difficult. One of the most common causes, particularly among women, is iron deficiency anemia. If fatigue is a persistent problem, see your doctor.

you’re not getting enough sleep

Your workout may seem harder than usual because you’re not getting enough sleep. Make it a goal to sleep at least 7 hours a night. When you don’t get enough sleep, exercise will feel more challenging and your risk of catching colds and flu viruses at the gym because your resistance to infection will be lower.

You are boring

Sometimes boredom can make exercise seem more difficult because your nervous system rebels against doing the same exercise over and over again. Don’t let tedium dampen your enthusiasm and make exercise monotonous. Try a new routine and get a new burst of enthusiasm. It will also help you get out of a deadlock.