There are some days when you feel like you can exercise forever, and then there are those days when you are tired after 15 minutes. The days when you have to struggle to finish are frustrating, but your body may be telling you something. These are some of the most common reasons why your workout feels more difficult than it should on some days.

You are not drinking enough

If you are having difficulty completing your workout, you may not be drinking enough fluids. Exercise performance begins to suffer when as little as 2% of body water is lost. When that happens, you will 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. This usually happens after you’ve already lost too much fluid. Keep a bottle of water handy during a workout and drink 5-10 ounces every 15 minutes while exercising, and drink 15-20 ounces before you begin exercising. If you are planning a session that lasts longer than an hour, drink a sports drink that contains electrolytes.

You are not taking care of your nutrition

If you feel exhausted during an intense workout, your glycogen may have been depleted. 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 vigorously, your glycogen stores may bottom out after 1 to 2 hours. Not only will you feel fatigued, but you will have to slow down. You are less likely to feel overly tired if you exercise at a moderate intensity, as your body primarily burns fat at a lower intensity.

If you are training vigorously, eat a snack with about 30 to 40 grams of carbohydrates before exercising. If you’re in a rush, a piece of fruit or an energy bar will do the trick. If you plan to exercise for more than an hour, bring a sports drink with you.

You are overtraining

If you feel regularly fatigued during exercise or have trouble completing your regular workout and spend long 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 an increased resting heart rate, poor appetite, weight loss, muscle pain, difficulty recovering from exercise, increased susceptibility to colds and flu, changes in sleep patterns, and loss of enthusiasm for doing. exercise. If you have these symptoms, you may need a longer rest period.

You have an undiagnosed medical problem

A number of medical problems, including diabetes and an underactive thyroid, can make exercise 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 don’t get enough sleep

Your workout may seem more difficult than usual because you are not getting enough sleep. Set your goal of getting at least 7 hours of sleep a night. When you don’t get enough sleep, exercise will feel more challenging and your risk for colds and flu viruses in the gym will be less resistant to infection.

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 boredom make you lose your enthusiasm and make exercise drudgery. Try a new routine and get a new burst of enthusiasm. It will also help you get off a plateau.