Whether you’re working hard to get in shape, want to stay in shape, or just need to get through the day while fulfilling all of your obligations, fatigue certainly isn’t going to help. The more sluggish you feel, the less exercise you can perform, and this affects everything from your weight loss goals to your career and even your relationships.

So why are you so tired?

You’re not sleeping well. To start with the obvious, you’re going to feel fatigued and sluggish if you aren’t getting enough quality sleep. The reason we stress quality is because many people assume that spending eight hours per night in bed will do the trick. But if you’re waking up throughout the night, or suffer from a condition like apnea, you’re probably not getting enough sleep.

You’re eating too much sugar. It feels like sugar gives you a quick burst of energy, but once your blood sugar peaks it will quickly crash. Within an hour or two after a sugary snack, you’re feeling worse than before. A diet high in protein and low in simple carbohydrates (like sugar and white flour) will keep your blood sugar levels more even, and prevent these crashes and energy slumps.

You’re not exercising enough. A low-intensity workout can boost your energy when you’re feeling tired. Of course, that’s hard to do when you didn’t get much sleep the night before. Convince yourself to get up for even just a ten-minute walk. Some exercise is better than none, and after ten minutes or so, you might feel more energetic and able to continue.

You’re exercising too much. Conversely, you can also exercise too much, and push your body’s stress response too far. You need time to recuperate after exercise, so make sure to take a rest day about once per week or so.

If you’re suffering from low energy, the problem is probably going to show up on the scale sooner or later. Come in and see us, and we can help tweak your diet and exercise routine, and screen you for underlying disorders that could cause fatigue, to keep you feeling your best.