Hi everyone!

I'm brand new here and so apologize if my question has already been asked 16,000 times before

I have been working out regularly for around two months and recently added weight training 2x/week. But my question is about the difficulty of my cardio sessions on certain days. I usually hit the treadmill for 10-20 minutes at 3 miles an hour which is brisk for me as I'm only 5'0". Then I get on the elliptical for 40 minutes. I've been doing the same program on the elliptical but somedays I breeze through and others it's all I can do to get to 40 minutes and I feel like I'm going to die!

I've been trying to isolate what I do differently on the tough days but I'm still baffled. I'm thinking it has to do with the following variables: my protein intake, my hydration, how long since my last meal, and how many days in a row I've been working out. Am I even close?

For example - I did weights on Friday, cardio on Saturday and Sunday, then weights yesterday and cardio today. Tomorrow and Thursday are down days. Today the cardio was SO hard to get through and my heart rate was through the roof. Help!

Please let me know if I'm not giving enough info and thanks so much for any thoughts!

This is why we keep a workout diary.

Your on the right tracks.
do you smoke? may have somthing to do with sleep.

Dont do the same program every time, look up HITT and do that instead of a 40min flat pace workout.

I'd say that your assessments are close to being correct. Some days you may not be as fueled as others. So food and hydration will play a role in your energy levels during cardio.

There is also a mental aspect to it though. You may be bored.

50 minutes of straight cardio is a lot. I'd focus on interval cardio routines for around 20 minutes on most days during the week. One day a week I'd do 40 minutes of medium intensity cardio.

On days I do strength training, I only do 15 minutes of interval cardio at the end of the workout. Non-strength training days I do 25 minutes of interval cardio.

Thanks guys.

No, I don't smoke - actually I quit 2 years ago and now am battling the 20lbs I put on right after quitting.

The 40 minutes on the elliptical is spent in 2.5 minute increments of different resistance. It starts with pedalling forward for I think 5 minutes or so then pedalling backwards beginning with a resistance of 1 and increasing to 11. Then pedalling forward from 11 back down to 1 - 2.5 minutes spent at each resistance level. It's pretty challenging and actually fun.

When I first started two months ago I could only do about 2 minutes on the elliptical. I spent most of my time on the treadmill. Then I pushed myself to 10 minutes on the elliptical and now have worked up to 40 minutes. I'm definitely seeing results but couldn't account for the difficulty some days.

I'll start a diary and maybe shake up longer and shorter sessions. Thanks again!

Hydration is definitely a factor. It can make you feel very sluggish. Try to keep a water bottle with you all throughout the day, otherwise it's very hard to get in your daily intake.

if you feel a little thirsty, you need to drink water. i sip all day long, and every meal gets 8-16 oz of water with it as well.

Hi! Glad you posted.

Keeping an exercise log is a good idea. As others said, proper hydration is important. How you fuel your body before your workout has a lot to do with how strong of a workout you have. SOme protein and plenty of good carbs will give you the fuel you need to have a good workout.

Great job on the improvements you have made on the elliptical!

Sarah

http://i6.tinypic.com/3y2kz00.jpg

H20 = the answer to everything

What a wise group you are. This site has been tremendously encouraging so thanks to all of you because you help so many.

I have been drinking a lot more water and the difference is so surprising. It amazes me that we can be so out of tune with what our bodies are asking for. I'm noticing that I'm much more sensitive to salt now too and salty things were my biggest weakness.

I'm changing the length of my cardio sessions and doing different programs on the elliptical to keep me on my toes. I definitely feel like I got a better workout today. Thanks again everyone and someday I'll get a diary going...

Oh - one other question...

How soon before and after a workout should I be eating ideally?

Depends what you are eating really. Its good to get some carbohydrate post workout to rplace your muscles glycogen stores. It doesnt really matter when but within an hour is recommended. Protein is a good idea as well to help repair muscles.

Hi there, my name is Chris, I'm a registered personal trainer from Australia, just thought I would put my 2 cents in. I specialise in difficult exercise situations such as people with physical limitations, lack of time, no equipment, and including your problem of inconsistent performance and plateaus. My advice would be to keep your nutritional intake fairly consistent, that doesn't mean eating the same thing every day but just keep the macro nutrients at a consistent level. By doing this you will let your body adapt to a pattern of eating and your performance and progress will adjust based on this energy requirment.

Most of the people on this thread have given you pretty sound advice and you were pretty close to the mark yourself. However there can be other things in play that can affect these things. I would also recommend reading about periodisation.

Cheers, Chris.