Should I Be Tired While I'm Losing Weight?

Starting a weight loss program, or introducing exercise into your daily routine takes energy and may leave you feeling more tired. Your diet, the amount of water you consume and the amount of sleep you get per day also factor into how energetic or sluggish you feel. By analyzing your current habits you can determine where you may be zapping your energy.

Weight loss involves regularly engaging in cardiovascular activity and strength training. When making the change from a sedentary lifestyle to an active lifestyle an adjustment period is normal. Expect for your body to feel slightly tired and sore as you increase your activity level. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that healthy adults engage in a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardiovascular exercise per week. To avoid becoming overwhelmed at that recommendation, begin with 10-minute intervals spread throughout the course of a day and work your way up to 30 to 45 consecutive minutes.

Depending on how you have restructured your diet, you may have reduced the number of carbohydrates that you consume. Your body uses carbohydrates as its primary go-to source for fuel. By reducing the number of carbohydrates readily available to your body, you are forcing your body to utilize other fuel sources. Instead of drastically reducing or eliminating carbohydrates from your diet, focus on incorporating whole grain sources like whole wheat bread and brown rice as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. Eliminate refined sources of carbohydrates like white bread, white rice and candy.

Dehydration can lead to fatigue and other serious health implications. Your body uses water in a myriad of different processes and doesn't function well without adequate amounts. Track the amount of water you consume per day – aim to drink at least eight 8-oz. servings. Avoid consuming sports drinks unless you are engaging in 60 or more minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise as they can be hidden sources of extra calories. In most cases, plain water is the best way to rehydrate.

Your body needs about eight hours of sleep in order to operate at optimal levels. During sleep your body repairs damage caused by typical wear and tear – chemical and hormone levels are also restored to normal levels. Without adequate sleep your body fails to function most efficiently. Monitor the average amount of sleep you get over the course of a week. If, on average, you get less than eight hours – evaluate. Refrain from ingesting caffeine about four hours before bed -- caffeine is a stimulant and can make it difficult to fall asleep. Disconnect from electronics at least 30 minutes before you go to bed, because the bright lights trigger your brain to stay alert.