Let me start by saying I like working out. I know that sounds like cope because I barely do it but I do. I like it. I feel good while I’m working out and I feel energized immediately after. Now I don’t work out that hard, but I do like it. I like zoning out and running or lifting some weight! I like the progression of it all and I like feeling strong.
But there’s this wave of people and discourse and real studies that show that working out isn’t just good for your body and your muscles. It’s not just good for you health, it’s like, good for you mood. It’s like good for your sleep and for your energy.
I hear this from people in my real life, like “I feel better when I’m working out”. Look, either I’m doing it wrong or for some reason none of this applies to me. I feel like shit after working out. “But you just said you feel good—” immediately after I feel good and energized. But when I’m working out (like in a time in my life when I’m working out consistently), I get headaches, I feel weaker, I don’t sleep well. I could barely get out of bed all week because I was just so fucking tired. This doesn’t happen to me when I’m being a slob. I didn’t work out for years and felt great.
But here I am, working out again. Now maybe you’re thinking something like, oh it’s because you’re working out too hard, or you’re not recovering or something I AM. Be serious. I’m obviously not working out that hard. Like a quick 10-15min run. Some machines. Bench press dumbbell curl. I don’t do leg day. Only 3x a week. And what do I have to show for it? I just feel so tired. Maybe I’m not working out hard enough? That doesn’t seem right.
Anyway, I’ve only been working out seriously again for a couple weeks. Maybe things will mellow out. Maybe there is other factors affecting me. But all of these people and all of this data talking about how you’re more “mentally clear” or “more energized” when you’re exercising a bunch just doesn’t make sense to me. I think you’re all lying and coping in order to make yourself feel good about doing something you don’t want to do but you know you should do. I mean I’m sure it’s true for some people. Idk. Maybe I’m just so out of shape that trying to get in shape makes me feel more out of shape.
Maybe it’s that my body is expending more energy, so of course I feel more tired. Like these studies and anecdotes just don’t hold up to basic logic.
You know what I do endorse and do think makes me feel better? Drinking water. Holy wow I love drinking water. I’ve been on hella LMNT lately (like Liquid IV but even SALTIER) and I just love being hydrated. It gets rid of like 40% of my problems. Honestly it’s been a game changer.
Note how I said only 40%. What helps with the other 60% of my problems. Well I have another endorsement for you. Caffeine. Wow. What a rush.
Some backstory on me. I never drank coffee in high school. I barely did in college. I had this mentality that I had enough energy, and that I would drink caffeine when I really needed it. (I think my 14 year old self truly imagined myself as that fucking squirrel from Over the Hedge. Like not hyperactive, but like, I thought when I drank coffee, I would become the fucking Flash). Now in college I did go “super-speed” every once in a while, like finals week, and eventually I starting ripping it more and more. I fell in love with the trend of buying little drinks. You know I finally got it. It was starting to click. (And honestly, I think my 14 year old self was vindicated. Spoilers for the next paragraph, I don’t feel this anymore now that I drink coffee every day, but I remember the first time I had cold brew. This was my first real touch of caffeine. It was like I was floating. I was definitely thinking 2-3x faster than normal).
Then, I started a real job. And I started drinking coffee every day. It’s amazing. Now I haven’t gone all the way to drinking energy drinks yet, mostly because I don’t like the taste… (jk, it’s the squirrel thing again, y’all aren’t ready for my real lock-in).
But seriously, it’s just been a huge unlock to not rely on just “getting enough sleep” to feel awake all day. I can just drink another cup of coffee. Really need to lock in on something? Another cup of coffee? Oh we’re walking around now? Let’s go get some coffee. (I do know some people who have energy even when they don’t get enough sleep. I’M NOT ONE OF THEM)
Now potentially there is some correlation going on here, maybe I feel more tired because I’m drinking more caffeine than I ever was before? And now I’m like, reliant on it for energy? But that doesn’t really seem right. Look I didn’t mean to write another article about coffee.
Anyway now that I drink coffee every day if I ever stop, I get one of the worst headaches imaginable. Like genuinely I start panicking if it’s like 3pm and I haven’t had coffee because I start to feel the withdrawal headache in the (literal) back of my mind. Does this suck? Yes. But, from what I can tell, like millions of people are living like this so. I don’t know what to tell you. It’s not like I could just stop? I would get a headache? For like weeks apparently? That is a bit much honestly.
I’m thinking about it now and like. Let’s say apocalypse happens tomorrow, zombies everywhere nuclear bomb. And I don’t have my coffee? I’m going to be getting a nuclear headache and turn into a zombie. That was bad. But it’s a real fear! My life will suck in the apocalypse for at least the first two weeks, if only because of the headaches.
To wrap up, I want to tie this together with another thought I had when I was 14. If the zombie apocalypse happened, would I just have to have braces forever? Who would even be qualified to take them off? What if there were no more orthodontists? I guess that would be worse than having a headache for two weeks, braces forever.
In a sense my body now has found some kind of equilibrium. Working out makes me tired, coffee makes me awake. I think this is fine and probably what most people in their 30s feel like. But I am only 22. Anyway.
Should I start taking preworkout?