Physical activity places a demand on your body to provide fuel for increased energy needs. Workouts such as cardio training and weight training require higher amounts of energy compared to calisthenics and stretching. While benefits include improved health and fitness levels, exercising may reduce energy levels resulting in fatigue. Some degree of fatigue is to be expected, but in some cases reduced energy levels may be caused by additional factors.
Function
Weight training requires your muscles to exert force to overcome resistance. Your muscles function by contracting to overcome a greater-than-normal workload with movement. This movement is a weight-training exercise targeting specific muscle groups. Upon completion of a weight-training workout, the recovery phase is essential for muscle growth. During recovery, feelings of fatigue are normal upon starting an exercise program, according to the Fitness Health Zone website.
Features
Features of a weight-training workout include the type of workout, frequency, intensity and duration. Fatigue may be based on those features. Compound exercises working multiple muscle groups may increase workout intensity causing fatigue. Over-training with higher frequencies, working muscle groups more than two times weekly, may be a factor along with workouts lasting longer than 60 minutes. Combining weight training with cardio training may deplete energy stores resulting in fatigue, according to Intense-Workout.com.
Effects
Physical activity of any kind including weight training, reduces the amount of your blood's sugar level, which needs to be replaced upon completion. Failure to replenish blood sugar levels may result in a condition known as hypoglycemia. The University of Maryland cites strenuous exercise as a cause of hypoglycemia, causing your body to feel weak and tired.
Prevention/Solution
The Mayo Clinic recognizes eating habits as a major factor in preventing fatigue upon completion of a strenuous workout such as weight training. While eating too much prior to exercise may cause a sluggish feeling, eating not enough can result in low blood sugar levels. Suggestions include eating a small meal no more than two to three hours before a workout, or eating a large meal no more than three to four hours prior to exercising.
Considerations
Low-calorie dieting with weight training may result in low energy levels and fatigue. When combining exercise with dieting for weight loss, it is important to follow nutrition guidelines for nutrients and calorie totals. USDA Guidelines recommend finding a balance between food intake and exercise based on body weight and activity levels.
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