Does anyone else suffer withdrawal symptoms if they don't exercise?

marcus · Mon, February 2nd, 2004, 05:09 AM

I've always exercised and been pretty active but for the last two months I've been training pretty hard about 6 times a week (cardio and weights) and loving it with no signs of overtraining.

The last couple of weeks I've noticed that if I have a day or two off from training I feel really tired and lethargic and don't achieve much for the day even after 10 hours sleep. I sometimes even get headaches yet it all stops if I resume my workouts regardless of how little sleep I've had. When I say workout I might mean a 3 hour bike ride or even just a 15 min run and I feel great.

I'm actually pretty happy because I feel like I'm in the swing and I'm not too far away from achieving my goals and exceeding them. I used to hate working out, now I cant live without it. :db:

Does anyone else experience this? I hope I'm not pushing myself too hard.

Cheers

Marcus

Razor · Mon, February 2nd, 2004, 07:33 AM

I never have noticeable withdrawl symptoms, but I don't feel like I accomplished much if I miss a day.

d!abolic · Mon, February 2nd, 2004, 12:12 PM

I started a thread about this on bodybuilding.com and it looks like most people who are used to working out regularly feel down when they miss a workout or a few. Which is pretty amusing, because the rest of the world feels down on the day they have to go to the gym!

Anyway, i figure that if we're addicted, at least it's a good addiction as long as we don't overdo it.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hreadid=208055

Jim · Tue, February 3rd, 2004, 09:30 PM

I feel lazy, and slow, since I'm energiezed for the whole day after a good cardio/lifting session.

duke5000 · Wed, February 4th, 2004, 03:35 PM

I am training for about 3 years, and i do experience withdrawal symptoms: i want to sleep all the time, and the mood is bad $(

BrianDaHoss · Sat, February 7th, 2004, 01:10 AM

I HATE not being able to work out. When I miss a workout, I start feeling very sick and and drained.

Jono · Sat, February 7th, 2004, 01:23 AM

i goto the gym 7 days a week usually.. i only lift 5 days a week.. and do cardio 5 days a week

and my cardio isnt HIIT.. its moderate intensity for 45min.. and they say you should do at least 30min a day.. so im doing that

and when i use to take 1-2 days off from all training.. it just sucked! i can't wait for my next workout or cardio session

i have to admit, it is a healthy addiction!

Evil Hx Coupe · Wed, February 11th, 2004, 01:03 PM

I try not to have days off...

The days I dont work out I feel like I'm not following my program....

Same reason I dont have a cheat day ...

taffer · Wed, February 11th, 2004, 05:30 PM

i always take sunday's off training, and i feel like im putting on weight! even though i know because of my diet thats impossible, sometimes i walk down to the shops to releave myself a bit, but i dont think i get overly stressed about it, i just remind myself that my muscles are recovering and that i'll be back in the gym tomorrow

FionaMaeve · Tue, March 2nd, 2004, 01:42 AM

I'm only in my fourth week, and I already get withdrawl symptoms if it's been 48 hours since my last workout. To put it frankly, I become very bitchy.

Bunko · Tue, March 2nd, 2004, 04:13 PM

Hehe, endorphin addiction rules

The Mike · Tue, March 2nd, 2004, 07:30 PM

Suffered with withdrawal a bit on Sunday I guess, I felt I had plenty of energy to use up and wanted to go tot eh gym, but at the same time I decided I needed to rest up so I could work out Mon-Sat without hitting a wall halfway through the week

But yeah, it felt wierd, actually wanting to be at the gym...

Aussie Chris · Wed, March 3rd, 2004, 01:51 AM

I'm going through a massive withdrawal at the moment....I haven't been to the gym in 4 days, due to a partial tear of my left hamstring muscle.....i won't be able to get back into it for another 5 or 6 days (which is going to drive me absolutely nutty).

The best exercise i can do at the moment is a "slow" walk around the area in which i live. It isn't as good as training at the gym but i suppose it's better than sitting on my butt.

So....yes, i never thought i would suffer from gym withdrawal, but i am in a big way. And to top it off i had just started a new weight lifting program using just the free-weights (no more machine weights for me)

Cheers

Paul J · Wed, March 3rd, 2004, 10:51 PM

I feel totally terrible when i miss a workout. i havent missed one in a long time, the last time i did was when i had my last knee surgeries. i was on crutches for a month and could not work out.

zamboni · Thu, March 4th, 2004, 05:44 AM

I used to get them really bad. Like, if I missed a workout, I could literally feels my muscles getting smaller. Purely psychological no doubt, but I kind of miss it. Its a big motivator.

Gurre · Thu, March 4th, 2004, 06:19 AM

I have the same symtoms too! I just moved and have my first week in my new office. I do not have a gym here still. The first few days I compensated by running like crazy. Yesterday me knee hurt so bad that that did not work either, so I hang around in our flat the whole afternoon/evening. I was such a pain in the a** to my wife because of feeling bad about not training...

I realised that I can t take another day like this and will have to find a gym today at whatever cost. I hope(but I am pretty sure) that this will help. I know my wife is wishing!

Take care

Mattias

Josh137 · Thu, March 4th, 2004, 02:31 PM

I used to get down on myself about missing a workout when my schedule did not allow it, but I have found that sticking on the good diet makes the missed training not so disappointing. Its not like I am going to gain weight, because I am eating just below my BMR, so its like coasting rather than going backwards. Works for me

Josh137
[COLOR=DarkGreen]192->171 goal 165[/COLOR]

Gurre · Mon, March 8th, 2004, 06:03 AM

Just wanted to say that I found a place to train at and have been working out three days in a row! I guess I have to take it a little bit careful but I feel great and my abstinence is gone.

Take care
Mattias