Something strange is going on...(cycling?)

[ChelsRm007]

My body is acting weird and I don't know why. :worried: I posted here because I'm an endurance athlete (mostly cycling) and I know it has to be related somehow. First of all, I won't feel hungry AT ALL and then all of the sudden it's like a bomb goes off and I'm STARVING and terribly weak. This frequently happened during the summer because I was doing heavey mileage and so after a long ride I would lose my appetite and then when it came back it was quite the shock.. However, I'm tapering right now because of the nasty winter weather and I've cut my mileage in half. I'm doing a lot of commuting with a very heavy bag, but thats about it besides the occassional (maybe once or twice a week) training ride. Is my commuting really putting this much stress on my body?
The reason I ask is because I've got a lot of "aches and pains" (what I like to call the consequences of training a lot)- but yet I don't feel like I'm over doing it. I'm recovering from a cold last week because I wasn't layering right on my rides- but now I'm better and I'm getting the hang of it. I just feel weird... my kneee's hurt (which they never do). I'm tired, but I'm not out of shape and I don't get it. I admit I'm not eating healthy because I'm not really hungry and it's like I have to force myself to eat something or not eat.. which leads to the hunger attack. This has been happening pretty recent (within the last week) and I don't know what to do. Any advice?

[DelicGrape]

Your body is screaming :help:
Listen to it.
You need to eat. Make sure you are eating a healthy breakfast, lunch, dinner, and 2 snacks. Load up on your carbs and give yourself a day to rest, physically and mentally. Also, make sure you are drinking enough water, 10 8oz glasses a day should do it.
And of course, get enough sleep.
If you continue to feel crappy, see a doctor.







My body is acting weird and I don't know why. :worried: I posted here because I'm an endurance athlete (mostly cycling) and I know it has to be related somehow. First of all, I won't feel hungry AT ALL and then all of the sudden it's like a bomb goes off and I'm STARVING and terribly weak. This frequently happened during the summer because I was doing heavey mileage and so after a long ride I would lose my appetite and then when it came back it was quite the shock.. However, I'm tapering right now because of the nasty winter weather and I've cut my mileage in half. I'm doing a lot of commuting with a very heavy bag, but thats about it besides the occassional (maybe once or twice a week) training ride. Is my commuting really putting this much stress on my body?
The reason I ask is because I've got a lot of "aches and pains" (what I like to call the consequences of training a lot)- but yet I don't feel like I'm over doing it. I'm recovering from a cold last week because I wasn't layering right on my rides- but now I'm better and I'm getting the hang of it. I just feel weird... my kneee's hurt (which they never do). I'm tired, but I'm not out of shape and I don't get it. I admit I'm not eating healthy because I'm not really hungry and it's like I have to force myself to eat something or not eat.. which leads to the hunger attack. This has been happening pretty recent (within the last week) and I don't know what to do. Any advice?

[vegantic]

I don't know if you'll come back to check this. I would have posted sooner but I just discovered these boards today.

You are overtrained. There are no two ways about it. Loss of appetite and feeling bad are two of the telltale signs. One of the hardest tightropes to walk when you are an endurance athlete is knowing which suffering to tune out and which to listen to. Another problem is most of us feel like we have to "earn" overtraining. We think if we're not hitting it hard, then we don't deserve to be overtrained. But the deal is, your body calls the shots, not your mind. And even though you may be working out less, stress--and your body's regulation thereof--are a zero sum game. So if the stress on your body has increased for other reasons, like getting sick or working more, then you won't be able to sustain the same level of effort. Plus, it doesn't sound like you've ever gotten any meaningful time off. I don't know if you're competing but if you are, you know you need to periodize your training plan. When I got to the way you are, my coach told me to get off my bike and not do anything for a week or two. I did exactly what he said and won the next race I did. Anyhoo, rest, rest, rest and good luck.