Afternoon Slump

doctorwhogirl

I'd consider my diet fairly solid at this stage with the odd treat now and then.

As I head back into work next week after the summer off though I'm concerned about a trend that emerged before the end of school which was fatigue at about 3/4 o'clock, post work.

I'm not sure if it's habit or if it is a genuine deficiency in something that is causing this tiredness.

I'm 5ft 4, bout 9.5stone and take in about 1650-1700 cals daily with very little to no processed food or white carbs. Main carb sources are sweet potato, veg, corn cakes, oat bran... Exercise about 5 times a week alternating between an hour weights or about an hour running/walking

I can sleep for an hour if I let myself and still sleep later!

Any helpful suggestions please?

siochain

How much sleep?
Daily food intake?
What how many calories at lunch?
Coffee and when?
What time of day do you train?

2xj3hplqgsbkym

Would you be able to have a snack after school, maybe oat cakes or hummus or a banana and some nuts? Obviously your energy levels and blood sugar are low at this time so you need a boost.
Are you having enough fat at lunch time to give you energy? And do you bring a bottle of water to class so that you keep yourself hydrated during the afternoon.

April O Neill

doctorwhogirl wrote: »

I'd consider my diet fairly solid at this stage with the odd treat now and then.

As I head back into work next week after the summer off though I'm concerned about a trend that emerged before the end of school which was fatigue at about 3/4 o'clock, post work.

I'm not sure if it's habit or if it is a genuine deficiency in something that is causing this tiredness.

I'm 5ft 4, bout 9.5stone and take in about 1650-1700 cals daily with very little to no processed food or white carbs. Main carb sources are sweet potato, veg, corn cakes, oat bran... Exercise about 5 times a week alternating between an hour weights or about an hour running/walking

I can sleep for an hour if I let myself and still sleep later!

Any helpful suggestions please?

What type of things do you normally eat for lunch?

doctorwhogirl

siochain wrote: »

How much sleep?
Daily food intake?
What how many calories at lunch?
Coffee and when?
What time of day do you train?

Sleep: 7/8 hours

Food: I listed it above but here's a sample day when I'm at work

Breakfast: scrambled eggs with spinach (sometimes 2 vegan sausages or GF sausages) or oat bran with almond milk and protein powder/egg whites

Little Break: Almonds and natural yoghurt (was with frozen berries but they're a gonner after the warning )

Big Break: Spinach salad with tomatoes, cucumber, cottage cheese and tuna

Post school snack: cottage cheese, corn cakes

Dinner: Curry made with pakchoi, peppers, mushrooms, onions etc... with coconut milk and chicken/prawns/mussels with cauliflower rice, stir fries, salmon or steak with veg and sweet potato, omelettes... Usually have some dark choc as a dessert

Pre/Post Gym: oat bran protein pancakes with some almond butter

Coffee: don't drink it but do have some diet coke, although I'm cutting down on that. The caffeine in that prob is not helping I'd imagine?

Time of day for training depends, usually it is the evening 7-9 oclock or so. I'm going to be busy some evenings when I return to work so there will be the odd morning session but I hate the morning sessions!

April O Neill wrote: »

What type of things do you normally eat for lunch?

As above.
I'm guessing lunch is the problem. I only end up getting about 10-15 mins max for lunch though in school, less if I'm on yard so time is tight and I hate throwing food into me!

April O Neill

How about chucking some oats into your almonds and yogurt for little break? I don't really like oats but have been toasting them off late and they're much nicer. It'll bulk it out a bit?

Orla K

It could really be anything causing it, some possibilities I can think of are

Something your eating, I've found eating too many carbs and/or gluten at lunch will make me tired.
Eating too much, this is another thing that makes me tired, my body just seems to focus on digesting food.
Not eating enough in the morning/lunch.
Not eating enough in the entire day.

I think I'd lean towards not eating enough in the entire day. If your not trying to lose anymore then up your calories even if you are it's good to take diet breaks and up your calories for a bit.

I'd also lean towards getting in some omega 3 type of fats in there.

gymfreak

Ooooooor....it could simply be that you are tired after running around after children all morning. I'm a teacher too and I literally get a massive slump after school that I wouldnt get during the summer or at weekends and it is simply due to the fact that I've had an exhausting day.

I train straight after school so I either go for a coffee first and have some downtime or else I go home and nap for an hour and Im ready to go again. It's not really surprising that you would be tired considering how busy a classroom is and how active the kids are!

Although diet could be playing a factor to your tiredness, I wouldnt completely assume it. Most teachers I know have to nap after school beside of the day that they've had! Just another possible cause!

thegreatiam

doctorwhogirl wrote: »

I'd consider my diet fairly solid at this stage with the odd treat now and then.

As I head back into work next week after the summer off though I'm concerned about a trend that emerged before the end of school which was fatigue at about 3/4 o'clock, post work.

I'm not sure if it's habit or if it is a genuine deficiency in something that is causing this tiredness.

were you eating the same/exercising the same before school went on holidays?
You may be preempting a non-existent problem. Is it happening now for you?

It may also be habit as you suggest.
I find that on my trip home from work I am yawning, exhausted. and at times im ready to hit the sofa and sleep. But by the time I get home, fed the cat, done the washing and gotten changed the tiredness is gone and im cooking on gas.

It's possible you are simply associating finishing work with relaxing and sleep so your brain is switching off and your body is shutting down.

Maybe adjust your routine slightly add in another activity during the commute? something slightly less taxing mental and physically than work, but not so much that you are winding down completely?

A short walk around an area you've never been before so you get a little lost and have to think to get home.

zeitner

doctorwhogirl wrote: »

I'd consider my diet fairly solid at this stage with the odd treat now and then.

As I head back into work next week after the summer off though I'm concerned about a trend that emerged before the end of school which was fatigue at about 3/4 o'clock, post work.

I'm not sure if it's habit or if it is a genuine deficiency in something that is causing this tiredness.

I'm 5ft 4, bout 9.5stone and take in about 1650-1700 cals daily with very little to no processed food or white carbs. Main carb sources are sweet potato, veg, corn cakes, oat bran... Exercise about 5 times a week alternating between an hour weights or about an hour running/walking

I can sleep for an hour if I let myself and still sleep later!

Any helpful suggestions please?

Hi

Maybe you dont need that many carbs either. How much protein or fats have you in your diet. Not sure what you have for your breakfast but the one I have each morning and really curbs your appetite later in day plus gives you a mental boost is a meat and nut breakfast. If you google meat and nut breakfast you will see a lot on about it. Trust me it works a treat.

thegreatiam

zeitner wrote: »

Hi

Maybe you dont need that many carbs either. How much protein or fats have you in your diet. Not sure what you have for your breakfast but the one I have each morning and really curbs your appetite later in day plus gives you a mental boost is a meat and nut breakfast. If you google meat and nut breakfast you will see a lot on about it. Trust me it works a treat.

Be careful what links you click after googling meat and nut breakfast.

zeitner

thegreatiam wrote: »

Be careful what links you click after googling meat and nut breakfast.

Jesus I never thought of that

It actually is a proper breakfast

thegreatiam

zeitner wrote: »

Jesus I never thought of that

It actually is a proper breakfast

I know, i keep telling the missus. She wont listen tho

El_Dangeroso

If I have a salad for lunch my brain does not work come 3-4pm. I prefer to have salads at dinner time for this reason.

My go to snack at the moment is a glass of milk. Bout 150 cals but very filling for me and smoothes out blood sugar nicely.