6 tips and tricks for crushing a workout when you're tired

October 17, 2017

When you’re tired, pounding back caffeine can be the go-to for a quick pick me up.

While there are benefits to black coffee, there are definitely enough negatives to make people want to avoid it. Side effects of include restlessness, anxiety, muscular trembling/twitching/overextension, headache, nausea, rapid breathing, etc. So if those are some things you want to avoid but you still need an energy boost, what can you do?

Guess what gym-ragers? You can crush a workout without caffeine. If it seems impossible, don’t worry, it’s not. Our dedicated CVG fitness programmes helped us source some of the best natural tips and tricks for kicking fatigue’s ass, so you can put your butt to work!

20-minute nap
Aside from this being a crowd favorite, there’s legitimate science behind naps. Power naps are between 10-20 minutes and are best for getting straight back to work. There’s also the NASA nap. The NASA nap has been proven by scientists to improve pilot performance by 34% and alertness by 54%. You may not be a pilot but these stats seem like they’d be bangin’ for applying to a workout regimen #fyeahscience.
An apple
Total group favorite here. You need fuel before you workout anyway but this time, you also want something that’s going to give you a pickup. Apples are a great carb source that digests well. Try pairing with some nut butter to add some protein. Enjoy chomping on this snack about an hour before your workout. You don’t want to vom in the gym. No one likes a gym-puker.
Water
As a loyal CVG’er put it, “a metric fuck ton of water” and they’re not wrong. Plain and simple - if you think you’re drinking enough water, you’re probably not. Up your intake. Your skin, digestion, energy levels, and more, will thank you.
A run
Sure, running sucks sometimes. But going for a run literally gets your blood pumping. And what did we learn about blood? Blood contains iron, which is needed for hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to your body. So a good blood flow makes sure that oxygen is circulating nicely throughout your body.
Apple cider vinegar (ACV)
We’ve covered apple cider vinegar before. The health benefits are insanely positive. One of those benefits is increased energy. We could spend all day diving into ACV. Our fitness group members are ACV believers and we are as well.
Getting your iron levels checked
Iron deficiency, aka anemia, is pretty common in the United States. Women are actually among those at greatest risk for iron deficiency.

So why should you get your iron levels checked? Because the science of anemia reads like this: Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that is responsible for carrying oxygen to your tissues. When you have low levels of hemoglobin, your body is starving for oxygen.

Look, this is a condition that requires a medical diagnosis and we’re not medical professionals (duh, clearly). However, there are a few common symptoms that reflect possible anemia: