Working out as a thal minor

I recently started working out with a personal trainer 3 days a week as well as trying to do some light jogging and weights at home. I am having a really hard time as my fatigue level has increased dramatically. Now everyone says that normally this goes away and people feel energized after working out, after almost 8 weeks, each day I work out, I'm dog dead tired. Usually starts mid afternoon and by the time I get home I just want to curl up on the couch. Is this a typical thal thing? Can I do anything to decrease my fatigue? I am a good sleeper, usually getting a good  10 hours a night and still getting tired.

I am also curious about what's really happening in my body now. I am really pushing it hard. i've quit smoking, started eating according to the canada food guide and am working out. Biologically I would love some insight into what's happening. Is my bone marrow working harder because I am demanding more oxygen for my workouts...are my cells able to clean my body effectively? Will it take longer for my cardio to increase because of thal?

I do have a hard time with cardio, I always am on the brink of loosing my breath...I have to try real hard but it feels like I just can't breat  (too much smoking lol). After about 35 minutes in my workout my body is just done, I cannnot make it do more, it's so frustrating.

So I am taking b vit complex, salmon oil and a mutli. I am giong to looking into a cal/mag/d vitamin too I think. Is there anything else that I can do to support my body?

I was tested in September 07 for iron and hemoglobin levels after battleing depression, anxiety, and stomach issues including loose stoole. Everything checked out, I don't know the exact numbers but was told I am on the low side of normal for both (which my doctor found good and surprising).

Thanks. kara

Hi Kara,

You are definitely on the right track with your lifestyle change, but like most thal minors, you will find you have some endurance issues. Coupled with the history of smoking and its effects on your lungs, endurance is even more limited. It will take some time for your lungs to be cleaned out. Eventually, your lung capacity should increase some. Vitamin E will help with this. Make sure you are taking mixed tocopherols, as vitamin E is most effective as a complex. Folic acid is essential and may improve your hemoglobin level. Wheatgrass supplements may also help. Natural supplements work slowly but do improve the health in the long run. Many minors also find a short afternoon nap to help quite a bit with fatigue.

You may be pushing yourself too hard. Most minors we have heard from say there are definite limits to their physical activity. Tennis great, Steve Sampras, is a thal minor. He kept this information secret until he retired. He said the reason was, that if opponents knew about the thal, they would try to stall and prolong matches in attempts to tire him. His strategy was to dispatch opponents as quickly as possible, so his endurance would not become an issue. His great skill enabled him to do this but he also realized he had limits. Try not to push yourself past your limits as your body will pay the price.

You have made big changes in your lifestyle and had to deal with very stressful situations. Honestly, you're doing great and I think with continued concentration on a good lifestyle and some time, and also learning what your limits are, that you will do well.

Thanks. What is a mixed tocophoral? I am taking a natural vitamin E supplement. Is there anything I should look for in a folic acid supplement?

I did 6 days of workouts last week, 3 days with the trainer and 3 days of running 2 km and this week I feel soooo crappy. I have to cut it back, it's hard because now my husband thinks I'm making excuses and that I just need to push through. I'm not making excuses I just feel like I CAN"T do it, I know it's negative but 6 days is tooo much, so next week I will do 5 days and if that's too much then just 4 days.

I have been reccomended to take hemp oil, do you have any ideas/opinions on that? Either the oil, or hemp protien shakes. I tried whey shakes and they made me ill so i stopped taking them.

My endurance has improved a lot, my strength has come a long way and I am able to endure about 25 to 35 minutes of activity, either high cardio and weights or light cardio (jogging). It is quite the achievement for me. I plan on running 10km by the end of the summer and also to be able to to do full set of pushups. I hope that maybe my posts will help inspire people to get out and do more because you can.


Kara

Vitamin E is actually a family of related vitamins, called tocopherols. When you look at the different varieties of natural vitamin E you will see that some are called vitamin E complex. The complex contains a mix of different tocopherols. Vitamin E is much more effective when taken as a complex of mixed tocopherols.

Listen to your body and no one else. Only you can determine your endurance level. If you pace yourself, you will gradually build more endurance, without suffering. I think you are doing great. It isn't easy to kick smoking and its effects take some time to overcome but you are doing really good. You said your Hb is at the bottom of normal. This will limit your endurance and you can't be expected to just pick it up. I've been anemic before and I know that there is a finite amount of energy available when your blood is low. And don't let anything or anyone discourage you. You've already made some huge steps so just keep working at it.

Hemp oil is high in essential fatty acids and can add to heart health.

http://www.ratical.org/renewables/TherapHoil.html

Hemp oil contains 57% linoleic (LA) and 19% linolenic (LNA) acids, in the three-to-one ratio that matches our nutritional needs. These are the essential fatty acids (EFAs)-so called because the body cannot make them and must get them from external sources. The best sources are oils from freshly ground grains and whole seeds...Adding these foods to the diet seems to lower risks of heart attacks because omega-3 fatty acids reduce the clotting tendency of the blood and improve cholesterol profiles. They also have a natural anti-inflammatory effect that makes them useful for people with arthritis and autoimmune disorders.

I would suggest taking it as capsules.