What to Do to Not Get Tired When You Work Out

Don't let fatigue knock you off your game when exercising. The symptoms of fatigue can be managed by taking safety precautions before and during your workout. Engaging in a brief session of warm-up exercises prepares your muscles for the stress a workout creates. Your body requires proper nutrition and hydration to perform at optimum levels while exercising. To prevent overexertion, keep track of your heart rate to maintain exercise intensity at safe levels.

Preparing for physical activity can prevent fatigue. (Image: Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images)

Proper Warm-Up

Warm-Up (Image: Jupiterimages/Stockbyte/Getty Images)

A warm-up session is one of the most effective ways to prepare your body for sustained physical activity. Warm-up exercises don't need to be complex - simply mimic what you plan to do during your workout but at a slower speed. Runners can jog for up to 10 minutes before breaking into a full run. Warming up increases your body temperature and metabolic rate while priming your muscles for a workout. To increase flexibility and range of motion, consider performing dynamic stretches, which focus on active, continuous movement like leg swings and lunges. Static stretching, where stretches are held for a period of time, are not recommended during a warm-up because they can cause muscle fatigue.

Keep Yourself Hydrated

Drink water. (Image: Jupiterimages/Creatas/Getty Images)

Dehydration occurs when you lose more than 2 percent of your body weight from a water deficit. Dehydration can lead to fatigue and muscle cramps, and increase your risk of injury and heat stroke. To prevent dehydration, drink 20 ounces of liquid about two hours before your workout, then consume 3 to 8 ounces of liquid every 15 minutes while exercising. Water is sufficient for workouts up to an hour in length. For longer workouts, include liquids with electrolytes and carbohydrates, like juice mixed with water or a sports drink.

Build Endurance Gradually

Eating a light meal or snack rich in carbohydrates about two hours before a workout provides your body with the necessary fuel to reduce the risk of premature muscle fatigue. (Image: Susan Fox/iStock/Getty Images)

One of the quickest ways to suffer fatigue when working out is to try to do too much too soon. This is especially true when you're beginning a new fitness regimen. It may be tempting to try to run as fast as you can or lift the heaviest weight possible, but without properly building up your endurance, you will burn out fast. Interval training, which alternates short spurts of intense activity with periods of rest, is a good way to build your endurance. Eating a light meal or snack rich in carbohydrates about two hours before a workout provides your body with the necessary fuel to reduce the risk of premature muscle fatigue.

Target Heart Rate

Target Heart Rate (Image: Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images)

Your target heart rate is the ideal heart-rate range you should maintain during moderate physical activity. To determine your target heart rate, first calculate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. This is the fastest your heart should beat during intense exercise. A 40-year-old's maximum heart rate is 180. Your target heart rate is a range between 50 percent and 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. A 40-year-old should maintain a heart rate between 90 and 153 beats per minute while exercising. Aim for the low end of your target heart-rate zone when you begin physical activity and slowly work your way up to the higher end to prevent fatigue.

Read more: Feeling Tired After Working Out