Workout questions, depression post w/o & is changing it up necessary at my weight?

When done working out on the treadmill, my mood often takes a nosedive that lasts into the next morning. Sometimes it's a depression, sometimes I get snippy. Should I try scaling it back a little? It's not like I'm doing anything crazy. Starting slowly for 10 mins, I gradually take the speed from 2.5 up to 3.5 mph, where I stay until cooldown. My incline starts at 2.0, up to 5.0 then back down to 2.0 for 3 mins, repeating for 70-80 minutes, including 10 minute cooldown. According to the treadmill readout, I burn appx 620 calories. Should I do more, less, different? Or just wait for everything to even out, I've only been back on bodycare for a couple of months...

And on the subject of different, I know we're supposed to change up the exercise, give different muscles a chance to heal and do strength AND cardio, but I am wondering if I really need to think about strength training and free weights right now? I weigh 226 (SW 236!) and goal is 149, so I have ages to go before I have to worry about being skinny-fat, right now skinny is the goal! If I continue just doing treadmill and some ball exercises until I reach, say 180 lbs, THEN start weight training, would that be a good plan? I may do the weights sooner, but right now my goal is to dump major poundage.

I suppose the T-Nation fans will tell me to begin ifting now, but with my mood changes from the treadmill, I'm afraid to try something new until I've solved that problem. Help please!

Is it possible that you are experiencing low blood sugar post-workout?

Also, I have a very different feeling when I'm done with lifting, compared to cardio, so I wouldn't automatically assume that you'd have an equivalent reaction to lifting.

And just to stand on the lifting soap box for a second, I'd hope your goal would be to "dump major poundage of fat" and lifting will help ensure that you aren't losing muscle at the same time, because that would make fat loss more difficult. Ok, off the soap box.

I'm no expert, but I think you should begin lifting now.  Strength 3 days a week, and in between do the treadmill thing.  You can try mixing it up to give yourself a break.  One day a week go long.  One day a week do intervals.  One day a week do short but fast.  Etc...  Keep it interesting AND mix it up!

One of the things us runners get is that endorphin high.  Sounds like when you come down from your treadmill sessions, you not in a good place.  It could be because you are dehydrated and not recovering smartly.

Make sure you refuel properly in that 30 minute window after you exercise.  Drink plenty of fluids.  As you lose weight and build muscle, you will find that exercise high will last you through the day.

Good luck!!

amethystgirl <grin> I KNEW someone would call me out somewhere and tried to cover all the bases, but yes I want to lose major poundage of FAT, so lifting point taken... Re the moodiness, it could be low blood sugar, I've seen info for what to eat before and after intense lifting sessions and when, but don't know yet about cardio workouts and eating. I usually have something with carbs - some popcorn or a sweet potato - before and then nuts or cottage cheese about 30 minutes after. I may need something more carb-ie after?

wesmckean, you are more of an expert than I am! The schedule you've outlined sounds pretty reasonable, though I may start with strength 2 days p/wk. I used to run and loved it, but hurt my knee from wearing bad shoes (learn from me kiddies, invest in GOOD shoes!!!) and never was quite right again. Miss the endorphin high, but occasionally get glimpses now and then. I drink 24 oz of water with fresh lemon during the workout and about the same in the hour or so after. Any other refueling recommendations?

Thank you both so much for your responses. The science of weight loss can be staggering sometimes, especially when it was so very easy and delightful when I was gaining!

Personally, when I am getting into low blood sugar, whole nuts make me feel worse. I don't know if it's the protein or the fat, or both. Carbs make me feel better - I'll have some protein powder in water after lifting, which has carbs in it, plus it gets me drinking more. Or I'll have some cereal, or pb on rye - that usually helps.

Just a little protein and some carbs.  Recommended ratio is 1 gram of protein for every 4 grams of carbs.  2-300 calories should be about right, and I'm just repeating what smarter people tell me

 Chocolate milk is probably as good as a post-workout drink gets, it's got protein:carbs in the correct ratio and is cheap, tasty and convenient. For strength training it might be hard to drink all the required protein through pure chocolate milk alone so fortifying it with some extra protein makes some sense, but for cardio a small slug ('bout a cup, or 2-300kcal worth of it) roughly when you're done with the treadmill should be quite sufficient.

 T-nation as a whole I can take or leave; but some of the coaches who write for them are very impressive.

 Others are pretty mental and impressive for all the wrong reasons :-P

 There is no actual requirement to do anything in the way of exercise at any point for weight loss; but your results will be faster and better if you include elements from all three major areas - endurance, strength and flexibility - in your training plan.

Had a banana and cottage cheese, so far mood is fairly okay.

melkor thanks, unfortunately haven't been able to drink a glass of milk since I was 1, lactose issues, but protein powder in water I think would be okay with the above?

I've only just begun looking at T-nation and feeling very intimidated right now, but I initially felt intimidated coming HERE and now I'm yakking away and hoping all the good stuff will continue to rub off on me...

Will continue on my road and thanks to everyone who have responded here and also those of you whose words I've read that have been educating and inspiring me on CC. You may not know who you are, but I do.

I have not read other posts..so this may or may not be repetitive. First of all, diet is essential to weight loss..are you on a calorie restricted diet? Have you had help putting this nutritional plan forward? Are you utilizing it?

Secondly, stop. If you are feeling depression after working out....you need, and I am serious, you need to figure out -with help or without if able - what is causing the depression.  Honestly, to reach the goal you are looking for...I would recommend some type of circuit training...heck, if you are in L.A.....message me...I will train you for free for 60 days. If I back down on that, you can tell all...but I won't. I promise. You sound as if you are in need of HELP...and HELP is available....

You are trying..and nothing is impossible...but having the proper knowlege and guidance...and SUPPORT will certainly be beneficial to your goals.

Talk to me. I'll help..the best I can.

fitnessgirll, you are so sweet, thank you for your very generous offer. Though I lived in LA years ago, I've been back in NY forever and sadly cannot take you up on it. If you ever find yourself on the East coast, let me know!

Re my diet, I should've clarified, I'm fairly confident that it's fine; I eat between 1500 and 1800 calories per day and it's all healthy, fresh, whole organic foods, my single downfall being cool whip, which I put on fresh fruit and those micro'ed muffins that got popularly passed around here (I cannot deprive myself completely of something naughty, that would be setting myself up for failure, so a small plop is allowed). My only food issues - beyond eating too much - is a bit of a lactose problem, no other food allergies. So...lots of fresh veggies (3 cups p/day minimum, usually much more), 3-4oz of protein, olive oil and/or flax oil, sometimes rice, shirataki, millet or cous cous (about 1 cup). Some fruit, though I need to eat more and for a snack sometimes I eat popcorn, nuts. Oh and for breakfast I've been eating egg white omlet, cottage cheese or Greek yogurt with honey. Don't think I'm missing anything, but it's all good. Let me know if I'm screwing up somewhere, but I used to be a health junkie, so I'm pretty good now, again.

Isn't a 70-80 min workout a little long for someone eating 1500-1800 cals a day? Just asking because I know if I go that long on a regular basis I start getting grumpy afterward and eventually lose motivation and stop working out.

Hmmm....ya know...this all may explain why I've been such a moody b!tch lately! I've been working out usually about 90 minutes at the gym M-F and having some serious high calorie burns (1,000-1,200) I was wondering why I got so snippy and short tempered.  Guess I oughta keep a good snack in the car for munching on the way home. I know when I'm hungry, I'm grumpy.