Thread: 5/3/1 and getting sick

It may be, and most likely is your diet. When you say "sick," define this. Are you wiped out? Sneezing, coughing, sore throat?
Are you taking any vitamins, zinlc, fish oil, vitamin C and E?
Do you eat junk food? How much? Are you bulking? What kind of foods are you bulking with? Dieting? What's your macro intake?
Juicing? Oral steroids? Are you taking a liver support? Drinking enough water?

Tons of questions. Now, answer!

I do IF. So carbs on training days, none on off days. Taking multis and fish oil. About 3g Vit C everyday.

Only eating junk food on training days and thats just cereal so not like most junk food. Not on cycle right now and I'm getting over a gal of water a day. I'm just maintaining right now, getting ready to cut soon. I eat til I'm full (In the 8 hour window) and make sure I get protein intake. Aside from that I don't count macros.

When I get sick its mostly sore throat, stuffy nose, general feeling of warmed over crud. Its always gone by the time my next round of 5/3/1 starts up.

If you're doing IF, are you training without food in your body?
You say you get protein, but do you know how much? You may be shortchanging yourself and this in turn may make you feel ill as well.
You might also be allergic to something in the gym...mold, dust or pollen.
Also, you might be overtraining. Show us your routine.

I don't train fasted. I get at least 90g of protein through shakes on top of what I eat via food so I'm pretty sure I'm hitting my intake. I'll post up my routine later.

Ok, so that doesnt look like its the issue. Perhaps you're lactose intolerant to the shakes you're taking in? I'm closing in on that you're overtraining.

5/3/1 Deadlifts
3x8 Good Mornings
2x20 Croc Row
3x12 Pull Throughs
2x20 Seated Calf

5/3/1 Flat Bench
3x8 Incline DB
3x8 Dips
3x8 Behind the head tricep extensions

5/3/1 Squats
3x8 Front Squats
3x8 Bar Lunges
3x8 RDL
2x20 Standing Calf Raise

5/3/1 Military Press
3x8 Weighted Chins
3x8 Rear Lat Raise s.s w/
3x8 Arnolds
3x12 BB Curls

You doing that 4x a week? I always find training 5/3/1 four times a week far too demanding and burn out fast - especially as my weights are getting heavier. 3x a week seems like it works well for me. The program will last about 5 weeks, and i take a week off instead of an unload.

Im also doing IF and have been for a few cycles. If you train 3x week you're training every movement every 9 days rather than every 7. With squats and deadlifts this extra rest really helps with recovery!

Originally Posted by Gazhole

You doing that 4x a week? I always find training 5/3/1 four times a week far too demanding and burn out fast - especially as my weights are getting heavier. 3x a week seems like it works well for me. The program will last about 5 weeks, and i take a week off instead of an unload.

Im also doing IF and have been for a few cycles. If you train 3x week you're training every movement every 9 days rather than every 7. With squats and deadlifts this extra rest really helps with recovery!

Thats true. I've been trying to compensate some by carb loading and pretty much taking the week off during deload week. This week starts my last round of it though, I'll be switching over to keto and baby got back. I also dropped back my weight a little on the 5 and 3 weeks.

I see the problem; waaaaay too much volume. Take a look at the boring but big routine. Done 3 days a week. You're not recovering fast enough. Gaz is correct. Back off to a 3 day, emphasizeon some post workout nutrition as well. Carb the hell out of your pre and post nutrition. Keep it at 3 days a week and emphasize active recovery. A friend of mine, Sean O'Malley wrote a great series on active recovery. Do a search.

Yeah I figured as much when we started talking about it. I'm going to just up carbs for this cycle and go with what I have since this is my last cycle of it for some time. Modify it next go around.

If you're prone to being carb sensitive, surround them around the training.

I'm a former fat kid, I'm just prone to carbs period :P

I'm surprised no one addressed the amount of sleep you are getting ...

9 hours a night? Don't think that was the issue.

Cool. It was never mentioned in the thread so I brought it up.

Originally Posted by Life

I do IF. So carbs on training days, none on off days. Taking multis and fish oil. About 3g Vit C everyday.

Only eating junk food on training days and thats just cereal so not like most junk food. Not on cycle right now and I'm getting over a gal of water a day. I'm just maintaining right now, getting ready to cut soon. I eat til I'm full (In the 8 hour window) and make sure I get protein intake. Aside from that I don't count macros.

When I get sick its mostly sore throat, stuffy nose, general feeling of warmed over crud. Its always gone by the time my next round of 5/3/1 starts up.

you are hurting yourself by not ingesting carbs on your off days. non-training days are just as important as training days in terms of the diet. remember that muscle protein synthesis is highest 24-36 hours after exercise. also remember that insulin is the most anabolic hormone that the body produces. keeping insulin levels low and steady keeps cortisol in check

Originally Posted by LAM

you are hurting yourself by not ingesting carbs on your off days. non-training days are just as important as training days in terms of the diet. remember that muscle protein synthesis is highest 24-36 hours after exercise. also remember that insulin is the most anabolic hormone that the body produces. keeping insulin levels low and steady keeps cortisol in check

Yeah I figured this was the issue but I wasn't counting calories and I was way out of my "happy" weight range. Live and learn I guess...