24 Nov Are you overtraining?

Are you over training?

There is no doubt that exercise is brilliant for both body and mind, however we all have our own individual amount of what is ‘too much’’ and need to be aware of the telling signs. The recommended amount of rest days is 1-2 but this can vary depending on the intensity, length and type. Obviously going for a 30 minute walk each day isn’t going to drain the body like high intensity training 5 times a week. The consequences of doing ‘too much’ can be the following:

1. Fatigue

When we train we should be feeling energized and pumped, ready to take on the day. If you begin to feel more exhausted at the end then when you started you are probably pushing yourself too much. Fatigue if your body’s way of saying slow down and be kind to me.

2. Low immunity

Have you ever wondered why you get sicker when you train harder? It is not surprising. If you don’t give your body time to recover you won’t have any reserves to fight bacteria and germs. I know it can be hard to take a rest day (especially when exercise makes you feel so good) but you NEED it and your recovery and gains will be so much quicker.

3. You have the blues

Do the workouts you used to love feel more like a chore than anything else? Or do you generally feel down and unmotivated? It may seem counter-intuitive since exercise has been shown to boost feel-good endorphins, but over training has been linked to a decrease in energy and mood. So if you have the blues, letting your muscles recover for a few days and getting really good sleep might be just what your body really needs. Of course, if you are severely depressed, see your doctor.

4. You have heavy legs

The feeling like your legs are being dragged through cement or the lack of ‘spring’ in your step can be the overuse of muscles that are now tired. Give those legs a couple of days off and go for a swim or try some stretching.

5. You are constantly sore Finding it hard to sit down to go to the toilet or just get in and out of the car? This is fine if it happens every now and then and can be a sign of a smashing good workout but if you are constantly sore this means those muscles are not getting stronger, in fact could even be weakening. Take some magnesium and get stuck into the protein. 6. You are cranky Being cranky helps no one so do yourself a favour, don’t set the alarm, put your ear plugs in, some fresh sheets, a warm chamomile and have some shut eye for 8 hours. In fact I think I might do that tonight…..