Overtraining

[Timber99]

I have been going 400 miles an hour in life (work, home, home improvement, workouts, everything) for a few months. I have also had a new schdule that now includes at 42 mile commute (though a very easy 30 minute hop on the highway). I teach about 5 - 6 classes per week at the gym (not all of which I take b/c in 2 - 3 I am working almost as a personal trainer rather than a participant) and usually have about 4 workouts of my own at home. There are days when I actually take off from everything and relax all day, watch movies, etc., but admitably, more often I have a pretty strenuous schedule.

I am tired. I can't seem to sleep enough. I'm back to falling asleep on the couch the moment I wind down. I never used to sleep easily until 11 or 12 on the weekends and lately, I have to force myself not to! Work mornings, I draaaaaaaaaag out of bed, or I wake up in time for a workout but honestly don't have the energy so I just lay there. I recently strained my shoulder (just soreness, not really an injury per say) but it isn't getting better. I've had an extra few pounds on me for about 2 months that aren't budging (which is in all fairness due to my crappy eating).

BF very politely suggested yesterday that perhaps I am overtraining. He has a book on fitness that talks about it and asked if I would read it. While I feel like I haven't been working out a heck of a lot harder than usual, I do feel like my body is tired. But at the same time, during my workouts, I feel pretty strong and solid. I rode a 50 mile bike ride this month and it was an absolute breeze (where it wasn't always in the past). So, could he be right!?

If he is, do I just take a week or so off completely or do I just slow it down a little?

 

[CollinsMom]

I think you should take a good 7 to 10 days off from working out. Let your mind and body rest some, and get LOTS of sleep. By the end of this rest, you are going to be craving that endorphine high so badly, but make yourself hold out. I think that you will come back to workouts rested and renewed, and hopefully break thru that plateau.

Of course, I should also add, that you should be VERY CAREFUL about what goes into your mouth during those rest days. I bet you will see the scale go down a pound or two, and may give you the jump start you need once you get back to workouts.

Good luck!!

 

[Imafitnessfreak]

The very first thing I would do is clean up your diet. That will make you feel run down, tired and sluggish like nothing else!!

As for over training, it is different for everyone so you really can't look at someones workout schedule and declare such a thing. There are however, symptoms. I know mood swings is one of them. Crankiness is another. If you are catching viruses very easily, that is another since over training wears down your immune system. I heard that eye lid twitch/spasms is another...I use to have that one. Check out BF's book for a better list...I am working off of memory...which isn't that great!

Still, a recovery week may do wonders for you!!

 

[Amy Steppe]

For me it is very, very hard to slow down. I feel guilty because I need to be doing a hard workout.

But....

I can honestly say that a recovery of 5 to 7 days every other month does me wonders.

When I return to my workouts, I am much stronger. If I go hard all the time, I get really weak and do not perform as well.

 

[Timber99]

I am definitely CRANKY! }( }( }( }(

Thanks for the input, ladies. I've taken it much easier this week and hope that might help out a bit. If I could just pause life for about a week to catch up...!

 

[LauraMax]

Or try just doing your classes & taking off from the home stuff. I'm in the process of that this week--I'm just doing cardio & laying off the weights for the same reasons. I was exhausted & my body needed some rest. Plus with the hectic schedule here I found myself totally stressing out trying to fit everything in.

You should take the list of all the things going on in your life & prioritize them. Like, for the home improvements, remember you'll be living there for years so you don't have to finish everything in a month. Probably there's nothing you can do about your work schedule or commute, so you might want to look at your workout routine & amend it to fit all that drive time. If it means dropping some of your teaching & the extra money you might have to do it, since your home, health & fitness probably take priority over that.

 

[kathryn]

You might want to read Brendan Brazier's "Thrive." He gives some nutritional suggestions for recovery to prevent and deal with overtraining (as a triathlete and ultramarathoner, he deals with possible overtraining a lot), and how to deal with different forms of stress and support the adrenal glands (He goes into this in more depth in his second book "The Thrive Diet.")

Your extra 2 pounds can also be due to stress (sounds like you have a lot)!

Exercise is just one form of stress, which can be positive or negative. Add that onto your home stress, work stress, home improvement stress, the possible extra physical activity you get because it's summer, and it can take you over the point where your body can deal with it.

Sounds like your body needs a break, and some support.
Try to find sometime in your schedule to just relax, or temporarily swap out some more strenuous workouts for a more relaxing walk or some restorative yoga.

Just some thoughts.