Are You Overtraining?
Overtraining is something that is far too common and often overlooked.
People often have these “all or nothing”, “no days off”, and “more is better” mentalities that are not sustainable.
I can attest to this because I used to have that same mentality. I would beat myself into the ground on a daily basis and it left me exhausted, irritable, and miserable.
Here are some commons signs that you may be overtraining:
Chronic Fatigue 😮💨
If you are always tired and low on energy, you are likely not getting the proper amount of recovery you need. In order to sustain training for the long haul, you have to be able to recover from it. The first place to start is sleep.
Sleep is the best way to recover because it’s how your body repairs day to day. The next thing to focus on is your nutrition. Eating a variety of foods rich in micronutrients, along with consuming a good balance of macronutrients is a recipe for successful recovery and energy that sustains us through strenuous activity.
It’s also important to focus on is daily body maintenance. It could mobility work or light stretching to make sure your body is moving and functioning properly.
Injury 🤕
Having soreness and tight muscles is normal if you train often. However, having tweaks and nagging aches & pains regularly is not. Injury is your body’s way of saying that you are doing too much and it’s time to slow down. Beating yourself down day in and day out without proper recovery leads to a greater chance of injury. Listen to your body and take an extra rest day when needed.
Mood 😪
How you feel physically can play a major role on your mood and how you feel mentally. If you are exhausted physically, there is a good chance that you are mentally drained as well. If you are feeling mentally drained, that likely means that you are not enjoying what you are doing. If you are not enjoying what you are doing, then what’s the point? Take a step back, reassess your goals and set them in a way that makes them realistic so you are not feeling depleted both mentally and physically.
As you work towards your fitness goals, keep these signs of overtraining in mind. Work hard, but listen to your body.
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