With summer just around the corner, it’s easy to get excited and overdo it at the gym in preparation. But exercising too much can be just as harmful, if not more harmful than not exercising at all.
How do you know if you’re overtraining, as in training too hard or too frequently? There are a variety of symptoms and warning signs to look out for: Do you find that you’re coming down with more colds and other illnesses than usual? Overtraining can cause a decrease in the immune system, and longterm overtraining can eventually lead to auto-immune diseases. Other symptoms include constant fatigue, elevated resting heart rate, an increased risk of injury, rapid weight loss, and decreased levels of natural hormones (loss of period, etc).
According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), some studies have even shown that over-training for a prolonged period of time can result in a shorter lifespan. This is serious stuff!
Still not sure if you’re at risk? Here are some warning signs and tips to prevent over-exercising from ACE:
Listen to Your Body! Do you notice any of the short-term symptoms listed above? If so, it’s time to ease up on your regimen until your body has had sufficient time to recover. If you can’t catch your breath or you’re having trouble breathing, stop! This is not normal – you’re pushing yourself too hard.
Keep a Training Diary. Write down the exercises you perform during each workout and be sure to include number of repetitions, speed and intensity levels. Use this as a reference to identify potentially unhealthy patterns and ensure you’re not continuously increasing the intensity or frequency of your workouts. And you should also use this to make sure you’re not working the same muscle groups two days in a row. Allow at least one day of rest between muscle groups.
Take a break. Recovery time is a critical component of a well balanced program. The human body typically requires a 24- to 48-hour break immediately following a strenuous workout (this is a great time to stretch). Plus, tight muscles can cause other muscles to overcompensate, which can cause injury.
Remember to hydrate. During your immediate post-workout recovery, increase hydration by drinking anywhere from 6–20 ounces of water or a sports drink with electrolytes. Amd don’t forget to consume nutrient-rich foods within the first forty-five minutes after completing a workout.
Get Plenty of Rest. Sleep just might be the most important factor of all. It’s true that we need at least 8 hours of good sleep every night.
Consider a Personal Trainer. Did you know there are many certified personal trainers who specialize in designing exercise programs for a variety of specific needs along the health and fitness continuum? Consider hiring a trainer, if even for a few sessions, to outline a program that will help you reach your goals without crossing into the dangerous territory of over-training!
