If you are working out and not giving your body enough time to recover between sessions, you are likely overtraining. There comes a point when too much exercise can become harmful to your health and can actually stand in the way of results, especially if you are workout sessions are too close. The key is to work out within your limits and give yourself enough recovery time between workouts. In addition, you also need to fuel your body to sustain your training and look after yourself. Take a look at some of the prominent signs of overtraining to ensure you are not doing the same.
Not eating enough
Weightlifters with an intense training schedule often tend to reduce their calorie intake. But, cutting back on calories too much can often have a negative impact on your performance and health. If your body uses your energy reserves continuously, you could develop nutritional deficiencies like anemia. It can also cause more serious conditions that can have an impact on your gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and endocrine systems. You can also develop reproductive and nervous system complications, including irregular cycles and period loss. Therefore, you should not reduce your calorie intake too much and ensure you get plenty of nutrients.
Overuse injuries
If you run too often, it can result in overuse injuries, such as plantar fasciitis, stress fractures and shin splints. Broken bones, soft tissue injuries and joint strains can also happen. Your body can suffer from wear and tear and stress due to high impact exercise. If you are suffering from an injury, you should take a break from working out to give it time to heal.
Reduced appetite and weight loss
Working out usually results in a healthy appetite. But, if you are working out excessively, it can lead to hormonal imbalances that can influence how full, or hungry you feel. Overtraining can often cause weight loss, decreased appetite and exhaustion. If you are suffering from any of these symptoms, it might be time for you to cut back.
Fatigue
Feeling tired after exercise is pretty normal, but fatigue usually occurs when your do not give your body time to recover after working out. You can feel excessively drained during the workout as well as right after it. It is also possible for fatigue to set in when you do not get enough fuel before training. This is because your body ends up using its protein, carbohydrate and fat reserves for getting the energy required.
Irritability and agitation
Your stress hormone levels are impacted by overtraining and this can lead to mental fog, depression and mood changes. You can also experience a lack of enthusiasm, or concentration. These all show that you need to cut back on training.
Loss of motivation
Staying motivated to work out can become difficult when you are overtraining because you will feel physically and mentally exhausted. You may feel lack of enjoyment or think that you are not achieving your fitness goals. The key is to make some positive changes that will help you feel inspired again.
