8 SIGNS YOU ARE OVER-TRAINING

You know the feeling, the lack of motivation, the dread of lacing up. Your muscles are tighter, and you can’t squat like you used to. At the gym, you’re looking at the clock and dreaming of a latte afterwards. Your muscle cream, it’s empty before you know it.

Overtraining is an excessive increase in frequency, volume, or intensity to your training regiment. As a result, you experience some unwanted changes physically, behaviourally, and emotionally.

Below are 8 signs you are overtraining:

1. You’re run down, sick, and injured a lot. [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif]

Chronically elevated levels of cortisol are the culprit. They can stall your fat loss and lower your immunity. [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif]

2. You’re not completing your normal training routine. [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif]

You make it to your training session but the ‘umph' is gone, and you’ve lost the desire to even go. Your training sessions feel like you are just going through the motions.

3. You’re sore all the time.

Being sore after your workout is normal, and so is delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) that doesn't peak for most until two days after the workout. However, being constantly sore is a clear sign that you need to back off and give your muscles an opportunity to fully recover.

4. You’re experiencing changes like insomnia, depression, irritability, or mood swings.

When you’re overtraining, your body’s systems go into overload. Hormones like cortisol and serotonin get out of sync which effects everything you do. Physical and emotional changes in behaviour are a sign to step back from your training schedule. [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif]

5. You’ve stopped seeing progress and results.

If we are just looking at exercise alone, consistently stressing could be triggering your body’s “fight or flight” response. This elevates cortisol levels and leads to fat storage.

6. Uncontrollable cravings for comfort foods. [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif]

A good training session should go hand in hand with proper post workout nutrition. If you have what feels like uncontrollable cravings for caffeine, sweet or salty carbs, it’s possible your body is craving these because it is too damn tired and overworked. [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif]

7. More often than not, you’re feeling tired after a workout.

Feeling spent for the rest of the day as a result of your workout can be a sign of a great workout. But if this is constantly happening, it could be a sign of overtraining. This can often be compounded by everyday stress. [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif]

8. You’re putting fitness before everything else in your life.

You’re choosing your workouts over going out with friends, date nights, time with family, and much needed sleep. Essentially, your life revolves around your training session. [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif]

Your take away: Listen to your body. Your body is smart and great at sending signals. Your brain is equally as good at ignoring them. It’s understandable to think that working out more is better. In some cases, we need to gently increase or change up our training regiment, but sometimes we need to scale back because doing more is sabotaging our overall performance and progress.

Plan some rest days. One day or two days and sometimes longer. You will know you’re ready to train again when the above dissipate. Schedule regular rest days into your routine and maybe a little extra yoga and meditation. Neither has ever hurt anyone’s progress!