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Exercise is good for you; frequent exercise is even better. Studies show that exercise is linked to a longer life span and reduced risk of serious health problems. Plus, it burns calories which in turn helps you stay slim. Working out is not only healthy, but makes you look and feel awesome. Many long-time gym rats will tell you that working out is almost addictive. Exercise addiction is in fact a real thing and can be very harmful if not treated. Too much of a good thing can be applied to everything, even exercise. Symptoms of exercise addiction include an inability to not exercise and experiencing withdrawal symptoms if you do. It will also lead to exhaustion, fatigue, sore muscles, and exercise related injuries. These symptoms can also occur because of overtraining.
Overtraining is caused by working out too hard or too often without adequate rest in between sessions. Overtraining doesn’t necessarily mean you have exercise addiction, but those who are addicted to exercise frequently overtrain. Sometimes it is hard to know when to push through a workout and when to take a rest. We’re frequently told that the only way to get stronger or fitter is to push through the discomfort. While this is true in some cases, pushing too hard can do you more harm than good. Everyone is different and some people need more time to recover than others. While feeling tired after a workout is normal, it’s important to know when your fatigue is more than simply being tired from a gym session. Some symptoms of overtraining include:
Other symptoms of overtraining include a general sense of prolonged fatigue, moodiness, and poor-quality sleep. You may also experience constipation or diarrhea. This is due to the drop of blood flow to the colon and small bowel caused by overexertion.
If you are experiencing symptoms of overtraining, you should stop training immediately. It might be time to reevaluate your workout routine and possibly talk to a fitness professional to determine what changes should be made to your routine. Recovery from overtraining includes plenty of rest and self-care. You should stop training and only return to it when you are fully recovered. Below are a few more tips for recovery.
Hydrate
Overtraining can cause water and electrolyte loss which are both essential to hydration. Your body needs both water and electrolytes to function properly. Be vigilant about your water intake and consider electrolyte enhanced beverages to enhance hydration.
Nutrition
Too much exercise can strip you of energy and sometimes lead to unintended or unhealthy weight loss. Getting adequate nutrition is essential for your body’s ability to recover. You need enough calories and essential vitamins and minerals to replace what you’ve lost and get back to normal energy levels. Healthy diet plus natural energy boosting vitamins will help to reverse the symptoms of overtraining.
Sleep
You need to get enough sleep for your body to rebuild torn muscles and repair any injuries you may have incurred due to overtraining. A 30-minute nap here and there is not going to cut it. Aim to get your full 8 hours sleep each night for best results. If you have trouble sleeping, consider a natural sleep aid like melatonin or use a guided meditation for sleep.
Get A Massage
A massage can help speed up recovery by increasing blood flow and oxygen to the muscles and sometimes lessen lactic acid build-up. It can also help to reduce anxiety caused by overtraining by helping you to relax more. Plus, a massage feels really, really good.
Drink Cherry Juice
Cherry juice has been shown to aid in muscle recovery post workout. It’s proposed that the antioxidants in cherry juice help lessen the oxidative stress on your muscles, therefore helping you heal faster. Try all-natural pure tart cherry juice for the most effectiveness.
How To Prevent Overtraining
Overtraining is preventable if you take the right actions upon first symptoms. If you ever feel unusually tired during or after a workout, it’s probably a sign you need to take it easy. Alternate your workouts between more intense exercises followed by a day of rest or a lower intensity workout. Remember, recovery is one of the biggest factors in building muscle and getting fitter. Your body must have time to recover to rebuild your muscle tissues, therefore increasing your strength. If you’re not sure how much exercise or recovery you need, talk to a fitness professional. They will be able to devise a plan for you to maintain and increase your fitness safely.
Be sure to aid in your recovery by eating healthy and taking the propersupplements to increase your energy and wellbeing. Always be sure to follow up your workout sessions with plenty of water and replace your electrolytes when needed. Moderate to intense workouts should never last more than an hour and a half at most. Consider splitting your workout into two days if you feel you need more time than that to complete a workout. Practice plenty of self-care in between workout days and most importantly, pay attention to your body’s signals. You know yourself best and if you think you need a day off, take it. There will be plenty of opportunities to push yourself on future workouts. Don’t let your pride push you to injury, it is never worth it.
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