Do You Know When You Are Overtraining And Need A Break?

By angie5 on November 27th, 2007

It feels so good when you are in a ‘workout routine’ and sometimes its very hard to take a step back and realize you need to take a break from that routine. Overtraining is when you are working out too much and too hard, without allowing your body to fully recover.

This past week I took off 5 days from work and I mean ALL work! No computers, no daycare, no training. I did workout 2x, but they were light workouts. It was amazing what a difference it made in my days. I had more energy, felt relaxed and stress-free! I was also able to ‘clear my head’ with all the stuff I usually feel I have to do, and do some clear thinking!

Signs of overtraining include:

washed out feeling, tired, lack of energy
pain in your muscles and joints, general achiness
headaches
insomnia
frequent illnesses (colds, sore throats)
moodiness and irritability
decreased appetite
decreased training ability and muscle strength
a compulsive need to train
increased heart rate

If you have experienced any of these symptoms and feel you are overtraining, you should stop your workouts for a couple of days and get plenty of rest, continue eating healthy and drink plenty of water. When you feel rested, start out slowly with your workouts again. You don’t have to wait until you are experiencing these symptoms to take a break, its a good idea to lighten your frequency of workouts every couple months to let your body rest. It will not only enable you to work harder after your rest period, but will also help you to look forward to exercising again.

Angie Schumacher is a Certified Fitness Professional who trains clients in her home and is a Women's Boot Camp Instructor in Colorado. She is the author of The Fat Blasting Boot Camp Program and has offered a one stop website to help you with all of your health and fitness needs. Please visit www.BuildingABetterU.com to find exactly what you are looking for!