Most of us have dealt with overtraining in some capacity… some are lucky enough to catch themselves before it gets to be a serious problem. We all know some of the signs of overtraining:
-lack of ability to focus/concentrate
-diminished speed/power/strength
-increased irritability
-anxiety, depression, heightened insecurities
Those signs are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the negative impact of overtraining… I neglected to mention the obvious: exhaustion, both physically and mentally. Which keeps your body from achieving the results you deserve.
You can be on the point with your workouts & nutrition… but if rest isn’t incorporated into your regime it will not work.
Yesterday I did the Crossfit 14.1 workout {for a second time…} then proceeded to go to my Anytime Fitness to work on double unders and to do a strength workout. At one point I looked in the mirror, saw my ‘bat wings’ and cried. At the gym. Who does that?
I’ve been feeling incredibly fatigued lately. Yet I continue to push myself. Not because I feel obligated too but because I want to.
I am happiest when I start my days with my 5:30 AM crossfit group. It’s a great group of motivating and really nice people. After sitting all day I want to go to the gym after work too to “un-do” sitting all day long. It never feels like a chore… but it’s taking a toll on me mentally more than anything.
For the fitness enthusiast, it’s incredibly difficult to find balance. Balance is a problem everywhere: balance in workouts, nutrition, social life, etc. It’s even harder when the thing that makes you the most happy, that endorphin-high, is also causing stress to your mind & body.
Yesterday when I was crying at the gym was when I finally realized I need to find different outlets. Yes I want to excel in Crossfit, I want to get the aesthetics I’m striving for… but I cannot do double workouts five times a week, while also working a full-time job. Kudos to those athletes who can but Crossfit puts a beating on your body. I need to respect this body–it’s the only one I have.
So today, I listened to my body and not my mind. I took a beating this morning at Crossfit and realized I am wiped out. Never during workouts do I think “I cannot actually do this” and that was the only thought I had this morning during the WOD. So I took the afternoon off. Tonight I cleaned my apartment, watched some Netflix & I am about to watch The Voice with a glass of wine.
It won’t be easy finding this balance because gym time is MY time–it’s my favorite. But there’s no point in spending HOURS heavily training, eating well, getting adequate sleep if I’m just going to overtrain. Time to make it about quality > quantity.
How do you know you’re overtraining? Do you have a hard time saying ‘no’ to a workout because you sincerely enjoy it? Tell me some of your alternates to a endorphin-producing workout…
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Ah balance..my favorite word. I definitely notice at times I get into these types of routines too. I have gotten better at honoring my body when I feel tired. I’m glad you took the night off!
I think it’s SO important that you realized that your body needs rest. I sometimes get into a habit of think that more is always better when it comes to exercise, but that way of thinking would just run my body into the ground!
Glad you’re relaxing! ❤
You definitely just have to listen to your body. It’s tough sometimes when working out is your ultimate escape (I’m the same way) but it’s not worth it to end up injuring yourself and taking yourself out of the game completely. Way to listen to your body and recognize you needed a break 🙂
Oh I hear you!! Balance is tricky sometimes but I’m so glad you took the night off! Working out twice everyday for five days is intense – I sure as heck couldn’t do it! I think it’s definitely important to (as everyone else has said) listen to your body. Even if you get your double workouts in 2-3 times a week instead of 5 might be a good idea – and then you can really give it your all for those days, cause I mean – you’re doing so much more than the average person even if you were to do only one work out 5 days a week!
I’ve learned to listen to my body – that balance is so tricky. I used to think that skipping workouts would hurt my forward progress (and lead to laziness), but now I’ve learned that pushing through an injury or illness just slows you down even more. Why try to workout when you are at 50%, when you can take a day (or 2) off and feel 90-100%? On the flip side…you have to get back to it at some point!
Smart girl paying attention to signs of over training. I recommend going for walks (especially when it gets nicer out), you get fresh air, still get to move the legs but it isn’t as tiring or as much of a beating on the body.
I hit the wall the other day. I had done my poor 14.1 performance plus Saturday’s WOD, then a tough team WOD Sunday. I was spent. I usually never take Monday off, especially since it’s a Monday and work sucks hard on Monday. But I knew from the second I woke up that I needed a break. Didn’t want to, but I listened to my body. I’m glad I did, because I know I would’ve been running on fumes all week – taking off one day saved the rest of my week.
Good post, great points, keep it up!