Are You Over Training? – by Amber Trapassi

Is over-training inevitable? The human body is resilient, but there are limits – and the limits aren’t always clearly delineated. Sometimes you have to fall off the edge to know your limit. It’s a challenge; I’ll admit it. Heck, I’ve done it! Most people who embrace the idea of exercise want to believe that more is better; not true. It’s tough to simply read the aforementioned list of things to avoid and check them off, especially when you have set goals.

If you workout too often, over-training can become a problem for your body. It is extremely important for your muscles to get the proper amount of rest in order to give your body time to repair them. You should make sure that you are giving your body enough rest each week. Yes, REST! It’s hard for me to even hear that word, but it MUST be done in order to recover and repair. Generally, your body should get one day of rest for every two days of exercise. This means that at least two or three times every week, you should abstain from working out altogether. This does not make you lazy! This allows your muscles to grow stronger over time. In many cases, rest is actually better for your muscles than a workout.

Also, the food that you take in helps your body to repair your muscles. It’s not just the amount of food you take in that matters, it’s the quality of food that matters just as much. You don’t fuel a jet engine with lighter fluid. Eating the proper foods is important. Make sure you eat plenty of protein and fat to fuel your efforts and repair your body, along with (only) as many added carbs as you need to replenish glycogen. Likewise, getting the proper amount of sleep gives it the time it needs to make repairs and rest your muscles. So, if you’re trying to recover from over-training, you’ll need plenty of nutritious foods and plenty of sleep in order to get your muscles healthy again.