7 Signs Your Workout Routine Is Doing More Harm Than Good

Staying active is one of the best ways to achieve and maintain good health. Exercise improves your fitness and helps enhance your mental well-being. Most people exercise regularly to stay healthy. A schedule for walking, strength training, or yoga works wonders for your health. However, once you overdo it, there can be repercussions.

Too much training without adequate rest can cause overtraining syndrome, negatively impacting your physical and mental health.

What is overtraining?

Too much exercise can be classified into two types. Overreaching and overtraining

Overreaching typically happens when there is no sufficient recovery between workouts. Fortunately, the side effects are easily reversible.

Overtraining occurs when the signs and symptoms of overreaching are ignored. Fatigue and weakness are often overlooked, and athletes continue training. This further harms their bodies to the extent that side effects take weeks or months to get better.

There are many signs of overtraining, which you shouldn’t neglect. In this blog, let’s understand the signs, symptoms, and dangers of overtraining.

When we exercise too intensely and very often, we witness the side effects of overtraining. This is called the overtraining syndrome. It is an extreme condition in which your body begins to hurt. This can happen to most people training for any sport or competition.

It becomes essential to give your body much-needed rest. So that it recovers from the intense physical activity. Remember to push your limits, yet be mindful of your body while training. Overtraining syndrome can not only cause physical but also might affect your emotional and mental health. You might experience sudden fatigue, pain, or a sudden performance dip.

Here are 7 Signs Your Workout Routine is Doing More Harm Than Good

1. Frequent Injuries:

Frequent injuries are often one of the most common complications of overtraining. A repetitive injury is damage caused by frequent motions and usage. These are called repetitive stress injuries, and they are mostly caused by muscles, tendons, or joints. Sometimes, the injuries do not heal, and the soreness lingers. These are prominent signs of overtraining.

2. Inadequate Rest: 

Your body’s tissues and muscles need ample rest after a strenuous workout. Not providing the same can lead to overloading and injuries. WHO has issued guidelines on the recommended level of exercise for every age. Adequate rest is needed for repair and rebuilding.

When your body signals signs of overtraining, it is essential to consult a medical practitioner. The healthcare provider will conduct a physical exam, which also involves discussing your health history and might involve some blood work. They will ascertain if particular training or workouts worsen the condition upon examination.

3. Decline in Performance: 

One of the prominent signs of overtraining is a decline in performance. Overtraining syndrome can cause your performance to plateau. You’ll see a downfall rather than progress. This happens as you might be left with less endurance and strength, and you’ll be less agile. This hinders your performance and makes it difficult for you to reach your training goals. Taking it slow and steady is better than the eventual burnout.

• A reasonable workout reassessment helps to assess your current strengths and endurance levels. Your trainer can help you plan this.
• The trainer advises you to correct techniques and mistakes to avoid while exercising.
• Realistic goal setting is another crucial aspect of avoiding the dangers of overtraining.

4. Sleep Disruptions:

One of the dangers of overtraining is disrupted sleep. This is primarily because of high cortisol levels. Cortisol, the stress hormone, is closely related to the sleep and wake cycle. The sleep cycle is crucial as it aids recovery and overall performance. Excessive stress by the body leads to more cortisol production, which hampers the production of melatonin(the sleep hormone). This triggers sleeplessness and insomnia.

Here’s how you can fix overtraining to a certain extent

• Another tip to reduce the possibility of overtraining is progressive overload. Progressive overload is a gradual increase in the weights, number of repetitions, or frequency while you are strength training. This is a perfect way to challenge your body while allowing your musculoskeletal system to become stronger. This is usually seen in strength training. The body gradually adapts to the routine, and you will not be fatigued towards the end. 

• Evaluate and implement. Evaluate your workout intensity. Remember that exercise progression is essential to avoid exercise and injury prevention. The progress can be gradual. Start with a light-intensity workout. Generally, a 10% increase is recommended in your weekly exercise activity to achieve the proper routine.

5. Loss of motivation:

It can be an emotional challenge to take time off from training. The symptoms of overtraining can be fatigue, mood swings, anger, frustration, mental instability, and lack of enthusiasm.

However, mental health professionals can help during this crucial time. They will help you feel less overwhelmed with cognitive skills training and other psychology tricks.

To gain the lost motivation, you can always:

• Reduce the intensity of workouts and work according to a plan that suits your fitness.
• Have enough time between training sessions by taking necessary breaks.
• Stop fast workouts and opt for slow training that does not harm much.

6. Weight fluctuations

Training excessively has its dangers. Fluctuating weight can be one of the various side effects of overtraining. As we are aware, overtraining causes excessive cortisol production and testosterone levels to drop. This can directly impact muscle growth and repair and cause a sudden surge in weight. You will also notice weight gain around the belly area due to overtraining.

What you must do?

• Listen to your body and its signals.
• Take breaks from training to relax.
• Do not let the weight fluctuations worry you.

7. Negative Mood Swings 

Extreme physical stress can lead to anxiety and mood swings. This can also cause depression as the body’s stress hormone is disrupted over some time. When the body is upset, it creates a fight-or-flight response.

Continuous stress can also have a wear-and-tear effect on the body. This can harm your body in many ways. Mental health disorders or physical health problems can arise due to this condition.

To combat negative mindset due to overtraining:

• Exercise regularly
• Eat healthy food
• Practice mindfulness
• Engage in leisure activities.

Proper Nutrition is the Key

Your eating habits define you. Depriving yourself of vitamins, essential nutrients, minerals, or proteins is not right. Consult a nutritionist who will help you develop a meal plan that provides the right amount of nutrients and energy for your healing.

Overtraining can be a serious condition that affects one’s physical and mental well-being. However, with a few tips, one can overcome this and win.

Tips to overcome overtraining:

• Rest Days and Active Recovery:

As we mentioned earlier, rest days are critical. These days allow muscles to repair and rebuild, which can reduce the risk of frequent injuries and overuse injuries. Light exercises during and after rest days help blood circulation and flush out toxins, which helps in faster recovery and elevated performance.

• Customized Plans with Professional Guidance:

Tailoring workout plans and regimens that match your fitness levels and goals is beneficial. The health consultant will ensure that you get enough rest. They will craft a plan that suits your fitness needs and is aligned with your goals.

• Adequate Nutrition, Hydration, and Sleep:

Nutrition and proper water intake go hand in hand. Maintaining a proper sleep cycle is also equally important. Balanced nutrition is the key to faster recovery. Good sleep helps in muscle repair, regulates stress hormones, and strengthens immunity. All these are crucial to a seamless recovery from overtraining.

Your true well-being lies when you find the right balance. Though exercise is crucial in maintaining your fitness, overtraining can lead to subsequent physical and mental damage. It is essential to listen to your body and focus on moderation. This is the secret to sustained progress. Guided by the right approach, proper nutrition, and ample hydration, you can achieve sustainable improvement. Remember that health is not a sprint race. It is a marathon. Listen to your body, and embrace long-term success!