How to Find Balance with Your Fitness: Avoiding Burnout in Your Workouts

​We’ve talked about the recommended amount of exercise in the past, so I’ll just take a moment or two to review the guidelines.  You should generally get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise (swimming, brisk walking, push mowing, etc.) or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise (i.e. running) each week in addition strength training at least twice per week.  In order to see significant weight loss, this amount should increase to closer to 300 minutes per week, or about an hour a day for 5 days per week.  We often get really excited about our workout goals in the beginning, but sometimes, those workouts can begin to feel like even more “work” than usual.  Here are a few signs that you may benefit from a day off:

1. Ever feel so exhausted that you just can’t fall asleep?  That means your sympathetic nervous system may be working overtime.   Pushing too hard for too long can sometimes cause constant release of stress hormone that keep you wired for “flight or fight,” and that imbalance can totally throw off your sleep.  Another sign may be the disappearance of your menstrual cycles.
2. Constantly sick?  Either you have a toddler, or your immune response could be lowered due to inflammation and stress from overtraining.  Make sure you’re getting adequate breaks between hard workouts.
3. Reached a plateau in your workouts that no amount of training can push past?  Sometimes a short break for either a rest day or simply changing your preferred workout activity can help you resume making gains in your 5K pace or your weightlifting one-rep max.
4. Are you so tired that every day feels like a blur?  After sleep and dietary change, constant stress, either from workouts or even daily life, can really wreck your body.  We’re made to undergo cycles of work and rest, so being constantly “ramped up” can keep you from reaping some of those down-time benefits and even make it harder for you to rest when you finally have a chance.
5. Does that walk from your car to the gym make you tired just thinking about it?  The reason that people often begin to look forward to their daily workout involves the brain’s own reward system.  Dopamine, the body’s feel-good hormone that provides positive feedback for everything from workouts to intercourse, and endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers, are both released during and after exercise.  That being said, excessive training can blunt that response, and thus, blunt your satisfaction with your workout routine.

The bottom line:  working out and exercise are good, but be sure not to overdo it.  This is especially common when just beginning more intense exercise.  If you notice any of the symptoms of burnout listed above, it may be time for a little break or a change in your routine.  If those symptoms persist, then it may be wise to check in with your doctor to see if these symptoms are a sign of something else.  Before you do that, though, you might consider one last try for some fun exercise outside where you can really enjoy this lovely spring weather 😉
Dr. Nick