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It doesn’t take long to realize that we’re officially making the
most of summer and, while the arrival of the new season automatically
means barbecues, Pimms and picnics, it’s a great
opportunity for training programmes and the like to take advantage.
This year though, the language seems more tactical than ever; with
new research* surfacing that 34 percent of females are feeling the
most pressure to shape up, seeing words such as ‘quarantine 15’
or ads trying to get you to sign up for a ‘three weeks to summer
shorts plan’ isn’t uncommon. While it may feel natural to pack in
as much exercise as possible to lose weight, overtraining can
backfire and have major negative impacts on your body.Depressive overload
We
know you know that exercise comes with a plethora of physical and
mental health benefits, whether it’s the calming effects of a
chilled out yoga session or that euphoric buzz after a 5k. These
feelings are, of course, what keeps you coming back and although
important, they can sometimes blur the line between what’s healthy
and what’s not. With this in mind, overtraining can be tricky to
spot, especially when you enjoy a sweaty workout). “The first physical sign that you
might be doing too much is that your training starts to get worse,
instead of better. For example, if you train in the gym, you might
find you can’t lift as heavy as before or you tire out earlier in
your cardio sets; if you’re a runner, you’ll find it harder to
meet those 5k times that used to be easy.” Finding yourself
snapping at your partner or feeling as though your patience wears
thin with the kids more than usual of late? These are also signs that
you’re overdoing it on the exercise front. “The signs of
overexertion are not always physical and overtraining can often
manifest itself in changes in mannerisms or behaviour. A shortness of temper,
increased irritability or anger levels, and decreased motivation are
all results of overtraining, but are often overlooked. You might also
experience a dip in your enjoyment of exercise and other hobbies.
Simply put, your levels of exhaustion and fatigue can impact you
mentally and you can begin to exhibit symptoms that many often
associate with depression.”
The Big Picture
Before we continue,
a quick lesson in the impact that exercising has on your overall
calories burned in a day. Without getting too technical, we have
something called a basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the total
number of calories you would burn if you were to lay in bed all day
or remain horizontal on the sofa while watching your favourite
series.The total number of calories
you burn in a day is dependent on a number of variables, such as your
age, height, weight and body composition (muscle vs fat mass). Your
BMR is the total number of calories your body needs each day to carry
out involuntary functions, such as breathing and digestion, and
generally, your BMR is higher the younger you are and the more muscle
mass you have. Granted, this number is affected by the amount of
exercise you do, but your BMR makes up about 60 percent of your daily
calorie expenditure, Steven adds. In essence, going gung-ho at the
gym potentially won’t have the impact you hoped for. So, what
should a moderate training programme look like? Well, there’s no
concrete plan that everyone should follow and, like with a lot of
things, there’s no one-size-fits-all. What we do know, with
certainty, is that you should make your exercise routine fit around
you and not the other way around. “A training schedule should do
two things: reflect your personal life and commitments (meaning you
fit the gym around things such as family or work), and it should be
balanced for your individual fitness needs. Building a schedule that uses a 2:1 ratio, – which could be two
lower intensity workouts, mixed with one high intensity workout over
the course of a week – has been a split that I’ve found to work
extremely well, and one that allows for sufficient rest between each
session. It’s also an adjustable metric too. For example, if you’re
struggling with the higher intensity workout, you can downgrade that
to include another lower intensity workout. Or, if you want to push
yourself, you can add another intense workout in, or replace one of
your lower intensity workouts with a tougher challenge.” It’s
also worth noting that your sessions should never leave you feeling
nauseous or faint, but rather pushing yourself outside of your
comfort zone slightly with every consecutive session, he adds.
Take Some Rest
That’s all well
and good, but for those who enjoy getting a serious sweat on daily,
might be left wondering where this leaves them. The answer? Experts recommends replacing one or two of your more intense workouts with a
mindfulness practice, such as yoga or meditation. The benefits of
yoga are well-documented, and including a therapeutic form of
exercise in your routine can allow you to take full advantage. Yoga
offers a break from the pressure that’s placed on your muscles, but
simultaneously prepares them for further exercise by stretching and
strengthening your muscle fibres. While a boxing class or HIIT
session can be great ways to alleviate stress and improve your
overall mood, Steven warns that the stresses placed on your body
during these activities might be causing yourself even more stress if
these workouts are not controlled. He also says that rest is, and
should be, an imperative part of your exercise routine. “Adequate
rest allows your body to heal and recover, which ultimately leads to
increased strength and aerobic fitness. Rest optimizes your exercise
performance and promotes hormonal balance, which are both key to
sleep, energy, mood and health. More reasons for a lay-in, then.
Body Life Goals
Short
term goals that focus on looking a certain way for a certain period
of time is never something I would advise, and there are so many
reasons for this. While there is nothing wrong with training to feel
more confident in the way you look, you could be setting yourself up
for disappointment or failure if you only focus on the aesthetics.
Plus, giving yourself a short time rame often makes you put more
pressure on yourself to work harder or for longer than you really
should, which means your body is placed under a lot of stress. I
always say that movement should be part of your life and feeling good
comes from consistency. One more thing: remember that everything
has changed, so it’s OK if your body has too. If you really want to
feel good about yourself, making small changes, such as introducing
exercise into your daily routine and cutting out negative eating
patterns is a great way to start, and you’ll reap these benefits
beyond that holiday.
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