When is working out too much

If the answers are yes, you're probably a classic overdoer. Addicts are rare and need more help than we can offer in these pages. To score the most from exercise, you only need to go hard three or four times a week. But in our more-is-better world, when CrossFit and killer boot camps are the norm, we fear this idea falls on deaf ears. The fact is, hitting the gym too often can make you less fit.

And, shocker: It can even pack on pounds. Hear us out. Exercise creates tiny tears in muscle fiber, and when given a chance to heal, the fibers build up.

But without recovery, you won't see those changes in tone or strength, Parker says. You're also stressing out your body if you're crushing Spin or a run day after day. That triggers a surge in the hormone cortisol, says Michele Olson, Ph. The uptick in cortisol prevents testosterone, which helps build muscle tissue, from doing its job, so definition suffers, Olson says. Meanwhile, your metabolism hits the brakes to conserve energy.

In extreme cases, menstruation goes MIA; again, it's your body's effort to save calories. As annoying as your period is, it does zap cals. More isn't always more. Too much exercise can leave you exhausted, and the extra sweating doesn't always pay off. Your muscles are super sore: No doubt, muscle soreness a day or two after a hard workout is normal.

But three, four, five, or six days after? So next time you're hobbling up the stairs, think about the timing of your last leg day. You're moody AF: "Overtraining syndrome can seriously affect your mental health. It can sap your motivation, make you short-tempered, hostile, cranky, sad, anxious, depressed, and a whole host of other not-so-fun mood changes," says Luciani. Of course, there are many causes of personality, emotional, and mental changes, so if you're feeling off, talk to a mental healthcare provider before jumping to conclusions.

Your sleep quality sucks: You'd think that the more you exercise, the easier it would be to fall asleep. Usually, that's true! But exercise too much and your sleep quality goes down the drain.

You've got a nagging injury: Frequently getting injured think: pulling a muscle, aggravating an old injury, or tweaking a muscle? Further, because you're exercising so often, if you're exercising with imperfect form, you increase your risk for over-use and compensatory injuries, he says. Your heart rate is outta whack: If you'd be more likely to use the verbs "hammering" or "pounding" to refer to your resting heart rate than, say, "beating," chances are you've been overtraining.

That's because, if your body is working overtime to meet the needs of your training, your resting heart rate can change, explains McCall. Usually, the difference is substantial enough that you don't need a heart rate monitor to notice, but the benefit of high-tech heart-rate tracking gadgets like the Whoop or Apple Watch is that they also measure your heart rate variability how much time passes between each heartbeat , which can dip as a result of overtraining.

For example, if you're in a pretty restful state watching Netflix, laying in bed, etc. While not officially recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , if you worry your workout habits or approach to working out—whether accompanied by symptoms of overtraining syndrome or not—have veered towards the obsessive, it's important to seek help from a mental health professional.

Some of the symptoms sound familiar. Now what? It starts by chatting up a healthcare provider. That's because many of the aforementioned symptoms are also symptoms of other serious health conditions like heart disease, hypertension, depression, PCOS, and more. Once these conditions have been ruled out, and it's been confirmed that you really do have overtraining syndrome, your next step is to scale your workouts back like, way back!

If your usual M. Usually, experts will suggest going at least one week without any exercise to help your body reset. After that, Luciani recommends "working with a trainer who can intentionally write a program for you based on your fitness goals and current lifestyle. And, because inadequate nutritional intake often contributes to overtraining, "athletes should also work with a nutritionist to figure out exactly much and what they should be eating to support their training goals," says Luciani.

Luciani also recommends folks keep a fitness feelings journal. This isn't a place where you'll write what your workouts are—it's a place to think through how your body is feeling, what's sore, and how your training program is making you feel. Getting the recommended amount of exercise is important.

Getting more than that is okay When your weight drops too low, it can begin to affect your hormones. Underweight women are at a higher risk of early menopause, osteoporosis, and infertility. You may also risk anemia and a weakened immune system. In addition, it can disrupt your metabolism.

When you exercise too much and burn too many calories, it can slow down your metabolism. Ironically, this makes weight loss more difficult. This is why you see people who go on extreme diets and extreme exercise regimens gain the weight back very quickly. Too much exercise can leave you feeling fatigued and even depressed. It can affect your sleep and your appetite causing you to feel even more fatigued. You might even need to add more healthy carbohydrates and protein to your diet.

You may also need to examine why you exercise. Are you working out because you want to be healthy? Or are you doing it as a punishment for eating a cookie at lunch? When you view exercise as a punishment, you may overdo it and not reap the mental health benefits of physical activity. When exercise becomes compulsive, it can damage your relationships with friends and families. According to the National Eating Disorders Association , if you begin to turn down or cancel plans with people you love to exercise, you may be exercising too much or for the wrong reasons.

Exercise should always be your choice. If you feel anxious or guilty after skipping a workout, you may be exercising compulsively. If you feel unsure how much exercise is right for you, we can help you create a plan to meet your fitness goals.