Can you work out too much???

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whitesox56
whitesox56 Posts: 85
in Fitness and Exercise
Here's what's going on..I lost 15 lbs in like 3 weeks most in part because I worked out A LOT..like 6x a week,60-75 mins of cardio daily and weights a few of those days. Last week I slowed down (as expected) I still worked out 6x last week and only dropped like 2.6 lbs. Calorie goal is 2100, I am eating between approx 1500-1600 cals most of those days.

I weighed 321.2 on Friday. I only worked out an hour both yesterday and Saturday. Ate just about 2100 calories on Saturday and Sunday. I stepped on the scale, I'm down 3 lbs.

Am I working out too much? What the heck's going on? I didn't really eat all that great yesterday, my sodium was just at the limit and I was barely at my calorie limit......weird.

Replies

  • Gunsentry
    Gunsentry Posts: 121 Member
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    Great Wiki here in regard to Overtraining:-

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overtraining


    But if you are managing to recover with one day off well whats to stop you.
  • whitesox56
    whitesox56 Posts: 85
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    Great Wiki here in regard to Overtraining:-

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overtraining


    But if you are managing to recover with one day off well whats to stop you.

    Thanks..Interesting article.. I am definitely giving myself a day of rest otherwise my knees would be shot. LOL
  • Kellyeee2013
    Kellyeee2013 Posts: 221
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    Yes. I would consult with a doctor perhaps. You can do damage to joints, muscles, etc over time.
  • whitesox56
    whitesox56 Posts: 85
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    Yes. I would consult with a doctor perhaps. You can do damage to joints, muscles, etc over time.

    Going back to my doctor for my physical as soon as I drop 10 more lbs (that's what I weighed when I saw her last and I don't want her to yell at me LOL)
  • ejwme
    ejwme Posts: 318
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    you can "overtrain" but it also depends on the level of effort you exercise at for that time period. If you're barely able to get a sentence out for the full 60-75 minutes of cardio, it's much more likely that you're overtraining than if you're able to sing show tunes during cardio. I can maintain a slow jog and sing show tunes, and I know it's not working out. Not saying that's what you're doing, just saying effort AND time are both important.

    In terms of food, make sure you're eating your goal PLUS exercise calories. It might be your body has decided you're actually starving, due to not eating your exercise calories back, and it's thrown off your hormone levels which will screw with your weight (no matter what you eat). Good news is, pretty much immediately upon eating more food, you'll feel better and the weight will start to drop again if this is the problem.

    the last thing to check is the actual type of calories you put in your body. there's all kinds of debate out there (carbs are either evil or manna from heaven, most people either eat too much or too little protein, etc), but everybody agrees refined sugars, processed foods, and added sugars/sweeteners (of all kinds, real, fake, "natural", etc) are to be avoided, if not eliminated. Everybody agrees veggies are awesome, 90% of people agree fruit is also awesome. Everybody agrees fats are necessary (there are fat soluable vitamins you'll die without), and proteins are too - it's the relative amounts and sources that are in question. Sort out what works for you, but make sure you're eating good, real food as much as humanly possible.

    And if any doctor admonishes you when you're three weeks in to a new exercise regimen, drop them like a bad habit. They should only have encouraging, helpful words. You are on a better road than you were before, THAT is the important part. Not what got you where you are, but where you're headed.

    Good luck!
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    You were never going to lose 5 lbs for an extended time. The first few weeks your body primarily shed excess water, not fat. At you current size 2-3 lbs lost per week is a more realistic goal. As you get closer to goal 1-2 lbs will be normal, and then 1 lb or less after that.
  • NikoM5
    NikoM5 Posts: 488 Member
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    It's better to think of this issue in terms of "under-recovery" than "over training".
  • n_unocero
    n_unocero Posts: 445 Member
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    I think you're doing fine. your body would tell you if you're working out too much. as far as the weight loss, at your weight the lbs are going to drop faster. when you start losing more you'll start losing slower.

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