Overcoming Overtraining

Join

Introductions

jillybeanruns
jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
edited November 12 in Social Groups
Thought it might be a good starting point...

I'm Jill and I'm a runner. I denied the overtraining diagnosis for a very long time, despite the warning of nearly everyone including my Physical Therapist. When I finally got my RMR tested in January and it was 864, I was mad. That was the precipitating factor that caused me to really take a look at what I had been doing to my body and realize I needed to do things differently.

I am not someone who eats to exercise, I exercise because I love the release and the sense of accomplishment I get. I ran my first marathon in November 2011 and struggled to eat during training. I also ran a very hilly half marathon a week after my first full and have run 46 races total since April 24, 2010. I have a whole mess of injuries and just recently got off 3 weeks of forced running rest due to overtraining injuries. I have a really hard time taking a total rest day, and am slowing gaining weight and trying to eat more in order to fix my metabolism. It's a struggle, but I'm working on it. I also am plagued by anxiety (related to work and exercise) and a chronic overthinker. I also suffer from night sweats and I really don't sleep, ever.

Replies

  • methodless
    methodless Posts: 62
    This group sounds like one I should probably join

    I once spent a month zeroing my net calories through exercise hoping my TDEE would melt away my weight. I lost 1/3 of a pound over the course of the month :(

    I still do have the occasional 2 hour elliptical sessions, but I've cut it back
  • lisajnz
    lisajnz Posts: 16 Member
    Hi I'm Lisa - I'm in NZ
    I'm not sure I'm overtraining or not (possibly yes) - but I do know I'm having trouble losing the last bit of weight I want to lose even though I'm exercising a lot, so thought this group might be helpful - the people I already know on it certainly seem to have familiar stories to me.

    I lost 30kg (about 65lb) 2-3yrs ago (I've kept it off for 2yrs), I've run three marathons and am training for another one - so am doing a lot of cardio training.

    I'm still sitting at the top of "normal" weight - quite often tipping into "overweight" (via BMI) - with all the exercise I do you would think the weight would fall off!!

    I've also been fighting injuries for the past year - which at the moment seem okay - but overtraining does start to ring bells!

    So for me - just interested in trying to eat more calories to burn more, and getting the balance right :)
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    It's a struggle, but I'm working on it. I also am plagued by anxiety (related to work and exercise) and a chronic overthinker. I also suffer from night sweats and I really don't sleep, ever.

    Me too a "T" ..I'm also a runner. I don't take rest days and I get a rush from running. I feel like I could run all day. I don't do races, I compete with myself and only myself.

    I guess my insomnia was the straw that broke the camel's back. Realizing that I could cause some serious metabolic issues if I didn't address this soon.

    I began forcing myself to eat to get enough calories in and then becoming even more ravenous and eating beyond fullness as a result .So that would then result in me running even more to balance out the calories. A vicious cycle.

    I'm not injured, I don't have any major issues health wise but I know that hormonally something is off and mentally i can't use exercise as my escape route when i feel pain/discomfort/anxiety.
  • jillybeanruns
    jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
    Methodless - The important thing is that you're trying. And yes, I think you fit in well here. Go on over and jump into the Weekly Check In thread :smile:

    Lisa - Sounds like a good plan, you sound a lot like me. Runners are classic overtrainers because we try to run so much, but we know we need to get cross training in too. Those of us who don't use the "I just ran X miles I can eat whatever I want excuse" tend to struggle with losing as we get closer to a normal weight because we overthink the calories and can't get in quality food, so we just don't eat. And in my case, I really was grossing 2200 calories on days I was running 16 miles or more. Yeah that's a disaster. No wonder I have problems and injuries:frown: Come on in and join us in the Weekly Check In thread!

    Love - I'm glad you can relate. It's probably for the best you don't race, because that just adds another element of anxiety and stress. I'm trying to cut back on the races: 1. to save money and 2. to save my body. Have you ever thought about seeing a sports psychologist? I nearly had a mental breakdown at my physical therapist's office when we decided I needed to take 3 weeks off running and high impact activities. He's part physical therapist part mental therapist for me and he's a great resource, but he clearly can't help me but to try and talk some sense into me about my overtraining. He suggested I look into a sports psychologist because of my inability to cope with stress through any other means but exercise. I thought about it, but couldn't really find one and I got a bit better. It's still something I will look into if I feel out of control again, but it might be worth looking into for yourself. Just a suggestion, don't want to pry or anything:flowerforyou:
  • NitaCB
    NitaCB Posts: 532 Member
    Interesting what you were saying about a sports psychologist Jill. I had one of my tutors recommend one to me after the way I reacted to our beep test the other day. I ended up like I do at the end of races, really short of breath, pale as, and close to fainting. I think I'll look into it, so I can figure out why I do it and how to overcome it. I think we all also struggle with finding our identity in the exercise we do, and by how well we do in it. So if we're not able to do that exercise, or don't perform like we were wanting to, we feel like a failure, and that people are judging us by that.

    For those who don't know me... I'm a runner too. But I've fought the past year and a half with constant injuries, fatigue and burnout. I'm studying to be a PT at the mo, and I've discovered that I'm actually aerobic deficient at the moment. Which means that I've been running too hard, all the time, causing all the wheels to fall off. Its also why in that year and a half that I've been here on MFP I've ended up gaining instead of losing. At least I know the cause now though, so I'm working hard to bring my pace way down and really focus on low intensity to both build up a good aerobic base, as well as teach my body to work efficiently by burning fat instead of only carbs for fuel.
    I'll try and help out with the growing PT knowledge if I can.:)
  • jillybeanruns
    jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
    Nita - Was it a panic attack or similar to one? I always think people are judging me, not sure why I care...I'm sure they probably don't care or notice. And if they do, they're probably thinking "Man look at that girl run, I wish I could run like her"...because honest to goodness, you and I are both faster and fitter than 90% of the world's population! I definitely think it's something worth looking into! Slow down Sally:drinker:
  • NitaCB
    NitaCB Posts: 532 Member
    Nita - Was it a panic attack or similar to one? I always think people are judging me, not sure why I care...I'm sure they probably don't care or notice. And if they do, they're probably thinking "Man look at that girl run, I wish I could run like her"...because honest to goodness, you and I are both faster and fitter than 90% of the world's population! I definitely think it's something worth looking into! Slow down Sally:drinker:
    No, not a panic attack. It's all tied up with my breathing. I may have talked to you about it a bit before. In races I will usually be hyperventilating at at least one point in the race, and then keeping the breathing 'wolves at bay' for the rest of the race. I usually then finish up recuperating in the ambulance tent afterwards. In my worst one I had to pull out cos my breathing was so bad that I could hardly walk. That led to all the asthma testing and drugs, but it's just a breathing pattern disorder where I breathe too shallowly, instead of from my diaphragm. Trying to fix it. But it's more than that, cos I'm usually fine in training. So clearly there are some psychological issues going on up there with the pressure of races. I do reckon that once I get back training properly, I'll be able to train my respiratory system correctly. But yea, the head stuff I need to look at.
  • lisajnz
    lisajnz Posts: 16 Member
    That breathing thing is really interesting Nita - my sister is an overachieving cyclist and has been diagnosed with exercised induced asthma because she was having breathing problems while cycling - short of breath, heart racing .. have to stop because of it - I keep saying, and saying (and saying and saying ... but what would I know? ;)) that it doesn't sound like asthma to me, that there is something else going on. Sounds very similar!! (and I have wondered if they are panic attacks)
  • NitaCB
    NitaCB Posts: 532 Member
    Yea we thought it was exercise induced asthma too! Sounds really similar. My reactions in a race are exactly like an asthma attack. But could never figure out why none of the drugs ever made any difference. Thankfully now I'm not on them any more. I think she should pursue the cycling again, if she's wanting to, but see a sports psychologist, or at least a professional who at least might be able to shed some light on it.
  • lisajnz
    lisajnz Posts: 16 Member
    Oh she hasn't stopped cycling - if you wanted a case study on over-training, bingeing rather than eating healthy evened out calories over time, panic over not exercising because of being scared of weight gain ... oh, I could go on, she frustrates me SO much!! (AND she is about 50kg - if not under that now, lately she's looked really sick and stressed, on a 5'3" framed body - annoys me that she can eat a whole pack of choccie biscuits and not put on anything - I just need to look at one and it sits on the hips!).

    Overtrain much?
    Road cyclist (she's actually pretty good) - 3-4 days training, including 3-4hrs at least once a week.
    Runs at least 5 days a week (purely because she is scared she will put on weight if she stops and just concentrates on cycling, like her coach and everyone else has told her to).
    6 day/week NZ Postie

    ... I'm incredibly sane compared to her ;)
  • amya5
    amya5 Posts: 1
    I'm not sure I'm an over-trainer, but at times I wonder. I'm a good weight, but could benefit from losing 5-10 lbs. I run 5-8 miles a day, in addition to strength training (recent incorporation). I love running, it's the one thing I can't wait to do everyday. I find myself cranky and difficult if I don't get a run in. I generally run 6 days a week, sometimes everyday. On the weekends I run 12-16 miles. I'm training for my 2nd Utra Marathon. I eat really healthly, but tend to gravitate towards sweets by the end of the day. I'm under my calorie limit, but not losing anything.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories