Am I overtraining?

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  • callumwalker1995
    callumwalker1995 Posts: 389 Member
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    cgvet37 wrote: »
    Why 2.5 hours? Unless you are a top level athlete, I see it as overkill.

    I just feel really guilty if I don't do that much and with having OCD it's incredibly difficult for me to change. I weight train for 2 hours which I know is far too much

    Hey Callum, I think it's likely you already know you're training too much and your body is letting you know. Take fatigue seriously, I didn't and was ill for years. I understand the nature of OCD and I think there is some re-wiring for you here. It's one thing to miss a workout and feel frustrated by that, but it's another to feel guilty. Have you got someone to help you make some choices to cut back a bit?

    I have a counsellor but uni is currently a the top of my list of things to address as the work nearly caused me a breakdown last year but I really need to address this too. My body is letting me know but I feel like I just have to go or else I will get fat/lose my muscle. I NEED rest but my head is resisting at all costs, I also know ihave to cut down my time in the gym but that also makes me feel guilty that ill be missing something out of my workout and ill lose my muscle again
  • julesloveland
    julesloveland Posts: 93 Member
    edited August 2016
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    cgvet37 wrote: »
    Why 2.5 hours? Unless you are a top level athlete, I see it as overkill.

    I just feel really guilty if I don't do that much and with having OCD it's incredibly difficult for me to change. I weight train for 2 hours which I know is far too much

    Hey Callum, I think it's likely you already know you're training too much and your body is letting you know. Take fatigue seriously, I didn't and was ill for years. I understand the nature of OCD and I think there is some re-wiring for you here. It's one thing to miss a workout and feel frustrated by that, but it's another to feel guilty. Have you got someone to help you make some choices to cut back a bit?

    I have a counsellor but uni is currently a the top of my list of things to address as the work nearly caused me a breakdown last year but I really need to address this too. My body is letting me know but I feel like I just have to go or else I will get fat/lose my muscle. I NEED rest but my head is resisting at all costs, I also know ihave to cut down my time in the gym but that also makes me feel guilty that ill be missing something out of my workout and ill lose my muscle again

    If you work out when your body is already overworked you're not gaining anything anyway, in fact you're putting stress on your body that will cause the wrong hormones to be released - which will exacerbate anxiety (cortisol and adrenaline). A short break (less than a week) might do you wonders and definitely won't cause you to gain fat or lose muscle. You'd have to eat at least 3500 calories extra in a week to gain 1lb of fat. It sounds like your diet is already good, so keep on with healthy eating. There is a balance with anxiety related issues as exercise can be helpful. I think it would be good to share with your counsellor about the exercising and the guilt around it, as it is likely it will all be tied in to the same issues that are causing the uni anxieties too. You're doing great. You won't always feel this bad. You do need to look after yourself though!
  • callumwalker1995
    callumwalker1995 Posts: 389 Member
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    cgvet37 wrote: »
    Why 2.5 hours? Unless you are a top level athlete, I see it as overkill.

    I just feel really guilty if I don't do that much and with having OCD it's incredibly difficult for me to change. I weight train for 2 hours which I know is far too much

    Hey Callum, I think it's likely you already know you're training too much and your body is letting you know. Take fatigue seriously, I didn't and was ill for years. I understand the nature of OCD and I think there is some re-wiring for you here. It's one thing to miss a workout and feel frustrated by that, but it's another to feel guilty. Have you got someone to help you make some choices to cut back a bit?

    I have a counsellor but uni is currently a the top of my list of things to address as the work nearly caused me a breakdown last year but I really need to address this too. My body is letting me know but I feel like I just have to go or else I will get fat/lose my muscle. I NEED rest but my head is resisting at all costs, I also know ihave to cut down my time in the gym but that also makes me feel guilty that ill be missing something out of my workout and ill lose my muscle again

    If you work out when your body is already overworked you're not gaining anything anyway, in fact you're putting stress on your body that will cause the wrong hormones to be released - which will exacerbate anxiety (cortisol and adrenaline). A short break (less than a week) might do you wonders and definitely won't cause you to gain fat or lose muscle. You'd have to eat at least 3500 calories extra in a week to gain 1lb of fat. It sounds like your diet is already good, so keep on with healthy eating. There is a balance with anxiety related issues as exercise can be helpful. I think it would be good to share with your counsellor about the exercising and the guilt around it, as it is likely it will all be tied in to the same issues that are causing the uni anxieties too. You're doing great. You won't always feel this bad. You do need to look after yourself though!

    Thanks a lot for your post very kind. I'm taking today off and tomorrow and an going away for a few days next week so I will get some rest. Yeah I've read up about cortisol and adrenaline and I think stress and certainly my gym work is contributing. I mean I don't look forward to going to the gym anymore and actually dread going before my workout and it's not supposed to be like that
  • BigJes37
    BigJes37 Posts: 82 Member
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    BigJes37 wrote: »
    BigJes37 wrote: »
    Is there a change in food? Something your taking? Excess of caffeine?

    I have tried adjusting my diet to see if it was anything ive been eatng/drinking e.g. stopped taking l-carnitine and bcaas because of their side effects but little changed. I even changed from soya milk back to normal milk because of the soy sid effects even though i'm lactose intolerance but have had to swap back because of the pain normal milk gives. I don't take any caffeine. How long do you spend in the gym and what program to do only 4x a week?

    I don't ever spend more then a hour. I do more of a bodybuilding routine. Hit all muscle groups in those 4 days. Day one I would do something like a chest exercise then go directly to a smaller muscle the rest 60 seconds repeat.

    do you find restricting yourself to an hour for all your body parts misses out key exercises? like an hour doing chest, arms, legs, back and shoulders

    Sorry no. I meant I spend an hour on chest/tris one day back/biceps another not all in one day.
  • callumwalker1995
    callumwalker1995 Posts: 389 Member
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    BigJes37 wrote: »
    BigJes37 wrote: »
    BigJes37 wrote: »
    Is there a change in food? Something your taking? Excess of caffeine?

    I have tried adjusting my diet to see if it was anything ive been eatng/drinking e.g. stopped taking l-carnitine and bcaas because of their side effects but little changed. I even changed from soya milk back to normal milk because of the soy sid effects even though i'm lactose intolerance but have had to swap back because of the pain normal milk gives. I don't take any caffeine. How long do you spend in the gym and what program to do only 4x a week?

    I don't ever spend more then a hour. I do more of a bodybuilding routine. Hit all muscle groups in those 4 days. Day one I would do something like a chest exercise then go directly to a smaller muscle the rest 60 seconds repeat.

    do you find restricting yourself to an hour for all your body parts misses out key exercises? like an hour doing chest, arms, legs, back and shoulders

    Sorry no. I meant I spend an hour on chest/tris one day back/biceps another not all in one day.

    Ah right. Doesn't exercising a bodypart only once a week inhibit muscle growth? Optimal training is 2x a week?
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Last I saw you were going to log off and work on your mental issues

    Overtraining is part of your ocd, like the over analysis and concentration on minutiae

    Go compound 3 x a week and get your mental health sorted
  • julesloveland
    julesloveland Posts: 93 Member
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    cgvet37 wrote: »
    Why 2.5 hours? Unless you are a top level athlete, I see it as overkill.

    I just feel really guilty if I don't do that much and with having OCD it's incredibly difficult for me to change. I weight train for 2 hours which I know is far too much

    Hey Callum, I think it's likely you already know you're training too much and your body is letting you know. Take fatigue seriously, I didn't and was ill for years. I understand the nature of OCD and I think there is some re-wiring for you here. It's one thing to miss a workout and feel frustrated by that, but it's another to feel guilty. Have you got someone to help you make some choices to cut back a bit?

    I have a counsellor but uni is currently a the top of my list of things to address as the work nearly caused me a breakdown last year but I really need to address this too. My body is letting me know but I feel like I just have to go or else I will get fat/lose my muscle. I NEED rest but my head is resisting at all costs, I also know ihave to cut down my time in the gym but that also makes me feel guilty that ill be missing something out of my workout and ill lose my muscle again

    If you work out when your body is already overworked you're not gaining anything anyway, in fact you're putting stress on your body that will cause the wrong hormones to be released - which will exacerbate anxiety (cortisol and adrenaline). A short break (less than a week) might do you wonders and definitely won't cause you to gain fat or lose muscle. You'd have to eat at least 3500 calories extra in a week to gain 1lb of fat. It sounds like your diet is already good, so keep on with healthy eating. There is a balance with anxiety related issues as exercise can be helpful. I think it would be good to share with your counsellor about the exercising and the guilt around it, as it is likely it will all be tied in to the same issues that are causing the uni anxieties too. You're doing great. You won't always feel this bad. You do need to look after yourself though!

    Thanks a lot for your post very kind. I'm taking today off and tomorrow and an going away for a few days next week so I will get some rest. Yeah I've read up about cortisol and adrenaline and I think stress and certainly my gym work is contributing. I mean I don't look forward to going to the gym anymore and actually dread going before my workout and it's not supposed to be like that

    Try and find pleasure in the rest and do some things you enjoy! Good luck with it all.
  • Ws2016
    Ws2016 Posts: 432 Member
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    What are your fitness goals?
  • callumwalker1995
    callumwalker1995 Posts: 389 Member
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    Ws2016 wrote: »
    What are your fitness goals?

    to look how I want to look, I hate the way I look, I feel I'm fat as I struggle with fat on my lower abs. I just want to look athletic with muscles and a 6 pack and I don't see why, when I train to within an inch of my life and have a perfect diet, that I don't have this.
  • callumwalker1995
    callumwalker1995 Posts: 389 Member
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    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Last I saw you were going to log off and work on your mental issues

    Overtraining is part of your ocd, like the over analysis and concentration on minutiae

    Go compound 3 x a week and get your mental health sorted

    how can you maintain muscle on going to the gym 3x a week?
  • callumwalker1995
    callumwalker1995 Posts: 389 Member
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    I know i'm killing my body but I just cant stop, its even got to the point where ive been taking painkillers just to get through a gym session
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I know i'm killing my body but I just cant stop, its even got to the point where ive been taking painkillers just to get through a gym session

    You should really mention that to your doctor/therapist.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Ws2016 wrote: »
    What are your fitness goals?

    to look how I want to look, I hate the way I look, I feel I'm fat as I struggle with fat on my lower abs. I just want to look athletic with muscles and a 6 pack and I don't see why, when I train to within an inch of my life and have a perfect diet, that I don't have this.

    Your mental illness means that you will never feel like you have that body, that's why it's an illness.
  • callumwalker1995
    callumwalker1995 Posts: 389 Member
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    Ws2016 wrote: »
    What are your fitness goals?

    to look how I want to look, I hate the way I look, I feel I'm fat as I struggle with fat on my lower abs. I just want to look athletic with muscles and a 6 pack and I don't see why, when I train to within an inch of my life and have a perfect diet, that I don't have this.

    Your mental illness means that you will never feel like you have that body, that's why it's an illness.

    You can understand why people take steroids I've contemplated them with how crap I feel and look
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    I know i'm killing my body but I just cant stop, its even got to the point where ive been taking painkillers just to get through a gym session

    None of us here can give you the help you need. You need to talk to your counselor and get the much, much needed help for your mental illness. Good luck.
  • callumwalker1995
    callumwalker1995 Posts: 389 Member
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    Do you think I'm doing too much exercise?
  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
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    2.5 hours is too long. Cut that time in half
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,529 Member
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    I'll be blunt. Yes.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Ws2016 wrote: »
    What are your fitness goals?

    to look how I want to look, I hate the way I look, I feel I'm fat as I struggle with fat on my lower abs. I just want to look athletic with muscles and a 6 pack and I don't see why, when I train to within an inch of my life and have a perfect diet, that I don't have this.

    Your mental illness means that you will never feel like you have that body, that's why it's an illness.

    You can understand why people take steroids I've contemplated them with how crap I feel and look

    You need to tell your therapist that too...
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Do you think I'm doing too much exercise?

    Yes