How to Prevent Exercise Overload

So, you have finally talked to your healthcare provider and have your exercise program started. You are doing well and haven't missed a day. However, you feel tired, sore and stiff. You have been working this new program for a month and thought that exercise should make you feel better. You are correct. You should not be feeling worse. You are probably in exercise overload.

Take a Break from Exercise

I know this sounds odd because you just got started, but sometimes a short break is necessary to let your body rest and recover. Head to your healthcare provider and if you have not injured yourself, then there is a good chance that your body is telling you that you are just pushing it too hard. In some cases, it could take a few weeks to fully recover, but often several days is good, especially if you have only been exercising for a short while. Your healthcare provider can help you determine how long you need to rest. It is important to know that you will not throw off your fitness track completely by giving your body the healing time it needs. In fact, you will be helping yourself and getting your body back into a place where it can work to get into shape.

Consult a Personal Trainer

If you are new to exercise, or haven't worked out in a while, you may have forgotten the proper form for many of the exercises you are doing. A personal trainer can help you get back into the right form. Doing exercises with improper posture and form can cause pain and injury. You may not need a personal trainer for the long-term, but at least a few weeks to help you get things down.

Pain Always Means Something

Never ignore pain. Pain is a signal telling us that something is wrong. If you are working out and experience pain, stop immediately and apply the RICE method. This involves rest, ice, compression and elevation. Also, consult your healthcare provider to assess the area that is in pain.

Do it Right

It is natural to want to jump in and just do it, but it is critical that you do it right. You need to get the right nutrition, get plenty of fluids, get enough sleep and stretch and warm-up properly. Skipping any of these can be counterproductive. Your healthcare provider can help you with the nutrition part and help you with assessing how much fluids you need as an individual (some need more due to medications they take, etc.). Sleep is critical to recovering from exercise. Warming up and stretching will get your body ready for your workouts. Also, cooling down after a workout is also rather important.