Ways to Avoid Overtraining

Even the best people, the ones dedicated to their bodies, can fall victim to overtraining. Working hard to get the best out of your mind and body, you can easily go overboard, pushing yourself beyond reasonable expectations, only to find yourself depleted and injured. It is a natural instinct for those who compete athletically or happen to own an endless desire for fitness and exercise to extend themselves beyond what they did the last day; however, doing so in an ill-planned, blind manner will result in less growth, despite your efforts, and more lack of progress.

So, after years of competing and training for sports from baseball and soccer to running and triathlon, I have discovered some simple ways to keep me free from overtraining, whether it be physical or mental. In retrospect, I wish I were aware of these ideas at a younger age. They would have saved me needless injuries and eliminated a ton of frustration.

1. Stay hydrated during training: If you properly hydrate, your body performs well and will generate the results you wish. However, if you deplete the body and fail to replenish it, it will keep working hard for you, but it will steal from itself to keep up, thus slowly causing damage. As a result, over time you will see lack of progress and nagging difficulties. Solve it by using the greatest supplement available: water. Drink, drink, and drink some more. Sure you may run to the bathroom a few extra times, but that minor inconvenience is well worth it.

2. Refuel with protein: About an hour or two after working out, eat protein, which will help the body recover and begin to regenerate. Whether via supplement or regular food, ingesting protein will fuel the body for adequate recovery from hard training, thus making it ready for the next session. A failure to nourish the body at the proper times will injure it, making overtraining a distinct possibility.

3. Take rest days: A quality workout schedule integrates some rest. If it doesn't, redesign it. The body requires down time to grow and get stronger. While you may feel as if you are doing your body a disservice by not training for an entire day, you need to get over that and realize your body longs for the inactivity. You will notice faster gains in size, strength, stamina, and power if rest is an integral part of your plan.

4. Sleep: Different from rest, sleep is a daily, or should I say nightly, activity that has an enormous impact on your body and mind. Sporadic sleep patterns make the mind and body edgy, making it struggle to recover and rebuild. Get quality sleep, with a general minimum of eight good hours a night, to assist your body in remaining healthy and prepared.

5. Do not obsess: if you work out at a gym, then push yourself during your time there...and that's it. Do not bring your training home with you, doing just a few more sit-ups or push-ups. When it is over, let it be until the next day.

6. Prioritize: Make sure you have a life that extends beyond your training. A healthy mentality that lets you be a person, not a machine, will directly affect how your body responds when it comes time to train and recover. Stressing about fitness is the easiest way to fall backwards in terms of reaching your goals. Healthy choices that keep you balanced may very well be the best way to keep from overtraining.