Chances are you’ve heard of the term ‘burnout’ before. When it comes to mental health plenty of people have likely experienced it, especially during the difficult COVID pandemic and the rush to get back to living after lockdowns.
But did you know that you can also suffer workout burnout?
As certified personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist Cristina Chan explains, even the most dedicated athletes can experience a loss of motivation and workout burnout.
So what is it exactly?
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“When it comes to exercise, more isn’t necessarily better,” Chan, who is the face of F45 Recovery, tells 9Honey Coach. “This sensation of workout burnout can feel like chronic fatigue, stress in the body and mind, mental fogginess, and even physical injury.”
What is workout burnout
It can be easy to confuse workout burnout with normal soreness, but Chan says the key is to monitor whether the pain is acute or chronic.
“For example, a normal day of intense exercise will naturally leave your body sore or tired for maybe a day or two but will recover after a couple nights of solid rest,” she tells us.
“On the other hand, workout burnout can look like a day of intense exercise, that leaves you feeling more fatigued and like you’re playing a game of ‘catch up’ with your body. No matter how many nights of sleep you get, you feel like your workouts are harder to get to and never fully feeling recharged.
“Because of this lack of energy, you might also feel unusually stressed or under tension. This can also be an indicator that your body is struggling to find homeostasis and feeling unregulated.”
Why do we get workout burnout
Workout burnout is a by-product of overexercising with insufficient rest days in addition to poor quality of recovery time.
In our increasingly busy world, it’s natural to experience burnout sometimes. However, Chan says by learning the symptoms and taking care to avoid reaching the burnout point, it is possible to avoid workout exhaustion.
Even if you love working out more than anything, nobody should be at the gym 24 hours a day.
“Burnout happens in plenty of other capacities outside of the athletic world as well. I know that there is a whole community of people that enjoy a good hard sweat as a way to wash the day off or blow off some steam.
“And although these workouts can be great for your mental health, doing them everyday overtime has the reverse effect.
“If you absolutely feel the need to exercise, instead of going for that punishing run or hard-core session, consider a less intense, cortisol-reducing workout such as yoga, stretching or walking.”
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How to prevent workout burnout
Here, Chan shares some ways to beat workout burnout symptoms:
Ask for help – working with a coach is a great way to get the support and help you need to truly meet your goals without over training or getting to the point of burnout.
Leave extra time for recovery – Even if you love working out more than anything, nobody should be at the gym 24 hours a day. Make sure you’re getting restful nights of sleep, staying hydrated, eating nutritious foods that supplement the body, and even taking a day off.
Reset your goals for the time being – instead of a number on a scale, focus on things like improved energy, better endurance, and feeling stronger.
Listen to your body – Above all, it is crucial for athletes or active people to develop a mind-body relationship and listen to themselves. If you are experiencing symptoms of workout burnout, especially pain or exhaustion, don’t ignore them! Give your body what it needs, rest.
If you are experiencing ongoing pain or symptoms always consult your doctor.
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