This week I am introducing “Ask Amy.” I receive many questions on a daily basis. I try my best to get back to everyone but of course have to make my clients a priority. What I will be doing here once per week is choosing a question and answering it using the DAMY Health principles. If you have any questions you would like me to answer here please feel free to email me at amylayne@damyhealth.com. As always I love hearing from you!
Question:
I have a question Amy. Is there such a thing as working out too much? I think there is but was wondering what your expert opinion would be. I’m just asking because I know some people who think that the more they work out the better for example 2-3 workout classes a day plus walking/running and they are surprised that they are not losing any weight. I’m not surprised because I think they are working out too much and probably not fueling their body properly.
Great question!! And the answer is most defiantly YES!
There are many things that can happen when someone over trains.
1- Your hormones become unbalanced and you may have extreme mood swings or depression.
2- You burn out. You run out of the gate thinking you should diet so strict, workout for hours and you get tired. The results aren’t quick enough to keep you feeling that it is worth it and you give up. I tell all my clients that you will not get to the finish line any faster by restricting yourself or by doing too much. It just doesn’t work that way!
3- You can’t sleep like you used to and your weight loss comes to a complete stop. A lot of fat burning, recovery and muscle building happens when we sleep!
4- You do too much and, therefore; you need to keep that amount up to keep losing! It can be crazy! Some people run 15k a day to keep their current weight! To lose more they will have to run 20k a day! That is just crazy!
Our bodies are amazing! They get really good at what we do often! This is also true about working out. If you keep the same routine for too long then you won’t continue to get results!
The best way to avoid this is to keep your body guessing! Always do different things while working out! You should always be uncomfortable! It needs to be a challenge! People think that you get to a place where working out is easy and then they can rest. This could not be further from the truth. You need to keep shocking the body! A well rounded program will have interval cardio, steady state cardio, functional training (using your own body weight), and weight training!
Weight training is also an amazing tool for losing and keeping weight off! The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn when resting! That is always the goal! This means your body is always working towards your goals and things become easier to achieve and maintain! Don’t ever listen to anyone that tells you about women “bulking from weight training” It is almost impossible!!! We, as women do not have the testosterone to support rapid muscle growth. What you will create is a lifted, round bottom, lean, long arms, and fit, toned legs, not to mention banish cellulite. Lift heavy, lift hard.
All this being said, there is a way to achieve your goals by working 30 minutes to one hour a day depending on your available time. There is NO reason for anymore than that! Remember intensity is your friend and changing your workout plan every 4 weeks is key!
I hope that you find this useful and I absolutely LOVED the question! If there is anything I can ever help you with please let me know!
I hope you are having a blessed day!
Amy
