Cardio: How to know you're doing too much Part 1
When you get into the cardio groove...
You can be feeling yourself- Heck yes, endorphins! It feels GREAT. You escape reality for a while and just sweat it out.
While the American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity, it's somewhat easy to say...
"Well, if 150 minutes per week is good, 300 must be great!"
As someone who has been entranced by the cardio zone and dealt with the consequences (physical and emotional), I wanted to write this piece as an informative way to let you know when too much cardio might just. be. too. much.
*Please note: I am not a doctor and if you feel that this post resonates with you, you should seek advice from your GP or an endocrinologist.
If you have read up to this point, you may be someone who:
- Has recently gotten the "Cardio bug"
- Has trained for a while and have seen a plateau in performance
- Are training regularly but not feeling right
Common symptoms of overtraining, which can easily be interpreted as something else, are:
Weight gain (particularly around the midsection )
Sleep disturbance or insomnia
Body aches, and pains
Fatigue
Hair loss or thinning
Irritability
Increase in perceived difficulty of workouts
This is more common than one would think. A lot of women and men deal with this and it's not talked about! Why? Shame? Doubt? Perhaps. I know I deal with it and feel embarrassed and alone! The hardest part, for me, is mental.
If you are someone that thinks you are overtraining, in addition to speaking with your doctor, recognize that you are not alone!
Next up: A post to come about coping with the realization of overtraining... And how to deal with it.
For now- if this resonates with you- get your bloodwork done! Ask the doctor to check your cortisol levels to see how they are doing.
ALWAYS feel free to reach out to me unblockwithmargaretpeacock@gmail.com if you are feeling alone in this journey. I'm with you!