Does it take days for you to recover after your workout sessions at the gym? This is a sign that you may be overdoing it and need to cut back. Learn more about important signals from your body that warn you to slow down, and what you can do to make your fitness routine work better for you.

If you’re experiencing these symptoms, it’s time to evaluate your fitness routine:  

• Soreness after more than 48 hours. It’s normal to have some soreness after a hard workout. However, if you’re still sore and in serious pain more than 48 hours after your last workout, then it’s a sign something is wrong with your exercise plan and its severity.  This soreness shouldn’t ever appear if you’ve been doing the same workouts for months.
  
  
• Muscle pain, stiffness, and soreness after 48 hours or after you have been doing the same workout for a while are signs that you’re overdoing it at the gym and may have an overuse injury. There could be micro tears in your muscles, sprains, or other issues.
  
  
• Lasting joint pain. Joint pain can also point to an overuse injury. You may need to rest and get medical attention for joint pain that doesn’t go away after a few days.
  
  
• Backsliding results. Naturally, you want to see your workouts bring results, but you may end up backsliding if you’re overdoing it at the gym. For example, if you’re pushing yourself too hard and getting injured, then your results could drop from being able to do 10 laps to 5 laps at the gym. Another example is if you’re not able to lift the same weights that you could lift a few weeks back. Backsliding results shouldn’t be ignored because they’re a sign you’re doing too much and hurting yourself. 
  
  
• Dreading workouts. Everyone wants to skip the occasional workout and eat a bagel. However, if you dread your workouts to the point that you’ll come up with any excuse to avoid them, then it’s time to reevaluate.

  Exercise might not always be fun, but it shouldn’t make you miserable. If you avoid or reschedule all of your workouts, consider if the main culprit is that you’re overdoing it. Once you start a workout, you would normally tend to cheer up because serotonin levels increase. However, if you’re not any happier while you’re doing the exercises, it’s a clear sign that something needs to change. You may need to redo your routines or cut them down to a more reasonable amount. 

  I can help adjust your workouts to avoid injury while achieving your DESIRED RESULTS. My clients now understand that while it is important to push, it is equally important to be attuned to what our bodies are telling us.

  I push you just beyond your limits without sacrificing your health. That way you can  avoid injuries and overuse of muscles, so you don’t create damage and can reach your goals. 

  Exercise can be challenging but it should make you feel energized! Here’s to your health.