It’s great to be motivated to exercise and train for a sport or to lose weight. Often times, when we begin to see progress in the direction of a goal it can be too tempting to add a little more to the schedule, or go a little harder. The problem is, this type of thinking and behavior can lead to what doctors and trainers call the “terrible toos.” The expression often used to sum up over-training injuries. Another one is “too far, too fast.”
Over-training symptoms bear much resemblance to chronic fatigue syndrome.
• Feeling of tiredness and fatigue.
• A morning resting heart rate with an increase of five beats or more per minute.
• Weight loss and appetite loss.
• Cold and viral infections.
• Feeling uninterested in activities that are normally enjoyable.
• Difficulty maintaining mental focus.
• Emotional distress including anxiety, tension, anger or depression.
• Bowel changes—diarrhea or constipation.
Too much training can adversely impact performance to a greater extend, than too little. Fatigue, injuries, and a whole host of negative consequences may result from over-training. To avoid the terrible toos, keep a training log to keep track of your workouts, as well as rest days. Include notes on how you feel from day to day. Listen to your body and pay attention to how you feel.
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