Cal intake when overtrained

[Blondell]

While dieting, should cal intake remain in a deficit while recovering from overtraining? Is there anything that can be done to speed recovery? I hate taking breaks! :grumble: :lol3:

[donnajo]

I am on a break and Erik has me eating my non training day diet. I hate taking breaks because I love gym time. It is me time. But, it is necessary to do. On the good side, I am getting more housework done. :lol3:

[Blondell]

I am on a break and Erik has me eating my non training day diet. I hate taking breaks because I love gym time. It is me time. But, it is necessary to do. On the good side, I am getting more housework done. :lol3:
I love training...period. :lol: I'm wondering if I should go to maintenance to aid in recovery though. You didn't get overtrained, right?

[donnajo]

Sort of. I don't know if I was necessarily overtrained or just needing a break. I think I was on the border there because I LOVE to train and I started not really wanting to lift and feeling rundown a bit and feeling a bit weaker. I was more tired and when I don't want to train I know something is up. I also was getting over being sick too. Combo of things.

Why don't you just ask Erik?

[Patricia]

I would think going to maintenance would be beneficial...
then again, if I knew everything I wouldn't have hired someone to think for me. :lol:

[Blondell]

Well, I'm actually hurting! :shock: Not badly injured, but I do have areas that bother me when it's time for a break. I normally take a break and eat like a pig. I'd like to do it right this time. :lol3: I'm asking on the board b/c it is something I haven't seen asked b/f here. ;)

I'll contact him if he doesn't chime in here. :D

[Ali]

What kind of hurt? Injury?

Best to take a break when you first feel it coming on. But I was not able to identify it before I actually ran into OT for the first time (not with Erik). It was in my legs. It took about 2 weeks for me to get fully recovered from physical effects. I could not walk up stairs without my legs feeling completely worn out when I got to the top. :shock: And this happened for a week and a half after my last run or weight workout.

Now, I kind of feel that stuff coming on...getting a little run down, dreading training, strength down...that sets off my red light....but mostly happens around competitions...that stuff wears me right out. I feel like a wuss, but I seem to be susceptible to it.

Ok, so you wouldn't want to eat like you do on a training day...you don't want to add in the fast carbs...no need. I would pick your off day diet...and if you feel you need to, add in another small meal or some fruit...a couple hundred calories to put you at maintenance....NOT eat like a pig (Ahem...Blondell :finger:)

That's just my 2 cents...now Erik will come say something completely different. :lol3:

[Blondell]

Thanks, Ali. I have areas that have been injured b/f. They usually start to bother me when it's time for a break. I ignored the first, and now they are ALL bothering (w/ pain at times). I'm not sure if this would be considered injured, but I noticed pain while training legs today and have a nagging pain in my traps..

[Blondell]

Can I do cardio? Is that okay? :unsure:

[Audrey]

If taking a break from the gym, I would eat at maintenance, with carbs around 100g for 7-14 days. NOT eat like a pig :finger: :lol3:

I would think some slow intensity/steady state cardio is OK, but no HIIT.

[mich56]

:popcorn:

Great thread....I am have been feeling lately that I am in need of a break too..

[Ali]

If I were taking a break, I wouldn't do cardio either...unless you love it. Maybe a walk. :lol3: I guess take it on an individual basis. Any kind of anything would have worn me out more.

[donnajo]

E told me it was ok to do light cardio but no hiit. I have just been doing some walking and yoga. I only have one spin class to teach this week and it is an endurance class so I can take it easy and no one will know.

[radgirl]

What kind of hurt? Injury?

Best to take a break when you first feel it coming on. But I was not able to identify it before I actually ran into OT for the first time (not with Erik). It was in my legs. It took about 2 weeks for me to get fully recovered from physical effects. I could not walk up stairs without my legs feeling completely worn out when I got to the top. :shock: And this happened for a week and a half after my last run or weight workout.

Now, I kind of feel that stuff coming on...getting a little run down, dreading training, strength down...that sets off my red light....but mostly happens around competitions...that stuff wears me right out. I feel like a wuss, but I seem to be susceptible to it.

Ok, so you wouldn't want to eat like you do on a training day...you don't want to add in the fast carbs...no need. I would pick your off day diet...and if you feel you need to, add in another small meal or some fruit...a couple hundred calories to put you at maintenance....NOT eat like a pig (Ahem...Blondell :finger:)

That's just my 2 cents...now Erik will come say something completely different. :lol3:
Ali, did you notice your legs were tired all the time, even at rest did your legs feel "off"? I ask because my legs feel like logs and have been for about 2 weeks and I'm trying to figure out what is going on. They are sore, tired, and plain worn out. I don't feel they are recovering quickly either. Trying to find some similarities.

[Ali]

Ali, did you notice your legs were tired all the time, even at rest did your legs feel "off"? I ask because my legs feel like logs and have been for about 2 weeks and I'm trying to figure out what is going on. They are sore, tired, and plain worn out. I don't feel they are recovering quickly either. Trying to find some similarities.


Yes, definitely. As if I had just had a tremendously hard leg workout...even though I did not...even at rest.

[Erik]

:popcorn:

Great thread....I am have been feeling lately that I am in need of a break too..

If you feel you need one, take one.

[Blondell]

Thanks, guys. :sadface: Looks like I'll be away from the weights for a while. :wavesad:

[mich56]

If you feel you need one, take one.

yes boss...but then today, went for the workout and had one of the best I have ever had!! Must have been that great massage my hubby gave my legs last night - I zonked right out!

So how do I really know? It is just better to do one to be on the safer side?

[Erik]

If you're motivated to train - chances are you're fine. If motivation to train is waning, chances are you need a break. CNS fatigue tends to be tied to motivation.

[radgirl]

Yes, definitely. As if I had just had a tremendously hard leg workout...even though I did not...even at rest.
Hmmm, you have me thinking. I just took my planned break about 3 weeks ago. When I go in for a massage, the therapist needs to be extremely careful as I will jump off the table from the pain in my legs if he/she applies too much pressure. They feel sore deep down. Even trying to do my HIIT or SS, it's like two sandbags trying to move - like my legs are moving in quick sand. My upper body feels fine and feels good to train. I wonder if it would it be a bad idea to take a 2 weeks off strictly for my legs and continue to train upper body? No HIIT of course, but what about SS? Thoughts anyone? Sorry for the hijack - don't beat me!!!

[Blondell]

If you're motivated to train - chances are you're fine. If motivation to train is waning, chances are you need a break. CNS fatigue tends to be tied to motivation.
I'm unmotivated to train about once a year, if that. That is why I end up injured, or near injured, so much.

[Patricia]

I'm unmotivated to train about once a year, if that. That is why I end up injured, or near injured, so much.
Yep, me too....
Not always motivated to eat right...lol, but always lovin' the gym.

[Ali]

I am unmotivated quite a bit, actually. I push really, really hard when in there. But when I'm off, I'm way off. Peaks and valleys for me, I guess. I have no steady state. :lol;

[Espi]

Blondell, it's mostly the other way round with calorie intake in re to overtraining. Overeating is often a sign of being on the brink of overtraining.

Once I seriously cut down on training volume , it was amazing how easy it became to stick to a diet (now I still eat too much, often simply because I love food, but not because there's an external force pushing me into it).

Having a very hard time sticking to a certain calorie intake is a sign. Not feeling like training another sign as well as being plain tired all the time. That last one was a bit troublesome because for a very long time, that would just be the 'baseline' feeling.

Having said all this: definitely eat at or over maintenance when recovering from overtraining.