It’s January and the gyms are full of new-year-new-me keenos.
We’re bright-eyed, bushy tailed, sober for the first time in weeks, and ready to get in the best shape of our lives.
But you don’t have to achieve your new year’s resolutions in the first two weeks of the year – and pushing yourself to achieve your fitness goals too quickly can actually be really dangerous.
What you really want to avoid is burnout.
Fitness burnout is often hard to spot and can lead to illness, injury and mental exhaustion – and if we spend the entire month of January throwing ourselves into every fitness class going and not taking any rest days, we’re putting ourselves at risk.
We’ve already written about tips on easing yourself into fitness this month, but it’s also really important to be able to spot the signs of burnout before it’s too late. You don’t want to start the new decade sore, injured and emotionally drained.
How to know if you’ve got fitness burnout
‘One of the signs of burnout is that you’re sore for days after the workout,’ explains Dorota Maslewska, master trainer at Virgin Active.
‘We all expect a little muscle pain after an intense workout, but normal pain lasts two-three days. If the pain lasts beyond the three days, it’s a good sign you are burnt out.
‘Another sign is that you’re moody. We are less tolerant of everything when we are tired. Even small thing can make us angrier then normal.
‘If you can’t lift as heavy as usual or maintain a steady pace of cardio, then you might be burnt out.
‘Another sign is that you can’t stop eating or you are constantly wanting to refuel. We don’t listen to our bodies when they are telling us it’s just too much.’
But, as always, prevention is better than cure.
Rather than waiting to spot the symptoms of fitness burnout this January – be proactive and do everything you can to avoid it.
It is definitely possible to go all-out with your fitness resolutions without actually pushing yourself too far.
‘It can be very tempting to go from a very sedentary state over Christmas to gladiator training by the end of the first week of January,’ says personal trainer Hannah Lewin.
‘We are bombarded with diet culture based messaging – products promising aggressive weight loss and a myriad of revolutionary new workouts that promise fast aesthetic results.’
Hannah says it can be hard to navigate all of this messaging to find the most appropriate solution for you personally, but she’s provided some simple tips to help you avoid January burnout:
Don’t start too many things at the same time
It can be super tempting when in the midst of a determined mindset to try to start several things at once.
This can be unrealistic and hard to sustain, so consider focusing on new activities that specifically match your goals initially- you can always add additional activities in later.
Don’t restrict your diet too severely
Cutting out several food groups all at the same time can seem like a good idea, but can you leave you feeling stressed, and potentially under nourished.
If there are dietary changes you would like to make, introduce them over a longer period in order to ensure it works for you and your lifestyle- seeking advice from a professional if you can.
Consider your diary
Sure, five classes a week can seem manageable during the first week of January – but will this work with your diary long-term?
Ask for guidance
If you are new or returning to fitness after a break, ask a gym-based trainer or consult a PT- they will be happy to help you to ensure your workouts are safe and effective.
Similarly with dietary changes, a registered dietician can help you to ensure any adaptions are suitable for you.
Build in recovery
January is historically a hectic month for new fitness regimes, which is why building in recovery time is key to prevent burnout.
Rest is important for ensuring progress and preventing fatigue so that you can carry on making progress towards your new goals so aim to schedule in at least a day a week of rest.
‘It’s so tempting to try and change everything at once in January,’ adds Hannah.
‘If you reset your approach and adapt a longer-term mentality to avoid burnout – your body will thank you, and you will progress quicker.’
It’s basically all about playing the long game. Sadly, there aren’t really any quick fixes when it comes to getting fitter, stronger and healthier. As boring as it is, you’ve just got to put the work in and the results will come.
Don’t push yourself to the point of burnout trying to cheat your way to the finish line – rest, recovery and sensible progression is the only way to get there.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/01/02/avoid-january-exercise-burnout-join-gym-month-11990684/
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