Do you ever feel like you are constantly rundown and have zero motivation  for hitting the gym and sweating it out? If that’s the case, you might be suffering from a bout of exercise burnout. An exercise burnout is like a work burnout, it happens when you’re consistently overextending yourself during physical activity.

We want to point out the signs of a burnout and like to give you some tips to avoid it!

Mentally, you might be moodier and more irritable than usual while feeling emotionally drained. You will feel lethargic, and when you’re working out, you won’t release as many endorphins during your exercises as normal. We know that an exercise burnout is a bummer, but it’s in your hands to get out of that vicious cycle. There are many strategies which can help you to beat this burnout. Here are a few which we consider effective:

1. The best you can do for your body and mind is to rest and recover. When you’re feeling burnt out, it’s your body’s way of begging for a break. Take your time and don’t stress yourself to get back in shape as soon as possible. Give yourself a day or two to relax or change your workout to some low-impact exercises. If you want to read more about the advantages of recovery then you may like to read the previous blogpost “a primer on sleep, exercise and recovery”

2. Another way to get rid of that fatigued feeling is to fuel your body with some proper nutrition. A clean, well-balanced diet consist of lean protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables will help you feel more energized and perform at your best.

3. To avoid a lack of motivation and thus a burnout, mix-up your routine and try something new. To spur new excitement about your workout, you should set small attainable goals which keep help you on track. In our blog post about “how to avoid the winter workout rut” we have some more tips on how to change your fitness routine.

4. Last but not least, have fun during your exercises! If you’re feeling not comfortable at the gym, then go for a walk outside, hop on your bike, go hiking or enjoy swimming in your city. There are a lot of other options! Even our spin and power classes are a good choice for a mix-up in your workout routine. If you’re not feeling at your best, just talk to the instructors, they’ll take care of your individual problem and will guide you through the workout.

Your risk of catching a cold rises in the Winter season. You might have heard this a lot when you caught a cough or a cold: “sweat it out!”. The idea is that doing a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout will cure you of the virus. This is a myth. Actually, it could even get worse… a high intensity workout requires higher than normal rates of breathing, and in combination with a cough, it can put additional stress on the body. That leaves your body in a vulnerable spot when trying to defend against a cold. So rather than overstress your body with workouts, try a gentler method! Of course, you don’t have avoid the gym if you don’t want to, but do something light like yoga, stretching or exercises where you’re fully in charge of your tempo. To be clear, the key for a quick recovery is to rest and hydrate so that you won’t stress out your immune system any further. It’s also really important is to get enough sleep and add some vitamin D to your diet to boost your immune system. Just remember until you’re feeling like your full self again, no HIIT!

https://www.wellandgood.com/good-advice/ways-to-boost-your-immune-system-nuun/

https://www.livestrong.com/article/13721018-prevent-exercise-burnout/