Overtraining and getting sick

[machine528]

Hey guys looking for some advice. In Nov of this year I started a new workout to try and drop some bodyfat I wanted to get back to 6 Percent which is what I was in College. I changed my diet and had little to no carbs just a ton of protein and good fats. . I am doing super set workouts followed by about 45-55 minutes of cardio. In the previous 5 years I have been sick only one time. So far this year I have been sick twice. Both times a nasty chest cold which lasts about 4-6 days. My question is how do you guys know when you are starting to cross that line into over training ? Also how long should I take off not that I am sick again ?

 

[67nova]

First if thats your only symptom then you caught a cold,but if your feeling fatigued day in and out with constint soreness and feel heavy in your legs then your overtraining and need to stop right now and take a break.

Im there right now and it sucks.I havnt really gottin sick so thats probaly when your fully blown out.

 

[machine528]

I have had the heavy leg feeling and prolonged aches for about a month. The day I started feeling like crap, I had worked an overnight shift, came home, had a protein shake, Tried to sleep, couldn't, so I went for a 5 mile run and lifted, shoveled snow, showered and later that night started feeling like crap.

 

[PaulBlack]

A couple things...
Energy levels can be a carb thing. Not that you complained of low energy, but carbs can effect energy.
There can also be a difference between being exhausted and being really overtrained, overtraining being one that takes a bit of time to get back out of.
If you are sick, then training might only bring your immune system down farther or add stresses that don't allow you to recover what energy or adaptation you want to take place. It can also depend on how much outside the gym stresses you have going on!?
Work and school stresses can add to less or restless sleep and not allow full recovery to happen. Putting added stress on your body by changing the diet also creates situations that has our immune system getting taxed more than usually.
It can also be something that you just more or less have to learn the signs of, when you are hitting things too hard and are not recovering or getting more colds.
Personally, I go by my attitude and what my mood is too. If I find myself irritable, losing strength or missing weight and it is not just one or two workout situations, then I might take a deload week or regroup some or pay closer attention to the next few W/O's or week. If the drop or staleness continues, then it may be time to back off and rest until you get over the hidden ills and can move back to more productive lifting and thus dealing with the stresses you are calling on your body to recover from.

 

[67nova]

Deloading is very good but if you dont know how(self-control)then it is just as bad as lifting hard(my problem)thats why i usally just take a week of and do mobility drills,strecthing.ect and figure(or try)out why i got this way.

Myself im heavy in legs lost strength lifting,very moody,and just feel worn out everyday which is hindering my life all of this =overtraining,adrenal exhaustion,cns overload.

If you feel heavy in legs and didnt have a leg w/o in last 2 days abort your mission and take a week of with really going over routine/diet and adjust training/diet to keep going on come back.Dont worry about fat gain,strength loss because if you keep going your end up getting it anyway,eat clean at/above mant. and enjoy week off.

 

[PaulBlack]

Deloading is very good but if you dont know how(self-control)then it is just as bad as lifting hard

Personally, I think sometimes people complicate some of these things more than they need to. (Not saying that is your problem) as I have found myself at times, so anxious to keep the cycle going but am so beat up, when I deload, I end up using too much intensity on lighter loads and end up not easing up, only changing the intensity around or disguising it as backing off.
The easiest thing is to just cut back all the lifts (or at least the big mains) to 50%-60% and do the same rep numbers you were doing pushing it. Even if you feel you can do more, refrain from doing so and go home and rest.
Sometimes people don't give enough credit to emotional stress or exhaustion either, as that can be a big power drain for trainees as well. It is not always a physical thing but can show up being a physical drain on the body.
As far as "week off" or out of the gym, Nova is right too and I neglect that option, when at times, that may be exactly what one needs.

 

[67nova]

Reason for week off for me is i dont consume any kind of supplements(whey,ect)just a multi,fish oil,cla, as overtraining/overreaching i also try to limit all caffine(coffee)and use time to catch up on life and try yet again figure what i keep doing wrong,If i eat any cleaner id poop out a bottle of Mr.Clean.Diet is important but on my break i allow a few cheats for a mental break also.

It all comes down to knowing what "your"actually able to do.I think alot of hardcore lifters(bodybuilders)dont have physical jobs,ect..they have the time for recovery and dont have a intense w/o then go to work or a hard day and go lift.

 

[machine528]

Thanks guys, I have been reading your posts and realized I have not taken a week off in over a year. The biggest problem is i turned my basement in a full gym. Its a good thing and bad thing, anytime I am bored I will go workout. I have not touched a weight since Tuesday and my legs still feel heavy but my cold or respiratory infection is easing. I was very moody and irritable in the last few weeks and noticed my heart rate was acting goofy. I also need to realize when I was in my early 20's and 6 percent bodyfat I had a job with a steady schedule. I would wake up at 5 am. Go to the gym and workout until 730, shower, eat a good breakfast, go to work, and eat good food through out the day. Every night I was in bed at 830pm. My job now is swing shifts and I am sure that does not help with recovery.

 

[PaulBlack]

Yep, getting beat up and over-reaching, it is not hard for me to believe you caught a cold. Compromising the immune system can allow and viruses that you have at bay in your system, to take hold and move in. Allow yourself some rest time, don't overthink the loss of muscle etc. thingy, and start off slow 50% loads and build you momentum back up over the weeks. Your body will respond in a spurt and you'll feel better in the long run.

 

[67nova]

A week of is a week off,meaning no worries about strength,muscle loss,fat gain ect..
If your eating super clean like me then break from that too(but use common sense/self-control)

Then return to the gym when "you"feel alot better and start out like a first timer(light weights)for a week then progress from there.
You'll usally start to feel better after 4+days refrain still and go another 4+if you feel better then recovery is happening and it'll only increase.Start out as soon as you get a good day and your further behind then a week ago.

My god be with all of us with this burden/curse/pain in the $ss of such a thing!

 

[ZiR RED]

Autoregulation is priceless, it is also what allows elite athletes to train in some manner 3-6 hours per day, 6 days per week. A heart rate monitor and an iPhone can allow you to monitor HRV and levels of recovery fairly reliably. here is my write up.

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EDIT: this is the title of it, since the link is truncated:
[h=1]Overtraining, Autoregulation, and Your Sex Life[/h]
Br