The holiday season is behind you, you are in the throngs of the New Year and perhaps you are keeping up with your new goal to be more active. Great job and don’t lose that momentum! However, perhaps you are beginning to find it harder to keep up with your new physical routine, even if you have not changed anything with it. Maybe you are finding yourself feeling less energetic throughout the day, experiencing disrupted sleeping patters, a decrease in your activity’s performance, or even frequent headaches? Don’t despair, for this isn’t what being healthy and active is supposed to feel like! One possible reason behind these new symptoms is the results of over exercising. 
Sure, you may be saying to yourself, in order to see the desired results in either a stronger or leaner you, it is necessary to keep up this schedule. Yes, I do not disagree that this means you should throw aside the routine completely; however what I am attempting to point out is the common mistake many of us make when it comes to physical activity. This mistake is the notion that it has to be either all or nothing in order to see results. By this approach one often sees the common burnout or even worst injury. Yes, do not misunderstand me it is important to lead an active lifestyle. It is important to challenge yourself in pushing beyond the comfort zone in variety and intensity. The benefits from being so are indisputable. Yet, it is duly important to be aware of your body’s limitations.
So, what can be done to help you in preventing burnout with your physical activity? Simple, create a schedule that includes at least one recovery day. Depending on the intensity or extent that your typical activity routine(s) consist of, your rest day(s) could consist of either light movement such as a walk or yoga to nothing at all. Recovery days are vital to a sustained and flourished active lifestyle. This is because when we exercise we are often creating tears in our muscle fibers. These tears are good, as it allows for muscle to grow stronger. Yet, if someone continues to tear these muscles nonstop without any rest this creates a different outcome, soreness and even injury. So, respect your body and give it a break from now and then from the same type of routine.
This is when variety can be a strong defense from burnout. By incorporating different exercises into your schedule, not only are you working different muscle groups and allowing for others to experience a rest, but it also helps keep you feeling excited about what you are doing. Repetition may be adequate for some people, but it is also the biggest preventer in pushing boundaries and excelling. Spicing your routines up with not just different exercises but by simply changing the intensity, resistance and distance can be a great key to an active longevity.
Something to remember though when beginning to mix up your exercise routine, is it doesn’t have to be all at once or not at all. Do not let ego get in the way and cause you to feel you have to run 3 miles the first day you decide to start jogging. Or that you have to be the most flexible one in group if you are starting a new yoga routine. Start small and work your way up to a desired goal. This goes for the amount of time you exercise as well. If you are starting from scratch, do not feel you have to work out a full hour every day of the week. This is how one often experiences soreness and fatigue resulting in burnout to happen. Take things at a gradual pace, and build up to the desired goal. Keep in mind the famous phrase, “Rome was not built in a day.” Well your body is not going to be sculpted and trimmed in a day either.
Just remember the key concepts as you move forward in maintaining your fantastic New Year goal of being more physically active and in preventing possible burn out, take care of yourself. Listen to your body, properly fuel it and provide it with adequate rest when necessary. Being active is supposed to feel invigorating, not filled with unbearable pain and discomfort. Continue to keep active, continue to push yourself to new limits, continue add variety and remember to enjoy your accomplishments because you deserve them!
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