Exercise is one of the best ways to feel good about yourself. The adrenaline rush. The happy hormones sent all over your body. It’s one of the best feelings ever.
However, if you don’t do it properly, chances are, you might end up doing more harm to yourself than good. What you think are healthy exercise habits could hurt you seriously.
9 Signs that Should Tell You Your Workout Is Not Working Out Right
When you experience unusual or extreme pain
While it’s normal to experience pain due to sore muscles, once you experience sharp or stabbing pain, it is recommended that you avoid further irritating the affected part and have yourself checked by a specialist.
When you’re weak or dizzy for lengthy periods
Feeling weak after a workout or temporary dizziness when changing positions is normal. Sometimes it has to do with working out on an empty stomach. Momentary dizziness during workouts is caused by your body readjusting to pressure changes and should not last long. If it does, see a doctor immediately.
If you’re getting too sickly
Weakness after a workout is no cause for alarm. While exercise helps boost our immune system, our body’s immunity slightly drops post-workout making us susceptible to sickness. But if you’re constantly sick, you need to go over your regimen and make the necessary adjustments, especially for rest and recovery. You might be pushing yourself too hard.
If you can’t go to sleep
If working out is affecting the quality of your sleep, leaving you tossing and turning the whole night, chances are you’re overtraining. Try working out earlier in the day or reduce the intensity and frequency of your workouts. Massages, meditation, and yoga can also help remedy the situation.
When you feel extremely tired
If hours have passed after your last workout and you feel exhausted as if you took on a whole kitchen or bathroom renovation project all by yourself, then there’s something wrong. You need to scale it back a little. You might also want to look at your calorie consumption pre-and post-workout.
When you’re suffering from an unusual loss of appetite
Working out naturally makes one ravenous, especially if your body is still adjusting to your new routine. But if you experience an unusual loss of appetite, it is possible that you’re overtraining. There are instances where working out at a high level suppresses one’s appetite. Consider toning down your workout a bit.
If you’re constantly depressed or irritable
Another side effect of overtraining is constant irritability, depression, and underperformance in sports activities. A workout that is done well releases endorphins and makes you feel good about yourself. Too much physical activity leads to parasympathetic training.
If your heart is still on overdrive hours after your workout
If you’re new to working out, fluctuating heart rates are pretty normal as your body is still adjusting to the sudden changes in physical activity. However, if you’ve been working out for some time now yet your heart is racing well after your workout, it’s another sign that you’re pushing yourself too hard.
If you have chronic muscle pains
A typical workout should lead to some muscle soreness but it shouldn’t sideline you for days. If you’re doing things right, it should go away quickly. Exercise causes our muscles to have tears which are then built over which leads to muscle growth. But if you don’t allow your muscles enough time to recover and you keep tearing them down, you will risk causing serious injuries on yourself.
When a workout is done right, you shouldn’t experience any of these things. If you start to see any one of the signs mentioned above manifest in your body, talk to your trainer and doctor and see how you can make the proper adjustments so you can work out healthily.
