The Daily Balance

So now that spring is almost here, it’s usually the time that we re-evaluate our fitness goals and talk about motivation. Many sites and magazines talk about getting excited to exercise and how we can stay at it and go, go, GO! But you rarely hear about burnout — you know, that overwhelming feeling that can put any exercise program to a halt. Burnout is a sneaky little monster! It can creep up seemingly fast, but the truth is, it doesn’t happen overnight. There are some tell-tale signs to watch out for to make sure it doesn’t happen to you.

Like most things, burnout happens in stages, so it’s important to recognize the signs along the way.

STAGE ONE: CLOUD NINE

Classic sign: you want to look good in that swimsuit you just bought, so you never miss a workout.

Banish burnout: Less can actually be more. See, burnout happens when you expect too much too soon. Balance your excitement with the big picture! Even with the smartest, most effective workout program, you still can’t force your body to become stronger or slimmer any faster than it physiologically can. So start small. It’s better to do too little in the beginning than too much — the last thing you want to do is mess with your limits and push your ability to recover mentally or physically.

STAGE TWO: IMPATIENCE (aka REALITY CHECK)

Classic sign: Do you get easily discouraged when you don’t see results right away? Do you stop looking forward to gym time and start skipping workouts? DON’T.

Banish burnout: Set mini goals. The main reason people stop an exercise program is that they feel so far from their high-set goals! Try setting short-term goals that focus on the process (like time spent exercising) are more likely to boost your confidence and keep you on track than long-term outcome goals (say, total number of pounds lost).

STAGE THREE: EXCUSES

Classic sign: With boredom and apathy setting in, you’ll use almost anything — work, family, stress, the weather — as an excuse to skip exercise.

Banish Burnout: Change it up! Use a different piece of cardio equipment or work out in a different part of the gym. Sick of the gym? Take it outside! Icky weather? Fitness DVDs! Always give your body something new so that it never has a chance to adapt.

STAGE FOUR: SURRENDER

Classic sign: You are already saying “there’s always next year”

Banish Burnout: Put away that white flag! do NOT surrender! Remind yourself of the reasons you started this routine in the first place. Re-commit and make a schedule. Stick to it for at least five weeks (the KEY time-frame to get habits to stick!). Try making a date — with a trainer, your guy, or your best friend. You’re more likely to stay on track when someone is holding you accountable.

Now that you know the stages, they’ll be easier to avoid — hang in there, you can do it!

hang in there!

How do YOU prevent burnout?

In the news: yet another reason why you need to take it easy every once in awhile — Too much exercise can lead to overuse injuries

8 Responses to “Work it – How to prevent burnout”

1. Katie @ Health for the Whole Self said:

   Usually if I’m experiencing burnout, it’s a sign that I’m pushing my body too hard. Giving myself a day or two of “active rest” – light yoga, cleaning the house top to bottom, whatever – helps me give my body a break. Then, when I feel nice and rested, I’m ready to hit the gym again full force!

   Posted on March 10, 2010 at 3:06 pm | Reply
2. Katie@ Two Lives, One Lifestyle said:

   Signing up for a race and sticking to a training plan has helped me avoid burn out. When it started out, I felt like I wasn’t doing enough and was anxious to do more. I’m glad I held back because it built up slow and safely. Before, when I would start running (this happened many times) it’s resulted in burnout, injury, pain, etc. Plus, being concerned with pace and fueling rather than calories is a good change too!

   Posted on March 10, 2010 at 3:09 pm | Reply
3. La said:

   Excuses, excuses! One time this winter I made it to my Pilates class during a blizzard, I ended up being the only one who showed up and got a free private lesson out of it! That one occurrence is my motivation for everything now. If I’m feeling really burned out, it’s usually because I’m really trying to do a thousand things at once rather than feeling unstimulated or plateau’ed. I’m not really a goal person, I’m just a do-er, and sometimes I just try to do too much at once without realizing it. Eventually I figure it out and cut myself some slack.

   Posted on March 10, 2010 at 3:12 pm | Reply
4. Franziska (Justalittlechocolate.com) said:

   great post – I definately agree with setting expectations too high can bog us down. I like to tell my clients to visualize what they want to acheive – as if they could snap their fingers what would their goal look like in their life, in their body – making more realistic goals and taking note of all your daily achievements such as eating a piece of fruit at breakfast can give you motivation to stick to your plan.

   Posted on March 10, 2010 at 3:42 pm | Reply
5. Kelly @ Healthy Living With Kelly said:

   Exercise is such a central force in my life that if I am feeling burnout it is a sign that I am over-training and doing too much!

   Posted on March 10, 2010 at 4:12 pm | Reply
6. Lisa @ bakebikeblog said:

   Wow what a good post I have hit the burnout wall before – but I find that a few days off gets me back on track mentally and physically

   Posted on March 10, 2010 at 5:11 pm | Reply
7. Foy - Garden. Cook. Write. Repeat. said:

   I am actually one of the people that burns out. The time I had the most success and reached goal weight was when I did weight watchers and had a regular 9-5 job. I have to be on a schedule to get the most out of a health plan.

   Posted on March 10, 2010 at 5:12 pm | Reply
8. Janet (Pantry Bites) said:

   Great Post. Exercise is great for clearing your head, but remember that it’s diet is 80% for looking good.

   Posted on March 12, 2010 at 1:31 am | Reply