Yesterday I was on a complete workout high. I did an hour cardio-pump class in the morning and hour and a half of level three yoga at night. I felt great. I woke up today feeling pretty sore, but accomplished. Just as I was putting my sneakers on to go running I was watching The Today Show and Kathie Lee and Hoda were talking about how your body needs to rest in between work outs for maximum results. I looked at the segment as a blessing and sat my butt back down. Turns out, there is such thing as over working out and more isn't always better.
According to a study published in The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, if you overtrain, you'll start lacking results. Depending on how much you normally work out, three to five days per week is enough allowing your muscles to recover in between. For the best results, switch between strength training and cardio workouts.
In other words, I needed to take a break and allowed myself to. For me, working out is of course about the results, but it's also about the mental break. I love the increased energy I get from a good work out and the way it clears my mind.
