overtraining

[aleia]

Okay, ladies, I have another one for you. Maybe I shoulda posted on a different forum, but I've grown attached (already!) to this one. question is two-fold:
What is the best length (1 week? 2?) and form (low weight, high reps? no exercise?) of a scheduled recovery?
When overtraining does occur, how does one properly recover without losing her momentum?
I would like to note that, though I am obviously experiencing overtraining right now, I am not injured in any way. Currently sick, SUPER sore for over a week, lethargic, lifting about 1/2 to 3/4 normal weights, feels a bit like mono. I stopped working out altogether 2 days ago because I feel that any more and I'll hurt myself, but am getting the itch bad. Still eating 6 meals/day, lean protien with vegetables and small amounts of oatmeal/yams/fruit.
Thanks for the advice, guys.
-Aleia

[swanso5]

no one really "overtrains", it takes weeks if not months of ridiculous training/diet to get in that state...feekling flat and tired is very common though

there's a ferw ways to go about it;

1 - fluctuate your training stress...week 1 - high, week 2 - medium, week 3 - very high, week 4 - low/deload week...this worls best for performance type training

2 - if fat loss then introduce cal and/or cal cycling days where you jack them up when tiredness hits...you're obvioualsy bound to feel some with low cal's and lots of training (normally the case)

3 - manage don't seek it

4 - take days off where needed to, you don't have to stick 10000% to your plan

[aleia]

So you recommend 1 wk/mo planned break? How far back do you cut your exercise for this week? Thanks for your advice. I'm training for figure competition now, and am really pushing hard. I think I needed someone to say "eat a little more sometimes, and don't stick to your program 1000%"!
-Aleia

[mzaruba423]

i used to overtrain, but i didn't measure it by weeks. i ran for an hour every morning before i ate and then in the afternoon i'd lift for 2+ every day. ugh so bad