When is too much?

[Ssteve]

So I have been running most mornings (about 5days a week) and then either jumping rope for 20-30min in the evenings after work about 4-5days a week and lifting lightly about 2-3days a week with one day of rest(no cardio or lifting at all) and I feel great and have a tone of energy. However I am fat and out of shape, so I am pushing myself pretty hard during my workouts. I have been doing what I can to help recovery as well. More sleep, protein post workout, good diet, omega 3's, flax seed oils etc, but I'm worried that I'm eventually going to burn myself out. Before when I wasn't doing any cardio I would struggle to get off my butt and go do it, but now I'm actually struggling to not work out. I get done with my runs and as soon as I catch my breath and heart rate comes down I feel ready for more. In the evenings when I'm board and sitting around I want to go run or ride my bike on some trails.

I can honestly say that I have never felt better, recovered faster, or had as much energy in my entire life. Even when I was training in martial arts, or playing high school ball etc. I don't want to loose that and feel like even if I take one day off that I'm going to loose motivation. I was told that I should cut out the cardio on lifting days. My goal isn't to gain muscle at all, I just want to maintain muscle and loose fat and I have always seen better results with more cardio, I just have never had the drive to do it much... Until now.

 

[Mel Def]

Follow your intuition. If you feel good and want to do something every day then do it! Our bodies were made to withstand a great deal of activity and as long as it is making you feel good I can't see why you need "rest". Typically we all in the is modern world get plenty of rest, siting around much of the time at desks or in front of the TV and you can see what it has turned bodies into. Overweight with a ton of health problems.

That whole myth about burning up muscle is crap unless you are very lean. The fat is the easiest to utilize and what your body goes for first. Marathoners are very lean and while they are usually very thin they are also sinewy and muscley. That said, it takes a whole lot of running and certain nutrition to get to that body type. Most people do not need to worry about burning up muscle because they aren't work out at an intensity that would do it.

It's too much when you hate every minute ( not just when you start) or things hurt or you feel exhausted even when you wake up in the morning. Take time to stretch and warm up and cool down. Good luck in reaching your goals.

 

[Ssteve]

That's exactly what I was hoping to hear. I haven't been training super hard for long(about a month) but I'm learning a lot about my body really fast. I just want to make sure I'm on the proper track to keeping myself feeling this good.