GET RIPPED by Jari Love – Aug 2025

Are You Overtraining? Here’s How to Spot the Signs and Prevent Burnout

We’ve all heard the saying, “No pain, no gain”, and that a little pain is good, but a lot must be better. But that old-school mindset can do more harm than good. While consistent training is important for making progress, more isn’t always better. Overtraining can sneak up on even the most dedicated exercisers, leaving you feeling exhausted, moody, and stuck in a plateau.

So how do you know if you’re pushing too hard? Here are the top signs you might be overtraining and how to prevent it before your body waves the white flag.

Top Signs You Might Be Overtraining

1. Constant Fatigue
   Even with a good night’s sleep, you feel drained, like your body just can’t bounce back. That’s your nervous system saying, “I need a break!”

2. Loss of Motivation
   If your usual excitement for workouts is replaced by dread or disinterest, it’s a red flag. Your brain and body are trying to protect you by slowing things down.
3. Plateau or Decrease in Performance
   Working harder but lifting less, running slower, or just not progressing? Overtraining can cause your body to underperform instead of adapt.
4. Trouble Sleeping
   Too much exercise can mess with your sleep. You might have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early, none of which help with recovery.
5. Frequent Soreness or Injuries
   A little soreness is normal, but lingering aches, joint pain, or repeated injuries are not. Chronic inflammation builds up when your body can’t properly recover.
6. Mood Swings & Irritability
   Overtraining affects hormone balance. If you’re snapping at loved ones, feeling anxious, or unusually down, it might be time to reassess your training load.

How to Prevent Overtraining

Overtraining is preventable with some smart habits.

1. Build in Rest Days
   Recovery isn’t lazy, it’s necessary. Schedule 1–2 full rest days per week, and consider active recovery like walking, gentle yoga, or mobility work on other days.
2. Listen to Your Body, Not Just Your Calendar
   Got a heavy leg day planned but slept poorly and feel run down? Shift things around. Your body doesn’t follow a rigid schedule so give yourself permission to adjust.
3. Vary Your Intensity
   Not every workout needs to leave you breathless and drenched in sweat. Mix high-intensity days with moderate and lower-intensity workouts to avoid constant stress on your system.
4. Prioritize Sleep and Nutrition
   Recovery starts with quality sleep and enough fuel. Skimping on either will make it harder for your body to repair and rebuild.
5. Use a Training Journal or App
   Track your workouts, sleep, mood, and energy levels. Patterns will start to emerge and you’ll notice when things are off before it becomes a problem.
6. Take Deload Weeks
   Every 4–6 weeks, dial it back. Reduce volume or intensity to let your body fully recover and come back stronger.

Progress in fitness is about the long game. You’re better off being consistent and balanced than pushing to the point of burnout. Overtraining not only stalls your results, it can lead to injury, hormonal disruption, and major frustration.

So be kind to your body. Rest is part of the plan, not a sign of weakness. Train smart, listen well, and keep moving forward in a way that supports your goals and your health.

Jari Love is a certified trainer and creator of the successful scientifically tested Get RIPPED!® series. You can learn more about Jari Love at www.jarilove.com. You can follow her on Facebook at @JariLoveFitness and at @rippedjari on Instagram.