Moderation is the key to success when it comes to exercise and fitness. Resting your body to give it time for recovery needs to be an integral part of everybody’s training or exercise program.

If you are training for an upcoming event, such as a marathon, your overtraining may cause physical exhaustion to a point of negatively affecting your performance on race day.

It is important to recognize when your body needs to rest, before it reaches physical exhaustion. Don’t try to keep up with somebody else’s program. You should always exercise at your own pace, based on your own fitness level.

Pay attention to signs from your body telling you when it’s had enough. Here are some common signs of overtraining leading to physical exhaustion:

• irritability
• headaches
• depression
• muscle soreness
• digestive problems
• poor concentration
• loss of coordination
• appetite, weight loss
• elevated morning heart rate
• lowered ability to fight infection
• prolonged period of recovery after exercise

If you have any of these physical exhaustion symptoms, stop exercising for a day or so to allow your body time to rest and recover. Sometimes decreasing your activity level in duration and frequency may be all it takes for your body to recover.

Exercising beyond the point of exhaustion, when injured, or to the exclusion of other activities and life interests can be signs of exercise addiction. This addiction can be counterproductive.

Human movement is encouraged to enhance your life and not be your life.

• Four Key Components to Physical Health and Fitness
• The Cost of Living the Good Life is a Lifetime of Fitness
• How Much Time or How Long is Needed for Fitness and Exercise