HIIT and Over Training

Sophie · 30-Apr-08, 01:13 PM

Background:
I'm a junior in college and the end of the semester is fast approaching. I had anorexia and have been in recovery/recovered for going on 3 years. I work out 5-6 times a week lifting wights and I started doing HIIT a little more than a month ago.

For about the past two weeks, I have had little or no energy, no want to go to the gym (almost dreading it), and I need TONS of sleep. My appetite has increased and though I'm eating more, my weight is stable.

Monday night, part of my quad started twitching, I could see/feel it, and continued to do so on and off for nearly 30 minutes. Since then, it has twitched in the morning when I first wake up and at night before I go to bed. It twitches sometimes during the day as well.

I haven't been to the gym since the weekend due to fatigue and schoolwork. Is it possible that I have been over training?

30-Apr-08, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sophie

Is it possible that I have been over training?

Without a doubt.

**minime** · 30-Apr-08, 01:53 PM

I agree, it sounds like over training to me.

When did you last take a full week off from training?

how many HIIT sessions per week are you doing?

how many calories per day are you eating (maybe still not enough..?)

are you getting at least 8hr of sleep each night?

Sophie · 30-Apr-08, 04:23 PM

Last time I had a full week off was a couple weeks ago, a month at most. School hasn't been allowing my to be very consistent this semester.

I only do HIIT once or twice a week, usually with 2-3 days in between them.

I stopped tracking my calories for a while but my weight has been stable. I started keeping track again MOnday and am getting around 2900-2500 a day so I don't think that's an issue.

Not getting 8 hours of sleep most nights, but I do nap during the day to try to make up for it.

**minime** · 01-May-08, 10:10 AM

that's interesting, you have already taken time off recently, are only doing HIIT 2 time a week at most, eating & sleeping enough... you are doing everything right so I can't understand the overtraining.

However, perhaps with your stress at school etc. everything is affecting you physically more than normal.

**LiftGirl** · 05-May-08, 05:55 PM

I think stress must be the primary factor in your overtraining. Either rest completely or take it very easy until the semester is over. It's coming up soon right?

Sophie · 05-May-08, 07:33 PM

I took all of last week off and just lifted a little today. I'm going to move to full body workouts over the summer with HIIT twice a week. So lifting MWF and HIIT Tues and Thurs.

My muscles just started twitching again.

I am feeling a lot better though.

This is my last week at college.

westside24 · 05-May-08, 09:48 PM

dude... my muscles twitch all the time... My g/f calls it jimmy legs, or jimmy back... or whatever muscle is twitching or feeling like I cannot strethc it enough that it bugging the hell out of me and I cant sit still because of it, that muscle is jimmied.

But i dont feel overtrained. far from it. Hope ya feel better. schools almost done

Atlas · 13-May-08, 04:25 PM

Perhaps someone mentioned already but try eating a banana when the twitching starts. Frequent training can create deficiencies in many things but the most noticable is usually potassium because of the twitching it causes. I get it frequently and the banana trick works everytime. You could also just get a supplement for it. Increased sodium intake will also decrease potassium. Give it a try.

westside24 · 13-May-08, 06:24 PM

yea! perhaps she (sophie) could invest in some multivit. if she hasnt already?

Sophie · 16-May-08, 11:54 AM

I take a multivitamin every day. I took a week off and things seem to be better now. No more twitching, no more dreading to go to the gym, no more sleeping over 15 hours a day.

I'm also done with the semester, which I'm sure plays a role as well.

westside24 · 16-May-08, 09:11 PM

congrats on end of semester... thats a well needed break too.. unless your gonna jump into a summer semester.

dont dread the gym, make it dread you!

Sophie · 16-May-08, 09:16 PM

it was very weird for me to dread going to the gym and lasted for almost a month, it wasn't until the later part of that I started getting other symptoms of over training and took time off.

no, no summer semester for me. i'm ahead already so no need to get further ahead.