Nutrition & Training Myths Part 3

Hi Everyone !
Due to popular demand, I'm going to continue on writing up what I feel are the most unexplained aspects in the fitness industry today, as much as I can without seeing/talking to you in person.

Once again, this is unedited, and off the cuff. I just type and don't stop!

The "question/myth" is "don't I need to be in the gym forever/constantly to get the best results?"

Today is going to focus on over training/over reaching.
What are the 2 definitions? one of my idols, Lyle McDonald defines them as the following :
"Overtraining occurs when there is a long-term imbalance between the training load and recovery processes that, for a given athlete, leads to a decrement in performance that takes more than 2-3 weeks to return to normal."
and also this:
" if you recover within 2-3 weeks, you were only overreached. By definition, overtraining only occurs if it takes longer than that roughly 2-3 week period to get back to or past your previous performance level."

so, what does that all mean? and how does it apply realistically to current gym goers?
Well, I see a LOT of overreaching and some overtraining.
most don't even know they're doing it. most people have NO IDEA that the recovery process is VASTLY more importantly than the training process.
As some of you know, I'm a big fan of short, intense to the point workouts. I am not a fan of staying in the gym for hours on end. 5 hours a week (especially to start) is a MAXIMUM. most ladies I have start out as I have mentioned around 3 hours a week. why so little?
First off, if you were doing nothing but sitting, and now you're standing... that is a new stress. the body has to adapt.
so then we take you to standing for a while.
then you start walking. body sees a new stress again.
the body is okay with this, and can handle it. let me ask you this. if we take a typical inactive office worker, and ask him/her to jump up and sprint, what do you think the results will be? exactly. not very good. they wont last long. they'll tire out VERY quickly. andddd they'll be huffin and puffin like crazy. taking them a while to recover. if i ask a marathon runner or sprinter to do this same task (properly trained one of course) the outcome will be severely different.
that is why we don't go from sitting at an office to sprinting when we first get you in the gym. you must be built up to it.
so, back to overtraining?overreaching.
so, everyone has seen them. maybe you are "them" the guys/girls that are in the gym, everyday. every hour. for hours on end. spending 9 days a week in there, pumping weights. and then cardio. running. for an hour or more.
now, just because you don't see it, there is a GREAT chance this person is being compromised. the body is smarter than you, as i have said before. one, or multiple of the following factors are probably present:
a) poor mood outside/inside the gym
b) sleep is lacking, either in length, or disturbances
c) weights are down (how much they're lifting, and general stamina)
d) progression has ceased. in most cases, a long time ago.

these are just examples of the "side effects" of overtraining.
I personally lift weights AROUND 4 hours a week. I consider myself an intermediate to advanced lifter. and I do cardio yes, but it is LISS (low intensity steady state) for my current goals (aspiring eventual bodybuilder). I DO NOT sprint, and I'm also going pretty aggressive at the moment with my fat loss.
SO where am i going with this? would you like to feel like any of the factors I've mentioned? ARE you feeling any of the factors I've mentioned already?

If you are training with some serious weight (2 plate bench press, 3 plate squat, 4 plate deadlift) then around every 3 months.... beat it. get out of the gym completely. relax. eat. recover. the body CANNOT constantly handle that kind of beating.
but, if you are under these approximate weights, and you're training 3-4 days a week, proper nutrition and program, you're probably fine. but take a serious look at your body. mentally. how are you doing? how are you sleeping? am I progressing? is my mood off/am I snapping when i usually wouldn't be?
Its probably time to tone it down. are you coming in on your saturday just to do 4 sets of 5 exercises because you feel your arms need the extra work?
come on guys... thats not the way. recovery. I'd rather you miss a workout than miss a meal.

women over reach too. a lot. usually with the amount of cardio (as i discussed in my cardio myth) tone it down ladies. marathon runners and elite athletes STILL need to take a break too... but they are elite for a reason. genetics allow them to withstand that workout, and they are usually not beginners.
beginners usually can last around a year at least without overtraining. unless you are in the gym wayyyy too much. 5 days a week to me is too much. running 5 days a week is too much. a combination of running and training 5 days a week is way too much. especially for you "i want to be healthy and look good"people whom most of this is geared towards.

starting fitness?
no more than 4 days a week of weights.
no more than 3 days a week of cardio/walking. no running to begin.
this is MORE than enough stimulus for your body to adapt to.
once this stops working aka results are compromised.. THEN look into training SMARTER, not LONGER.
also... ask yourself these questions:
a) am i lifting more weight? or am I swinging more weight?
b) how is my nutrition? am I eating at least 80% which my nutritionist tells me to?
c) am i sleeping well? am i getting 7.5-8.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep a night?
d) am i exhausted during my day?

overtraining/overreaching might be there...

I expect questions on this one, fire away.