Embarking on a new fitness regime (especially in January) is a little bit like the first flushes of love: exciting, all-consuming and addictive, it’s easy to get lost in the moment.
You've set your goals and this time, you're going to achieve them - even if it takes workout twice a day to maximise your fitness levels and calorie burn. But is this the right approach to take? And can working out twice a day actually be bad for you?
Well yes and no.
Of course there are people in the world, like athletes for example, who have been conditioned to be able to participate in multiple training sessions in one day. However, for the average person over-exerting yourself in the gym not only can be dangerous and lead to injury, it's also really not necessary - if you're working out 3-5 times a week then you're doing great!
Can't say no to double workouts?
Then the key is to keep it balanced. However, remember that fitness isn't measured by how long it is you workout for, but the intensity at which you do it.
If you do choose to double up then make sure you're not targetting the same body parts in one day (so no training legs in the morning followed by a spin class in the evening!) make sure you're combining a balanced mix of cardio, strength training and stretching. If you're working out twice a day then chances are you will be burning more calories than normal, so make sure you are fuelling up adequately.
It's also so important to keep in mind how significant rest and recovery is as part of an active lifestyle. Without it not only will you find it hard to progress, but you could also risk doing yourself some serious damage.
When to stop
It's unlikely but there's a few clear warning signs to take heed of if you are over-training such as loss of motivation, unusual or prolonged pain, lack of progress or if you find yourself constantly prioritising exercise over seeing friends and social events. you can find out more about identifying the symptoms of exercise addiction here. Luckily over-training is very rare so keep moving! It'll make you healthier and happier :)
