You train so hard, eat so little, yet you are still gaining fat. What's going here? You may be a victim of aerobic overtraining.

When the number of calories ingested is not as high as the number calories expended throughout the day, the body is in a state of negative energy balance. Over time, this causes the metabolism to slow down and promotes the storage of fat for survival. Going cold turkey - or suddenly starting a diet without making any other lifestyle changes - is often the culprit.

Effecting any change in metabolism is a gradual process. The good news is that by gradually increasing meal portions and frequency, reducing aerobic intensity and frequency, and adopting a proper resistance exercise program, the body will become convinced that you are once again ingesting enough calories and will begin losing what is now recognized as the unnecessary "back up" fat. Keep in mind that the longer the body has been starved of energy, the longer it will take to show any demonstrable changes in the metabolism. It's akin to lifestyle change among people who have recently come into money: After years of being thrifty, they may still pinch every penny, even when they don't have to. When it comes to fat loss, it can be a long and hard fight to coax the body out of its "conservative" ways. This especially true of aerobic overtraining, since it may take some time to persuade the body that it can release its miserly hold on fat stores because it is currently ingesting enough energy to meet its needs without going to the bank.

Estimating Negative Energy Balance & Overtraining

In order for a person to keep from going into a metabolic "depression", it's important to calculate about how many calories a person typically ingests daily. Then, compare that figure to the person's daily caloric needs. This can be done by consulting various activity energy expenditure charts. If the number of calories ingested is lower than the total caloric expenditure, then the person could be said to be in an overtrained state. In the long term, the body's metabolic rate will decrease if there is no increase in ingested calories, and/or in the event caloric expenditures are not reduced.

Another method to determine an overtrained state stemming from too much activity and not enough caloric input is to measure one's resting heart rate.

First, take a few days off from your current aerobic exercise routine. In the morning, while still in bed, check your resting heart rate. Record this figure and then resume your daily aerobic routine. Allow about two weeks to pass from once again resuming your aerobic routine, and then check your morning resting heart rate using the same conditions. If the heart rate has increased significantly (+5 to +10 BPM), it may be a sign of overtraining. Consider either reducing aerobic caloric expenditures, or increasing your caloric intake.

While body fat retention or increase is the primary sign of aerobic overtraining, there are several other indicators. These include a general feeling of fatigue, joint pain, problems dealing with stress, loss of appetite, difficulty concentrating, and slowed healing of injuries. If these symptoms occur often in conjunction with a particularly long and/or intense aerobic regimen, they could be evidence of overtraining. If any combination of these indicators are present, consider backing off from your current level of aerobics and observe whether they subside.

A Parting Thought

To prevent overtraining in performing aerobic activity for weight maintenance, pay attention to your "energy balance". Simply put, eat enough total calories to fuel your total daily activities. Then - and only then - focus on gradually reducing the number of calories consumed if weight loss is the goal.

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