Let’s talk about something that’s become the unspoken badge of honour in fitness circles…

Doing everything, all at once, all the time.

Double sessions. No rest days. Random HIIT workouts at 10 pm. Running 10k in the morning, leg day at lunch, and burpees in the kitchen while dinner’s on. All while living on caffeine, vibes, and maybe the occasional protein bar.

And you wonder why you end up feeling like shit, aren’t getting stronger, and the scale hasn’t budged in 6 months?

You’re burning out. Physically. Mentally. Nervously.

Your central nervous system (CNS) is fried, mate.

What is the CNS Anyway?

Think of your CNS as the Headquarters of your body. It controls how fast you move, how well you recover, how you sleep, how focused you are, how much you lift, and how quick your reflexes are. If you’re a computer, it’s the motherboard.

Smash it day after day with intense sessions and zero recovery, and it starts buffering… just like your brain at 3 pm when you’ve skipped lunch and mainlined 3 Americanos.

Overtraining Isn’t Hardcore. It’s Just Dumb.

Here’s what actually happens when you train like a maniac without fuelling or recovering:

• You feel knackered all the time but can’t sleep.
• You’re not hitting PBs — you’re plateauing or regressing.
• You’re constantly sore, moody, and craving sugar.
• You lose motivation and stop enjoying training.
• Your immune system packs its bags and buggers off.

Smashing yourself daily is not the flex you think it is.

Female Athletes: Let’s Talk RED-S

If you’re a woman, this next bit is for you.

RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) is what happens when you’re not eating enough to support your training. It affects everything — hormones, metabolism, bones, mood, energy, fertility, and more.

You might think you’re doing the right thing by training more and eating less… but that’s a one-way ticket to burnout, brittle bones, and being bloody miserable.

This isn’t just an athlete thing. It’s a “you train a few times a week and undereat” thing. If your periods are missing, your sleep is crap, and your energy’s in the bin, then you may need to take a step back and have a look at things because something needs to change.

So What Should You Be Doing Instead?

Drum roll, please…
Strength training + some cardio + decent nutrition + actual rest = the magic formula.

That’s it. It’s boring. It’s not sexy. It won’t go viral and make you the next fitness Jesus.

But it works. Every single time.

Here’s Why Strength Training is Your Bread & Butter

• Builds lean muscle
• Boosts metabolism
• Supports joint health
• Improves posture and balance
• Makes everyday life easier

And no, it won’t make you bulky.

What will make you bulky is the 25 doughnuts you eat because you’re starving from overtraining and under-fuelling. Just putting it out there.

Why a Bit of Cardio Still Matters

Not loads. Just enough.

• Helps your heart health
• Aids recovery
• Improves fitness
• Gives you a mental reset

You don’t need to do it twice a day. You just need to do it well and consistently.

Recovery: The Most Underrated Part of Training

If you’re not letting your body rest and adapt, your hard work is going to waste.

Recovery isn’t laziness.
It’s progress in disguise.

Take rest days. Prioritise sleep. Eat real food. Hydrate. Chill the fuck out.

You can train hard.

You just can’t do it every single day without paying a price.

The real weapon? Knowing when to push and when to pull back.

Here’s What to Do Instead

1. Train 3–5x per week max (some weeks? Maybe 3.)
2. Strength train 2–4 times a week
3. Add a couple of cardio sessions you enjoy
4. Sleep 7–9 hours like it’s your job
5. Eat enough – especially protein and carbs
6. Rest. Recover. Relax. Seriously.
7. Be consistent, not chaotic

You Don’t Need to Earn Your Food or Be a Hero

The fitness industry has done a great job of convincing us that more = better.

It doesn’t.

More often = burnout.
Harder = injured.
Faster = fucked.

If you want to get leaner, stronger, fitter, and healthier — pick a sustainable path. Something you can actually do long-term.

Jerry Springer Type Final Thought

Stop treating your training like a punishment. Stop thinking you need to “go hard or go home.”

Just train smart. Fuel your body. Sleep like a legend. Get outside. Lift heavy things. Do a bit of cardio. Rest.

Rinse and repeat.

And most of all — stop comparing yourself to twats on the socials doing two-hour sessions and three ice baths a day. They’re either paid, lying, or broken inside.