It’s great that people today are concerned about their health and are proactive about maintaining their bodies. Unfortunately, there is a growing trend that could potentially weaken these noble goals, and  it’s called  “overtraining”. Overtraining can be described as increasing the frequency, duration or intensity of your normal workout routine too quickly, and it carries many negative side effects. First of all, overtraining can diminish the effectiveness of any workout. It can also cause chronic soreness and lead to injury, insomnia, unexplained weight-loss, and other conditions. The question then becomes: How can I prevent myself from overtraining? Get Your Rest You may have heard of people scheduling workout programs to focus on different muscles throughout the week. This is to prevent overworking specific muscles to prevent tears and pulls. Just as we need to sleep to recuperate mentally and physically, every muscle in our body needs to recover too. Muscles grow while you are sleeping as growth hormones are being released. Without sleep, there is significantly less time for the recovery and growth to take effect. If you have been following a strict workout plan without rest, you may want to consider taking some time off completely to get yourself