82: Q&A: Overtraining, Strength Training, Fat Loss & More
When More Isn't Better: Why You Might Be Training Too Much (And What to Do About It)
Discover the signs of overtraining and why rest days are just as important as your workouts. Learn how to train smarter, not harder, for better strength gains and fat loss results.
For way too long, more always seemed better. Six or seven days a week in the gym, sometimes twice a day, because anything less felt like slacking off. If you weren't constantly pushing your limits, were you even making progress?
Sound familiar?
Here's the thing: that mentality is exactly what's holding a lot of women back from seeing the results they actually want. And Tara gets it, because she's been there too.
The Overtraining Trap We All Fall Into
We've been conditioned to believe that the harder we train, the better our results will be. But what if that's completely backwards? What if all that grinding, those back-to-back workouts, and the guilt you feel on rest days are actually sabotaging your progress?
In this Q&A episode, Tara dives deep into one of the most overlooked issues in fitness: overtraining. And no, it's not just for elite athletes. If you're constantly exhausted, hitting frustrating plateaus, dealing with nagging injuries, or watching your motivation tank despite showing up consistently, your body might be waving a giant red flag at you.
The Real Signs Your Body Needs a Break
Overtraining doesn't always look like what you'd expect. It's not just about being tired after a hard workout (that's normal). It's about those persistent warning signs that we tend to brush off or power through:
Constant fatigue that doesn't improve with sleep. You're getting your seven or eight hours, but you still feel drained. Your workouts feel harder than they should, and everyday tasks feel exhausting.
Stubborn plateaus that won't budge. You're putting in the work, but your strength isn't increasing, the weight isn't coming off, and you're stuck in the same place week after week.
Weird little injuries that just won't heal. That shoulder twinge, the persistent knee pain, the tight hip that never seems to loosen up, these aren't random. They're your body telling you something.
Mood swings and irritability. When overtraining messes with your hormones and stress levels, it doesn't just affect your workouts. It impacts your relationships, your patience, and your overall mental health.
Sound like you? You're definitely not alone.
Why Too Much Exercise Actually Hurts Your Results
Here's where it gets interesting. When you overtrain, you're not just spinning your wheels, you're actively working against yourself. Tara breaks down exactly how too much exercise can mess with your strength training progress, your metabolism, and your hormones.
Your body doesn't get stronger during your workouts. It gets stronger during recovery. When you're constantly breaking down your muscles without giving them adequate time to repair and rebuild, you're stuck in a cycle of stress without adaptation. That means less muscle growth, decreased strength gains, and a metabolism that's confused and struggling to keep up.
And let's talk about hormones for a second. Chronic overtraining can wreak havoc on your cortisol levels (your stress hormone), your thyroid function, and even your reproductive hormones. This is especially important for women, who are already juggling complex hormonal cycles. Pushing too hard can lead to irregular periods, low energy, and difficulty losing fat, even when you're "doing everything right."
Rest Days Aren't Optional, They're Essential
This might be the hardest pill to swallow, but rest days are just as critical as your training days. Maybe even more so.
Tara used to think she had to train like an athlete to see results, until her body literally forced her to slow down. The truth is, real progress happens in the recovery, not just in the reps. Your muscles repair, your nervous system resets, and your body adapts to become stronger during those rest periods.
But here's the catch: rest doesn't mean doing absolutely nothing (though sometimes it should). Active recovery, mobility work, walking, and low-intensity movement can all support your goals without adding to your stress load. The key is learning to differentiate between productive training and just... doing more for the sake of more.
Training Smarter: Strength Training and Fat Loss Done Right
So what does "training smarter" actually look like? In this episode, Tara covers the fundamentals of effective strength training and how it ties into fat loss, without the burnout.
Strength training is non-negotiable. If fat loss is your goal, lifting weights needs to be your priority. It builds muscle, which increases your metabolic rate, helps you maintain strength while in a calorie deficit, and gives you that toned, strong look we're all after.
Quality over quantity, always. Three or four well-structured strength training sessions per week will get you better results than six mediocre workouts where you're just going through the motions.
Progressive overload is the secret sauce. You don't need to train more often, you need to train with intention. Gradually increasing weight, reps, or intensity over time is what builds strength and changes your body composition.
The Truth About HIIT, Mobility, and Training Footwear
Because this is a Q&A episode, Tara also tackles some rapid-fire questions about high-intensity interval training (HIIT), mobility work, and even what shoes you should be wearing for strength training.
On HIIT: It has its place, but it's not the magic bullet for fat loss that it's often marketed as. Too much HIIT can add to your stress load and interfere with strength training recovery. Use it strategically, not as your main training method.
On mobility: This is the unsexy work that makes everything else possible. Mobility training improves your range of motion, reduces injury risk, and helps you move better in your workouts. Don't skip it.
On footwear: Believe it or not, your shoes matter for strength training. Flat-soled shoes (like Converse or lifting shoes) provide a stable base for squats and deadlifts, while squishy running shoes can actually make you less stable and rob you of power.
The Bottom Line: Listen to Your Body
At the end of the day, learning to listen to your body is where the real gains happen. Not every workout needs to destroy you. Not every week needs to be a grind. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is rest, recover, and come back stronger.
If you've been feeling guilty about taking rest days, wondering why your workouts aren't hitting the same way anymore, or just feeling stuck despite all your effort, this episode is your wake-up call.
Training smarter beats training more, every single time.
Ready to train smarter and finally see the progress you deserve? Join Broads for structured, progressive training and a community of women who get it. Visit broads.app and use code PODCAST for 20% off your first month.
What's your biggest struggle when it comes to balancing training and recovery? Share your thoughts with us on Instagram @broads.podcast, we'd love to hear from you!
