However, some women find it challenging to know how much they should be working out or eating. Sometimes, they wind up overexercising and undereating. Some girls overexercise and undereat because they want to lose weight quickly or are trying to make extreme changes to their body composition. Other women feel carried away by fitness and don’t realize they are overdoing it. :)

Whatever the reason, training too much and eating too little can have severe consequences on your health and wellbeing. In this article, I’ll explain more about those consequences and how you could recover from overtraining and undereating.

What Happens When You Overtrain and Undereat?

Some of the Consequences of Overtraining

Working out is great for your body! In general, more exercise helps you improve your performance when you work out. Regular walks, for example, help you the next time you go for walk. Over time, your endurance, speed, and so on will improve.

However, the positive side effects of working out only work up to a certain point. After you reach that threshold, extra exercise can actually do you harm and hurt your progress! This mostly happens when you exercise a lot without much recovery time between workouts. If you do several days in a row of intense workouts, you’ll probably experience something called overtraining syndrome. This is basically your body’s way of telling you that you are burnt out!

Anybody can overtrain. Beginners, people who have been exercising for a while, and trained athletes all need to pay attention to their bodies and give themselves adequate rest!

Some of the consequences of overtraining include:

• A weakened immune system, making you more likely to get sick
• Osteoporosis and bone loss in women
• Heart damage, especially in extreme cases
• Poor exercise performance and stamina
• Fatigue and trouble sleeping
• Irritability

RELATED POST: Mistakes I’ve Made & What I’ve Learned

Some of the Consequences of Undereating

In a quest to be healthy or lose weight, many women cut back on calories. However, it can be easy to take this too far if you’re not careful. Undereating brings about serious problems, and you should be careful to make sure you’re eating enough healthy food! Being underweight can cause:

• Osteoporosis and bone weakness
• Nutritional deficiences
• Infertility
• Hormonal problems, including a loss of your period
• A weakened immune system
• Anemia
• Chronic fatigue
• Irritability

In addition to this, undereating can lower your metabolism. In fact, low-calorie diets can decrease the number of calories your body burns by almost 25 percent! The impact on your metabolism can last even after you stop the low-calorie diet.

RELATED POST: How to Have a Healthy Relationship with Food

Overtraining and Undereating Combined

As you might have noticed, many of the consequences of overtraining and undereating are very similar. Unfortunately, overtraining and undereating often go hand-in-hand. Each one is harmful on its own, but together they are even worse!

Remember, if you want to be a healthy, fit person, overtraining and undereating are hurting your progress! Rest and proper nutrition are essential for your overall wellbeing and physical appearance. :)

Also, some mental health professionals have noticed a link between overtraining, undereating, and mental health conditions, including eating disorders or anxiety. Perfectionism can also play a role in somebody’s desire to exercise a lot and restrict their calories. If you’re struggling mentally, consider reaching out to your doctor or a mental health professional to talk with them about this. :)

RELATED POST: The Effects of Constant Stress on Your Body

Signs You Are Overtraining

If you are concerned you might be overtraining, pay attention to these signs:

Soreness and Increased Number of Injuries

It’s normal to feel some muscle soreness after an intense workout or after doing an exercise that’s new for your body. Soreness is normally a sign that your body is repairing itself! If you’re feeling sore on a regular basis, there’s a good chance you are working out too hard or too often.

Overtraining can also lead to injuries, including:

• shin splints
• fractures
• plantar fasciitis
• soft tissue injuries

If you notice that your injuries keep coming back or they aren’t healing, you might also be working out too hard.

RELATED POST: Most Common Workout Injuries And How To Prevent Them

Getting Sick

Getting sick a lot, even with minor illnesses like the flu or a cold, is a sign you might be overtraining. Exercising too much can weaken your immune system and contribute to inflammation in your body. Both of these things can lead to regular sickness.

Sleep Changes

Normally, exercise helps you sleep better! But, if you notice you have trouble staying asleep or falling asleep, you might be overdoing your workouts. Too much exercise can stress your body out and make it hard to relax. It can also raise your cortisol levels, which contributes to restless sleep.

RELATED POST: What Happens to Your Body When You Don’t Sleep

Fatigue

Mental or physical fatigue can be a huge sign of overtraining. Feeling sluggish all day isn’t normal or healthy! Sometimes, it is better to skip exercise in order to get a good night of sleep!

Of course, you should feel a little tired after a healthy workout, but excessive fatigue occurs when your body isn’t able to recover after your workout. Feeling drained, especially right after a workout, is a sign you might be overdoing it.

FAT GAIN

When you overtrain, your cortisol levels can remain high. This can lead to fat storage, especially around your hips. High levels of cortisol can also make it really hard to lose excess fat!

Extra cortisol can also prevent the hormones in your body that help build muscle from doing their job. Loss of muscle can make it harder for your body to burn fat off.

Reduced Appetite

In most situations, exercise should make you hungry and increase your appetite! It is normal to want to eat a snack or a meal after exercising. After all, you just worked hard!

But overtraining can cause hormonal imbalances that make you less hungry. This, in turn, can cause you to undereat, which causes plenty of its own problems!

RELATED POST: How A Hormone Imbalance Can Cause Weight Gain

Signs You Are Undereating

Some of the most common signs of undereating include:

Fatigue

Eating too little will make you tired! Your body needs calories and nutrients to function properly. Breathing, thinking, and moving around all require nutrients!

Most people need at least 1,000 calories a day to perform basic functions. Adding physical activity can increase the number of calories you need by 1,000 calories or more.

Hair Loss

When you aren’t eating enough, your body has to decide what parts of your body to take care of. It will prioritize keeping your brain, heart, and other organs healthy, and your hair might suffer because of this.

Your body needs proteins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and vitamins to help your hair grow. Eating too little can also cause changes to your hair’s color or feeling.

Trouble Getting Pregnant

Your body relies on your hypothalamus and pituitary gland to keep your hormones balanced. This system is really sensitive to changes in your calories and body fat. If either of these becomes too low, the signals your brain is sending to the rest of your body can become damaged. This can impact your ability to get pregnant and limit your sex drive.

One sign that your hormones might be affected is a missing period, especially if you haven’t had it for three months or longer.

Always Feeling Cold

People who don’t eat enough often have lower levels of the T3 thyroid hormone. This hormone helps keep you warm.

Not eating enough calories can also cause your core body temperature to drop, making you feel cold all the time.

Mental Health Issues

Eating too few calories can make you irritable, but it can also cause more significant mental health issues. Studies show a correlation between people who undereat and those who have depression or anxiety.

Constipation

Eating a low-calorie diet can cause constipation. If you don’t eat enough, you might not be eating enough fiber, which helps you have frequent bowel movements. However, studies show that even people who eat enough fiber, struggle with constipation if they don’t undereat in general.

Always Hungry

If you’re not eating enough, your body will let you know! :) Pay attention to your hunger signals. If you’re constantly hungry, thinking about food, or noticing a grumbling in your stomach, you might not be eating enough.

Recovering From Overtraining and Preventing Overtraining

Recovery from overtraining can be difficult, especially if you love working out! Everybody is different, but people with extreme overtraining symptoms might need to take at least two weeks off of intense exercising. During this time, you can do gentle exercises and go for walks.

People with injuries that don’t heal or get worse over time should talk to their doctor. If you regularly have muscle, joint, or ligament pain that doesn’t go away after 24 hours, you should also talk to a doctor. They can assess your needs and help you develop a fitness plan that will work for your body.

If you think you’re at risk for overtraining, make sure you’re scheduling regular rest days, especially after intense workouts. It can take your muscles one to two days to recover after exercise, especially if you’re doing resistance or strength training. You can also:

• Take breaks throughout your workout to reduce the intensity of the routine
• Schedule active rest days with walks or light yoga
• Make sure you’re relaxing in other ways too, so your body is well-rested in general

If you’re struggling to eat enough, it’s important to try to increase your calories safely. Instead of eating foods that are high in sugar or are processed, try to:

• Make sure you are eating meals and snacks that include protein
• Picking complex carbohydrates, such as brown rice
• Looking for healthy sources of fat, such as nuts or avocados
• Eat veggies too!

Consider eating more frequently throughout the day too! Don’t be afraid to listen to your body’s hunger signals and eat a healthy snack between meals if you need. Eating after your workout is also important!

My Final Thoughts

Training excessively or undereating both cause serious problems on their own! If you are working out too much and eating too little at the same time, your body will really suffer. People have the best results when their diet and workouts are steady and sustainable for the long term!

In order to see excellent fitness results, stay healthy, and have good mental health, you need to make sure you’re eating enough and are careful to avoid working out too much. :)

Love Rachael Xx

The post What Happens When You Overtrain and Undereat appeared first on Rachael Attard.

I’m excited to share more about Holly’s program so you can see if it is right for you! Here’s more about her exercise videos:

About Holly

Holly Dolke is an Instagram and YouTube influencer who posts mostly about fitness. Her workout routines are all about achieving results from home without equipment, and her YouTube videos focus on helping women achieve flat stomachs and their dream bodies. She’s located in the United Kingdom.

Holly is also the creator of the Pink Dragon App, which is her fitness app. However, I’ll be reviewing workouts from her YouTube page, which has lots of workout videos of all types too.

In addition to being a fitness expert, Holly is a mom! Her daughter turned one in October! I’m a new mother myself, and I admire her hard work to continue managing her business and her fitness during a busy time of life. :)

Lower Body Workout Review

Holly’s YouTube channel has lots of different lower body workouts. I picked four of her videos to review.

Slim Legs in 10 Days

This workout includes:

• Deadlifts
• Squats
• Curtsy lunges
• Ski squats with a side kick
• Clam kick-ups (on both sides)
• Bridges

I really like that Holly includes a preview of what’s coming next. She even does this for the next circuit of the same exercise. This helps me know how to prepare for what’s coming! She also does three circuits of each exercise, which is enough to tire you out some, but it also isn’t too intense.

This video is only 10 minutes long, so it is perfect for people with busy schedules or for people who want to add this to the end of another workout video.

I also include clamshells, deadlifts, and bridges in my videos, and I think those are good workouts for rounding and lifting the butt! However, I do think that doing too many squats can lead to larger thighs and quads, which many women do not want. Doing this video for 10 days might cause girls with mesomorph and endomorph body types to bulk up more than they want.

RELATED POST: Why You Need Cardio For Lean Legs

Inner Thigh Burn for Slim Legs – 5 Mins

In this super quick workout, Holly leads you through:

• Side leg kicks (both sides)
• Crab open and close legs
• Cross crunches
• Butter legs boat pose

Holly includes a timer for all the exercises, which is helpful! She also doesn’t include any squats or lunges, so you shouldn’t be worried about bulking up from this video. I love that this is a bodyweight-only workout that can be completed from home. It is short too, so it is perfect for a busy woman!

RELATED POST: How to Lose Inner Thigh Fat

Get a Toned Booty in 14 Days With These Quick Exercises

This workout video includes:

• Lunges and kick backs (on both sides)
• Leg raises (on both sides)
• Fire hydrant with a kick out (on both sides)
• Cross behinds with a swing-up (on both sides)
• Bridges
• Bridges with wide-leg stance

This video is a little bit longer than the other workouts. It lasts almost 11 minutes. I love that this video includes a variety of different types of workouts. I think bridges and fire hydrants are great moves!

I’m not completely anti-lunges! In fact, some of my own workouts include lunges. However, I do caution women about doing too many. If you were to do them for 14 days straight, you might notice your thighs growing more than what you want. Of course, this totally depends on your goals and body type. Endomorph and mesomorph women are more likely to have trouble with this.

RELATED POST: Are Bodyweight Workouts Effective?

Burn Thigh Fat Workout | No Equipment

In this 12-minute video, you do:

• Squat jumping pulses
• Curtsy lunges with a kick
• Bridges, open and close
• Bridges with feet up and down, close and open
• Inner thigh leg lift (on both sides)
• Clams (on both sides)
• Top leg lifts (on both sides)
• Cross leg crunches
• Running

I like that this video includes a lot of different types of workouts, and I think the different bridge variations are excellent for the lower body! However, like some of the other videos, this includes lunges and squats that some women need to be careful about.

I also love that this is an equipment-free workout! It makes it so convenient to do from anywhere!

My First Thoughts on the Lower Body Workouts

All of these workouts are fast! The longest is just over 12 minutes. Because of this, most people should be able to incorporate these into their schedules without too much stress.

I also like that you don’t need equipment to do these workouts. This makes them super easy to do from home in your bedroom or while travelling. If you wanted more of a challenge, you could add dumbbells to your workout. :))

If you plan to do these workouts for several days or weeks in a row, as Holly suggests, you might find yourself becoming bored with the routines. Also, everybody is different. Some girls will be able to see results after 10-14 days, but some won’t be able to see results. In my experience, it normally takes a bit longer than that to see results from exercise. :)

Finally, if you choose to do these videos every day for 10-14 days, you might notice that you gain more muscle mass than you’d like. Again, that depends on your personal preferences about your body and your workout goals. Even though these workouts are focused on the lower body, they work your core too, so you might notice some ab definition from them.

RELATED POST: How to Slim Down Muscular Thighs

Full Body Workout Review

In addition to her lower body workouts, Holly has plenty of full body workouts to pick from!

Full Body Shred in Under 10 Minutes

In this workout, Holly leads you through:

• Low shuffle punches
• Plank bear into side planks
• Marching bridges with open and closed legs
• Boat roll reverse crunch

You do three circuits of each exercise. I like that Holly packs a good amount of variety into this short routine. It’s quick and not too hard, so you should be able to get this in during your day!

RELATED POST: Why I Prefer Bodyweight Training over Lifting Weights

Full Body Toning in 10 Minutes – No Equipment

This video includes:

• Crab knee lift to boat
• Boat bicycle twists
• Bear plank to downward dog to push ups
• Crunch donkey kicks
• Dead bugs

You do two circuits of each of these exercises. Again, this is a quick video that isn’t too intense. Even beginners should be able to make it through this video. I love donkey kicks and dead bugs. Those are great moves to do! :)

10 Minute Intense Full Body Workout

In this routine, you do:

• Arm circles
• Arm pull downs
• Push ups
• Tricep dips
• Woodchoppers (on both sides)
• Sit ups
• U Boat Holds
• Crunches
• Single leg crunches
• Straight side leg kicks
• Leg raises behind
• Cross and donkey kicks
• Swing and side legs
• Straight side leg kicks

Even though this video has the word “intense” in the title, the workout isn’t too intense. Most girls should be able to get through it, and this routine shouldn’t cause you to develop too much muscle. :)

Personally, I love the variety of different moves in this routine. Your entire body is put to work with arm circles, push-ups, and so on! This is a very engaging routine!

RELATED POST: The Female Guide On How To Get Lean And Not Bulky

Full Body Toning Workout (11 Minutes)

In this video, you do:

• Side plank with kicks (on both sides)
• Side leg lifts with legs (on both sides)
• Bear plank kicks (on both sides)
• Marching bridges
• Arms (with a variety of arm exercises)

This was Holly’s first proper workout after giving birth! I’m so impressed and happy for her. :) I love that this is a low-intensity workout with lots of variety. You do several circuits of each exercise.

Holly also did a voiceover in this video, explaining the proper form and the exercise and I thought it was helpful!

First Thoughts on the Full-Body Workouts

These are quick workouts with lots of variety in the types of moves you do! Your body will feel engaged, and you shouldn’t feel bored doing the workouts. If you want a longer workout, you could even combine some of these videos since she usually changes up the exact moves she does in each one.

There are no squats, lunges, or plies in these videos. They’re all low intensity, and you don’t need to worry about gaining muscle from these workouts. :)

Final Thoughts on Holly Dolke’s Workouts

After Holly gave birth to her daughter, she was able to get into the groove of working out again after consulting with her doctor. For the first couple of months after giving birth, Holly focused on walking, deep breathing, and eating well. She was able to get back to intense workouts with jumping just a couple of months after giving birth, and she did this with her doctor’s approval. This is impressive, and I’m so happy she was able to do that!

Some women struggle to figure out how to exercise after giving birth, especially if they have health complications. I’m a new mom who had complications, and it’s taking me a while to figure out what works best for my body. Either way is ok! :)

Holly’s videos are full of lots of different types of moves that will engage your entire body! You probably won’t feel bored doing these quick, diverse workouts! Even though I like a lot of these workouts, I do know that some women will want to be cautious with some of Holly’s lower body workouts. Some of these have moves that can cause unwanted muscle gain. If you’re looking to gain some lower body muscles, these will work well for you!

But I don’t recommend combining these workouts with my program. Adding to my program will cause you to overtrain and overwork your muscles. This can happen even with low-intensity workouts like Holly’s! To get excellent results, you need to make sure to give your body rest so that you don’t have any unwanted consequences.

If you want lean, toned legs, you don’t need to combine my program with any others. :)

Love Rachael Xx

The post Holly Dolke Workout Videos Review appeared first on Rachael Attard.

It can be very difficult for us to slim down thighs and many of you have told me that workouts that you’ve previously done only made things worse, especially if you’re lifting heavy. Since I know how many of you are struggling with this, I decided to show you some of these easy and quick thigh workout for women which you can do at home

This is a great thigh workout for women which can help you slim down both your inner and outer thighs. And all you need is a pillow and a gliding disc (if you don’t have a gliding disc, you can use some type of cloth that you don’t mind on the floor).

RELATED POST: How To Slim Down Muscular Thighs – Get Toned Legs Without Bulk

How to Do the Circuit:

• Complete the first 3 exercises in a circuit.
• Do each exercise for 45 seconds and do 3 rounds.
• Then complete the next 3 exercises in a circuit.
• Do each exercise for 30 seconds and do all exercises on your left leg, then the other.
• Do 3 rounds.

Try This Inner and Outer Thigh Workout for Women

RELATED POST: How To Lose Inner Thigh Fat (Plus What Not To Do)

1. Side Plank Leg Lifts

2. Fire Hydrant Extensions

3. Glute Bridge with Pillow

4. Gliding Disc Pulses

5. Gliding Disc Slides

6. Semicircles with Gliding Disc

All of my workouts are designed to tone and shape your muscles so you don’t want to worry about gaining unwanted muscle (unless that’s something you want to do). You can check more of these in my workout library, or on my Instagram. :)

Love Rachael xx

The post Best Inner and Outer Thigh Workout for Women appeared first on Rachael Attard.

”If you’ve been following me on Instagram, or reading my blog, you know that you girls are my main inspiration & motivation.

I recently held my Share Your Journey Challenge and I have to say it was an amazing experience! Getting to read all of your stories was absolutely incredible.

In this chat, Arianna who is 26 , shared her story that really stuck with me. She completed my G.A.L. Program and she’s already onto round 2. I couldn’t be more proud!

I hope her story inspires you just as it did me. :)

Arianna’s Review of the G.A.L. Program

1. What Was Your Fitness Routine Before and What Made You Change It?

Arianna: I did ballet from when I was 7 till I was 16, so I think that helped me. When I do crunches and workouts like that I usually get abs instantly.

I always tried to be active after I stopped ballet, I used to do a lot, I did some Pilates and athletics. There wasn’t enough cardio in Pilates so I stopped.

I started to look for something to do at home since I didn’t want to go to the gym, I was too lazy.

Other programs changed my body but not the way I wanted since I’m tall and get big legs easily, so I didn’t like them.

I tried to do exercise at home with exercises I knew wouldn’t bulk my legs, but after a few months of doing the same thing I got really really bored and didn’t want to work out anymore. But I don’t know how to make a program or what exercises to change, so I did the same thing which became boring.

RELATED POST: Why You Need Cardio For Lean Legs

2. How Did You Find Out About the Program and What Convinced You to Try It Out?

Arianna: I knew Rachael from Instagram for years, but I never tried it since I hate running and I thought I didn’t have time to do two workouts a day. And I usually walk 10k steps a day but I didn’t see any changes without the program.

So I bought the Lean Legs Video Course first, but since I wanted to try G.A.L., I stopped the Video Course after two weeks and started doing G.A.L.

Now I am doing the second round of GAL since I really enjoyed it. I think that the HIIT workouts are easier in GAL than in the video course. They are great and are challenging, but I don’t feel as exhausted after the workouts.

I also wanted to give running a try as I trusted Rachael 100% and now I love it. Recently I ran for an hour since I was enjoying it.

3. Did You Notice Any Positive Changes After Running?

Arianna: I’m really stressed right now because of my university. I usually go for long runs when I’m more stressed. I don’t have a treadmill but there are a lot of parks in my area, so I go there and I can change which one I go to.

Since I did 1 year of athletics and was really good at 100m, I found that there’s a small athletic field in the park, so I went there and started running.

I usually run really fast first, then slow down to catch my breath, but I never stop, I only adjust the speed.

I can work on my exams more now, I’m not stressed. When I hit my goal, I don’t do it for the program anymore, I do it for myself, when I go running I do it for myself.

RELATED POST: Is Running Good For You?

4. If a Friend of Yours Asked You About G.A.L. What Would You Say?

Arianna: It’s amazing, first of all. It really helps if you’re bored with your routine because it changes every day, it has so many different things, and you don’t even have to do running since you have other options.

And you don’t have to stress out about what you have to do, there’s a program and all you have to do is follow it.

It gives you results. I always thought I had a perky butt and flat stomach because of ballet, but the program actually makes it better.

5. What Is a Successful Result for You?

Arianna: In my opinion, you have to try again after you complete the first round so you can compare the rounds and see how you feel. It’s not just physical, it’s a fitness journey, it’s a health journey, it’s important.

Taking pictures helps if you’re really into the aesthetic part, it’s a journey so you have to keep going to improve and improve. I can look at myself and see changes, but I think how can I change it even better?

Before starting and during the past 2 months I was really eating badly, but now I’m more conscious about what I eat. I saw that if I eat badly, I can’t run properly or work out properly. So it encourages me to do better. The first round helps you change your diet for the better.

RELATED POST: How to Have a Healthy Relationship with Food

6. What Are the Changes Between Your First and Second Round?

Arianna: I trust the program more, first I was a little skeptical, now I just go for it. Running too, I’m more excited to run now than walk, and I love walking.

It also changed with how much I can do the workouts at home, they are easier. Well not the first one, it has a finisher that kills me every time. Rachael also says in that video that you can use ankle weights, but I’m not gonna do it.

The program is my routine, I’m not feeling like I’m doing a second round, I’m just doing what I do every day, I wake up, I eat, I work on university tasks, I go out, I work out, that’s my life.

Since the workouts change so much during the week, I don’t feel like I’m doing a second round, I’m just doing what I do. It feels like I’m challenging myself every day, focusing on how I feel when I do it.

7. How Do You Keep Yourself So Motivated?

Arianna: I usually think, maybe I’m not seeing the results I want, maybe I don’t see enough changes, I’m not feeling motivated since it was a bad training day or something like that. I just think, if I’m not going to do it today, I will regret it tomorrow and when I go to sleep, and then maybe I won’t do it tomorrow and then I’ll stop the program fully.

If I’m not seeing changes now, then how will I see them if I stop the program, and I’m not going to have a good training day when I start training again since it will be harder. Just do it and don’t overthink.

I typically work out at 5 pm since I always did ballet at that hour. I just don’t overthink, but I put my clothes on, put on podcasts and music, maybe sometimes lessons from university, so that also changes.

Sometimes I go for a walk and don’t listen to anything, it depends on how I feel.

Stopping something that will make you feel better isn’t going to help you. You just have to give it a try, since it’s just 2 months for one round, you won’t see changes before the first month, you just have to stick with it.

Also, it took you months or years to get to your current shape, it takes time because fitness is a long-term commitment. You shouldn’t feel discouraged if you don’t see results right away.

You just have 2 months to give the program a try and it’s one hour max a day. I also don’t consider walking a workout since I feel it’s good to go out and embrace nature.

RELATED POST: How To Stay Motivated

8. When Did You First Start Seeing Results? Were You Happy With Your Results When You Finished the Course?

Arianna: For me, I started seeing results after 3-4 weeks. I don’t trust the mirror, since I’m the one seeing the reflection and I’m not objective. Usually, I measure myself.

I don’t trust the scale either, if I drank too much water or ate too much it changes. I weighed myself in July and after the program I lost 4 kilos but I didn’t do it for the weight, I did it to improve my body. It didn’t feel like I tried to lose weight, I wasn’t obsessed with that number.

I work out every day, I give it 1000 percent every time, I want to feel like I did everything I could so I give it my all and more.

The worst part that can happen is that I finish a workout and feel like I could have worked out more or harder. I never want to feel that way, I want to feel proud of myself and that’s a good training day for me.

Since I enjoyed it so much, it didn’t feel like working out hard even if I do it every day, it just didn’t feel like work, it felt like taking care of myself.

RELATED POST: How To Track Your Progress

9. What Are Your Main Reasons to Be Fit and to Exercise?

Arianna: I feel better, a healthy mind in a healthy body. Since I’m really into university and studying, I don’t want to feel bad, I want to do as much as I can for my mind and overall well-being.

I want to perform at my maximum for everything, I’m not an Olympian but I want to feel good with myself.

I want to feel like I can do things in a normal life. When I don’t work out I notice that when I walk and talk I’m out of breath, and now I’m improving that too with my running, I’m improving myself with something that is a weak spot for me. Ballet trains everything but not breath.

RELATED POST: Is Walking Or Running Better For Fat Loss?

10. What Would You Say Is Your Absolute Favourite Part of G.A.L.?

Arianna: I actually loved the challenges, the extra workouts at the end of the week, especially the last one at weeks 7-8. I didn’t like the extra workouts from weeks 1-2, so I think that I’ll do the ones from weeks 7-8 this week too , because I really loved them.

If a Friend Wanted to Start Gal, How Would You Motivate Her?

Arianna: First of all, all my friends always ask me what are you doing, how do you look that great? I would just say what I told you, it’s not hard to follow, it’s challenging but not too much that you feel discouraged, the workouts are so different that you don’t get bored, and the community is great, the Facebook group is nice and Rachael seems so nice to respond to everyone, the support group is amazing.

I tried a lot of things, nothing felt so effortless but still effective, or became a part of my daily routine so easily, nothing I ever did.

Could You Share Some Struggles With the Program, and How Did You Overcome Them?

Arianna: Usually I struggle with going out. I’m really a lazy person too. I like to stay at home, so the workouts at home weren’t hard since I could watch a TV show or movie to distract myself. Now I’m just listening to music since I think I work harder if I don’t distract myself.

I don’t like to go out, but I think about what I feel like when I work out outside. I enjoy both the feeling after and while I work out, and I think you can have that feeling right now if you go out.

So I put a good playlist on, music that really helps motivate me, pump myself up while I’m putting the workout clothes on and I don’t overthink it.

If I don’t do it, I will regret it later. You never regret a workout. You regret not doing it or not doing it well, but you don’t regret going for it. If you don’t have the time, that’s different but if you’re lazy, that’s not good.

I am sooo thankful to Arianna for sharing this lovely story with all of us. I can’t wait to see all about your progress after the second round!

Love Rachael xx

The post Rachael Attard Program Review by Arianna from Italy appeared first on Rachael Attard.

What Is Fatigue

Everybody gets tired sometimes, especially after a busy weekend, a rough night of sleep, or while feeling sick. Feeling tired occasionally is expected. However, feeling like you are regularly sleepy, unable to complete your daily tasks, or even like you can’t think properly because of your exhaustion is considered fatigue. People who experience fatigue aren’t just sleepy. They typically lack motivation too.

Sleepiness is typically a short-term problem. You might feel tired after a few bad nights of sleep, and then recover shortly afterward. Fatigue typically lasts for longer than this, or it comes back repeatedly. People don’t always know why they are experiencing fatigue.

A person can experience physical fatigue or mental fatigue, but these two types of fatigue often go together. When somebody is regularly tired physically, they tend to become emotionally and mentally drained too.

Somebody with physical fatigue might:

• Struggle to do daily physical tasks they normally do easily, like taking a walk or going up the stairs
• Feel like their muscles are weaker than normal

Somebody with mental fatigue might:

• Have trouble focusing on one thing at a time.
• Get distracted easily.
• Have trouble staying awake while working.

Possible Causes of Fatigue

One of the challenging things about fatigue is that there are a lot of possible causes for it. Some people have trouble narrowing down why they feel the way they do. Many people will also find that multiple factors contribute to their fatigue.

Lifestyle Factor

Lifestyle factors, like what you eat and your activity levels, make a big difference in how you feel! Many people notice that they have more energy and feel more alert when they eat well, get plenty of sleep, and maintain an active lifestyle.

Diet

If you regularly feel tired or sluggish, I recommend taking a look at your diet. Make sure you are eating plenty of vegetables, lean protein, good quality fats, and whole grains. I like to try to eat foods that are minimally processed too.

Although you should make sure you’re eating a well-balanced diet, I also suggest taking a look at a few specific elements of your diet.

Eating too many refined carbohydrates throughout the day can make you feel very tired. When you eat refined carbs, your body processes them right away, and your blood sugar is elevated quickly. This means that you get a short boost of energy. Unfortunately, your body also crashes quickly, making you feel tired. Some common refined carbs include:

• White bread and pasta
• Most breakfast cereals
• Potato chips and similar snacks

Instead of eating refined carbs, consider eating a carbohydrate that has plenty of fiber, like some form of vegetable.

Energy drinks are another diet-related item that you should reconsider if you constantly feel tired. Like refined carbs, these drinks typically provide people with a quick boost of energy and then a crash due to the combination of caffeine and sugar.

Energy drinks can also make it harder to sleep at night, making you even more tired the next day. If you can help it, try drinking coffee in the morning so that it is less likely to interfere with your sleep schedule. :)

Finally, if you’re constantly feeling tired, I suggest looking at how much you’re eating. People who aren’t eating enough calories often feel very fatigued. Eating too few calories can mean you’re not getting the energy your body needs to function, and you also might be missing out on essential vitamins that help manage energy levels.

How many calories you need depends on your age, height, goals, and activity level, but everybody should be eating at least 1,200 calories.

RELATED POST: How to Have a Healthy Relationship With Food

Sleep

Sleep is so important! Most adults need anywhere from 7-9 hours of quality sleep every night. If you struggle to get quality sleep:

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
• Make your room as quiet and comfortable as possible.
• Try not to exercise or watch a lot of TV before bed. Both of these things can wake you up even more.
• Turn your phone off about 30 minutes before you go to sleep.
• Avoid tobacco and alcohol before bed.
• Skip long naps. It’s best to get your sleep in all at once during the night.

Sleeping during the day, instead of at night, can also contribute to fatigue. This is true even if you are still getting 7-9 hours. People who work nights are more likely to experience fatigue. If you can, try to sleep during the nighttime as much as possible!

RELATED POST: What Happens to Your Body When You Don’t Sleep

A Sedentary Lifestyle

When you’re tired, all you want to do is rest! But sometimes resting in bed is the last thing your body needs. Although rest is essential, so is living an active lifestyle. Studies suggest that people who exercise have more energy than those who don’t, and a 20-minute workout provides more energy than resting at home.

If you experience a lot of fatigue, consider adding moderate workouts (even walks!) to your daily routine several days a week. You can also try to incorporate more activity into your everyday life. For example, consider:

• Walking to the grocery store instead of driving
• Standing, instead of sitting
• Taking the stairs, not the elevator

Psychological Factors

Mental health and your emotional state can make a huge impact on your body! If you’re constantly feeling tired, consider checking in with how you are doing mentally.

Stress

Stress is a normal part of life, and most people experience some stress on and off. However, people who experience stressful situations regularly are more likely to feel tired.

When you’re stressed, your body produces “flight-or-fight” chemicals that are meant to help you prepare for a disaster. Over time, this can be exhausting!

Stress often causes headaches and muscle tension in addition to fatigue.

RELATED POST: Is Stress Causing Your Weight Gain?

Depression

People who experience depression often have lower levels of the chemical serotonin. Serotonin helps manage your body’s internal rhythms, including when you fall asleep and when you wake up.

When somebody is depressed, they often feel like they lack the motivation to do the things they normally enjoy doing. They might feel tired and lethargic too. Sometimes, people with depression have a hard time falling asleep, and they might wake up early too.

Anxiety

Sometimes, people with anxiety experience a great deal of energy. However, people with long-term anxiety often feel tired all the time. Some symptoms of anxiety include feeling irritable, having a hard time sleeping, feeling worried, being on alert, and constantly feeling like something bad might happen.

When somebody feels anxious, their body often responds physically. They might experience:

• Shaking
• Chest pain
• A quick heart rate
• Trouble breathing
• Muscle tension
• Stomach problems

All of these physical symptoms can be taxing on the body, and it is no surprise that they can make somebody feel worn out.

If you think you might be experiencing depression or anxiety, consider talking with your doctor or mental health professional.

RELATED POST: The Effects of Constant Stress on Your Body

Physical Factors

Illnesses and other physical factors can also cause fatigue. Several different medical conditions can cause fatigue. I’ll discuss a few relevant conditions below, but don’t be afraid to talk to a doctor, even if your symptoms aren’t listed here. :)

Anemia

Anemia is a common blood condition in which your blood doesn’t have enough red blood cells. People who are anemic often experience moderate-to-severe fatigue. Several things can cause anemia, including:

• Stomach and GI problems
• Taking lots of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen 
• A lack of iron, folic acid, or Vitamin B12

Women are more likely to be anemic, especially if they have heavy periods. Doctors can test for anemia with simple blood tests. People who are anemic may need to make dietary changes or take iron supplements.

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes:

• Fatigue
• Muscle pain and tenderness
• Sleep problems
• Difficulty staying alert

The condition has been misunderstood in the past, and doctors are still developing their knowledge on it. Fibromyalgia has similar symptoms to many autoimmune diseases. Genetics, trauma, stress, and past infections can all cause fibromyalgia.

Both men and women can have fibromyalgia, but it is more common in women. People with fibromyalgia often say that they get enough sleep, but it is never restful.

Food Intolerances

Most people know that food intolerances can cause headaches, stomach problems, and rashes. But sometimes we forget that food intolerances and allergies cause fatigue too. Some common food intolerances include soy, gluten, and dairy. I have had my own issues with food intolerances and gut health. One of the symptoms I experienced was lethargy.

If you worry you might have a food intolerance, consider talking to a doctor or trying an elimination diet.

RELATED POST: Dairy Allergy Or Lactose Intolerance – How To Tell The Difference

Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders are disorders that prevent people from getting restful sleep. There are lots of different sleep disorders, but one of the most common is sleep apnea. This occurs when you don’t get enough oxygen while you sleep, and this prevents you from having a restful night.

Some other sleep disorders include:

• Insomnia: You can’t get to sleep or stay asleep.
• Restless leg syndrome: You feel the desire to move your legs because they are so uncomfortable while you’re trying to fall asleep.
• REM sleep disorder: You talk or walk in your sleep, preventing you from really getting good rest.

Talk to your doctor if you think you have a sleep disorder. They can run tests to track your sleep at night.

Symptoms of Fatigue

Fatigue impacts a person’s daily life. Some of the most common symptoms of fatigue are:

• Sore muscles
• Lack of motivation
• Feeling drowsy during the day
• Headaches
• Moodiness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Blurry vision
• GI problems, such as constipation
• Slowed response time

RELATED POST: How to Stay Motivated

How to Treat Fatigue

Rule out Health Problems

If you have struggled with fatigue for a while, talk to your doctor about it. They can help rule out common health problems that contribute to fatigue. They’ll also help review any medications you take. Sometimes medication can also cause fatigue!

Get Quality Sleep

Make sure you are getting 7-9 hours of sleep every night! Try to go to bed early (making this a habit can be life-changing!) and wake up at the same time every morning. I love having an evening routine to help me wind down at night.

If you need, taking a short afternoon nap can also help energy levels. Napping for too long can keep you from sleeping at night, so be careful.

Change Your Diet

In addition to eating a balanced diet, try to:

• Reduce your sugar intake.
• Eat smaller meals throughout the day.
• Avoid processed foods.
• Drink plenty of water, and eat lots of veggies.
• Only drink caffeine in the morning.

RELATED POST: Are Processed Foods REALLY That Bad for You?

Be Active

Exercise will not only give you extra energy. It will also help you sleep better!

If you don’t exercise but want to try, I suggest ease=ing into it slowly. I love walks, and I think walking is a great way to introduce exercise.

RELATED POST: How Often Should I Exercise To Lose Weight

Reduce Stress

Reducing stress is easier said than done! However, for the sake of your overall wellbeing, it is worth trying! To decrease stress, consider:

• Yoga and meditation
• Trying to identify why you are stressed
• Journaling
• Talking to a loved one or a mental health professional about your stress
• Going for a walk or engaging in some form of physical activity

Experiencing fatigue can make life much more challenging! Addressing it by taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional needs makes all the difference in improving your quality of life. :)

Love Rachael xx

The post Possible Reasons Why You Always Feel Tired appeared first on Rachael Attard.

”If you’ve been following me on Instagram, or reading my blog, you know that you girls are my main inspiration & motivation. This is why I recently reached out to some of you to ask about your progress and feedback. These are their stories. Hope you find them as motivating and uplifting as I have.”

Krista is a 34 y/o from New Zealand and an Endomorph body type. She completed the Lean Legs Video Course and joined the Share Your Journey Challenge to inspire other amazing women. :)

If you don’t know what it is, Share Your Journey Challenge is an 8-week challenge for all women who follow any of our programs. 

To join, all you have to do is send me your progress pics along with your story and you could win some cool prizes!

Here’s Krista’s story and I hope it motivates you on your own fitness journey!

1. What was your fitness routine before you started the program? How did you find out about the program and what convinced you to try it out?

Krista: I had no routine and I felt unhealthy and unhappy. I found it on Instagram and the program seemed really well structured and easy to follow.

2. What was your absolute favourite part of the program and why? What was the most challenging part of the program?

Krista: The positive effects of walking were my favourite – my legs slimmed down and walking allows the time to let your brain breathe while doing something good for your body too.

The most challenging was changing my diet to adhere to the recommended macros for endomorphs! Learning how to eat mindfully has been interesting for me.

RELATED POST: Why You Need Cardio For Lean Legs

3. When did you first start seeing results? How did you track your progress and how did you feel when you noticed those first results?

Krista: I saw the results after the first month. It didn’t seem gradual, it took a while and then all of a sudden the weight loss was noticeable.

I took progress pics and weighed myself to track my progress.

RELATED POST: How To Track Your Progress

4. How did you feel after finishing the program? What are your goals for the future?

Krista: I’m still in a bit of disbelief I managed to achieve a weight loss goal for the first time, and happy. I’d like to keep following Rachael so my next goal is G.A.L!

G.A.L is my newest program which includes a cardio plan and resistance training videos. It’s designed to lean out your legs, firm up your booty and tone your abs.

Are you happy with what you have achieved so far? Would you recommend the program to your friends?

Krista: I did 1 round and I’m very happy with what I achieved. Maybe I’ll incorporate a little more weights into my routine in the future.

And I would recommend it to my friends because it’s easy to follow and it’s flexible enough that you can choose how closely you follow the program according to your goals.

For example, I didn’t do the running and I made my own menu while making sure my calorie and macro consumption adhered to the recommendations of the program.

Do you have any advice for the girls that are about to start their fitness journey?

Krista: Trust the process and don’t get disheartened if it takes a while to see results.

Don’t weigh yourself too often and try to focus on how you look and feel rather than the number on the scale going down.

Thank you so much Krista! I’m so happy that you’re part of my community and I can’t wait to see your journey with G.A.L!

Love Rachael xx

The post Rachael Attard Program Review by Krista from New Zealand appeared first on Rachael Attard.