Slow and steady

Doctors suggest limiting workouts to around an hour per day, in addition to stressing adequate rest in between workouts. Getting enough sleep at night is crucial to total body health, as it is during times of rest when the body repairs itself. All too often, people will throw themselves into a workout program with the fury and zeal of a barbarian. This "storming the castle" approach may have worked for the Visigoths, but it's not always the best in terms of keeping you safe from over-training.

Many people who burst into their new workout like they were training for a title fight tend to lose steam very quickly. After two or three weeks of running as fast as they can and lifting far more weight than they can handle, they are nowhere to be found in the gym. By contrast, people who ease their way into a workout program, gradually increasing the level of difficulty and intensity as the weeks and months progressed, tend to have a much lower rate of attrition.

Over-training can be just as harmful to your body as not training at all. Does this mean that if you have never exercised before you shouldn't start now? Not at all. Just be cognizant of how important it is to take it easy when you're just starting off. Trust me, follow this approach and you'll be storming castles in no time.