Can doing less *really* lead to more results?

[0st]

I originally drafted this in the daily but it seemed more than a simple question.

Can doing less really lead to more results?

Im looking for anecdotes from people who saw noticiable positive body changes (fat loss, muscle growth/definition) by doing less activity and/or less intense activity.

I feel like I’ve been a bit stuck with my weight, but I’ve also been pushing HARD with lifting and running. Diet as been mostly on point. All it’s gotten me is burnt out and now injured. This injury has me rethinking my current routine. I’m pretty sure I have a major hormonal imbalance, as well as insulin resistance (I had gestational diabetes and I’m still having issues 7 months post partum), so I’m probably sabotaging myself with the added stress.

So I’m looking for a change to my routine. So far, I’m relaxing my lifting schedule to a rolling pattern (A1,B1,A2,B2) so it’s easier to schedule rest days without disrupting the week. I’ve also chosen a different running program (novice instead of intermediate) with one fewer running day, overall fewer miles, and no speed work. I’m trying to walk daily as it doesn’t seem to burn me out but scratches my “I need to move” itch.

I’m back on metformin, eating high protein, and working on improving sleep habits the best I can.

But I’m also just, paranoid/scared that I’m going to see what little progress I’ve made reverse itself.

Can y’all share any experiences (good or bad) that you’ve had when dialing back either temporarily or indefinitely?

Much appreciated!

Edit: I have read everyone’s comments and I’m so grateful for all of this! I will reply to everyone once I can sit down with a keyboard instead of my phone

 

[dan4jesus]

@0st I would say no, it's very very hard for a normal, non-professional athlete to overtrain.

 

[poustinia]

@0st I'm sure someone has already said this, but for a lot of women hormones don't normalize until around 2 years after pregnancy (particularly if breastfeeding). The sweet spot is going slow enough you avoid injuries, but still getting some gradual progressive overload.

I don't have any practical advice, but try and have some self compassion during this period, and maybe focus on being regularly active in ways which are fun rather than focusing on weight or aesthetic related goals. Not that change isn't possible, but having a positive relationship with your changing body and exercise will go further in the long run, if you are able to shift your goals.

 

[happygolucky11111]

@0st For years, I aimed to build muscle while losing fat, which was challenging. Lifting weights boosted my self-esteem, but it also increased my appetite, making it tough to maintain a consistent diet. Balancing enough protein intake with a calorie deficit was equally difficult.

 

[mbinks89]

@0st I’m just getting back into things after an injury and wanted to get right back to my run 3x a week and lifting/stretching 2X. My energy levels were really tanking though, so I’m only doing the weight lifting as I have energy for it. Doing that coincided with seeing results whereas I had just been holding steady for a while.

 

[markhoward]

@0st Overtraining is not good. Your body needs balance. I made the same mistake and my immune system took a hit. Kept getting sick over and over. Had to get my tonsils out. Im finally getting back at it with some slight reductions to ensure I don’t over do it again! Sounds like you have made some great adjustments to your schedule already. Best of luck! You got this!

 

[kenevester]

@0st When I got back into exercising after my second child I didn't have a lot of time. I ended up just doing what I could consistently fit into my daily routine. That involved focusing on my diet and doing 30-40 minutes of walking on the treadmill at a pace of 5 km/h every day. I wasn't expecting that to do much but i was focusing on my mental health at that point so doing something was better than nothing. Also, I was consistent and I did it every day. Some days I only had time for 20 minutes in the morning and then another 20 at night. Other days I only did 30 minutes.

I can't remember exactly how much weight I lost but it was around 8-10 kgs. I honestly couldn't believe it. I felt like I hadn't really earn it because I hadn't worked particularly hard but I was so happy!

 

[crm4souls]

@0st I saw crazy (good) differences when I cut down from 6 workouts a week with a high amount of hit style workouts just trying to burn as many cals as possible, to just 4 days a week, heavy lifting and just getting enough steps in a day, prioritizing rest and recovery.

My entire body composition changed and i went from "skinny fat" to having a leaner more muscular/defined physique. Obviously your nutrition plays a big part too!

 

[dan4jesus]

@crm4souls I mean that just makes sense because HIIT isn't efficient for muscle hypertrophy.

 

[albe]

@crm4souls Same here. I am not a naturally lean person by any means, but I found that doing less high intensity cardio was exactly what I needed to finally grow my muscles — especially legs and glutes. I think the rest and recovery is a really underrated aspect. It’s much harder to put in high quality hypertrophy work if you’re not fully recovered from yesterday’s HIIT workout.

Also seconding that nutrition plays a big part!

 

[0st]

@crm4souls This is very reassuring! I’m also shifting my mind from calories burned to a well rounded approach to wellness and longevity. Hoping to see some results as we!

 

[crm4souls]

@0st Ironically when I stopped focusing on calories burnt and aesthetic goals and instead focused on fueling for strength and health is when my body changed the most! Good luck!

 

[0st]

@crm4souls Thanks!

 

[faithfilled1]

@crm4souls Same. For 10+ years, I used to work out almost every day for at least an hour and a half. And I would get 10k steps in on top of that.

I now do 45 minutes of strength training 3-4 times a week, and add in some light cardio every now and then. I still walk a lot, but also have days where I do absolutely nothing. I also work out a lot more intuitively. If my body hurts, I no longer push it, but stick to an easier workout. I like balance workouts or steady state cardio for those days. I cut out HIIT almost completely, as it left my body feeling super tired and sore, and made me ravenous.

I was so scared I would get fat and lose progress if I cut back. I had to because of a herniated disk in my neck. A blessing in disguise, because I feel and look so much better. I sleep better. I’m less hungry. My anxiety is almost completely gone (I believe workout induced stress hormones played a huge role in my symptoms). And I have so much more free time. I love it.

 

[daltonwb]

@faithfilled1 What type of diet do you do? Any tips?

 

[faithfilled1]

@daltonwb I like an 80/20 approach where I focus on getting veggies and protein with each meal, but don’t exclude anything. I stopped counting calories and macros a few years ago.

 

[daltonwb]

@faithfilled1 Thank you!

 

[twinmama]

@0st Just yesterday I surprised myself by finishing a CrossFit WOD that many that day had time capped and I owe it all to the fact that I fully rested Saturday, along with less intense workouts Sunday and Monday. For me, cutting back a little has been a game changer in that I sleep better and when I do want to push it, I can. Now bodywise, my diet is trash lol, that's my fault. But fitness wise yes, cutting back is key. Even just guaranteeing 1 day a week to fully rest has been huge.

 

[0st]

@twinmama I have an all or nothing mentality so learning to count rest as doing something has been difficult!

 

[mbursy]

@0st Muscle is built while you recover from the exercise. I’m sure you can imagine that working every body part to failure twice a day will not yield you better results and is a fast track to injury. You’re just a few months post partum and I can only imagine your sleep isn’t 7-8 hours a night on top of the hormonal changes.

Personally I found that lifting 2-3 times a week was much better for me than the 5 I was previously doing. When I was wall climbing I also did my best when I climbed 3x a week instead of 5x and the results there were much worse because at 5x, I was also constantly getting injured and having to take breaks.