Been there. Done that. Have the t-shirt and commemorative coffee mug.
For me, the problem can be two-fold. Over training...I'm trying to get strong, cut weight, do my training, get to work, see my family, sleep, eat, etc. It can be too much. I actually schedule back-off weeks in my training every 4-6 weeks. During that week I stop all weivght training, back off the cardio to about 50% and only keep my MA training at the uaul levels.
Not only that, bu I listen to my body. If I'm hurting too much, or I'm feelign really tired, sick or run-down. I don't train and I don't beat myself up about it. Listen to th ebody and it will reward you, ignore it and you're in for an injury.
The other issue I struggle with is the mental aspect (somewhat tied into th ephyscial training). Somedays I jsut ge bored....burned out, fed up, wanna do something else, it's too cold, too hot, etc. with training.
I've ridden through enough of these slumps that I jsut try to make it to the gym, the dojang, etc. I might schedule a back off week in there just because the depression muight be due ot over-training and not just my geneal mental cycle. The most improtant thing is I fight to not stop everything. I will not be a couch potato again...keep some momentum goign, if even just a little bit.
I always make sure I have some sort of specifric trainign goal. Something to work towards. I also change these up regulalry (hopefully as I acheive them). That helps to focus me. I struggle with training for training's sake.
As to what I'm doing training-wise:
i work out/condition 6 days a week for about 30 minutes a session. 1 day is straight free wight training 9sometimes 2 days). Another 2-3 days is kettlebell work (never overlapping). Each of those sessions is preceded by a breif warmup with bodyweight excercises following the Convict Conditioning protocols (working on my pistols and pullups primarily). There's a coupls sessions of runnign in there as well. through this I wave the intensity of nmy various workouts so some days are heavier than others and I always have at least 1 or 2 complerte rest days.
For diet, I try to eat clean...but I've switched from the 6 mela a day grazing style to intermittnet fasting (look up Eat Stop Eat).
i did this in starting lat December. I had ballooned up to 249 lbs at 6 ft height and about %24 body fat. Since then, I'm down to approx 234 lbs and 20.1% bf (haven't lost anything as far as lean muscle mass goes). I posted PR's within the last two wekas in my squat, dead lift, military press. I also have mroe stamina when sparring and my kicks seem faster 9(if not stromger).
Take away message? train smart, with a plan and purpose. Stick with it for a reasonable period of time. Listen to your body and try not to compare yourself too much to others (it never ends well).
Good luck Terry!
Peace,
Erik
