We have all been there!
It’s the crushing fatigue, the sluggish workouts, the feeling that you’re not making progress, no matter how much effort you put in. Burnout isn’t just mental. You start to feel it everywhere: the stress from work, relationships, or the never-ending to-do list. Burnout is a full-body experience. However, if you’re not paying attention, you might be doing the very things that accelerate your burnout.
The 3 Biggest Mistakes That Lead to Burnout
- Underfuelling Your Body! Too many people treat nutrition as an afterthought, focusing only on cutting calories or trying to get lean. But if you’re training hard and not eating enough, you’re on a one-way track to burnout. Your body needs fuel—high-quality, calorie-efficient meals that give you the energy to recover, rebuild, and keep pushing forward. If you’re constantly in a calorie deficit, your energy tanks, your workouts suffer, and your motivation crashes. Long-term under fuelling can also mess with your hormones, making it even harder to recover and perform at your best.
- Too Many Low-Carb Days Carbs are not the enemy. They are your fuel source for performance. If you’re constantly depleting your glycogen stores without replenishing them, you’ll feel weak, slow, and mentally foggy. Cutting them too much can lead to irritability, fatigue, and poor recovery. A well-balanced diet should support your output, not leave you running on fumes. The early 2000s was the high life for the low-carb craze, which led many to believe that avoiding carbs was the key to better health, but the reality is that your body needs them to function optimally. So, If you’re following a low-carb approach, make sure to include at least one higher-carb day per week to replenish glycogen stores and support your energy levels. It’s called a ‘refeed’, and you may just be surprised by the positive effect this day of carb consumption can have on your body and mind.
- Going All-Out, Every Day Maxing out every lift and going full send in every workout and pushing your body to the edge day after day. It sounds hardcore, but the reality? It’s a guaranteed way to stall progress and hit burnout. Your nervous system, muscles, and joints need time to recover. Without proper deloading, active recovery, and variation in intensity, you’re just beating yourself into the ground. Instead of constantly pushing to failure, focus on progressive overload with a structured plan. Some days should be about skill work, others about moderate intensity, and only a select few for all-out efforts. Training smart is what leads to long-term gains.
So Here Is How to Fix Burnout (Before It Takes You Down)
- Eat Enough (And Eat Smart) Prioritise high-quality, whole foods. Ensure you get enough protein, healthy fats, and carbs to fuel your training. Instead of aiming for a calorie deficit, focus on performance-driven nutrition. Your energy levels will thank you. Hydration also plays a key role—dehydration can worsen fatigue and slow recovery.
- Balance Your Training. Not every day should be a max-effort day. Structure your workouts, so you have heavy days, lighter technique days, and proper recovery sessions. Train smarter, not just harder. Incorporate active recovery methods like mobility work, walking, or stretching to keep your body moving without excessive strain.
- Master Your Mindset Being a hard charger all the time and stressing because life isn’t going your way is a huge cause of burnout. The reality is that stress is inevitable—but how you respond to it makes all the difference. Adopting some Stoic philosophies, practising gratitude, and incorporating mindfulness techniques can help pull you out of a stressful situation and recalibrate your stress levels. High-stress levels can lead to burnout just as much as physical overtraining. Implementing breathwork, mindfulness, or simply taking time away from high-pressure situations can make a huge difference.
Here Is The Bottom Line
Burnout isn’t a badge of honour—it’s a warning sign. Something needs to change if you’re constantly exhausted, struggling to perform, or feeling like you’re running on empty.
Start by fuelling your body correctly. Eat enough, primarily to support your training demands. Train with intelligence—progressive overload and strategic recovery will get you further than maxing out every session. And don’t neglect your mindset. Stress is part of life, but your approach to it determines whether it breaks or strengthens you.
Sustainable progress isn’t about pushing yourself to the limit daily—it’s about playing the long game. Do these things, and I am certain you’ll not only avoid burnout but also become stronger and more extraordinary than ever.
Do you have questions or feel like burnout is creeping in? Drop a comment, or let’s talk about how to get you back on track.