Working out too hard or too often

[Goody0]

I had heard Leigh mention briefly about working out to hard when trying to loose fat. I was hoping someone could provide some information on this.

Thanks

[Aoife]

If you work out too intensely, so much so that you're too tired the rest of the time, you reduce your overall caloric expenditure and therefore are eating at less of a deficit (if at all) and are more spinning your wheels than anything.

People get all riled up to work out and think that you need to work out to lose weight. But for only 1 hour a day or so, it's far more important what you do the other 23 hours that tends to matter. Which is why working out less intensely or hardly at all, while maintaing a high level of NEAT (non-workout activity, like moving around, fidgeting, cleaning house, running errands, walking around stores, etc) can be more effective for many people.

[LaraT]

I also find that working out really hard leaves me soooo hungry that it is really hard to stick to a dieting calorie level. Also, when trying to diet and workout hard you can get into a cycle of constant fatigue and I know for me when tired I will eat more trying to give my body energy.

[Goody0]

Thanks Guys.
I have been working out 3 days a week for the last couple of months. I work hard in the gym and also do mostly full body exercises. I have put on some muscle from what I see in the mirror but I haven't lost any weight. The last week I was having a real hard time finishing my workouts, felt like my conditioning was weak and not my muscles. When I first started the new rules program last year I finished the Break-In and Fat Loss 1 going 2 days a week. i was also doing sprints 2 days a week and some walking or some other light activity and I lost about 20lbs and when I started going 3 days I week with the same cardio I didn't lose even a single pound. I haven't been doing the new rules programs recently but I think I need to go back to what worked.
Thanks again for your replies.