Exercise Restraint – The Perils of Over-Exercising
We all know that health is wealth, and that to stay healthy, we must adopt the right diet combined with a sensible exercise routine. The key word here is “sensible”, a fact that exercise nuts and workout freaks tend to forget in their zeal to take their fitness to higher levels. But what they don’t understand is that this over-enthusiastic pursuit can be detrimental to the very effect they hope to achieve – good health. Here’s why exercising too much, combined with a rigid diet, is not good for you:
- It can slow down your metabolism, which is the exact opposite of what you want to do. With a low metabolic rate, your body burns calories slowly and you tend to put on weight in spite of starving yourself and running yourself ragged at the gym.
- It can lead to stress fractures and other injuries like tendonitis if you’re not careful about using the right techniques to exercise.
- You place excessive strain on joints and ligaments and run the risk of causing permanent damage to them.
- Women face the threat of irregular menstruation which in turn leads to a whole new set of problems, the most significant one being the low levels of estrogen produced by the body. This leads to a loss in bone density and increased brittleness, factors which are conducive to frequent and serious fractures in the event of the slightest injury. Osteoporosis and its associated aches and pains also set in even though you’re pretty young.
- It can lead to a slowdown of your thyroid activity; hypothyroidism leads to high cholesterol levels, a poor immune system, poor concentration, depression, anxiety, weight gain, insomnia and other associated ills.
- Your energy levels become very low as opposed to a healthy exercise routine where your energy is boosted through physical activity. You feel exhausted and drained throughout the day.
- A high intensity exercise program combined with a near-starvation diet forces your body to burn lean muscle for energy. This slows down your metabolism and also decreases your stamina and endurance levels.
- The withdrawal symptoms that hit when you’re prevented from exercising even for a day take a toll on your mental and emotional health. Over-exercising, like any other indulgence, is an addiction, and the sooner it is overcome, the healthier you will be.
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