If you have just started exercising or have been at it for a while, you would know how good it feels to be physically and mentally healthy and strong. It can be so stimulating that you may find yourself spending too much time on the treadmill or long hours at the gym, to the point where it may become an addiction. That’s when it becomes a real problem.
Everyone looks forward to adopting newer and healthier practices during the New Year. We present to you #BeAQuitter, a 15-day program till 19th January 2024, specially curated to help you create a healthier and happier new year for yourself. Learn from experienced mental health, fitness, and nutrition experts how you can quit unhealthy habits and adopt a healthy lifestyle in the new year. In this blog, fitness expert Rahul Narang will explain why overexercising isn’t helping you.
What you need to know:
- Understanding overexercising
- Impact on physical health
- Impact on mental health
- Overexercising symptoms
- Strategies to quit overexercising
Understanding overexercising
Exercising is a means of staying physically healthy by improving cardiovascular fitness and improving your energy levels. It can even help you regulate your mental health by improving your mood, anxiety levels and quality of sleep. However, exercising works better only with adequate rest for the body’s recovery. People easily fall into the trap of overexercising without resting the body enough, and its effects are detrimental to both your physical and mental health.
Impact on physical health
The impact of overexercising can be moderate to severe, depending on the individual’s condition. Overexercising can:
- Lead to burnout and increased muscle soreness.
- Cause poor immune response.
- Lead to an increase in cardiovascular stress and heart rate.
- Result in cases of hormonal imbalance and dysfunction.
Impact on mental health
Overexercising can lead to subtle changes that can have a severe impact on our mental health. It can:
- Increase stress and emotional burdens in addition to poor mood.
- Induce a feeling of being fatigued and physically drained.
- Affect your interpersonal skills and social life.
- Lead to low self-esteem and a feeling of lack of control.
- Ironically becomes a reason for indulging in vices such as smoking.
Overexercising symptoms
![Effects Of Overexercising_Activ Living Community](https://www.adityabirlacapital.com/healthinsurance/active-together/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Effects-Of-Overexercising.jpg)
As it affects us both physically and mentally, overexercising symptoms tend to manifest in both ways.
- Overexercising can lead to a lack of appetite and affect your endocrine, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular systems. Weight loss is a common side effect that can lead to more fatigue.
- It can cause increased muscle soreness and pain as well as make you more susceptible to injuries.
- Your immune system can be compromised as a result of overexercising and make you more prone to illnesses.
- Another common overexercising symptom is increased agitation, mood swings and irritability.
- Combined with poor mental health, inadequate or poor sleep can further cause mental health issues and a lack of motivation.
Strategies to quit overexercising
![Realistic Fitness Goals_Activ Living Community](https://www.adityabirlacapital.com/healthinsurance/active-together/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Realistic-Fitness-Goals.jpg)
![Realistic Fitness Goals_Activ Living Community](https://www.adityabirlacapital.com/healthinsurance/active-together/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Realistic-Fitness-Goals.jpg)
Setting realistic exercise goals
Set realistic goals with your exercises. Start slow and build on it. You can’t reach the peak in a week. Remember, it’s one step at a time.
Learn to listen to your body
When people say listen to your body, they really mean it. Our body tells us when things are great and when they are rocky. If you feel tired and weary, take a day or two off or consult a specialist.
Practising rest and recovery
Exercising has a systemic effect on the body. You need to recover fully before you start another day. Don’t be disheartened if you haven’t recovered on your ‘workout day’. Resting will only make you perform better the next time.
Seeking professional help
Seeking professional help is a must when overexercising has had enough detrimental effects on your body. This can mean working with fitness experts while exercising or consulting doctors if things look severe.
Overexercising is a hurdle to your real goal of being physically and mentally fit. It’s best to work with fitness experts to have a balanced training schedule.
Stay tuned to the Activ Living Community. Keep up to date with the latest health tips and trends through expert videos, podcasts, articles, and much more in nutrition, fitness, mindfulness, and lifestyle conditions like Asthma, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, and Diabetes. Activ Living ke saath sahi sehat ki shuruaat ABHIkaro.
You may also be interested in the following blogs:
- Top Three Types Of Balanced Exercises For Everyday Stability And Fitness
- The Dangers Of Prolonged Sitting And How To Overcome It For A Healthier Lifestyle
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