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Excessive Exercise

Identify and Avoid the Health Problems of Over Exercising

Feb 26, 2008 Sheri Ann Richerson

Exercise is good for our health. However, there comes a point when enough is enough. Learn the symptoms of excessive exercise.

Over exercising can be just as bad as over eating. Too much of a good thing can become a very serious health concern. What are some signs that you are going overboard when it comes to exercise?

Signs Of Over Exercising

One of the main signs is that you will find you’re exhausted instead of energized. Exercise was not meant to be continued to the point of exhaustion. Other signs of over indulgence in exercise are decreased performance, loss of appetite and headaches.

You may also become aware of increased muscle soreness, loss of coordination or even recurrent illness. Depression can also be brought on by over exercising, as can gastrointestinal disturbances and an abnormal increase in your heart rate in the morning.

So what are some of the warning signs that someone else may notice? How do you begin to distinguish that you or someone you love is over exercising before the more serious physical symptoms set in? This can be a fine line, but basically here are some of the signs.

If you suddenly find yourself involved in vigorous exercise several hours a day several times a week, it may be time to slow down. Exercise should allow for fun and it should not take away from school, friends or family.

If you continue to workout after an injury this too could be a sign of trouble. You should not be so serious about your exercise that it becomes a compulsion.

Finally, if you do not gain satisfaction from what you accomplish during exercise then it’s time to step back and re-evaluate your plan.

Over Exercising Affects More Than Just Your Muscles

Not only can over exercising affect your over-all health, but your muscles can become more prone to damage. Some serious effects of overly large muscles can include pulled muscles, shin splints, and knee, foot and back problems. These problems are not fun to deal with and can have lifetime recurrences.

Professional athletes and movie stars are on a program where they work with a personal trainer that has created an exercise program specifically for them. They don’t start out training for hours on end. They start out slow and gradually work their way up to a more vigorous workout. Not only does this allow the body more time to adjust to the changes, it is the healthy way to develop muscles.

Over indulgence in anything, whether it is exercise or eating can be dangerous. The key is to maintain a healthy balance. Don’t expect to go to your workout and in a week look like Arnold Schwarzenegger, it’s not going to happen and even if it did, it wouldn’t be healthy. Results that are healthy and lasting can take anywhere from a few months up to a year, so be realistic in your goals and give your body the time it needs to adjust to your new healthier lifestyle.

The copyright of the article Excessive Exercise in Fitness is owned by Sheri Ann Richerson. Permission to republish Excessive Exercise in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.