Too much of a good thing is bad and the same stands true for exercise also. Here are some signs your body gives, telling you to stop working out and ease off a bit…
There are many benefits to exercising and being fit—from a happier body image to optimum functioning of your body’s physiology. And it’s good to choose an exercise that best suits your body type, or even your dosha. However, exercise a tad too much, and you may end up negating all the good generated. Your body does send out warning signals of too much exercise; learn how to heed them in time.
Too much exercise could mean two things—exercising too intensely and/or too frequently. Exercising follows the simple premise of stressing your body and allowing it to recover before the next round. If you are increasing the intensity of exercise, you need to lessen the frequency and vice versa. As a beginner, it’s good to keep the intensity low and the frequency up. As you gradually build-up stamina you can increase the intensity but decrease the frequency.
Here are some signs that you may be over-exercising...
1. Exercise leaves you exhausted.
A little bit of tiredness is fine, but if every bout of exercise is leaving you struggling to stand or function, you may be on the wrong fitness track. Slow it down and change your routine if need be.
2. You seem to be sick all the time.
If your body is stressed and not getting enough time to recover, immunity takes a hit. If you always seem to be catching a cold or can’t seem to recover from a bout of fever, check with your physician and let your fitness routine take a backseat for a while.
3. It’s difficult to shake off a bad mood.
A stressed body leads to a stressed mind, and if you have hard-to-shake-off-blues that even your toned appearance can’t seem to help, rethink your gym chart.
4. Sleep eludes you.
If you are having problems sleeping or even a lot of sleep seems to leave you tired and fatigued, your exercise may be the culprit. High exercise accompanied by a “dieter’s diet” may leave you with low serotonin levels—responsible for making you depressed and affecting your sleep quality and quantity.
5. Your legs are tired.
“Heavy legs”—a term used to describe limb fatigue—is often encountered by those who exercise too much too fast. A day or two of tired limbs is fine, but if exercise leaves you with heavy legs regularly, do take a breather.
6. Anger management is a struggle.
A perpetual short fuse (further complicated by fatigue, depression, and lack of sleep) is another indication of your exercise routine doing more harm than good.
7. Sore everywhere, all the time.
Physical soreness is a classic sign of overworked muscles which when not getting enough oxygen, switch to anaerobic respiration—the by-product of this is lactic acid, the stuff that causes “exercise pain.” Being sore for a few days or in a particular part of your body you are targeting is okay, but being sore all the time means your exercise routine is faster than what your body can cope with—slow it down.
Don’t just exercise as a fad or trend; listen to your body. Yoga is as good an exercise as is gymming, walking, or swimming. Choose what you love to do and what your body readily accepts.
Do write in to us in the comments sections below; till then, happy exercising!
