Complications Of Overexercising: A Fitness Trainer Weighs In

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.

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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

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

Overexercising can quickly take control of your life for the worse, but there are smart ways to tackle the problem.

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.

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