Should you exercise? Most definitely. But like everything else in life, too much of a good thing - exercise included - can be bad for you in the long run.
Made to Move
As humans, we were created to be active beings. We are designed to walk, run, jump, and stretch. Unfortunately, disabilities, illnesses, and lifestyles can hamper our efforts to remain physically fit, causing us to gain weight or become flabby. When that happens, our bodies are pushed harder in order to continue their normal functions. The cost of not exercising is obvious - bodily deterioration resulting in premature death.
Why Exercise is Good
Of course, exercise is recommended unanimously by medical professionals everywhere. You not only trim your body, but can expect to have:
- more energy
- improved moods
- improved sleep
- healthy appetite
- clearer or even-toned skin
- better endurance
- increased breathing capacity
- stronger immune system
Why Exercise is Bad
For all its benefits, did you know exercise can work against you? I know - it’s not easy to hold off exercising when you are motivated to do so after seeing the results. But failure to allow your body to rest after a workout can actually begin to make you sick!
It seems impossible that you can get sick if exercise is supposed to boost your immune system…yet, strenuous exercise can do just that. Here’s why:
Exercise was meant to have limits. If you exercise for weight loss, 30 minutes a day is the minimum you need. 45 minutes to an hour is great, and anything after 90 minutes is pushing it. Think about it - chances are you are huffing and puffing after a few minutes as it is. Somehow you coax your body to press on in longer increments as you build endurance. If you are demanding more from your body than it can take, it will fight back in order to protect itself. That is why even the most intensive workouts, such as with cross-country training, weight-lifting, or jogging were meant to be done every other day, to give your body healing time. After you’ve exercised for many days, you won’t be sore on the off-days, but don’t fool yourself into thinking that your body no longer needs the rest!
Failure to provide your body with rest, food, and water will put you into a state of stress. That’s when your immune system kicks in to try and overcome the exertion. When it overloads, it can no longer protect you from germs, leaving you at risk for catching any number of illnesses. The same can be said about someone very much out of shape who starts exercising and suddenly falls sick shortly thereafter. In that instance, a slower pace is demanded, to ease the body into the routine of exercise. Walking or bicycling are good activities for newbies until you have built up more endurance.
ADDITIONAL TIPS
- Consult with your doctor before starting an exercise plan. If you’re lucky, your doctor can recommend exercise that addresses your body’s unique needs, and help you steer clear from routines that can cause more harm than good.
- Stretch before exercising. In fact, stretch every morning and again before bedtime, even on off-days. Tight muscles and joints are painful in of themselves, and can cause injuries during regular daily activities as well as when you exercise.
- Listen to your body. If you are trying something new, give your body time to adjust to "learning" how to move the way you want it to. And if you are a pro who’s exercised in the same routine for a while, you can add more to your workouts on a gradual basis - but still giving yourself rest days. Remember, endurance, not speed, is what matters.
- You won’t always lose weight from exercise. When your body isn’t burning fat, it is building muscle, which sometimes makes you gain weight, even if your body appears leaner. Burning fat also isn’t as easy as you’d think. You need to do aerobic exercises (like running) a few days a week for at least 30 minutes at a time, in order to see any differences, along with cutting back the amount of fat you consume, eating smaller meals, and increasing water intake.
