Come Chinese New Year, the solution from the fitness lovers, in view of the inevitable binging on an array of unhealthy snacks and food, is likely to step up on the fitness regime.
Doing a little more to shake off the excess weight gain is good, but be careful not to exert yourself. Overworking your body can have serious implications!
A recent report published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology confirms this -
Vigorous running — faster than 11kmh, more than 2.4 hours a week, more than three times a week — could be almost as harmful as sitting around doing nothing.
While no direct causal relations have been established between over-exertion and ill health, the logic is that intense exercise puts immense stress on the cardiovascular system, which is strenuous for the heart. Chriskresser.com elaborates that high-intensity work outs pushes the body's stress response too far, causing biochemical responses that can inflict damage to health in both the long term and short term. Imagine what happens when you're in a frightening, infuriating or any sort of stressful situation. Your heart pumps faster and you suddenly become capable of feats that your body is usually unaccustomed too, such as running for faster and longer distances than usual, or smashing a break with your hands. Imagine the physical effect this has in the long run.
Just think about why many professional athletes stop playing professionally when they hit the forties. Some even stop in their thirties. If regular high-intensity exercise was good for health, one would have thought they should have continued it even into old age.
Nevertheless, it is not quite possible to determine how much exercise is just enough. It differs according to gender, age, body mass, existing conditions, lifestyle... there are so many factors! The safest and best way to go about this is to listen to your body.
Signs that you are over-exercising:
- Frequent injuries, including sprains, muscle strains, bruises and anything that causes pain, swelling and open wounds
- Fatigue (exercise is supposed to make you energetic!)
- Irritability
- Menstruation problems for women
You can even go as far as to be considered unhealthily addicted to exercise if you insist on exercising even when sick or injured, experience excessive weight loss and malnourishment, and isolate yourself from others when you ignore other healthy, usually fun activities for you in favour of more exercise.
Too much of a good thing can turn back, so remember to exercise in moderation as you would eat in moderation!
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