The dark side of exercise

Is exercise good? Oh yes, definitely! But the adage says that you can have too much of a good thing. Here are some reasons why:

Too much exercise has the same effect as no exercise as far as the heart is concerned.

A study by the United States Department of Health, which observed 3,175 men and women over 25 years, was looking into the connection between working out and atherosclerosis (the fat accumulation in arteries which can lead to heart attacks). The investigation revealed that Caucasian men who exceeded three times the recommended guidelines of exercise were at a higher risk of fat building up on their arteries by the time they reach middle age. So, you can have too much of a good thing.

Cardiologist Dr. Joel Jahn told CBS News that “There is a stress reaction to long distance and long duration exercise—your cortisol is up for a long time.” Cortisol is a stress hormone in the body. While it is needed for long duration exercise, it can cause a negative chain of events in the body as well. Do not let your injuries pile up. Too much exercise induces fatigue which decreases your ability to effectively control and coordinate your movement. While exercise is good, a predisposition to going “go hard or go home” every time you train will exert unnecessary stresses on your musculo-skeletal system. So if you’re exercising hard while needing frequent trips to the chiropractor, I hope you get the chance to think things through.

Eating to look good and eating healthy are two similar but different things.

While it’s important to eat well, eating to reveal your abs might require more specific interventions (that are unsustainable) like dehydration, cutting down calories significantly, completely cutting out specific food groups and the like.

Overall my philosophy is that exercise should add value to our lives, not ruin our lives or control our lives. There is a dark side to fitness that isn’t said. Remember, too much of a good thing can be detrimental to our health. So be guided.