It’s great that we all talk about going our hardest at the gym, pushing it to your limit, not giving up, etc. but some people take that a little too literally…and keep going despite sharp pains and injuries. Sound like you? Then you need to take an “Am I Exercising Too Much?” Quiz.
Like the one here!
Exercise is, well, AMAZING in a million ways, obviously, and the reason so many people grow to love it so much is not only because you notice your health improves so much, but because you get a rush of endorphins and dopamine flooding your brain.
But like other things that make your brain happy, you can get addicted to exercise. You can get too much of a good thing!
And…are you?? That’s what an “Am I Exercising Too Much?” quiz can help ya FIND OUT…
Strength and conditioning specialist Jan Milano says there’s something called overtraining syndrome, where if you have delayed onset muscle soreness and then you keep trying to do another intense workout the next day, you aren’t giving the micro tears in your muscles time to heal.
If you keep trying to exercise, the tears can get bigger. No muscle recovery = a recipe for disaster!!
Also, exercising sore muscles very intensely freaks out your endocrine system, basically meaning that those nice hormone boosts (that are a good reason for exercising) go away. Like, human growth hormone really helps your muscles grow, but if you go too hard on sore muscles, your body won’t produce any.
Even worse, you know what your stressed out, overworked body will produce? Cortisone and cortisol, which make it harder to lose your belly fat, and suppress your immune system!
Take a rest day, and take an “Am I Exercising Too Much?” quiz!
But, Milano says, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t walk on / stretch / do yoga with sore muscles. In fact, it’s been known to help muscles heal faster!!
For SOME people, though, “rest day” is a foreign concept, and of course it’s fine to go to the gym every single day as long as you’re well educated on how to work out different muscle groups, and of course when to quit aggravating sore muscles.
But if the “Am I Exercising Too Much?” quiz says that you have exercise addiction, then you have the compulsive need to keep going…even if the consequences are negative instead of positive.
Now, I know exercise addiction is pretty rare, but in my line of work I do see a lot of people with similar behaviors, where their attitude towards themselves becomes really negative when they can’t get to the gym, or they can’t lift as much weight as they hoped, or do as many reps or miles as they thought…They get down on themselves.
And I think that’s a form of addiction too. They get addicted to the next accomplishment, and they base their sense of self-worth on meeting those goals.
But remember, just getting to the gym is a success all by itself, and we need to love and respect our bodies!!
If you’re having trouble seeing it that way, and going to the gym is becoming more of a necessity or a way to “prove” something, then please, close your eyes, take a deep breath, give yourself a hug, and realize that whether it’s a gym day or a rest day, the most important part is taking care of YOU!
Looking for positive, supportive, upbeat vibes from other ladies? Please consider joining MY CHALLENGE GROUP! When we work, we really work, and when we rest, we really rest!! 😊
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