Cardio workouts are great for a healthy heart. They make your heart and lungs work more efficiently and are also a great and quick way of losing some pounds. And of course the more you exercise, the better! Right? Well, the answer is no!
Contrary to the popular beliefs that more exercise results in a healthier body and efficiently working organs, extreme cardio can harm your body and do more harm than good.
Healthy consumption?
We have always recommended having a healthy amount of everything, a healthy amount of nutrients, a healthy amount of rest, a healthy amount of workout; but how much is this healthy amount? And when does it exceed and become too much?!
Well, it is possible to do too much exercise. It can not only tire you more than necessary but also stress your organs.
How much is too much?
“Too much” is when you exceed your possible limits of stressing your body during a workout.
Too much is different for everyone according to their physical, mental, and sometimes even financial conditions.
Here are some of the criteria that affect a person’s toleration level:
- Immune systems
- Energy and fitness levels
- Age
- Medical conditions
- Stress levels
- Sleeping schedule
- Lifestyle
- Daily routine
- Eating habits
- Flexibility
- Physical anatomy
Signs of “too much”
When we exercise too much, our body starts giving us signs to stop or cut down the extremity of the workout.
All we need to do is listen to our body, observe the signs and try not to ignore them in the name of the impossible target completion.
Sometimes the signs are easily recognizable, like tiredness, itchiness, allergies, nausea, or even a concussion.
But these aren’t the only signs of harmful workouts.
Here listed are some of the signs that you can notice if you are tiring your body way too much:
- Feeling fatigued all the time or frequently
- Frequent migraine episodes
- Trouble sleeping
- Getting sick more often than usual
- Loss of energy on a constant
- Feeling tired even after a good amount of rest
- Extreme unhealthy weight drop
- Trouble in recovering mid-workouts
- Stress injuries
- Change in menstrual cycle pattern or symptoms of PCOS
- Physical strength and energy decreasing rather than improving
Explore your body regarding these signs. And if you find even one of them matching, please cut down your workout and seek professional health.
Who is at risk?
Reportedly, the people who work out regularly are not as much at risk of extreme workouts.
It generally happens to the people who are working out with a target.
Athletes, enthusiast joggers, competitive gymnasts, sportspersons, or professional weight lifters are more prone to extreme workouts as they push their physical limitations to live up to their names and reputation.
It is also common in people who work out for immediate results after a long period of leisure.
Impatient and zeal-affected workouts are bad for mental and physical health.
These people may be hitting the workout ceilings far too high up.
But again, not every athlete suffers from extreme workout consequences, some athletes do work out way too much in the competitive spirit and still receive no physical or mental harm and can compete in their respective fields.
It’s all about your body type and tolerance level.
How much is a moderate exercise level?
Studies show that an average person needs to exercise for about 150 minutes at a moderate intensity for about five days a week.
But obviously, nobody abides by that!
Regular exercisers can still be immune to the risk of extreme exercises because their body is habitual and familiar with the physical stress applied to them.
But the beginners who are generally more enthusiastic and excited than the regulars tend to be more prone to the risk of too much cardio.
Sometimes, even the recommended “moderate” level of exercise is too much for someone if their body is unaccustomed to it. And it is acceptable to have a low toleration level, but what is not so fine is to keep pushing your limits in an unhealthy manner.
Make and abide by a workout plan that is content for you and not for social standards.
What to consider while making a workout plan?
Again, consider making a workout plan that is content and beneficial for you and not for the social standards that you might think that you are supposed to abide by.
While making a workout plan and a new fitness program, keep in mind that whether you can commit to it or not. Check if it is suitable for you and if its intensity matches your toleration level.
You might want to or assume that you can work out for 2 hours or more a day, but if it is not practically applied or factual, there is no need to push yourself.
Even professional sportspersons take adequate rest to prevent any mishaps.
Talking about cardio exercises, the quality matters more than the quantity of it.
So even if you walk a hindering path at a challenging pace in 30 minutes, it equates or even tops walking at a slow pace for 60 minutes.
It is also essential to switch between the intensities of your workout throughout the week just to make your body more flexible and adaptive to any sudden stress. Try to relax a bit and avoid going all out in the workout you do.
Remember to listen to your body and decide for yourself about what is best for you.
Thus, take care of your dietary patterns, exercise schedule, sleep, your mental and emotional health.
Let us remind you — they are all inter-connected.
And if you want a customized approach towards leading a healthy lifestyle (as per your habits) — Corrielus Cardiology can surely help. We are strongly committed to providing our patients with a comfortable, integrative and educational environment that fosters overall wellness.
Contact us now!
