Limit Exercise for INCREASED Effectiveness

As women we are taught the longer the better on cardio machines, right?  If 20 minutes is good then 40 minutes is better! But can too much of a good thing be bad? Is there such a thing as over-exercising?

I hear sentiments such as these from clients often, "I used to push myself really hard exercising to try to lose weight. My orthopedic doc said I should limit exercise to 30-45 minutes a day. He felt that anything more than that would INCREASE inflammation in my body (since I have old injuries from car accident & arthritis). When I told him I did almost 2 hours a day, he looked at me like I was crazy. He said '30-45 min of low impact activity (recumbent bike, swimming) is good - more than that is bad for you.'"

Exercise scientists, as well as a few highly committed exercisers and their spouses, have wondered if there might be an upper limit to the amount of exertion that is healthy, especially for the human heart.  While the evidence is overwhelming that exercise improves heart health in most people and reduces the risk of developing or dying of heart disease, there have been intimations that people can do too much. A 2011 study of male, lifelong, competitive endurance athletes aged 50 or older, for instance, found that they had more fibrosis — meaning scarring — in their heart muscle than men of the same age who were active but not competitive athletes.

"Heart disease comes from inflammation and if you're constantly, chronically inflaming yourself, never letting your body heal, why wouldn't there be a relationship between over exercise and heart disease?" said John Mandrola, a cardiac electrophysiologist and columnist for TheHeart.org.

Over-training has been shown to decrease blood levels of l-glutamine, dopamine and 5-HTP which affects mood, energy and the body's ability to repair. Excessive exercise can negatively affect the hypothalamus and pituitary both of which can lead to or exacerbate thyroid dysfunction. Once you affect the thyroid you are hitting a master gland that regulates everything from your energy levels, mood, sex drive, hormonal response and ability to lose weight (to just name a few of the functions!).

Exercise is essential for heart health, bone density, boosting serotonin levels and metabolism. It is essential for overall health and necessary to maintain great weight loss. We have found that for most people exercising every other day works best- this allows the body time to repair and potential inflammation to subside but of course each person is unique. Listen to your body and consult your doctor or wellness professional when need be.