Over-exercise, is there such a thing?

I was working on this laptop when a talk programme came on TV. The topic for discussion was over-exercise or something to that effect. A medical doctor, a coach from somewhere and a fitness centre operator or owner was on the panel and a lady TV personality was the moderator. I thought this would be a good show to watch and decided to put the laptop on hibernate mode and sat infront of the TV to watch and listen to them. It was a half hour programme and the three speakers were prompted by the moderator to speak on the subject.

As the programme got underway the discussion got more and more intensive and at one stage all three were trying to speak at the same time. The doctor talked a lot on the medical aspect of exercise, its benefits and pitfalls and was very informative. The coach and fitness centre personaly were however off the mark at some points on over-exercise. Their views were clearly related to their line of work, one on how to exercise and the other on the application of exercise, although these do constitute proper exercise and how to avoid over or improper exercise. Proper exercise for pregnant women also got mention. The coach even demonstrated on the various so-called correct exercise positions. There were formulas thrown about amongst them and the optimum exercise times and frequencies were mentioned. Did I learn anything new at the end of the show? Nahhhh ……. nothing that I have not heard of before. No added value there…..

I have been exercising for years, although at certain times in my life frequencies of it dwindled but I return and regulated my exercise regimes each time. The internationally accepted practice is to do vigorous exercise at a minimum of 3x per week and for 20 minutes to half an hour each time. I do more than that, sometimes double the frequency and double the time too. By vigorous I think it means to work your heart rate to about 1.5x your resting heart rate, maybe a little bit more for those in late 30s or younger, but the heart rate should not exceed twice the resting heart rate. Another thing that I took note of was the need to warm up and warm down at each exercise session. For this I normally do some of the Tai-chi and until recently the Qui-Gong moves. It does help. I am also aware that the exercises I do do not end with me losing wait but were to maintain general health and well being. If it is to lose weight it has to be combined with controlled and balanced food intake. Take out more than put in so to speak. The erroneous perception by some when they exercise is that they notice a drop in their weight after exercising and assume that they are losing weight. But they should be aware that this drop is only temporary and cannot be accounted as a loss since what is loss is really water through perspiration and so on and will be put pack into the body in no time. What account really is the deficit in food intake against work out.

Having said the above, it really does matter to account the amount of exercise one does against the amount of food intake. There are many websites on the internet that advertise on weight loss programme, most claiming and even guaranteeing certain success rates. I refuse to be taken in by these advertisements. I stick to the principle that to retain and remain healthy and fit an exercise regime has to be followed and food to be balanced. Of course the food you take has to be proper. Minimise on the processed ones and try to go to the natural ones as best as possible, although I can pick some flaws in the natural foods in this age and with modern agricultural technology but that is something that can be discussed separately. For the time being make a start. Start or continue to exercise and watch your food intake, which is a good, if not the only, beginning to leading a healthy life and then refine the process as we go along……

Over-exercise, is there such a thing? Not in my book. Wrong and improper exercise maybe. Your body sends messages, take note of these messages............

MKI Ramblings Unlimited
Petaling Jaya