Ironically, i came across an article on cnn.com today talking about this very same topic. I wanted to discuss it, because, as the holidays end, alot of people are starting their resolutions for the new year (which hopefully will stick longer than a few weeks) and one of the biggest ones is exercising.
After indulging on some very fattening food for the holidays, many people will take exercising to an extreme level, trying to shed off the weight gain as fast as possible. However, exercising too much too fast, can be quite problematic. The body needs a certain amount of time to rest, heal up, and regenerate. By trying to fit too much exercising into your days, you could be negatively affecting your wellbeing. You are looking at potential torn cartilage, broken bones, sprains, bruising, etc. This is actually common with athletes that train too much too hard, but the risk is much higher for someone going from couch potato to training 2+ hours per day in a short period of time. Your body needs time to adjust to the changes in how it is being used, and the best way to go about it, is slowly, but surely. Start with 20-30 min. every couple of days, giving you enough time to regenerate while not pushing yourself too much at first. Then increase slightly weekly or bi-weekly.
It takes time to get yourself in decent shape, with a strong focus and dedication. There is no overnight answer. If you think that training hard for many hours per day all of a sudden, will create results for you quickly, think again. Anything more than one hour of training per day can become detrimental to your body, by being more prone to injuries, which will then keep you out of being able to exercise completely. Besides, if you are really serious about getting into shape once and for all, then you would have no trouble taking your time and doing it right. Think of it this way, exercise is not the destination, it’s the journey. By making sure that you are going in the right direction, at the right pace, you are increasing your chances to reach your destination properly, all while making the journey much more enjoyable 😉
