It’s is easy to see why people become obsessed with exercise. Exercise gives you endorphins and it makes you look good! But we have to be aware of the consequences of doing too much. It’s crucial that we have a healthy relationship with our approach to exercise. But how can we do this?
Address Image Concerns
No doubt, reason number one we all want to get fit and healthy is to look better. But this should not be the priority. Ask any psychiatrist about body dysmorphia and the mental health implications, and they will tell you that it’s not just in people who are overweight, but it’s in people who are underweight and people who think that they are not doing enough.
We can use exercise as an outlet for our own insecurities. We think that if we do enough, all our insecurities will disappear. But this is why we have to look at the reasons we want to exercise. This goes back to the unrealistic portrayals of body image in health magazines. We’ve got to learn to be aware of our bodies’ limitations. Because if we’re trying to get an absolutely perfect body, it may not happen due to factors beyond our control, such as genetics.
Do You View Exercise as a Punishment?
Exercise should be a way to empower us and should be a source of strength. If you view exercise as a trial, it could either be that you are doing too much or you’re doing the wrong exercises. In one respect, working out and developing strength is simple- you weaken the muscle and, after enough time, it comes back stronger.
However, the modern world demands that we hit the gym three days a week, which, for many people, is way too much! It depends on the type of exercises that you do, for example, if you take part in high-intensity interval training three times a week, this is way too much for anybody to cope with. You can run the risk of never recovering properly in time for the next workout, and also do yourself some real damage. This is evidenced in the world of CrossFit. Some people love CrossFit, but the focus is more on volume rather than form.
It Is Not a Race
The most important thing we all need to consider, if we are to have a healthy approach to exercise, is that we are only competing with ourselves, and no one else! It is not easy to say, especially when you see people out there hitting the gym constantly, but it is so important that you don’t overreach beyond capabilities, especially if you are at the start of your exercise journey. Start small, allow yourself to recover, and the strengths and gains will come.
This is vital information for anybody starting out in exercise. While most people want to lose weight and feel healthier, some people start to use the gym as an obsession. We all need to have a healthy relationship with exercise.