Key Indicators Of Unhealthy Exercise Habits
Everywhere we go, we hear the same mantra repeated: healthy diet and exercise are imperative to overall physical well being. We hear it from commercials, coworkers, friends, family members, and doctors. This principle is generally true, but there's one key component some individuals miss: both exercise and diet need to be healthy. If individuals are restricting food so badly that they're not getting vital nutrients, then their diet is unhealthy. It is also possible for exercise habits to be unhealthy. Unhealthy exercise habits are often indicative of very treatable mental health issues, and individuals need to know what to look for so they know when to seek help.
With this in mind, get to know the key indications of unhealthy exercise habits now.
Exercising Through An Injury Or Illness
When an individual is sick or injured, their body needs more rest to help recover. Patients pushing themselves when sick can negatively affect their immune system, which means a longer recovery time and more severe symptoms. Pushing oneself when injured will impede healing at the very least, and in many cases, it will cause the injury to get worse. Individuals should give themselves time to rest during temporary injury and illness. Certain chronic illnesses can cause exercise intolerance, and seemingly normal amounts of exercise can lead to excessive fatigue and pain. If individuals experience exercise intolerance, they should work with their doctor on a plan to help them take care of their physical health without overtaxing their body. If individuals have a permanent physical disability, they shouldn't engage in exercises that increase their pain or impedes their mobility. When in doubt, always talk to a doctor. If the idea of taking one week off causes extreme distress, the individual might have unhealthy exercise habits.
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Exercise Schedule Becomes The Sole Focus
One common sign of an unhealthy mindset is when an individual's exercise schedule becomes the sole focus of their life. Physical wellness is just one component of overall wellness, and exercise is just one component of that. If individuals want to be physically healthy, they should also make room for good diet choices, good hygiene practices, regular checkups with healthcare providers, and rest. Even the toughest fitness trainers will tell their clients adequate rest is just as important as an intense workout. Additionally, individuals will have other aspects of their life that require attention and significant focus. Maybe they're not super interested in their job, but they should at least be trying to stay present at work. Individuals should have hobbies and activities unrelated to working out. They should also take care of their social health, which means talking to friends, going out once in a while, and keeping up with family members. Even introverted individuals need some level of social contact to function.
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Experiencing Guilt Or Frustration For Missing A Workout
An individual's workout should be a part of their day they look forward to, rather than being a chore. There are many benefits to working out. It releases endorphins, allows individuals to clear their head, and helps their body feel good. With this in mind, being annoyed about missing a workout is a normal and justified reaction. But when the reaction tips over into anxiety, frustration, or guilt, it can be a sign of a mental health issue. Working out should make individuals feel good, but not working out should not make them feel bad. It's not healthy to tie one's sense of self-worth to the completion of a workout. In the same vein, heightened anxiety indicates a problem. If individuals are so dependent on your workout routine that missing it gives them physical anxiety symptoms, they need to reexamine their priorities. A little frustration isn't a cause for concern, but if the frustration is so strong that it ruins their day or causes them to lash out at others, that's a problem.
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Feeling Exhausted Most Of The Time
Exercising too much or too intensely can lead to feeling exhausted most of the time. This isn't always a sign of a mental health issue, and it could just be an individual hasn't been taking breaks because they aren't aware of how much rest they need. For the most part, the best rule of thumb is for individuals to listen to their body. If they're exhausted and their muscles are impossibly sore, individuals should take some time to rest. They can do some research on how to alternate different types of exercise and targeted muscle groups so they don't exhaust their whole body.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends five hours of weekly moderate exercise or two and a half hours of weekly intense exercise. If individuals meet but don't exceed these levels, their fatigue could be caused by any number of things. It might be the result of a protein or iron deficiency or caused by mental health issues like depression. Patients might have an undiagnosed physical health condition that causes exercise intolerance. In any case, patients should talk to a doctor about their symptoms.
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Feeling Out of Control Over Exercising
When an obsession with exercise becomes addictive, affected individuals will feel like they've lost control over their life. This happens when individuals are aware they have a problem, but don't feel like they can stop. The loss of control is a serious sign of mental health problems. Depending on a patient's circumstances, the underlying cause can vary. Some individuals overexercise to self-medicate depression and anxiety, and some have obsessive-compulsive disorder or other obsessive tendencies, and they don't know how to break the cycle. Some individuals engage in compulsive exercise in an attempt to get control over their lives. Body image issues and disordered eating can also contribute to unhealthy outlooks on exercise. If individuals are ever in a place where they know they need help, they should either call their doctor or an anonymous helpline for resources.