We all know that there is such a thing as too little exercise, and most of us are not getting enough. Our lives have become much more sedentary, where we spend most of our time sitting or lying down. Many people sit on their commute to work, as they work, on their breaks at work, on their commute home, during dinner, and then as they watch TV during the evening. Then, they lay down for the night.

There are 168 hours in a week, and most people spend most of that time not moving. If you move 30 minutes a day, then you are only doing 3.5 hours of exercise in a week. When you do the math, you can see how little exercise 30 minutes a day out of your life really equals.

How Often Can You Exercise?

Physical activity is good for your health, physically and mentally. By definition, physical activity is anything that gets your body moving, including walking or cleaning the house. But just because you are physically moving, it doesn’t mean you are getting the benefits that exercise can give you. Exercise is an act of physical activity that is meant to improve health or fitness.

The minimum amount recommended for adults per week is 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 1.15 hours of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, and 1.15 hours of strength training. Moderate-intensity exercise includes bike riding, water aerobics, or mowing the lawn, while vigorous-intensity includes jogging, playing a sport, or swimming laps.

Want More Exercise Benefits?

Above is just a minimum of what adults should get. That includes adults over the age of 65. If you want to experience more health benefits from exercise, such as weight loss or improved cardiovascular health, you should do double the amount mentioned above.

Can You Exercise Too Much?

Yes. You can overdo it when you exercise and experience problems. For instance, you can experience injury. Some researchers even say that overdoing it can be toxic to cardiovascular health.

“…those who did the most strenuous daily exercise were also more likely to die of a heart attack or stroke than people who engaged in more moderate activity.” – CBC News

Moreover, it can be easy to ignore the needs your body has during and after exercise. For instance, if you are not eating enough calories to supplement for the exercise you are doing, then your body will be undernourished and not get the energy it needs to run optimally, and various body functions can be effected negatively.

Dehydration is also a problem if you exercise too much and don’t hydrate yourself properly. During a workout, you should drive about 8 ounces every 15 minutes. Moreover, you should drink about 20 ounces a few hours before your workout as well as 8 ounces before you begin your workout. Adjust accordingly for intensity.

How Do You Know If You Are Exercising Too Much?

There are a few ways to tell if you may be exercising too much, including:

• You feel addicted to exercise and workout for a large portion of your day
• You are in a lot of pain from exercising and continue to push yourself without recuperating
• You are consistently experiencing injuries from working out
• You have low energy throughout your day
• You are not experiencing the progress you want despite working out very hard

The bottom line is that if you overwork yourself, your body will respond negatively. You will not see the results you are looking for because your body doesn’t have time to recuperate and strengthen itself when it is constantly being pushed and overworked. Because of this you will be tired and possibly even irritable. Listen to your body and if it tells you to slow down, then heed its advice.