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Additional Resources (recommended reading):
12 Signs You are Exercising Too Much (MindBodyGreen):
When Exercise Does More Harm Than Good (Time):
Don’t Overdo It: Why Too Much Exercise May Be a Bad Thing (Healthline):
Tell us about your experience – have you ever overdone it with exercise? Let us know your thoughts and insights on this topic!
Got a question for me? Leave it in the comments below and I’ll try to answer it as soon as I can in an upcoming episode.
30 comments
I definitely believe you can exercise too much…why? Because I have done it before. My weight-loss routine doesn't involve dieting. I eat what I want when I want. However, I track every single calorie and work out more to eat more. It works for me most of the time, but for awhile there, I couldn't stop eating (or so it seemed to me) and just kept exercising more and more to be able to eat more. It was a vicious cycle and I finally realized that instead of looking for more to eat, I should busy myself doing other things. My other problem is that I work at home, so I rarely (if ever) leave the house. I am almost literally chained to my computer all day long, because if I don't write at least 10 articles a day (weekends included), we don't have enough money to make the bills. I can't "get more active" throughout the day without using those super short and sweet 10-minute walking workouts. They're a nice little boost of movement in an otherwise dreary and boring day. I can't stand and work (the computer desk doesn't adjust) and I really don't have the desire to go outside (I hate bugs). I usually do the recommended workout that you so helpfully send each week, and then try to add in 30 more minutes of walking workouts throughout the day. I might do a full 30-min workout in the late afternoon, or may do 10 minutes after lunch, 10 minutes around 3p and 10 minutes around 7p. I find that is usually the best balance for me, because I get my sweat on early in the morning, and then add in a little walking. Now, instead of reaching for the cupcakes (or add any sugary/salty/fatty treat here) I do a short walking workout. If I still want that cupcake (or whatever) afterwards, I'll have it, but I usually don't want it 🙂
Hallo Jessica! Is there going to be workout with long bar weight? I have one at home from mine brother and I do not know what to do with it..thank you
Jessica, I have been exercising 3 hours a day for years. I want to stop. I used to be heavy in my twenties and am now in my fourty's. I am so tired of working out so hard, but I am afraid of gaining weight back. I never feel like I get enough exercise in even at 3 hours, yet I feel dead all the time. I am a mom of four and run for my family all day, too. Any suggestions? Thank you so much, and I love your videos and your channel. You are a blessing.
Thank you Jessica! It's so obvious people are at the heart of your preoccupations and their happiness is your priority. I believe that's what makes you the best trainer in the universe.This Q&A is a huge help to me! If I don't watch myself, I start overexercising and it backfires, resulting in this or that injury. Was slipping into that pattern again before watching this. Now I'll be moving in the right direction :)!
I agree! Exercising too much increases stress hormones in your body and causes more harm than good! I had to learn that the hard way. There are too many exercise programs out there that push people too hard- that's why I was so excited to find you and Peanut. You keep us balanced! Thanks for all of your awesome workouts!
This is very timely for me. Over the past few months I have found myself working out as a much as 2-3 hours a day. I was unable to sleep, I was ravenous and my muscles were so sore I was unable to walk comfortably. I believe it began when I started using an activity tracker and got worse over time.. This week I finally had to decrease the amount of exercise I did each day and within two days I felt better and lost a pound and a half ( I actually was putting on weight because I craved sugar and simple carbs all the time.) I am 50 years old and I am not going to be an Olympic Runner…..exercise is supposed to be fun and I was losing that in my pursuit of meeting my unrealistic Apple Watch fitness goals. This week I walked without pain, slept better than I have in months and didn't dread exercising. Thank you Jessica for your sensible, balanced approach towards diet and exercise. I am learning to strive for my personal best and being healthy, not only a number on the scale.
Great question! Thanks for the info – makes so much sense when you explain it like that and I definitely can see the need for mixing up the workouts both in intensity and length. I've learned so much through these Q & As!
Wow!! Very interesting, Jessica (as always).
I have a question: how can I know or differentiate low intensity workout from a high intensity workout?
Thanks.
P.S. My name is Ronnie, by the way 🙂
I recently went through something that freaked me out. I Had hit a plateau on my weight loss, and so I decided to boost it up a bit. I was eating even smaller portion sizes (I'm a vegan, so that was already hard to do) and then I kicked up the workouts to 1-1.5 hours a day 6 days a week instead of the usual 30-45 mins/d/4 or 5x wk. The weight came off, but as I was working out I noticed that I was feeling weak, like really weak, less than half way through and I was always STARVING. Which kicked my anxiety into full throttle and so, I of course started to eat more. This was a week ago, and I still am hungrier than usual, but I've cut back again to 30-45 mins a day still smaller portions on food, but I eat more often throughout the day. As I was going through this I remember seeing this video in my feed and remembered to watch it today and now I feel a little more at ease with why I was feeling like I was feeling. 🙂
I have a question how do you get back into working out and eating healthy when you've gone a week of eating nothing but junk food and no exercise due to a long vacation
I am a stay at home mom. I don't have much I can do but a hr a day of exercise. any advice?
I have two young children and I literally move all day, and I do your strength training at my gym! I hope I loose weight soon 😉
Hi Jessica,
Just wondering what your advice is for post-workout health. What exactly should I make sure to do after a good workout? What shouldn't I do after a good workout?
Thanks!
Emily
Hello Jessica! Thank you for all your lovely vídeos. They make me feel wonderful but I do them at my rhytm because i am 63 with scoliosis and kyphosis. In any case can you suggest exercises for séniors? Thank you.
Too much is not only in duration but the degree intensity of exrcises,isn't it?The degree intensity depends of each personne.If you are just walking in the park everyday you should not be in forces to begin a high intensityn workout as the kickboxing!!But I am always wondering for loosing calories..is better to make for ex.your 35 min kickboxingor do the 42 min walking workout…?The second is longer but easier for me….
The other thing..according to a study that they made,the people who are working in an office would be preserved from cardio vasculaire danger if only they walk around for one minute every half un hour!Or alternatively not to sit all the time..
Is it true than we should not work out the same muscles for two consecutive days?
A dietitian I used to see told me daily workouts can cause an abundance of inflammation in the body. This drain's your metabolism's enery because your body is focused on healing the inflammation – rather than putting energy into losing weight. Over-exercising can also cause weight gain for this reason.
I have a problem, I do 400 pushups a day, and im "Ocd" about it. I want to stopd but I can't allmost.
Great video! I would add that for women if you start to get irregular or missing periods that is a sign you are exercising too much and under eating. This I something which has effected me since I started running longer distances. Missing periods puts you at risk for osteoporosis so it's a serious issue.
god did we really need that music
Dancing?
Many of us former athletes and former military suffer from this. We are taught push hard and often. Now in my 50's I am paying dearly for this. I still exercise but more sanely and enjoy my activities more now.
Hi Jessica I have been doing your workouts on u tube for past 2 months. Everyday I workout for an hour or 1hr 15mins. I do bare, strength, walks n I enjoy it. But I feel tired n fatigued throughout the day. Whole body aches n not able to move around comfortably. What am i doing wrong. Do i need to take protein supplement. I am a vegetarian, n 61 years old. My name is Amita Mehta & I am from Mumbai – India.waiting for your guidance. Thanks
how to know if you are working out too much?. is working out for only short periods are effective?
Thank you !
I hate exercise and calorie counting. The more I walk and or run the more I weigh despite same intake.i got to 117 pounds 17km on 1200 kcal diet. Im compilimg a paper on it. I want to know how my body can do this im small boned. I don't do well with extra weight as im oestregen dominant Seems to be up 2lbs some weeks with 2.5 hours 😩 I've extra migraines and not dehydrated. id extra carbs so maybe why but ice been waiting 2 months to see the number drop even half a pound .my weights affecting my health though I look fine..that's why I'm fed up. its not extra calories counted them closely. The only reasons why are stress really high covid or b- extra carbs or salt from salty foods building up.. I did have extra carbs so it may just extra water retained. I need 1500 but gained 2 pounds the more I run the more I weigh im doing this 3 years and my figure is not the same. Its not worth it. I don't like exercise or food now. If I really only require 1100 calories then ill save a fortune on food shopping but really disappointed im not having Christmas Dinner just my own calorie counted dinner up 4 inches this year. God bless my family for understanding. Im extremely petite framed no one copy me theres a high chance im incorrect or a food label is way more than I expected.
I work out every day except Saturday I do intense cardio for 2 hours then go to the gym for 3 to 4 is that too much
I cycle 2-30 hours in sunday going uphil to the top of the montan
Ok thank you so much your the best
Thanks for this I couldn't find the answer to "Can too much exercise cause weight gain" question anywhere. I have been cycling 7 days a week 2-3 hours a day every day for the last few months and slowly I crave more sugars and more food as the days pass. I'm at this point where as long as it fits in my stomach my brain wants to feed me more. I definitely need to step away from the indoor trainer and bicycle in general and just relax. Again thanks for this.