Too much of a good thing? The truth about endurance training
The benefits of being active and getting aerobic and strength-building exercise are as good for you as having Le-Bron James on your team in the NBA!
And the dangers of being sedentary, whether you’re a couch potato or a deskbound workaholic, are far-reaching.
A recent study of sedentary lifestyles by Cleveland Clinic doctors Wael Jaber and Steve Nissen found that being unfit (not exercising at all) can be worse for your overall health “than being hypertensive, being diabetic or being a current smoker.” And Dr. Mike’s RealAge data has shown the dangers since 1998 (take the free test to determine your real age at RealAge.com).
Can You Get Too Much of a Good Thing?
Yes, you can! Exercising excessively or overtraining can tax your immune and gastrointestinal systems, your heart, kidneys and, of course, joints and muscle tissue, to the point of causing disease and damage — not preventing it.