Can exercising too much be dangerous?

Question

I exercise 4 to 5 hours a day, everday. Some people say it's wonderful, others say it will kill me. I have been battling an eating disorder for the past 3 years, and feel I have an obsession with the gym. I don't know what to do.

Answer 1

Yes I think can be dangerous, see the career of professional athletes last only about 10 years. One of the reason is that their body just cannot be overstressed for too long a period of time.
Ask a fitness coach to make a weekly plan that will be more balanced for you.

Answer 2

Ok, so this is from a guy but i also have had an eating disorder many years ago so maybe you know the answer deep down inside, but want to hear from someone else. If your suffering from eating disorder your number one focus is burn energy. So 4 - 5 hrs a day will do this, but the amount of hours you are doing would be similar well only a little short of that of an elite athlete. How is all this exercise dangerous. Well as you exercise you use up the vitamins and minerals stored in your body much more so than the average person who does not exercise. Now these vitamins and minerals have many basic uses to the body, and although in a basic diet you may get enough vitamins and minerals to maintain a healthy body, you have a much greater challenge. So each day if you use up so much energy and you are not getting the nurishment required, because you are not eating correctly, then you will notice things happen over time that you wonder why it is happening. Like feeling tired all the time, cracking lips, for example you find yourself chewing you nails, this is a prime example that your body may be trying to get calcium, vital to maintain bone strength.Over 1-3 years the course of exercising like you are and not eating correctly you may experience liver problems, osteoperosis, and the list goes on. There is also the issue of muscle repair, if you are exercising and not allowing your body to repair because you have to go to the gym no matter what then you may be causing long term damage to your joints and muscles. This is a very tough one, if your like me, the perfectionist in you is you best friend and your worst enemy. I found that you have to have in mind balance, you already know you are going over board i am sure of it, the challenge for you, and it will be so so hard but you need to start being kind to yourself, it all starts with acceping and liking yourself, which i imagine you more than likely do not, you must have heard this before but belive me what you see in the mirror is not a true picture, there is so much to say, but the best thing i can offer, is if you are not comfortable seeing someone you can talk to about this, then you should look into seeing a psychologist, they just give you the tools to work through every day challenges like this and help improve your life, which i am sure is what you want :0)

Answer 3

If it's sensible exercise with proper nutrition and breaks in between the workouts, 4 hours isn't so bad. A marathon runner may train that long.

However if you have an eating disorder, odds are you're feeling driven to do this to burn calories any way you can and doing it sensibly isn't a proirity. Then I'd say it's a very bad thing.

It's also a bad thing to do it just to burn calories without needing to train. That's 4-5 hours a day you could be working a normal job, spending time with family, or doing somethign constructive. When something becomes such an obsession you can't help but spend 30+ hours a week doing it, that isn't healthy.

Please talk to your therapist about this. You need to work through why you go to the gym and other ways for you to channel your feelings.

Answer 4

The best thing to do is set a schedule of your exercise routines. That way if you see too much of one thing, you could cross it out in your planning calendar. I'm not saying to stop exercising, but you need a longer period of break time between exercises. Eat regularly too.

Answer 5

If you are not taking in enough calories to maintain a healthy weight, then intense extended exercise is unhealthy for you.
Otherwise, if you are maintaining a medically safe & healthy weight, then you should have nothing to worry about.

Answer 6

That does sound like too much. Your body wasn't made to take that much stress. Get in touch with a nutrionist and physical trainer to determine your correct regiment.

Answer 7

try and go 72 hours without eating or drinking anything,then you will lose more wieght and then you will die and have no more problems to worry about, but hey you will have won you will be the thinnest of them all.

Answer 8

I think it is too much, as we all know too much of anything is harmful. Cut back, gradually. take up another activitiy to replace it