Dr. Sunil - Is It Bad For You? Approved by Dr. Sunil

Is Working Out Every Day Bad For You?


Grade

B


Short answer

Working out every day is not necessarily bad for you, but you need to be careful about the type of exercise you perform. Repeatedly working out the same muscles may have a negative effect.

Grade

B


Long answer

For most people, working out is a necessary hassle that can be stressful to fit into their chaotic schedule. However, other individuals become used to working out and consider it an indispensable part of their daily routine; some people even feel guilty or less energetic if they fail to work out six or seven times per week.

For those who feel best when they exercise every day, the question of whether working out this much can have harmful effects on their health is often considered. There is significant controversy regarding this issue. Most medical professionals recommend that the average adult perform at least sixty minutes of cardio five days per week in order to stay healthy. However, is working out more than the recommended amount harmful or just a healthy bonus?

The truth is, working out every day is not necessarily a bad thing, but it can be. It all depends on upon what type of exercise you perform. If you are committed to working out seven days per week, the healthiest way to do that is to vary the type of exercise you participate in each day. For example, running four miles, lifting heavy weights, or doing intense ab workouts every day of the week can cause muscle strain, joint problems, and even an increased risk of heart problems (although very rare). Most commonly, if you are repeatedly tearing down the same muscles every single day, they won't be able to repair themselves and grow. Instead, you may experience muscle loss.

However, if you vary your schedule and only perform each of your workouts two to three times per week, you can stay healthy and work out every day. One common practice is to avoid working out a muscle group that is sore. When muscles are sore, that is a clear sign that they need a break to repair a grow.


Possible long-term side effects

  • muscle strain
  • not enough recovery time
  • heart problems (rare)
  • joint problems


Benefits

  • combat stress
  • improved mood
  • improved blood flow
  • weight loss
  • increased libido

Healthier alternatives

  • take at least one "off day"
  • workout different muscles each day



Thank you for your feedback!

Written by Shaylie F
Published on: 12-29-2015
Last updated: 12-10-2016

Thank you for your feedback!

Written by Shaylie F
Published on: 12-29-2015
Last updated: 12-10-2016




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