Overexercising - a step too far?

Its not like we needed to be told - we could see the evidence for ourselves. But for any of you in doubt, research now confirms that the fitness routines many celebrities claim keep them in shape, are anything but healthy.

However, you don't need to be a celebrity to over exercise. For us mere mortals, the positive effects of exercise can become addictive, and we crave our next hit. Fuelled by positive comments on our changing body shapes, or our post exercise glow, its easy to fall into the trap of lengthening a workout, or forgoing our 'rest' day to see results quicker.

Like too much of any good thing, too much exercise can have the opposite effect you might be looking for, and end up making you worse for wear. While sedentary lifestyles, and obesity related conditions are well documented and publicised, we rarely hear of the opposite end of the scale, which can be equally as harmful. The side effects of over-exercising include stress fractures, exhaustion, cardiovascular complications, musculosketal injuries, and in female athletes menstrual irregularity and bone density loss.

How much is too much? Currently the British Association of Sport and Exercise Science recommend that a weeks worth of exercise for non-professional athletes should expend no more than 3000 calories. Anything more may be of little benefit. Another indicator is when exercise starts to interfere with other areas of your life, like work or home life. Missing work deadlines or special family occassions in favour of the gym, is surely a sign that things have gone too far.

Exercise should become a pleasurable part of your day. That doesn't mean it should always feel easy, but it definitely should not send you on a downward spiral of guilt if you miss a workout. Once that starts, you need to stand back and reassess the frequency and intensity of your regime, and ensure that its an obsession that, like you, remains healthy.

Extreme celebrity workouts can damage you - Sunday Times