is there such thing as too much exercise?

rachylouise87
rachylouise87 Posts: 367 Member
edited November 9 in Fitness and Exercise
my friend at work said i'm not losing as much because i exercise too much? i do cardio 5 times a week for 30-50 minutes and strength 3-4 times a week... i burn around 400 calories a time and my daily deficit is 520 just on food. to be honest i have cut out alcohol completely this week and upped the intensity of my workouts. i sometimes eat back 50% of my workout calories sometimes dont. the point is my friend thinks im starving myself but i'm 5ft 1 with a TDEE of 1745 and i have a desk job so i dont think i am starving myself of calories or overdoing it?
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Replies

  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    Yes. It's called burnout. The symptoms of workout burnout include:

    Diminished appetite
    Fat gain
    Delayed recovery time
    Elevated resting heart rate
    Fatigue
    Insomnia
    Weakened immune system
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Yes there is such a thing as too much exercise. It's possible to run yourself down, cause injury, and end up generally feeling terrible. There's also such a thing as not properly fueling your workouts, which is more likely where you fit. If you're going to exercise so much it's important to eat enough.

    That said, it's unclear from your post whether you're using the MFP model with exercise calories or the TDEE model. Could you clarify?
  • rachylouise87
    rachylouise87 Posts: 367 Member
    im using the mfp one so trying to make sure i eat some exercise cals back. i was looking for fuelling my workouts but was unsure to what to fuel with? i am on a lower carb diet so was looking for something with higher protein? i prefer the mfp TDEE because my exercise sometimes is not consistant so some weeks i burn more than others depending on where i can fit it in. Jaqueline i dont feel i have any burnout symptoms i feel in good health and have a healthy appetite. i have just recovered from a stomach virus around a week ago so i was raring to get back into my routine but maybe it could be this which has hindered my progress
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    Why not just follow a program? Pick a program, follow it to the letter.
  • nilbogger
    nilbogger Posts: 870 Member
    That honestly doesn't seem like too much exercise, but how many calories are you eating? Do you weigh your food? Do you feel fatigued?
  • Anonycatgirl
    Anonycatgirl Posts: 502 Member
    It doesn't sound like an excessive schedule to me--more than some people do, less than, say, my friends who are training to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. If your workout time is what used to be your play time, though, then what your friends may really be trying to say is "we miss you; is it worth it to work so hard?" Only you can answer that question, and only you can figure out the best way to balance your desire to become more fit with other aspects of your life--but it IS something to think about.
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    Whether it excessive or not really depends on your fitness/workout history. If it's your first week, that's probably excessive. If you've been working out regularly, not so much.

    However, you need to make sure you're eating enough to fuel those workouts. Your energy levels and rate of weight loss will let you know. If you're losing too fast, you should eat back more of your calories.
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
    Does not appear like you are overdoing it. When you say your not loosing that much what do you mean. How much are you loosing and how long did it take you 1lb a week is recommended? Depending on your body fat percentage. I am no expert by far.
  • PieSaver
    PieSaver Posts: 19
    You're doing just fine with that much exercise. It's a lot for most people because of the time commitment, but that doesn't see to be a concern for you.

    As long as you are getting enough calories to support that much work you're going to do great.
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
    I don't think you're overdoing it. I'm 5'1.5" and because I'm older, my TDEE is even lower than yours. At 1745 a day you're hardly starving yourself. Most physicians recommend cardio 5 times a week for health. Maybe you're encountering some co-worker jealousy/sabotage!
  • 7elizamae
    7elizamae Posts: 758 Member
    What you're doing seems typical -- not excessive at all. I bet your friend who worries about too much exercise doesn't do much exercise herself.

    Before computers and cars and elevators and grocery stores people used to spend most of the day engaged in physical activity. So I'd say you're a long way from over-exercising.
  • 7elizamae
    7elizamae Posts: 758 Member
    My friend who runs at least 10 miles a day even when she is sick or in a lot of pain or neglecting her family and then comes home and gets on the elliptical for hours-- she over-exercises.
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  • olyjok
    olyjok Posts: 133 Member
    Try a new exercise routine. You may need to target different muscles to burn other areas. You body may be getting use to your routine. Try weights- Ice cream 5 x 5... Walk/sprints up a incline.
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
    YOu have LOST 40 LBS. Whatever you have been doing is working. Keep at it!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    have you dropped your TDEE back down/re-evaluated it with the weight loss?

    as you lose weight -the amount of food you need to sustain yourself goes down as well (Sucks- a lot- but it is what it is)
  • pokegurl
    pokegurl Posts: 15
    I am your height and I do eat fewer calories than recommended (we are very small types) but I only exercise 3 times a week. Has your workout routine gotten easy? Time to mix it up. Yay on the alcohol, I'm also on an alcohol break....for the moment!
  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
    rachylouise87 wrote: »
    my friend at work said i'm not losing as much because i exercise too much? i do cardio 5 times a week for 30-50 minutes and strength 3-4 times a week... i burn around 400 calories a time and my daily deficit is 520 just on food. to be honest i have cut out alcohol completely this week and upped the intensity of my workouts. i sometimes eat back 50% of my workout calories sometimes dont. the point is my friend thinks im starving myself but i'm 5ft 1 with a TDEE of 1745 and i have a desk job so i dont think i am starving myself of calories or overdoing it?

    You're more than halfway to your goal with 40 pounds down, go you! Your deficit is getting smaller and your weight loss is slowing down, unfortunately.

    You're doing fine. Nature is rude. Maybe mix up the workout, like pokegurl suggests?
  • andysport1
    andysport1 Posts: 592 Member
    If your not eating enough your body can slip into Ketosis, going in and out of Ketosis generally causes weight gain, being consistent is good, aim at the same deficit daily whether it's an exercise day or not.
    Good luck
  • rachylouise87
    rachylouise87 Posts: 367 Member
    hi thanks for the responses.. i am eating 1200 per day my TDEE is calculated by MFP to be 1745. it hasnt appeared to have changed since i started. i have lost 40lbs since having my baby back in october 2013 so its a while. i have lost 20lbs since august last year. i have been exercising properly for 4 months now so and sometimes dont feel like i am working hard enough. the weight loss has slowed a little but i can only assume its because i am 25lbs from my goal? my workout routine has become easier but i started 30 day shred level 2 around 4 days ago so its a little harder again. i tried insanity and p90x and i almost died so i guess thats not for me just yet
  • rachylouise87
    rachylouise87 Posts: 367 Member
    sorry i stand corrected my TDEE is 1720 so it has decreased. sorry for that guys i can assume its the decrease in deficit? how can i overcome this since 1200 calories per day is already low
  • andysport1
    andysport1 Posts: 592 Member
    Maybe dropping calories isn't for you, if your workouts have got easier maybe more effort there will compensate for the decrease in defecit
  • rachylouise87
    rachylouise87 Posts: 367 Member
    thanks i guess the workouts need to be harder i guess shorter more intense workouts :)
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    edited January 2015
    Okay I understand what you're saying now. I would just make sure you're eating back at least some of your exercise calories and that you're feeling well. If you notice that you're feeling run down, tired in spite of sleeping enough, etc then you might revisit.

    I thought you were saying you were eating 1200 gross.
  • chunkytfg
    chunkytfg Posts: 339 Member
    Ignoring the Food side of things 4 hours cardio and maybe the same in weights a week really is not a lot! If it was 4 hours a day then you'd be getting into overtraining territory.

    As has been mentioned the people who usually comment that you do too much are the ones who normally need the exercise the most! I have a guy at work who always berates me for doing too much and that I should always have a rest day after a day of exercise but doesn't like it when I mention the fact he has done the C25K program 4 times and never made it past week 3 before giving up claiming its too hard and his body aches all over!
  • pokegurl
    pokegurl Posts: 15
    You may want to revisit the p90x and insanity workouts. I've been doing a similar workout at the gym class for about a year now (r.i.p.p.e.d) and it has been so amazing. It is very high intensity for about 45 minutes, burning a lot of calories and building muscle. Like any new workout the first few times are difficult but it gets easier with practice.
  • rachylouise87
    rachylouise87 Posts: 367 Member
    thank you i think people assume because i havnt lost for a while i am starving myself and my body is clinging onto the fat. not sure i believe that
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    rachylouise87 wrote: »
    my friend at work said i'm not losing as much because i exercise too much? i do cardio 5 times a week for 30-50 minutes and strength 3-4 times a week... i burn around 400 calories a time and my daily deficit is 520 just on food. to be honest i have cut out alcohol completely this week and upped the intensity of my workouts. i sometimes eat back 50% of my workout calories sometimes dont. the point is my friend thinks im starving myself but i'm 5ft 1 with a TDEE of 1745 and i have a desk job so i dont think i am starving myself of calories or overdoing it?

    Yes there is.

    Will you reach it ever? Probably not.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    rachylouise87 wrote: »
    thank you i think people assume because i havnt lost for a while i am starving myself and my body is clinging onto the fat. not sure i believe that
    No, what's more likely happening is that your body has become accustomed to the exercise so you aren't burning as many calories as you used to. Also, as you noticed, your TDEE has dropped because you now have less mass. You can trying changing up your workout regimen either by trying something new or increasing weight or intensity. You may just have to resign yourself to a slower rate of weight loss, though. The closer you get to your goal the slower it will be.

  • slomo22
    slomo22 Posts: 125 Member
    Your profile says you've lost 40 pounds so I'm not sure what your friend is talking about. You do exercise a lot, but I wouldn't say it's excessive. If your weight loss has slowed, try changing your lifting and cardio routine rather than just increasing the intensity.
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