I may sound downright stupid if I suggest otherwise to the question, “Is exercising good?”. However, I am still not able to make up my mind as to how to answer this question. Though one thing that is sure is that over-exercising can have more harmful effects than under-exercising. I am not saying this in the light of the increased number of heart attacks that we are seeing while performing cardiovascular activities, it is something that dawned upon me as I explored various types of exercises on a deeper level.

Is our diet good enough for the exercise that we are doing?

Most of the times, we view exercise as something that is beneficial on its own, which I think is incorrect. Exercise means draining. It is not rejuvenating if it is intense. Exercise can only be beneficial when it is supplemented with good diet. I have seen many people suffering from nutritional deficiencies as they don’t follow a good diet. They think exercise on its own will keep them healthy and fit, whereas it might be making them weak and vulnerable to other deficiencies.

Exercising is difficult to keep up

If you need to reap the benefits of intense exercise like strength training, you need to get ample rest along with good diet. Many people assume exercising alone would fix their problems. While in actuality, you need to invest more in your diet and lifestyle after exercising to see the benefits.

Playing sports to keep yourself healthy is a big risk

I see many over enthusiastic people who join sports as a means to keep fit. This severely backfires as their bodies are not able to handle the stress that comes with playing a sport. Sport requires a certain physical standard as your body moves and puts pressure on various joints. People who are not fit or lack good sporting technique usually get injured and their fitness journey takes a big hit. Contrary to popular belief that sports will make you fit, you should rather be fit to play sports. People forget this and pay a huge price.

What is the right way of exercising?

To me, exercising in moderation as well as selecting the correct exercise is the key. I find strength training two to three days a week and playing mid-intensity sport once in a week is feasible. I don’t go overboard with heavy weights during strength training as I rely on all-natural diet. I know I can pump harder and sometimes feel the adrenalin to do so, however I know by doing so, I am simply breaking my muscles and that I need to eat plenty of protein and micronutrients to rebuild those muscle fibers. Also, while playing sports, I am careful of the pressure that my joints go through. I realize that mind is always ahead of the body and that there will be moments where my mind would ask my body to put in that extra effort, which might result in the injury. So, going easy is the key.

Never underestimate mobility exercises such as yoga and stretching

Any sportsman or exercise enthusiast would vouch for what I am saying. Mobility exercises seem so trivial to a newbie. However, they are the ones that help stave off injuries most. Mobility exercises are rejuvenating and not draining. That’s the reason to always incorporate mobility exercises as they are light on your body and are very sustainable on the long run.