Teen Fitness Concerns - Compulsive Exercising.
Active teens probably get a lot of exercise, whether it is the gym, at school, or simply walk the dog.
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One of the best things a teen can do for good health is to decide on a routine of regular exercise and then stick with it. They will be doing their body a huge favor - not just for the teen years, but for their whole adult life as well.
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Exercise serves several purposes: it makes the heart and lungs strong, it increases strength and endurance; and it helps maintain a healthy weight. We can actually change our physique through exercise by building or defining certain muscle groups over time. .
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Exercise can also help alter body composition, increasing the ratio of muscle to fat. And most people who exercise regularly report that they feel more alert and better in general.
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Exercise, though, like most things in life, is best done in moderation. Overdoing it, can lead to injure or cross the line to compulsive exercise. .
You may think one can't get too much of a good thing, but in the case of exercise, sometimes a healthy activity can turn into an unhealthy compulsion.
A teen athlete may also think that repeated exercise will help them win an important game. Some teens add extra workouts to their regularly scheduled one with their team without consulting their coaches or trainers. The pressure to succeed cause teens to exercise more than is healthy. The body needs activity but it also needs rest. Overuse will cause injuries like fractures and muscle strains. .
Exercising three times a week for at least 30 minutes is enough to achieve better health. Most people exercise much less and much more, but working out more than once a day is often a warning sign of compulsive exercise.
The main difference between a healthy exercise and exercise-dependent is how activity fits into your life. If workouts are put ahead of classes, friends, and other responsibilities, there is a dependence on exercise.