What is Too Much Exercise?

Don't you hate when you hear someone accuse a person of being an exercise fanatic just because the fitness enthusiast works out two hours every day? But nobody calls the couch potato a TV fanatic, even though he or she may spend four hours on a daily basis, lounging before the tube.

Or what about the person who sits at a computer surfing the Web two hours every evening, or people who spend three hours a day reading magazines and trashy novels? Are they, too, fanatics?

Funny how the workout enthusiast gets the negative label. But here's something to really consider. It's not normal to get LESS than two hours a day of exercise. Think of how human beings lived before the discovery of electricity. Really now! Nobody had a total sitting time of more than two hours a day! In fact, the only people who lived sedentary lives back then were the wealthy who had servants.

The human body was meant to move on an continuous basis, with occasional periods of inactivity - not the other way around! But we have been brainwashed by our luxurious, easy living and marvelous inventions into believing that exercise is the exception, and not the rule.

Working out for two hours every day is much closer to nature, actually - and therefore closer to optimal health and fitness - than working out for only 30 wimpy minutes a day.

Genetically, we are no different than we were centuries ago. Our bodies still need to really move; and not just merely move, but produce force and exertion that create sweat and gets us very, very winded.

Don't ever let anyone make you feel guilty or weird because you invest two or more hours a day exercising. To your body, this is perfectly normal, regardless of what all the lazy couch hounds say.

Now let's suppose you have only 30 minutes a day to exercise. You must make that 30 minutes as intense as possible. Go outdoors and sprint down your street - just one block worth for the length - as fast as possible. Then walk for a few minutes. Then sprint again; try to run as fast as a large dog. Or imagine you are running toward your house that is on fire, and your dog is trapped inside. Whatever it takes to get you sprinting as hard as possible. Then walk easily again for a few minutes. Keep doing this for 30 minutes.

Or lift as heavy weights as possible in the gym, using mostly your legs, back and chest. Make your muscles burn from exhaustion.