Chronic extreme exercise training and competing in endurance events can lead to heart damage and rhythm disorders.
www.health.clevelandclinic.org
As an ex-Olympic ski racer and professional athlete for many years, I know more than most what excessive training does to your body and mind.
This period lasted from when I was 12 to 20 years old. I was often sick, had broken legs, and then a broken heart, when I crashed badly, I tore up my right leg.
Of course, I was young and believed I was indestructible — on top of the World, and would stay there forever.
But, in life, things mostly don’t pan out how you want them to!
After my crash and multiple operations to fix the knee and save the leg, I continued my life as best I could. I had to start over in a place I didn’t want to be.
Training in the gym and running twice a day
I thought I was “tough and manly” by following this routine. It made me feel in charge again.
My body was bulked up, and my confidence high.
What I didn’t realize at the time was that I was:
1 — Damaging my fragile knee
2 — Eating junk food and everything I could get my hands on in between
3 — Constantly feeling low-energy ( I didn’t know why)
4 — Damaging my heart
5 — Getting fatter around my waistline
It took me 20 years to figure out what I was doing wrong
I was pre-diabetic, not obese, but 60 lbs. overweight — all nicely stacked around my waist.
Like everyone else, I believed adding weight in your 30s and 40s was normal. So, I just go with the flow.
My answer to the problem: I will work out harder and more. I often went to the gym in the morning and evening too. But nothing helped me lose weight or feel and look better.
In 2015, I had a stroke
That episode scared me and sent an anxious and very stressful wake-up call to my brain.
I said to myself:
“Man, you gotta figure this out and change, or you might not make it past 50!”
That minor stroke was my lifesaver. It slapped me in the face, and I took action.
I studied food and what it “really” does to the body and mind. Then I became a modern nutritionist and changed my diet from terrible to excellent.
I cut the carbs and all sugars and started to cook homemade real food.
It only took me 2 months to shed my excess weight and become lean and healthy again.
Once I recovered my body, my mental health soon stabilized, too — showing me they are interconnected. If you break one, the other soon follows. If you treat yourself well, both can be stable.
Physical health problems significantly increase our risk of developing mental health problems, and vice versa.
www.mentalhealth.org.uk
That was 8 years ago.
I write this story at age 54, feeling better and stronger than ever, with endless energy, ideas, and power of mind, body, and soul.
Now, I feel the will and confidence to become a centennial.
My message to all the gym fanatics
Please stop wasting too much time in the gym pumping iron, taking mirror selfies, and posting them on social media to get attention.
You’re not only wasting your time — you’re quite likely overtraining, slowly hurting your heart, and probably overeating too. None of that will lead to good health!
Instead, I recommend spending more time in nature, walking, jogging, swimming, practicing easy bodyweight workouts, and sprinting once a week.
That’s all you need t do to stay fit, strong, lean, and save time and money!
If you follow my advice, I can guarantee you will feel and look better in less than 2 months!
Last but not least — stop gulping those protein shakes after your workout — I used to, too — because they were yummy. That’s because they’re full of sugar, which makes you gain weight and want to eat more!
A never-ending merry-go-around that will eventually burn you out and potentially serve you heart disease
Final Takeaways
1 — Go easy on yourself in body and mind. Life is hard enough as it is.
2 — Think about your heart and internal health instead of bulking up your muscles — you look silly when doing that, as it’s unnatural.
3 — Get off as many carbs as possible and remove all sugars from your diet.
4 — Spend time in nature: walking, swimming, working out, or relaxing.
5 — Leave your smartphone alone and stop posting “look at me” silly selfies — it’s immature and not helpful to your body or mind.
Please read my related article:
The Keto-Carnivore Diet Is Not All About Beef & Steak – You Have Tons Of Delicious Food Choices
Please trust me with this advice.
Rob
