5 signs your fitness routine has become unhealthy 5 signs your fitness routine has become unhealthy
Centr Team
10 Sep 2022
When does a fitness habit go from helpful to harmful?
Yes, exercise is great for your mind and your body. But it’s important to make sure that working out doesn’t come at the expense of your mental well-being.
A healthy life is about more than your resting heart rate or how much weight you can squat. It’s why Chris created the Learn to Meditate series, and why we ask our trainers to share their mental health tips as well as their workout expertise.
We’ve rounded up 5 fitness habits and mindsets that could be doing you more harm than good. Do any of these sound familiar?
How do you keep your fitness journey sustainable and healthy, Legends? Don’t keep it to yourself – share your wisdom in the Centr community.
1. Judging every workout by the calories burned
Don’t get us wrong, we love a good bonus cardio blast with Dan. Training that burns a lot of energy isn’t inherently bad. But using the number of calories you burn as the only measure of a good workout isn’t a healthy (or sustainable) way to approach exercise.
Think about what kind of exercise you would prioritize if you weren’t worried about maxing your calorie burn. For example, some dynamic yoga with Tahl might not burn as many calories as a HIIT session with Ashley Joi, but it will help to activate muscles you forgot existed, improve flexibility and boost your mental health.
2. Trying to ‘burn off’ treats
Say it with us: Exercise is not punishment! You don’t have to squeeze in an extra gym session when you eat something that isn’t perfectly aligned with your goals.
By treating your workouts as a way to make up for eating ‘poorly’, you’re setting up an unhealthy relationship with both food and exercise. So eat your treats, enjoy them, then get back to your regular, nutritious meals without wallowing in shame (or feeling the need to hit the workout mat to make up for it). A health and fitness journey that lasts is one that makes you feel empowered and confident, not constantly guilty.
Your favorite Centr experts are big fans of a little rest and relaxation.
3. Feeling guilty when you take a rest day
It’s not just okay to take time off from training, it’s necessary. If you feel guilty or anxious on the days when you’re not doing structured exercise, it might help you to remember that no matter your goal, regular rest days are essential if you want your muscles to grow, to prevent injuries and avoid burnout.
Guilt can also rear its ugly head in social situations. Don’t want to go to your friend’s birthday because there will be pizza involved? That might be a sign that your commitment to a healthy lifestyle is entering unhealthy territory.
We loved what community member and chef Kelly W had to say about indulging: “Everything has a purpose and a place. A really amazing meal should be savored,” she said. “‘Progress’ is making space for all kinds of meals and not feeling guilty for eating. Now, back to making caramel sauce with heavy cream and sea salt…” Amen!
4. You’re never not sore
Classic gym-bro phrases like “No pain, no gain” have their place – sometimes you do need to push yourself outside your comfort zone if you want to make progress, especially if you’ve got specific goals like building serious muscle.
But don’t get it twisted. Struggling through grueling workouts every single day isn’t necessarily a badge of honor, and you don’t need to suffer constantly to see results.
If your muscles are so sore you can’t remember the last time you hoisted yourself off the couch without groaning, try giving your body a break with some lower-intensity movement. Sometimes a stretching session with Sylvia will do you more good than a super intense workout.
5. You compare yourself to people around you
There’s no benefit to judging yourself based on other people’s achievements, but that doesn’t stop many of us doing it anyway. If you’ve ever felt great about a leisurely weekend bike ride with the kids only to get deflated when you see that a friend won a 30-mile bike race, you might know what we’re talking about.
The Centr community is a great place to go for inspiration and support, but remember that every Legend is different. What works for one person might not work for you and your life.
Take it from Da Rulk: “There are guys that are stronger than me, guys that are faster than me, but it's that ability to stick to it that helps me succeed.”
