Can lack of exercise make you ill?
Discussion
Since 21st December I've done zero exercise.
Had an op on my foot which meant a cast on for 4 weeks and now a heavy bandage with no walking on my toes, no driving and no work.
My usual job is quite active although to keep fit I always needed to do something - badminton once a week, gym 2-3 times, a bit of hiking, the odd run etc.
I haven't done any gym work for the last 6 months due to time constraints and the family, so I was very slowly getting porkier.
What with the Christmas festivities and doing nothing I've put on about half- three quarters of a stone.
My overall health has taken a hit - stomach problems, headaches, general lethargy and feeling tired all the time even though, as I've said, I've not been to work.
So, can lack of exercise make you feel as s
te as I do?
Does it affect you in a similar way?
Had an op on my foot which meant a cast on for 4 weeks and now a heavy bandage with no walking on my toes, no driving and no work.
My usual job is quite active although to keep fit I always needed to do something - badminton once a week, gym 2-3 times, a bit of hiking, the odd run etc.
I haven't done any gym work for the last 6 months due to time constraints and the family, so I was very slowly getting porkier.
What with the Christmas festivities and doing nothing I've put on about half- three quarters of a stone.
My overall health has taken a hit - stomach problems, headaches, general lethargy and feeling tired all the time even though, as I've said, I've not been to work.
So, can lack of exercise make you feel as s
te as I do?Does it affect you in a similar way?
Zip106 said:
But does it make one ill?
It certainly can. Poor diet does nasty things to the digestive tract which is one of the principal drivers of making people feel "ill". Metabolism slows down which means toxins have a chance to build up more than they otherwise would, and then you get lots of other diet related illnesses like Gout, diabetes and more.When I was mega fit between the ages of 17-24 I only had 4 days off sick (tonsilitis). No major colds /flu or anything.
About 2-3 years after leaving the forces and not doing regular phys I started getting colds that would last 3-4 days and flu once a year. I now get regular illnesses but touch wood nothing too bad.
I need to get my fitness back up so I can lose a stone and build up my resilliance to illness.
That's just my theory, I may have just been lucky when I was younger.
About 2-3 years after leaving the forces and not doing regular phys I started getting colds that would last 3-4 days and flu once a year. I now get regular illnesses but touch wood nothing too bad.
I need to get my fitness back up so I can lose a stone and build up my resilliance to illness.
That's just my theory, I may have just been lucky when I was younger.
Crap diet maybe, but not exercising (as a specific activity) wont make you sick. Go and find your nearest 90 year old lady and ask how many times she hit the running machine growing up!
Wasn't it King George who said of exercise "if you're healthy you dont need it and if you're sick you shouldn't do it" !
Wasn't it King George who said of exercise "if you're healthy you dont need it and if you're sick you shouldn't do it" !
Tiggsy said:
Crap diet maybe, but not exercising (as a specific activity) wont make you sick. Go and find your nearest 90 year old lady and ask how many times she hit the running machine growing up!
Wasn't it King George who said of exercise "if you're healthy you dont need it and if you're sick you shouldn't do it" !
How old was he when he died? Wasn't it King George who said of exercise "if you're healthy you dont need it and if you're sick you shouldn't do it" !
Exercise is probably a bad word for it - activity is probably more apt.
Zip106 said:
My overall health has taken a hit - stomach problems, headaches, general lethargy and feeling tired all the time even though, as I've said, I've not been to work.
Before I joined the gym I would get headaches all the time. Some days I would just wake up with a headache after getting over tiered and sleeping too long. I just seemed more sensitive to any environmental factors like headaches if I drank to little. Constantly tiered and lethargic too. Since I have joined I just don't get like that. I feel great, get less ill regularly including headaches, just seem more hardy and I don't oversleep anymore.I have no idea if there is any medical reason but I always feel better after giving myself a good beasting and getting the blood flowing. Probably some thing to do with all the adrenaline and endorphines your body throws at you to keep going. I also think its sort of linked to depression. If you sleep alot and don't move about it's depressing as you never get anything done or achive anything. Fitness gives you those targets or atleast it does for me. 2.5years I have been going to the gym now and I think it has been one of the best decisions I have made.
Knowing a fair balance of lazy layabouts and fit sportspeople, I'd say there's a pretty obvious distinction between the two in how often they become 'ill'.
Whether it's due to a weaker body and immune system, or simply being lazy and over-reacting to minor things, those who don't do any exercise almost always seem to be dealing with some form of minor complaint or another, wheras those who do exercise tend not to get ill much, if at all (other than sports injuries).
Whether it's due to a weaker body and immune system, or simply being lazy and over-reacting to minor things, those who don't do any exercise almost always seem to be dealing with some form of minor complaint or another, wheras those who do exercise tend not to get ill much, if at all (other than sports injuries).
Edited by Meoricin on Monday 31st January 17:55
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