If you can’t breathe anymore, you are probably pushing your exercise to a level that is unsuited for you, said Alona Zerlin, registered dietician at the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition.
There is a direct and clear correlation between exercise and positive health, said UCLA Counseling and Psychological Services psychologist Gia Marson. However, she added that exercising, like anything, taken to the extreme can have negative consequences.
Unhealthy motives for exercise can lead to excessive or insufficient exercise, said Elisa Terry, director of the UCLA Recreation FITWELL Program. She explained that there is nothing wrong with looking our best, but focusing on our wellness is more beneficial.
“Switching motivations from extrinsic … to intrinsic motivations can bring greater and more sustainable health benefits,” Terry said. Muscles can be fleeting, but the sense of empowerment gained from healthy accomplishments is applicable to other aspects of life.
Symptoms for unhealthy exercise regularly assessed include a rigid exercise routine, feelings of guilt when unable to workout for short periods of time, and stress fractures, Marson said.
Weight loss, just like exercise, is healthier if sustainable over extensive time, Marson said.
She added that 95 percent of individuals who diet either return to their original weight or gain more weight. Through exercise and nutritional lifestyle changes, sustainable health and wellness is achievable.
It is important that healthy nutrition precede and follow exercise as a source of energy to utilize during the exercise, Zerlin said.
“You want to eat a combination of high and low glycemic carbohydrates with a bit of protein and little fat before the workout, and after the workout, a balance of protein and carbohydrate replenishes glycogen store. Water should be consumed before, during and after the exercise,” Zerlin said.
Eating disorders are more of a mental health issue than a physical fitness issue, Terry added. The vast majority of this country is not getting enough exercise, and students are encouraged to exercise and get help in the multiple UCLA counseling facilities, she said.
UCLA Counseling and Psychological Services is a confidential support system intended to help students gain psychological health, Marson said. She added that services include anxiety, depression, mindfulness and eating disorder groups as well as individual counseling are available for students with or without the Student Health Insurance Plan.
Depending on the stage of the disorder, exercise can be beneficial as opposed to triggering rebellious attitudes due to exercise restrictions, Zerlin said.
Exercise is highly beneficial as it can reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety often manifested in eating disorders because endorphins are released, Zerlin said. Cardiovascular risks, high blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides can also be lowered. Furthermore, blood sugars and weight are regulated while muscle mass and metabolism increase.
People learn their exercise limits by both pushing themselves until they cannot continue and by doing things wrong as they grow up, said first-year undeclared student and UCLA soccer midfielder Matt Norton.
For example, if you do too many weights or squats before a game or important practice, you can probably strain yourself, Norton added.
Whether to treat anxiety, depression and eating disorders or to gain health physically, exercise plays a large role and is important in gaining a healthy balance when done in moderation, Marson said.
The FITWELL Program enables students to participate in activities, workshops and classes that promote mind, body and spirit health, Terry added. She explained that the FITWELL Program is specialized but not restricted to the physical aspect of wellness, inviting students to participate in healthy doses and types of exercise.