I'm a 31-year-old male and lately I've been wondering something that sounds almost counterintuitive… is it actually possible to exercise too much? I know it sounds odd—especially in a world where people are generally advised to move more, not less—but I'm starting to feel like my daily regimen is doing more harm than good. My schedule is rigid: weightlifting five days a week, high-intensity interval training three times, and long runs on the weekends. It sounds healthy, maybe even admirable to some, but my body doesn’t feel proud. It feels wrecked. My sleep is erratic, my resting heart rate is elevated, and sometimes, I wake up more tired than when I went to bed. I follow strict macro tracking and ensure hydration and supplementation are on point, yet recovery seems perpetually just out of reach. Isn't that a red flag???

There’s this constant soreness, not the good kind—the kind that doesn’t scream progress but whispers that something might be off. I’ve read and heard about “overtraining syndrome,” a state of chronic fatigue, declining performance, and increased risk of injury. I’m not saying I’ve hit that wall completely, but I do see the signs. My strength gains have plateaued, and in some cases, regressed. My joints ache. My motivation? Fading. There’s no joy anymore in pushing through sets; just obligation. It’s become less about well-being and more about control—about not missing a session out of fear I’ll lose progress. That doesn’t sound like health to me, yet I keep doing it because stopping feels worse. And the question keeps bouncing around in my head like an echo: how much is too much???

Socially, I’m becoming isolated. My friends stopped inviting me to things because they already know the answer: “I have training.” It’s almost embarrassing, the way I’ve structured my life around a routine that’s supposed to make me feel better, stronger, more resilient—but instead, it’s starting to feel like a form of self-imposed imprisonment. And I still can’t tell if I’m doing the right thing! Every time I consider taking a rest week, anxiety hits. What if I lose strength? What if I fall behind? What if I just become… average? I know that sounds dramatic, but when you invest so much time and energy into one goal, the thought of stepping away, even briefly, feels like failure. Still, I ask myself—am I really getting healthier, or am I chasing a standard that doesn’t even exist???

I’ve tried to talk to a few people about this but it’s hard to articulate without sounding weak or obsessive. Fitness is praised in every corner of life now. People admire discipline and grind and consistency. But what happens when those same things become destructive? Can you tell the difference? I can’t anymore. My life looks optimal on the outside, but it’s brittle on the inside. And maybe that’s what worries me most. I used to feel pride in what I was building. Now I feel trapped by it. Have you ever felt that way—like your own habits have turned on you? Like something you loved has started to betray you? I’m not looking for pity, just maybe a perspective. A reality check. Something to help me understand if I’m just burned out or if I’m genuinely hurting myself long-term; because I really can’t tell anymore.

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