While exercising and participating in fitness programs is a benefit for overall health, balance is key. In some cases, exercising has become an addiction and is now a hobby for fitness junkies.

“A lot of exercises can definitely become unhealthy; you’re constantly pushing yourself and working out for a long time,” senior Jullian Stuber said, “which resorts in a slimmer body leaving you with muscle. You can get extremely sick due to nutrients in your body leaving because of all the work.”

Exercising as a hobby can become extreme and dangerous if not done carefully. The body needs breaks in between workouts or sports practices; VeryWellFit explains that the body needs at least 8 hours of rest time between workouts.

“Just because you exercise a lot, especially if you’re always in the gym for more than a few hours constantly pushing yourself, it doesn’t make you healthy,”  Stuber said. “It can be draining,”

Fitness junkies usually have exercising schedules: days where they prioritize certain body parts, and this schedule is where the addiction to the gym can start. Starting a goal for fitness, creating mood boards and schedules is only a little of what they can do, some create detailed plans of each workout, spending four-plus hours in the gym lifting and running.  

Large amounts of exercise are only a small percentage of what these junkies do. Having the hobby of exercising escalates quickly. Creating schedules to keep up with working out can cause some exhaustion.