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Compulsive Exercise Can Affect Children's Mental States

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What are some of the main reasons why people exercise? Is it so they can stay in shape? Or so they can stay healthy? Maybe even as a stress reliever? Whatever the reason is, exercise is usually beneficial. Unless people take it too far, like compulsive exercisers do -- and even some parents. Many parents tend to push their children to exercise too much so that it becomes harmful for the child. Compulsive exercising can affect children's mental state. Children who over exercise often exercise to feel superior. They often define their self-worth through their athletic performance and try to deal with emotions like anger or depression by pushing their bodies to the limit (“Compulsive Exercise”). “Too much exercise raises cortisol (a steroid hormone) and other hormones that have negative effects on mood and anxiety. Too much exercise makes an individual and their body tired which results in lower willpower and ability to make quality decisions,” says Lucas Aslin, weights training teacher and coach at Bonner Springs High School, regarding children's mental state when it comes to exercising too much (Aslin). Children who also over exercise often exercise to perfect their obsessive thoughts about their perceived flaws (“Compulsive Exercise”). Children often define …show more content…

Starting with their diet. Exercising helps decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, lowers blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels (“Kids and Exercise”). Exercise can also make the heart stronger, helping it pump more blood with each heartbeat. The blood then delivers more oxygen to the body, which helps it function more efficiently. Exercise can also reduce the risk of heart disease and reduce levels of LDL ("bad" cholesterol), which clogs the arteries and can cause a heart attack. At the same time, exercise can raise levels of HDL ("good" cholesterol), which helps protect against heart disease.(“Health

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