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Stumble #3: Exercise overload

Solution: get checked

Sometimes too much of a good thing can hurt your health, especially if you ignore warning symptoms.

A 2017 study by the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation shows that it’s not unheard of for endurance athletes of all levels to push their limits too far.

The study looked at 9 million triathletes, from beginners to seasoned competitors, over three decades and found 135 cases of sudden death or cardiac arrest. The majority, 85 percent, were male, average age 47. Nearly half of 61 autopsies revealed heart abnormalities, including cardiovascular disease.

“Exercise enthusiasts may downplay heart symptoms and feel invulnerable,” says Peter Buttrick, MD, cardiology division head of the University of Colorado School of Medicine. But if you experience heart health symptoms—shortened breath, chest pain, unexpected decreased endurance—during exertion, make an appointment with your doctor, he says.