Do you have to get a workout in everyday? Has the length or intensity of your workout increased over time? Do you feel anxious, stressed or upset if plans get in the way of your workout? Do you need to work out to feel okay for the rest of the day? Do you exercise to “deserve” to eat? Do you work out even if you’re sick, injured or tired?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you should take a look at your relationship with exercise because these are all signs of an exercise addiction.
Exercise addiction might sound crazy to you if it’s a struggle just to drag yourself to the gym and working out is a miserable experience for you. While most people might wish they had this addiction, it is actually extremely debilitating for some people. Imagine planning your entire day around your workout with the results of skipping meaning you feel anxious, irritable or just not good enough.
There are a few reasons why you might be addicted to exercise. It could be a coping mechanism for something else going on in your life or it might be a way to forget your feelings. Maybe you’re hooked on the results, constantly wanting to be better, lift heavier, run longer, feel leaner or more muscular. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with setting goals, but going to extremes to reach them — never feeling satisfied and always striving for more — might be concerning. The need to control something might also drive this addiction.
If you find yourself working out for hours every day and you’re not a professional or collegiate athlete, then you should think about whether this is beneficial or if it’s just putting excessive stress on your body. The recommended amount of exercise is 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity spread throughout the week. A little more than that might be okay if you have the right mindset; however, there is a bigger chance that it’s the sign of a problem.
Here are some signs you don’t have a healthy relationship with exercise:
- Increased anxiety, depression or distress if unable to exercise
- Rigid exercise schedule
- Exercising despite sickness or injury
- Exercising for multiple hours
- Exercising to control negative feelings
- Exercise feels like an obligation that you have to do each day
- Prioritizing exercise over social events, class, work, or other recreational events
- Working out as a compensatory action for eating
- Feeling guilty when skipping a workout
There can also be serious detrimental physical effects of too much exercise. With too much exercise, your body can be more susceptible to injuries. Combined with not eating a sufficient amount, your muscles will slowly deteriorate. You could have difficulty sleeping because of constant adrenaline pumping in your body. Another issue, specifically for women, is amenorrhea, which is an irregular or loss of your period. This can lead to a decrease in bone density, which is irreversible.
A few more effects include:
- Dehydration
- Osteoporosis and an increased risk of bone fracture while exercising
- Heart problems and an increased resting heart rate
- Fatigue
- Reproductive problems (amenorrhea)
- Joint damage from overtraining
- Depression and anxiety
- Muscle wasting
- Hormonal imbalances
- Decreasing athletic performance
- An increased risk of an eating disorder
Related: Why Eating Disorder Week Deserves More Publicity
If any of these signs hit close to home, you should consider seeking out a counselor or therapist who can help you build a healthy relationship with exercise.
It’s easy to get caught up in the quest for a perfect body, especially being a college student in the age of social media. We have almost unlimited access to a gym and are constantly bombarded with images of what we should look like. With the rise of things like #fitspo, the spotlight is being put on everyone else’s health and fitness routine, which can foster feelings of inadequacy and lead to the development of an exercise addiction. Everyone is putting their best face (and body) forward, so it’s easy to compare yourself to everyone else.
But the truth is no matter how much you exercise or how healthy you eat you can never look like anyone else, and that’s actually awesome! We’re all so different so don’t waste your time trying to look like someone else because you’re already an awesome you. Exercise when it feels good, take breaks when you need it, feed yourself a proper amount of nourishing food and don’t force your body to be something it’s not.