Kate, a University of Delaware junior, used to spend more than an hour at a time on an elliptical machine at her school's gym. During each workout she sought to burn no fewer than 1,000 calories.
Kate lost more than 100 pounds last year, weight she had struggled with since she was a child. Fear of returning to her unhealthy weight fueled her excessive workouts.
Brian is a sophomore at Texas A&M who runs track, but his coach, he says, pushed him too hard. "I was running upwards of 100 miles a week, even though I'd been hit by a car and was having hip problems," he says. "Even when it hurt, I believed that the more I did, the better I'd be." He monitored his diet so strictly that he was developing anorexia, but at the time he thought it made sense to slim down to improve his race times.
Brian says that on most nights he was too tired even to go out with friends. When he started having trouble climbing stairs, he knew he had to slow down. "It had gotten out of control; I wasn't listening to my body and I was getting hurt," he says.
Too Much of a Good Thing?
We all know the benefits of exercise, and it seems that everywhere we turn, we hear that we should exercise more. The right kind of exercise does many great things for your body and soul: It can strengthen your heart and muscles, lower your body fat, and reduce your risk of many diseases.
Many people who play sports have higher self-esteem than their less active pals, and exercise can even help keep the blues at bay because of the endorphin rush it can cause. Endorphins are chemicals that naturally relieve pain and lift mood. These chemicals are released in your body during and after a workout and they go a long way in helping to control stress.
So how can something with so many benefits have the potential to cause harm?
Lots of people start working out because it's fun or it makes them feel good, but exercise can become a compulsive habit when it is done for the wrong reasons.
Some people start exercising with weight loss as their main goal. Although exercise is part of a safe and healthy way to control weight, many people may have unrealistic expectations. We are bombarded with images from advertisers of the ideal body: young and thin for women; strong and muscular for men. To try to reach these unreasonable ideals, people may turn to diets, and for some, this may develop into eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. And some people who grow frustrated with the results from diets alone may overexercise to speed up weight loss.
Some athletes may also think that repeated exercise will help them to win an important game. They add extra workouts to those regularly scheduled with their teams without consulting their coaches or trainers. The pressure to succeed may also lead these people to exercise more than is healthy. The body needs activity but it also needs rest. Overexercising can lead to injuries like fractures and muscle strains.
Are You a Healthy Exerciser?
Fitness experts recommend 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. Most young people exercise much less than this recommended amount (which can be a problem for different reasons), but some — such as athletes — do more.
Experts say that repeatedly exercising beyond the requirements for good health is an indicator of compulsive behavior. Some people need more than the average amount of exercise, of course — such as athletes in training for a big event. But several workouts a day, every day, when a person is not in training is a sign that the person is probably overdoing it.
People who are exercise dependent also go to extremes to fit activity into their lives. If you put workouts ahead of friends, homework, and other responsibilities, you may be developing a dependence on exercise.
If you are concerned about your own exercise habits or a friend's, ask yourself the following questions. Do you:
- force yourself to exercise, even if you don't feel well?
- prefer to exercise rather than being with friends?
- become very upset if you miss a workout?
- base the amount you exercise on how much you eat?
- have trouble sitting still because you think you're not burning calories?
- worry that you'll gain weight if you skip exercising for a day?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, you or your friend may have a problem. What should you do?
How to Get Help
The first thing you should do if you suspect that you are a compulsive exerciser is get help. Talk to your doctor, student health center, a coach, or a parent. Compulsive exercise, especially when it is combined with an eating disorder, can cause serious and permanent health problems, and in extreme cases, death.
Because compulsive exercise is closely related to eating disorders, help can be found at community agencies specifically set up to deal with anorexia, bulimia, and other eating problems. Your student health center may also have support programs and nutrition advice available.
You should also schedule a checkup with a doctor. This is especially true if you also have an eating disorder. Female athlete triad, a condition that affects girls who overexercise and restrict their eating because of their sports, can cause a girl to stop having her period. Medical help is necessary to resolve the physical problems associated with overexercising before they cause long-term damage to the body.
Make a Positive Change
Changes in activity of any kind — eating or sleeping, for example — can often be a sign that something else is wrong in your life. People who exercise compulsively may have a distorted body image and low self-esteem. They may see themselves as overweight or out of shape even when they are actually a healthy weight.
Compulsive exercisers need to get professional help for the reasons described above. But there are also some things that you can do to help you take charge again:
- Work on changing your daily self-talk. When you look in the mirror, make sure you find at least one good thing to say about yourself. Be more aware of your positive attributes.
- When you exercise, focus on the positive, mood-boosting qualities.
- Give yourself a break. Listen to your body and give yourself a day of rest after a hard workout.
- Control your weight by exercising and eating moderate portions of healthy foods. Don't try to change your body into an unrealistically lean shape. Talk with your doctor, dietitian, coach, or athletic trainer about what a healthy body weight is for you and how to develop healthy eating and exercise habits.
Exercise and sports are supposed to be fun and keep you healthy. Working out in moderation will do both.
Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: October 2007
