Compulsive Exercise

There are many forms of exercise, and exercising is a good thing, but too much exercise can be bad for you. People who exercise too much are often said to have a problem called compulsive exercise.

What is compulsive exercise?
Compulsive exercise is also called obligatory exercise and anorexia athletica. It is best defined by an exercise addict's mindframe: Basically it is when they no longer chooses to exercise but feels compelled to do so and struggles with guilt andhttps://www.kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/feelings/anxiety.html anxiety if they don't work out.

Injury, illness, an outing with friends, bad weather, it doesn't matter what the scenario, the person who suffers from compulsive exercise will not be deterred from exercising. A compulsive exerciser plans their life around exercising.

When is exercise too much?
It is really hard to define when you are getting a healthy amount of exercise vs. too much. Who really can say? However, the government's 2005 dietary guidelines, published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), recommend at least 60 minutes of physical activity for kids and teens on most - if not all - days of the week. Exceeding that much may be an indication of too much exercise.

Because different amounts of exercise are appropriate for different people and range of activity levels varies so significantly, it can be difficult to determine when a behavior would be compulsive. However, several workouts a day, every day, is overdoing it for almost anyone.

Compulsive exercise is much like an eating disorder, many who are compulsive exercisers do so to feel more in control of their lives, and the majority of them are female. This does not mean you can't be male, it is just not as likely. And many of the women who compulsively exercise define their self-worth through their athletic performance and try to deal with emotions like anger orhttps://www.kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/feelings/understanding_depression.html even more commonly, depression, by pushing their bodies to the limit.

Many times those who compulsively exercise also struggle with an eating disorder. Although compulsive exercising doesn't have to accompany an eating disorder, the two often go hand in hand. For example, in anorexia nervosa, the excessive workouts usually begin as a means to control weight, and then lead to more as they become more extreme. Also, many times it is not intentional, but an eating disorder will result from compulsive exercise as the person's rate of activity increases, the amount he or she eats may also decrease.

Many times high school athletes or college athletes start on a road of compulsive exercise as they seek to excel. Pressure, both external (from coaches, peers, or parents) and internal, can drive the athlete to go too far to be the best. They may end up starting to think that if they just get in one more workout that will be the difference from being the best and not. But that just results in more and more workouts.

Compulsive exercise would not be as bad if it was just that. The problem is it tends to be accompanied by other problems. For example, eventually, compulsive exercising can breed other compulsive behavior, from strict dieting to obsessive thoughts about perceived flaws. Thus, the compulsive exerciser ends up with lower self esteem, and more of the problems they were trying to overcome through exercise. Many times the behaviors of a compulsive exerciser compound and lead to other downward thinking and self destructing attitudes and behaviors.