Five Signs of Compulsive Exercisers

Do you a use compulsive exercise as a way of purging your body of binge eating? Do you plan your daily activities around your exercise program? Do you miss events if the time interferes with your workout schedule?

If this sounds familiar you may be a  compulsive exerciser. Some people who suffer from bulimia use compulsive-exercise as a way of purging or make up for binging on food. Compulsive exercise can be just as self-destructive as eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. Excessive physical exercise can cause both physical and emotional difficulties.

Compulsive exercisers need to feel control. This is similar to the control issues that occur when one struggles with an eating disorder. In addition, it can contribute to body dysmorphic. Some people cannot be satisfied with their bodies or their health, despite how many hours a day they exercise. Compulsive exercisers can also be self-destructive especially as one does not pay attention to the cues that, their body gives them. Moving beyond pain and reasonable signs the body is worn down. Compulsive exercise can be dangerous.

Five Signs of Compulsive Exercisers

 1 Exercise is your main Priority

Exercise becomes more of a priority than other activities in life such as special events, important appointments or even going to work. You will avoid going out with friends to get to the gym.Many compulsive  exercisers  become socially withdrawn because working out may be their primary activity.

2. Ignoring Body Symptoms

You find yourself ignoring if you are sick or injured. You may push you to work out regardless if your body is in pain and screaming at you to stop.  compulsive exercisers may experience injuries such as stress fractures, back injuries as well as many other problems. Dehydration and fatigue can be other difficulties that occur because of over exercising. When one exercises to the point of exhaustion, it can damage your immune system. Compulsive exercising can stress the adrenal glands and increase the stress hormone, cortisol level in the body. This can predispose one to have difficulty fighting off illness.

3. You Fear You Will Gain Weight if You Miss a Day of Exercise

You find yourself becoming seriously depressed, anxious or fearful that you have gained weight if you can’t get a workout in. You find yourself obsessing about the missed workout.

4. Workouts Continue for Several Hours

Your normal workout goes for hours each day and you find you are spending more and more time at the gym working yourself harder without paying attention to signs your body may be giving you that you have worked too hard.

5. Compulsive Exercise is Causing Severe  Physical and Emotional  Symptoms

You find the need to work out every day without any rest or recovery. Again the main aspect of this sign, as well as the others, is that you are not paying attention to your body.compulsive exercisers are particularly vulnerable to problems occurring related to a loss in too much body fat. Some of these problems include stopping menstruating, ovulating, and becoming susceptible to bone loss that could lead to osteoporosis. Muscular and skeletal injuries, such as bone fractures, shin splits, and arthritis can occur as well as damage to cartilage and ligaments. Compulsive exercise can contribute to the release of excessive free radicals, which have been associated with cellular mutations and cancer.

 Book Review

The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook: Practical DBT Exercises for Learning Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation, and Distress Tolerance

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