Compulsive exercise frequently occurs alongside an eating disorder, extreme dieting practices, or body image distress. Struggling with food and attempting to control your weight and shape can make your relationship with exercise complicated and intense.
How do I know if I am exercising compulsively?
If you are questioning whether your relationship with exercise is getting out of control, I’m glad you are here. Check out these warning signs and see if anything fits for you:
You feel as though you have to workout with a sense of urgency
You feel anxious or agitated if you can’t exercise
Your workouts cause problems in your life: your relationships may be suffering, you may have injuries that don’t seems to go away (or keep coming back), irregular or missing menstrual cycles, or chronic fatigue.
Your workouts help you to “get rid” of unwanted calories, and seem to give you permission to eat
For more in-depth information, read about the warning signs of compulsive exercise. Struggling with excessive exercise patterns can bring immense stress and conflict to your life, your relationships, and to your physical body. Even though you understand that something needs to change, it can be overwhelmingly hard to know where to begin. I understand how terrifying it can be to feel out of control, but at the same time it can feel equally scary (if not more) to change.
The process of recovery is complex, as you may well know, and oftentimes requires the guidance of a skilled, experienced therapist specializing in compulsive exercise and eating disorders. You deserve to get help and be heard, no matter what stage of recovery you are in. To learn more about compulsive exercise treatment, click here.
Gym Culture
Because fitness culture often perpetuates harmful myths about health and wellness, it may be wise to take a close look at the environment in which you exercise. In my experience as a personal trainer working in the gym setting, recovery from eating disorders, body image distress, and harmful exercise behaviors requires more than a shift in mental perspective- you may need to find more supportive, non-triggering environments and professionals during this delicate time.
Protecting yourself from the insidious messages rampant in gyms is important. Some examples of these damaging and blatantly wrong messages are, “No pain, no gain,” that exercising more is the answer, or that you must suffer in order to make “progress,” and that the aesthetics of your body shape is the most important thing about you. Furthermore, fitness professionals often make restrictive, shaming dietary recommendations that are firmly contraindicated for anyone struggling with disordered eating, body image, and/or compulsive exercise, and they do this without proper education in the field of dietetics.
Mirrors everywhere, comments from trainers about body shape, sidelong glances from other gym-goers, gym promotions that encourage weight loss at all costs, marketing photos with ultra-thin, muscular models, supplement sales that supposedly “burn fat,” seemingly endless rows of cardio machines beckoning to you with the promise of perfection and happiness- all of these things have become normalized in this setting, and therefore may not seem like a big deal. But it is a big deal, and it affects all of us profoundly in devastating, albeit often subconscious, ways. Gym culture can easily impair your recovery from compulsive exercise, and I encourage you to consider what it would be like to workout in a healthier environment.
6 Tips to Help Heal Overexercise
1. The Big Question: “What would I do if I knew that exercise could not change my weight and/or shape?”
The unwelcome reality of exercise is that it actually doesn’t have the power to change your body shape, unless you take extreme measures over a period of time. Bodies come in all shapes and sizes, and working out can’t change your genetics- but it can lead you down a path of negative consequences if taken too far. Please keep in mind that this information is coming from a person, me, who absolutely loves exercise and believes in the extraordinary mental and physical health benefits of engaging in moderate, fun, and empowering workouts when desired. I don’t want to take your workouts away from you- but I do want to help you engage with exercise in ways that empower you, and connect you to your visceral self, joyfully.
2. Check in with your body before, during, and after exercise.
If you are fully connected to your body, you can begin to practice hearing it’s messages to you about what is truly good for you. This might look like asking yourself how tired, stressed, sore, or energized you are- rather than blindly following your rules about working out regardless of how you feel. Making this kind of connection with your physical body can bring yet another layer of complexity, particularly if you have experienced trauma. Please reach out for guidance from a specialized professional if connecting with yourself in this way feels daunting for any reason. What is your body really craving?
3. Check in with your thoughts.
What are you telling yourself about your body shape? How do you speak to yourself about exercise and dieting? I bet you can be pretty mean to yourself. Your inner dialogue can illuminate a destructive inner world that will only reinforce harmful behaviors. Negative self-talk may feel “productive” to you, however it tends to create psychological pain and self-hate that can spiral into relapse of eating disorder behaviors. I encourage you to lean into the part of yourself that is caring, compassionate, and gentle. If you cannot hear this aspect of your humanity yet, reach out for help form a specialized professional. You can also imagine what you would tell a dear, loved one- and practice speaking to yourself in this kinder, more accepting way.
4. Have fun.
Enough said. If you are having fun during exercise, it means you are connecting with yourself in a meaningful way. Life is infinitely richer when we have fun, and welcome joy into our lives. Do more of this!
5. Get curious about physiological feedback.
How do you feel the day after exercise? Are you run-down? So sore that it hurts do do regular life stuff? Are you nursing nagging aches and pains? Do you have chronic injuries that never seem to completely heal, or keep coming back? Mentally foggy? Is your sleep influenced in any way? These are all signs of overtraining. Simply put, your body is telling you that it is not properly recovering between workouts, which can be damaging to all systems in your body.
6. Give yourself permission to rest.
Rest is imperative to your survival, to your health and wellbeing, and to the quality of your life. Recovery is by far the most important aspect of exercise, in that if you do not allow sufficient time for it, the benefits disappear, and damage to all aspects of yourself are set in motion. Inability to rest is a hallmark symptom of compulsive exercise, and I encourage you to aspire to better care for yourself by making efforts to relax, take time off and away, and furthermore by adequately nourishing your body and brain with foods you love. Again, please reach out for support from a specialized professional of this is a challenge for you. Your rigidity, pursuit of perfection, and all-or-nothing thinking sustains and extends your anxiety and compulsion to exercise and restrict food.
Please hear me what I say this: struggling with compulsive exercise and/or an eating disorder is not your fault, and at the same time, your healing is your responsibility. You can do this. I’m on your team, and always and forever cheering you on.
Remember that you are more than your body, and the quality of your life is the biggest driver for your happiness. You matter so much in this world, and taking time to heal will benefit you for the rest of your life.
Get Specialized Support
The ACED team is an inclusive group of specialized therapists and dietitians who can help you to heal so you can get back to living your life.
We’re here to help. Schedule your complimentary 15-20 minute phone consultation to find out if the ACED team could be a good fit for you. If you’re ready, we’ll match you with your dream team.
Legal disclaimer: The ACED team is comprised of mental health professionals licensed to practice in the state of Texas. Reading our blog does not create a therapist-client relationship between us. Our blog is designed for informational purposes only, and is not intended as a substitute for professional care. The contents of this blog should not be used to diagnose or treat illness of any kind, and before you rely on any information presented here you should consult with a trusted healthcare professional. If you are currently experiencing a mental health emergency please call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.