Addiction?

When does exercise cross the line and become problematic?  Exercise addiction involves losing perspective of the role of exercise as part of a full life. But here's the quandary, it can be difficult to differentiate between a healthy athlete and an exercise addict that both may be working out at the same training level.  While the behaviors on the surface may be the same, the underlying thoughts and feelings are different.  While exercise is generally a positive experience that we encourage people to engage in as part of a healthy lifestyle, too much of a good thing can be unhealthy and damaging.

Where is that line?  In any given field, how often do we idolize those excel?  Those who are dedicated, disciplined, and hardworking?  We recognize, and possibly envy, their commitment.  Fitness definitely requires a commitment, but an addiction prioritizes exercise above other life commitments.  There's a definite imbalance where the emphasis on exercise overshadows all else.  Family and friends take the backseat to working out, as do activities that aren't exercise-related.  They're viewed as having less value or importance as compared to exercise.

Sometimes efforts to stay fit involve pushing through discomforts, but it's important to know when to back off.  Someone who's addicted to exercise will keep going, despite being injured, ill, or exhausted.  I'll admit that my mood is definitely influenced by my exercise routine.  But an addict will actually experience symptoms of withdrawal when kept from working out - anxiety, irritability, and depression are common.  I wonder if exercise addicts are pursuing that initial "high" that they experienced with fitness.  Similarly, a lot of addicts start using because it makes them feel good.  After a while, the effect isn't as powerful and they continue using more to stop feeling bad.

According to psychologist Sharon Stoliaroff, Ph.D., "Intense, high-achieving perfectionist individuals are particularly vulnerable to this addiction."  Yup, I know I'm definitely at risk here!  There's a definite sense of gratification associated with exercising, particularly when there are noticeable gains that reinforce efforts.  There's questions as to the role of low self-esteem, which I think is a strong possibility, though I would question if that negative self-concept may be specific to fitness-related aspects rather than a blanket statement.

Things to emphasis as a means for combating the risk of exercise addiction:

• Look for quality workouts over the quantity of the workouts
• Focus on concrete goals and objective measures to help assess the benefits of the workouts
• Recruit others (like a professional trainer) to help regulate and give feedback regarding efforts.
• Schedule non-exercise related activities, especially to fill extra free time.  Have things on-hand for unexpected downtime so there's something to turn to other than exercise.  

I'm definitely one who easily slips into the all-or-nothing mindset.  A consequence of this is a strong tendency to lose balance and perspective in my life, unless I make an effort to maintain that balance.   Flexibility and adaptability are key to a healthy fitness program.  An exercise addict has difficulty adjusting the regimen to accommodate the larger-scale demands.  Some days it's more of a push to get myself to exercise while other days I can't wait to get my cardio in.  Either way, in the grand scheme of things I do derive pleasure from exercising.  If I didn't, I don't think I could maintain the intensity.  Dr. George Sheehan (a running writer) said, "The things we do with our bodies should be done merely because they are fun -- not because they serve some serious purpose. If we are not doing something that is enjoyable on its own account we should look for something that is."

Why did I start thinking about exercise as an addiction?  I was talking with someone at work who referred to my exercising and eating as being a bit extreme.  (Keep in mind that one of the screening questions asked during an intake is whether or not an individual exercises for more than an hour a day - looking for behaviors related to eating disorders.)  So I started poking around online and found this article:  Know the signs of unhealthy exercise addiction | Active.com.  I don't believe I'm an exercise addict, though I can certainly be intense about my exercise.  Reading this article and mulling it over has just served to reinforce the value of balance in my life and the importance of making efforts to achieve this balance.

Food Log

• Meal 1  
• 2 egg whites with onion
• 40g oatmeal
  
• Meal 2 
• 3oz chicken
• Salad
• 2 tablespoons light salad dressing
• Meal 3
• Apple
• 1oz almonds
• Light cheese
• Meal 4
• 3oz chicken
• Salad
• 2 tablespoons light salad dressing
• 40g oatmeal
• Generous tablespoon of peanut butter

Exercise:

• Time:  60 minutes on elliptical
• Level:  1 - continuing to keep it low as I rebuild my conditioning
• Distance:  4 miles 
• Calories:  450 (?)  I did get my battery replaced in my HRM, so I'll be back to more reliable tracking tomorrow. 

Today's Weigh-In:  149.5 / 148.6