Exercise Addiction

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Ever ask yourself the reason why behind your consistent need to work out? For many years I ignored my own reasons and just chalked it up to me needing it for my own emotional balance. If I did not “work out”, I felt unready to face my day and handle life’s challenges. While exercise is certainly very good for mood regulation, if it is the only tool in your toolbox in order to handle life’s uncertainties, this can be an unhealthy way to resolve conflict.

While exercise certainly increases those feel good endorphins which drown out pain or other issues we may be dealing with, too much exercise can just be another stressor added to our lives. According to Sara Gustafson, author of Holistic Health and Performance for Women there are some key questions to ask yourself in order to determine if you have an addiction. The first question to ask yourself is “why am I exercising?” Is it to increase performance? Is it for my health? Is it to feel good?

If you determine you are using exercise as a mood coping mechanism here are the next set of questions according to Sara to ask yourself. Does exercise interfere with family or work? Does missing a training session effect my mood? Are you using training to regulate your mood? Does training compromise my goals/values? Is training effecting my health negatively? Does training negatively effect my finances or relationships? If you answered yes to any of these questions it can be a sign you could have an exercise addiction.