How to tell if you are addicted to exercise

Charlotte Miller body image, exercise, feelings and emotions

Even something as healthy as exercise can become an issue – here’s how to work out if that’s the case

Doing anything excessively can be harmful. Even exercise. It can be really difficult to notice the signs, because we live in a culture that glorifies being slim – so when we work out and lose weight, people praise us. They rarely ask if we are exercising too much. And yes, addiction to exercise is a thing.

Body pressures

Every day there seems to be a new fitness vlogger telling us how to achieve the ‘perfect’ bod – which doesn’t actually exist because your body is already perfect. Often, these narratives are based around pushing your body to its absolute limits. This can make us think: ‘if we just ran an extra mile, or just lifted heavier weights’, we might be happier or healthier. Inspirational quotes are plastered over Instagram, telling us things like ‘no pain, no gain’ or ‘pain is weakness leaving the body’.

Right, let’s be clear here. If your body is in pain and you cannot exercise, that’s a sign you should stop and rest. There’s nothing wrong with that. Constantly putting your body through extreme exercise and pain can actually be pretty bad for you. I know this seems really hard to believe, but if you don’t let your body recover between workout sessions, it can lead to physical injuries and even illness.

Overdoing it can also negatively impact your mental health. Again, this might be hard to believe. But if you exercise too much, it may interfere with your daily life. Perhaps you cancel social plans to work out, or feel anxious and stressed if you are unable to fit in a gym session.

Signs of exercise addiction

If you’re concerned you might be addicted to working out, here are some signs to look out for:

🙅 Are you constantly canceling social plans to exercise?

😖 Do you feel anxious or stressed if you’re unable to exercise?

🏃 Are you exercising even if you are injured or unwell?

🏋️ Do you exercise every day or multiple times a day?

💬 Have other people commented on the amount you exercise?

✍️ Has your work or school performance suffered due to your exercise routine?

Did you answer ‘yes’ to any of these signs? This can suggest you might be addicted to exercise. If you think you might be struggling with this, talk to someone you trust about it so you can get support. You could also try limiting working out to a few times a week, and let your body recover between sessions.

To sum up: yes, we should be exercising. It has multiple social, physical, and mental benefits. But we don’t want to overdo it. Remember, everything in life is about balance.