When Exercise is Compulsive: 12 Ways To Find a Healthier Relationship with Movement

Compulsive exercise is not joyful.

It has become a weary, punishing ‘should’ to endure despite injury and bone-weary exhaustion.

You cannot stop. Your sanity depends on completing the next workout and achieving your step count.

It’s rigid and time robbing of precious life moments.

You rely on exercise to earn your meals and to give you permission to eat.

It is a distraction from difficult emotions.

It’s intricately linked to weight control and body image.

It’s more than psychological.

When you are restricting your food intake, the brain chemical, leptin is significantly reduced. This drives the urge to be active and move.

It’s a survival mechanism in human beings which would have kept us alive in scarce times gone by.

Activity can be happening in different forms.

You may be openly and deliberately engaging in activities such as gym sessions or swimming.

Or you may have become secretive in increasing your exercise through additional pacing around the house, when no-one is there.

Or standing for long periods rather than comfortably sitting down.

Or you may have joined more than one gym so you can do extra sessions without prompting concern from staff.

You may feel confused about the healthiness of your exercise.

In a world that praises constant movement and screams forcefully about the fear of eating too much, you may well be validated for your extreme regime, viewed as ‘the fit person’, as others do not understand your internal torture and compulsion.

In this episode, I explore signs that your relationship with movement may be unhealthy with practical steps for change. I hope that you find it helpful.

 

Harriet's Substack: https://substack.com/@theeatingdisordertherapist

 

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