MY FIRST STEP
from a couch-potato life into the world of fitness was a boxing session that left me feeling euphoric. After an hour of endless punches, sit-ups, press-ups and burpees, I could barely remember my own name, but I felt invincible. The next few months were exciting as I chased that feeling, developed a new-found confidence in my body and formed a good relationship with exercise.
For some, though, finding the line between a healthy habit and an addiction can be tough; in fact an estimated 3.2% of regular exercisers are at risk of dependency*. We’re always told that exercise is great, right? How could it be a bad thing?
That’s precisely the problem with exercise addiction. Alcohol, tobacco, drugs – those are the bad addictions. You don’t hear about many people ending up in rehab for doing too many sit-ups. But getting hooked on exercise is a real problem, says psychotherapist Ales Zivkovic: ‘All addictions have the same goal – soothing a void – but some are more socially acceptable than others.’
Obsessive exercising usually masks other issues in a person’s life, such as family problems, work stress or difficult relationships. By forming a ‘healthy’ addiction, they can ignore the root cause and feel as though they’re making progress. They take back control by managing their time, focusing on a goal and pushing problems to the back of their mind.
Exercise is often cited as a way to alleviate issues, such as depression. But if it’s used to gloss over problems, it can spiral to the point where you’re defining yourself by your physical fitness. Signs of exercise addiction include working out despite being injured or sick, your regime negatively affecting your personal and professional life (avoiding social functions, for example), and being irritable if you miss a session.
A few years ago, I was heavily into running and loved the feeling of sticking to a rigid training plan. One winter’s morning, I went out for my run, but the pavement was icy, so I walked home. It bugged me all day that I hadn’t done that day’s miles. In the evening, I set out again and ran into a pitch-black park before realising how ridiculous I was being; this was verging on obsessive behaviour. I stopped in my tracks and gave myself a serious talking to as I walked home again. Unsurprisingly, the world did not crumble because I skipped a run.
If you think you might be addicted to exercise, don’t panic. Take time out from your regime to deal with whatever the underlying issue is. You could consider counselling, and work on recalibrating your life. When the time comes to get back into exercise, work with a trainer to determine a healthy schedule. A wonderfully sweaty workout session can be a glorious thing, but, as with so many things in life, balance is key.
‘YOU DON’T HEAR ABOUT MANY PEOPLE ENDING UP IN REHAB
FOR DOING TOO MANY SIT-UPS’