Health Tip: Understanding Compulsive Exercise Disorder

Regular exercise is a mainstay of healthy lifestyle.

But a compulsive need to exercise actually may be harmful.

When bad weather, illness or injury don’t afford a day of rest, you may have a compulsive exercise disorder.

Compulsive exercise can lead to worsening injury, loss of too much weight, social isolation, anxiety and depression, experts say.

The Nemours Foundation mentions these potential signs of a compulsive exercise disorder:

Refusal to skip a workout, even if tired, sick or hurt.
Feeling anxious or guilty when missing even one workout.
Preoccupation with weight and exercise.
Tendency to exercise more after eating a lot or missing a workout.
Tendency to eat much less if there’s an inability to exercise.
Avoiding seeing friends, meeting responsibilities or engaging in fun activities to make more time for exercise.
Basing self-worth on the number of recent workouts.

Source: HealthDay