Obsessional exercise

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shellux
shellux Posts: 164 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Right folks. Last year I worked out a lot but unfortunately became obsessed with it which in turn made me ill so I had to stop. I never felt that what I was doing was enough and what started out as half hour, 3 times a week turned into some weeks an hour 7 days a week at stupid o clock in the morning.

I have been on the 5:2 diet for about 9 weeks now and am loving it. I have lost a stone and am happy with myself but feel that I might be ready to incorporate some exercise but I am scared of it taking over my life again.

Does anyone get like this with exercise and do you have any tips how to avoid it taking over my life again.

Thanks
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Replies

  • cleback
    cleback Posts: 261 Member
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    I work out for nearly an hour most days of the week and love it. But anyway, listen to your body. Schedule rest days. Best of luck.
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
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    Rest days are exercise; your body needs the chance to repair tissues and heal. If you choose to start exercising again, you must take rest days! Perhaps thinking in those terms will help you be more moderate in your exercise.
  • BflSaberfan
    BflSaberfan Posts: 1,272
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    I dont think an hour a day 7 days a week is obsessive at all.
  • Cyclink
    Cyclink Posts: 517 Member
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    That describes most of my friends. Most people who obsess over exercise that way end up getting into some form of competition, where it's rewarded (though also guided to be useful at being better at that sport, not just exercising without purpose).
  • jess6741
    jess6741 Posts: 107 Member
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    I workout 60-90 minutes a day 6 days a week. I don't think it's obsessive. Just make sure you take occasional rest days and listen to your body.
  • LadyTigressDiane
    LadyTigressDiane Posts: 15 Member
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    I understand ..... there are lots of training schedules on-line and all include rest days. I know it's tough when you want to go work out. Make your rest days ... the days you spoil yourself ... long bath... or anything that will spoil yourself ... live music .... whatever other things make you happy ...

    I never seem to slow down ... so I make a point on my rest day ... to have a really good meal ... long, hot bubble bath ... crawl into bed with a good book. Or go see a movie at the theatre or be a lizard on the couch.

    having my training schedule posted on my fridge that I cross off my exercise and rest days ... really helps me.
  • nothingwithoutHim
    nothingwithoutHim Posts: 140 Member
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    "Obsessed" is all in the eyes of the beholder...but if you think, for YOU, that an hour a day seven days a week is getting too obsessive, then it probably is. And it will only get worse if you DO give in to that obsession. I've tried it, K? It doesn't feel awesome...know what I mean?

    I recommend you read this article. I've found it extremely helpful, and it has a link to a "quiz" to help you determine whether or not you ARE compulsive about exercise.

    Best of luck to you!
  • tricksee
    tricksee Posts: 835 Member
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    What you call obsession, others would call determination.

    Go for it if you're happy!
  • nklunk
    nklunk Posts: 149 Member
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    What you call obsession, others would call determination.

    Go for it if you're happy!

    ^^^Love this!!
  • JGainingHealth
    JGainingHealth Posts: 194 Member
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    "Obsessed" is all in the eyes of the beholder...but if you think, for YOU, that an hour a day seven days a week is getting too obsessive, then it probably is. And it will only get worse if you DO give in to that obsession. I've tried it, K? It doesn't feel awesome...know what I mean?

    I recommend you read this article. I've found it extremely helpful, and it has a link to a "quiz" to help you determine whether or not you ARE compulsive about exercise.

    Best of luck to you!

    I was JUST going to say this. This isn't about the amount/days that you work out, it's your attitude towards working out. I've been there, and I know how it is. I had to take a long break from exercising because it got to the point where I couldn't skip a day without feeling lazy and gross and I felt chained. These days I do some type of physical activity every day (especially since I work a desk job), but at least 2 of the days I make sure that it's a low-impact exercise, like yoga or walking, so I can let my body get proper rest. I feel like it's a schedule I can maintain now.

    Good luck - you can do it :)
  • mruntidy
    mruntidy Posts: 1,015 Member
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    "Obsessed" is all in the eyes of the beholder...but if you think, for YOU, that an hour a day seven days a week is getting too obsessive, then it probably is. And it will only get worse if you DO give in to that obsession. I've tried it, K? It doesn't feel awesome...know what I mean?

    I recommend you read this article. I've found it extremely helpful, and it has a link to a "quiz" to help you determine whether or not you ARE compulsive about exercise.

    Best of luck to you!

    I think I agree with this as well, from personal experience it is down to what you feel and the people around you feel may (and I express MAY) be an obsessive regime. Purely because people close to me who aren't the type trying to sabotage things for me (typically the office colleagues who say 'you work out to much eat this cake, I mean close friends who know what I am trying to achieve) started to see less of me because I was spending time at the gym. Wouldn't miss a workout to socialise, wouldn't drop a lunch workout to see friends etc. That's when I realised it became obsessive for me purely because I was getting anxious about missing a workout - when in reality, what I thought the worst thing that could happen was putting 100lbs on overnight actually turned out to be losing friends because of the gym.

    So now recognising that I have worked on the balance, ok so I might not get my 8 workouts a week in some weeks, but that doesn't put me into a cold sweat anymore and as a result my personal life is better for it.
  • MadisonLeo
    MadisonLeo Posts: 89
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    We are in the same boat then. It is hard for me to take rest days even though I workout so much I get sick. It is usually from sweating so much and not replacing any electrolytes and from muscle fatigue. I can easily work out for 2 hours and not blink and eye. I do an hour or more of cardio (I track mileage) and then I go into strength training or kickboxing.

    All I can say is take a rest day. Your body needs it. Otherwise, work out as long as you want, but replenish electrolytes after 45 minutes of your workout.
  • RedneckMomma77
    RedneckMomma77 Posts: 85 Member
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    I don't think an hour a day seven days a week is obsessive at all, especially when you consider the thirty minutes a day minimum is recommended. I could see you viewing it as obsessive if it totally dominated your life, where you had to work out for multiple hours a day, think four or five hours; but I think an hours is a perfectly acceptable amount. Yes, you need rest days for your body to recover, maybe make it a weekend day to relax and chill with your family, but chose something healthy to do with them. You still get some exercise, but not your normal intensity or amount, so your body can recover.

    But that is just my personal opinion. Good luck, and God bless you.
  • johnnyzerocool
    johnnyzerocool Posts: 5
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    I dont think an hour a day 7 days a week is obsessive at all.

    I workout 60-90 minutes a day 6 days a week. I don't think it's obsessive. Just make sure you take occasional rest days and listen to your body.

    AGREED!
  • JessHealthKick
    JessHealthKick Posts: 800 Member
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    We are in the same boat then. It is hard for me to take rest days even though I workout so much I get sick. It is usually from sweating so much and not replacing any electrolytes and from muscle fatigue. I can easily work out for 2 hours and not blink and eye. I do an hour or more of cardio (I track mileage) and then I go into strength training or kickboxing.

    All I can say is take a rest day. Your body needs it. Otherwise, work out as long as you want, but replenish electrolytes after 45 minutes of your workout.

    I have found that because I sweat a lot drinking lots of fluids is absolutely vital DURING the workout. Made the mistake and didn't the other day, only to be left dizzy and needing a nap after, as well as feeling like crap the rest of the evening.

    That is a little off topic, but yeah. Do what you feel is right for your body and be sure to have that rest day!
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    If you feel like you HAVE to work out for an hour seven days a week, then it's obsessive. If you enjoy working out that much, you can consider it a hobby. It's a mindset, really. Don't feel bad about yourself for not going. Give your body a rest day, but if you like working out and aren't having any ill side effects, there's not much wrong with working out for an hour six days a week.
  • Whipppets
    Whipppets Posts: 267
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    I usually work out 10 days in a row and then a day off.. I like going to my gym and seeing all my friends so it does
    not seem like exercise.
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
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    I dont think 1 hour a day is obessive most video programs are 1 hour a day 6 days a week. Or close to it. I wish I could devote about 2 hours a day but I have other obligations. I guess if your family/school/job is suffering as a result of your work out schedule then you might want to take a look at the duration and or frequency. Myself I wish I could get up at supid o clock and go for a run in the early AM. But maybe im obsessive also. LOL.
  • LindsayLL30
    LindsayLL30 Posts: 154 Member
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    Right folks. Last year I worked out a lot but unfortunately became obsessed with it which in turn made me ill so I had to stop. I never felt that what I was doing was enough and what started out as half hour, 3 times a week turned into some weeks an hour 7 days a week at stupid o clock in the morning.

    I have been on the 5:2 diet for about 9 weeks now and am loving it. I have lost a stone and am happy with myself but feel that I might be ready to incorporate some exercise but I am scared of it taking over my life again.

    Does anyone get like this with exercise and do you have any tips how to avoid it taking over my life again.

    Thanks

    Um no I wish I did...do you eat enough to sustain this amount of exercise?
  • tenintwenty
    tenintwenty Posts: 92
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    I've worked at at least an hour a day seven days a week for years at a time since I was in jr. high. I don't see this as excessive, and I'm suprised it would make anyone sick. I regularly do double classes boxing, which is three hours of intense training. Or hike and trial run for 6 hours in a day. Or run and box, climb and run, in the same day. I have noticed myself get weaker and run down at times, but not enough to effect other areas of my life, my performance during workouts will just suffer a bit.

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