Am I addicted to exercise?

huntergreene71
huntergreene71 Posts: 21 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
When I started losing weight, I began by walking my dog for 3 to 4 miles a day, no big deal if I missed a day. Now, I'm much lighter, joined a gym, and spend about 2 hours a day - 6 days a week there. Yes, I don't have much of a social life.

I found yesterday that when I had to work a little late, I got downright grumpy, anxious and aggro. I felt that this was keeping me from going to work out at my usual time and this bothered me. When I finally made it there, I had to omit part of my workout to get out of there before the gym closed and this didn't feel so bad once I started cardio for a while.

This is concerning me a little as it seems like my body is used to a workout at a specific time and I end up feeling just like I did when I quit smoking if I can't go at exactly my usual time.

Replies

  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
    Eh, I think it's good to be flexible with life in general. You never know what's going to get thrown at you. What if you pop a tire on the way to the gym? That would make you late too but it's nobody's fault. What if you're really sick and you can't workout for a while? Just try to appreciate the days when you can stick to your schedule and be flexible on the days that you can't. I don't think your anxiety has to do with exercise addiction, I think it's more of a control thing. Take a deep breath and do whatcha can. :)
  • itodd4019
    itodd4019 Posts: 340 Member
    Use your new fitness! Get out and play. Do some events, join a team or soemthing. You got rocks now, go get them off!
  • PJPrimrose
    PJPrimrose Posts: 916 Member
    I don't know about an addiction but you are probably over training.

    " spend about 2 hours a day - 6 days a week there. Yes, I don't have much of a social life."

    I'm getting ready for a test and a tournament for Martial Arts. For 5 days a week I train hour and a 45 minutes with an hour being "hard" training and the 45 minutes being "soft"training. Hard training is lifting heavy (for me anyway) or kick boxing drills or sparing. Soft training is basically taking a walk or practicing my forms. Forms are Tai Chi like and aren't really much of a work out.


    The only thing over training will eventually do is injure you. Your body needs down time to recover. Also, I only read that you do cardio. You might want to cut back on the cardio-to-death routine and throw in some weight lifting. They have a ton of good lifting advice on this forum. I also advise working out 5 days a week for an hour then doing something, hell anything, else.
  • huntergreene71
    huntergreene71 Posts: 21 Member
    My routine consists of .5 to .75 hours strength training - only at weights high enough to cause discomfort on the last couple reps. Then .5 hours on the recumbent bike, then 1 hour on the treadmill at 3.3 mph with varying inclines throughout. I do skip a day of weights (legs/core, upper, skip, legs/core, upper, skip, etc), and skip Sunday all together. I had plateaued previous to joining the gym, then it kickstarted things immensely after. My plan is to cut back to just an hour of cardio and .5 hours strength 4 days a week once I hit maintenance.
  • Pipsg1rl
    Pipsg1rl Posts: 1,414 Member
    Sounds like you're addicted to scheduling.


    And when I read 2 hours at the gym I thought about how long it takes me at the gym...

    15 minutes to enter and change out, hit the ladies (since I already drank my PWO), and put in my headphones
    5 minutes to look at my list of exercises, put on my gloves, and position the bench
    -If it's T/TH those are run days, so it's not as involved
    1 minute waiting for the guy next to me to finish his set so I can grab my weights (which are now becoming in the low man ranges, so sometimes I even have to wait for weight!)
    45m weights
    5m treadmill cool down
    untimed amount of stretching

    untimed amount of changing to shower, showering, and changing back...

    yep. I could see 2 hours at the gym :)
  • sharyntg
    sharyntg Posts: 33
    I get really upset if I don't get my scheduled bike rides. I like my schedule and it makes me calm to keep it daily pretty much the same way, but I know it's not healthy, it's an addiction, just a more socially acceptable one than drinking or drugs.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    What a wonderful addiction to have.
  • jenniferpark01
    jenniferpark01 Posts: 34 Member
    If you chat with people at the gym, then that is a social life! =) I have several gym only friends. I only see then and speak to them at the gym =)

    Now that I have been going consistently, I feel off when I don't go. I missed the gym Thursday because of working over time. I felt so off after dinner I put on my running shoes and went for a 2 mile jog.

    I am trying hard to change my addictions of eating when bored and stressed, to exercise when bored and stressed. If I have to be addicted to something, might as well be lifting heavy things rather than food.

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