Exercise Addiction | Fitness Passion | Healthy Exercise | Compulsive ...

Good morning!

Whew! Vacation is fun (!!!), but playing catch-up is hard work. Especially on little sleep. But I am not complaining! I am grateful for all I have, that is for sure.

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For my newer readers, I was once addicted to exercise. I was also anorexic. And then as I ?tried? to recover by myself, I was even more addicted to exercise as I went though binge eating, emotional eating, and other disordered eating episodes in order to counteract those experiences. {That is the very short version.}

Exercise Addiction?

Years of time were wasted forcing myself to pedal away until the machine said a certain amount of calories. Or until I felt like I burnt off everything I should not have eaten.

Or until I met my quota.

I had an exercise addiction and I denied it. To everyone.

I exercised because I felt I HAD to. I did it to make up?for the eating, overeating, and crazy eating I was doing. It is a complex thing to explain, though, because I love to dance and to move (which are forms of exercise). Ultimately I convinced myself that it was all okay-I was supposedly doing something good.

Here are some things I exhibited when I had said exercise addiction.

Exercise Addiction Warning Signs (as told by me)

• I planned my days, events, and study time around gym time.
• I watched the machine?s mileage, steps, and calorie counts like a hawk.
• I kept amazing track of which days I did not stay the allotted time at the gym (if I ?missed? my normal gym time).
• I did the same things over and over and over at the gym<?because that is what I knew burned a certain amount of calories.
• I was scared to try anything new in the realm of exercise.
• I skipped out on lots of fun things because it collided with my gym time.
• I exercised more to ?punish? myself after bad days of eating or not eating.
• I got nervous, anxious, and angry when someone or something made me miss or skip or go late to my gym time.
• My time at the gym was something I did, not something I enjoyed. I didn?t necessarily look forward to it.
• I thought rest days were horrible and they gave me anxiety.

{There are others?such as injuries and other physiological breakdowns, but that covers the main exhibitions of an exercise addiction. If you suffer from these, please seek guidance, help, or coaching (email me, or if it?s really serious talk to your doctor).}

You might think:

Umm, well Miss Annette fitness-guru healthy person with lots of titles (haha, I just laughed out loud), What about now? You spend LOTS of time at the gym every week. Explain how now is different?

Here is the key, I go to the gym now because I LOVE what I can do there. I love pushing my limits. I love exercising my body and mind. I do not feel a slave to it at all. I go there because I CAN and because I WANT to be there.

{source}

Because I seriously love the feeling of accomplishment when I train hard, dance with my whole body ?heart and soul, and run faster than ever. I am dedicated and passionate about fitness now!

(I now hardly glance at the calorie counters and machine displays anymore. Besides, most of them are quite inaccurate anyways!)

This is very different from before when I felt like I HAD to be there. And had to hop on certain machines (because they spit out the best calorie counts for me). And could only do certain moves because it would result in the best mileage and calorie counts. Oh, and I never set foot in the group exercise room for that reason (thanks to my younger sister, I finally did and it changed my life<?more on that later).

Then: I felt like a slave to the gym and ?gym time.?

Now: I feel free, ALIVE, and completely happy when I?m at the gym.

Oh, and you can?t beat the fact that it?s my job to help others achieve success in their fitness journeys

{source}

So you can only imagine that, when reading a few weeks ago about an interview Jillian Michaels gave on what an exercise addiction means, I almost called up Jillian right away! Here is what she said:

Uhhh. I beg to differ, Jillian.

I was on fire after reading that comment because it is SO totally wrong. You do not have an exercise addiction just because you spend 6+ hours per week in the gym! It is much, much deeper than that. Her comment basically ignored all those who truly do suffer from an exercise addiction when it was put so simply (and so falsely).

{I am not bashing her. I just do not agree one bit with her statement.}

How is it to NOT have an Exercise Addiction?

It is about where you?re motivation is at. It is about where your mind, heart, and soul are. It is about listening to YOUR body.

Some only want to train or workout for 4 or 5 hours per week. Others want to do 7 or 8 or 9 (for personal goals, races, or, like me, it?s their job!) Each person is different, but recognize those signs of an exercise addiction if you think you or a friend might be headed that way!

By the way, getting in a healthy exercise amount is less than you might think, as recommended from the U.S. government, but, going over that amount does not necessarily mean you have an exercise addiction.

Learn from my past and learn from my exercise addiction. Life is more than just about the gym!

However, when you do find SOME thing that you love to do that gets your body moving, your heart pumping (faster), and your soul soaring, you might have found that physical activity that will occupy a chunk of your time and help you feel ALIVE. Use it wisely? not all people have that gift of movement!

I am thankful for my passion for fitness and for helping motivate others. It is something that came the hard way, but boy am I grateful I could beat it and end up on the healthy side

Happy Thursday!

Thankful Thursday

1. I am grateful for a good friend who picked me up from the airport crazy late!
2. I am super thankful for my pillow. I miss it when I travel
3. I am thankful for birds chirping, beautiful flowers, and other signs of Spring!

I am off to teach some Zumba (because I want to and there?s that fringe benefit of $$$ too )

What are some other signs of an exercise addiction that YOU might have noticed or heard of?? What do YOU think: How does one know the difference between an exercise addiction and a passion and dedication for fitness?? What are YOU thankful for today??!

Source: http://www.enjoyyourhealthylife.com/2012/03/22/exercise-addiction/

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