Exercise Bulimia: Too Much of a Good Thing

 

Posted by Healthy Bitch Daily on Jan 7, 2013

It's inevitable: The new year is infamous for resolutions about getting off your ass. 

Some are simple goals, like losing a pound or two, but others come in the form of an all-or-nothing approach. When the clock strikes midnight on NYE, females across the globe will vow to change their bodies with resolutions ranging from hitting the gym on a daily basis to cutting out carbs and any foods that start with the letter "C."

And while we're all about goals that are intended to turn us into snatched hotties, it's important to know there is such a thing as too much of a good thing (except in the case of chocolate—it's just something we refuse to believe).

Does Too Much Cardio Make You Cra-Cra?

According to a recent study published in the journal of Preventative Medicine, the optimal weekly dosage of exercise is 2.5 hours to 7.5 hours. Beyond that, the docs found people had increased symptoms of depression, anxiety and poor mental health. These are symptoms typically associated with an unhealthy lifestyle, right? But the researchers were surprised to find that the people who did too much exercise actually had worse symptoms than those who were lazy.

It falls in line with a scary growing trend: exercise bulimia. In a nutshell, exercise bulimia is a condition that's characterized by excessive exercise, and it's often accompanied by bouts of binge eating--and sometimes purging. It's a true-blue eating disorder, and it's the perfect cover. After all, who's going to suspect a thing if you're working out a lot? It just means you have kickass discipline, right?

Wrong.

Signs You May Have a Prob

As someone who has taken a trip down get-your-exercise-freak-on lane before, I think this study is super important for the health-conscious to keep in mind. Yes, it's important to stay healthy. Yes, we make jokes all the time about "your fat ass" or "fitting into those skinny jeans." But this is serious shit.  If you find yourself thinking or doing any of the following, then you might have a bigger problem on your hands:

- You regularly skip social outings to hit the gym.
- You think "rest" days are unnecessary, and if you do skip a workout, then you
spend the day calling yourself a fatty.
- You continue to workout despite the fact that you are in pain or injured.
- You regularly skimp on sleep, food, sex and showers in lieu of a sweat session.
- Your workouts continually feel like a chore or like something you "have to do,"
rather than something you enjoy.
- You regularly workout like you're training for an athletic competition, pulling two-
a-days and engaging in marathon-long exercise sessions.

Sound like you? If so, then it might be time to get real about your exercise schedule, sister. Obsessive behaviors like this can not only lead to depression and injuries, but they can also result in other, more serious disorders, like exercise bulimia or anorexia.

Now, this whole spiel is not an excuse to trade your gym shoes for a nap, sweetheart. We're still going to encourage you to tone your booty with squats and bust a move on the elliptical. But be aware. If you consistently greet your boy toy smelling like a sweaty locker room and you have a hard time squatting to pee, then you might be doing too much.

"When anything becomes a bit more of an obsession and takes up an inordinate amount of time, it can have a negative impact on your mental health," said Dr. Donald Malone, head of behavioral health at the Cleveland Clinic. "Whether that's work or it's exercise, we've always said 'everything in moderation.'"

Our sentiments exactly, Doc.

Thoughts on exercise bulimia or the concept of overdoing it in general? Share in the comments below.

Caroline Shannon-Karasik, Resident Gluten-Free Expert
Caroline Shannon-Karasik is the founder of The G-Spot Revolution , a gluten-free, healthy living blog built upon the premise that there is not a one-size-fits-all prescription for total wellness. Whether you call it your personal health "spot", or ooo-la-la recipe, that serendipitous life balance is yours to define –– and The G-Spot was created to help you do just that. Standing behind her mission to share health information through her writing, Caroline is a freelance writer for several publications, including REDBOOK and Breathe magazines. Follow her on Twitter @TheGSpotRev or read more atwww.carolineshannon.com.