Over-exercising?

[Ashley-Kate]

hello,
Well here it is i have a hard time understanding the compulsive exercising thing .. my psychologist and nutritionnist seem to think i do way to much exercises in a day but in my head i don't cause logicly if i eat i should be aloud to burn the energie we do that in a normal day while walking breathing and anything basicly so i don't understand if going training for a couple of hours a day for someone that eats about the right amount is rong or considered obsessive or compulsive.. and then again what is too much and what is not enough when someone that has to lose weight goes to see there physician they will tel l them to do more physical activity why can't it be the same for someone that is at a healthy weight...
and when is it considered obsessive...sure i think about it every day.. and everytime i go to arrange my scedual.. i have to make sure i have my trainning time .. and also what i eat if i eat a normal meal i have to train more if i eat less i will train a bit less but i dn't consider it obsessive am i crazy or right...???
tours trully
ashley

 

[David Baxter PhD]

What they are saying is that compulsive or excessive exercising is just another form of restricting or purging, Ashley. You are still struggling with the same body image and self-concept issues, the same "emotion stuffing" issues... all you are doing is substituting one coping mechanism for another.

 

[Eunoia]

I think the difference is that it's okay to exercise to be healthy or as you said, "counter" some of those cals, boost your energy etc but if you feel like you have to exercise to make up for things you've eaten and feel anxious if you don't- then it makes exercise take on a whole new role- like David said, it's essentially another form of purging emotions- or blocking them out. This is an interesting concept though, my therapist brought this up too and I never really considered anything besides actually purging or restricting to be associated w/ ways of "coping" or blocking emotions, but it seems like things like exercising and cleaning etc. can be substituted as a means to cope, and hence they become compulsive & just other forms of purging or restricting... what I don't get is exactly what you said: where is the line? what's "too much"? and doesn't everyone do this to a certain extent? but I guess that's the answer- to a certain extent...