Are You Over-Exercising?

When we think of exercising, it can be hard to separate it from diet-culture and thinness. For decades, exercise has been associated with achieving a desired outcome aesthetically. In recent years, there has been more of a push to reframe how we exercise and see it as a part of what makes us ‘healthy.’ However, this has led some individuals to over-exercising.  

Societal perceptions of over-exercising can be slightly limited. Societal beliefs often paint a picture of someone who is over-exercising as thin and frail or who looks like they are using PEDs. When, in reality, over-exercising doesn’t ‘look’ like something specific and can impact people of all different shapes, sizes, and abilities. As an attempt to broaden the view of what over-exercising actually is, we gathered some information to explain what the mental health factors of over-exercising are, the impact on our mental health, and tips for when to seek additional support. 

Mental Health Factors of Over-Exercising

Control

When life feels out of control and there are limits to our autonomy, we might seek it out in another place. Through artistic expression, through who we spend time with, our down time activities, and through moving our bodies. Fortunately and unfortunately, when we move our bodies, dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins are released. These are often referred to as ‘happy chemicals’ by the mental health community. This is inherently helpful, and can become harmful. When exercising is the only thing that an individual engages in that secretes these chemicals, we might become dependent on them as a way to feel in control of our emotions. 

Performance Pressure

If you are an individual who competes in sports, performance pressure can lead to over-exercising. Feeling like there is always something to prove or being scared of failing within your sport can add a lot of pressure. Going off of our previous point, engaging in excessive drills, overusing certain parts of your body, and putting in hours and hours of work, might actually further the anxiety. 

Self Harm

Society usually views self-harm as something that is mutilative like cutting or burning. Exercise can also turn into a way of harming yourself. By feeling pain, some note that they also feel release. Self-harm can be a way that individuals process through things that are high-risk and avoidant in nature. It is important to note that individuals can self-harm without the intent to die. Exercise is a common way to self-harm through its often utilized pain-reward framework that can be taught at a young age. 

Body Dysmorphia

Someone who is struggling with viewing their body in a way that isn’t necessarily rooted in reality can have a high-risk of over-exercising. This can become challenging as dysmorphia fills a narrative that an individual ‘needs to fix’ certain parts of their body without changing its tune, regardless of if changes are actually happening. This can keep an individual in a cycle that can loop over again and again for years if unchecked.

Mental Health Impact

Here are some common symptoms of over-exercising that people can experience though this list is not exhaustive. 

• Feeling as though you cannot rest.

• Increased irritability if you don’t exercise.

• Excessive guilt and shame if you miss a workout.

• Feeling like you cannot change how you move your body.

• Increased awareness of food/calories/your body.

• Feeling low/depressed even after movement.

• Feeling as though you can’t stop your routine even though you want to. 

• Sacrificing important things (i.e. work, school, social events) in order to exercise.

• Not being able to accept positive feedback during your sporting event.

• Hiding/under-reporting how much you are exercising. 

• Feeling cognitively foggy and tired.

Ways to Seek Support

1. Talking to a mental health professional might be helpful. They can take an unbiased look at your habits and needs and help you develop a plan that might be right for you. We suggest working with someone who is HAES (healthy at every size) aligned in order to decrease the chance of unintentional support of the behaviors that are harmful. 

2. Trying a different form of exercise. Being able to move your body in different ways may decrease dependence on certain behaviors. Try to think of things that are outside of your comfort zone. Group fitness can also be supportive to build community and decrease shame. 

3. Seeking support from a HAES personal trainer might be useful. These individuals are trained to look at movement in a way that detaches weight stigma and uses inclusivity and holistic approaches to encourage sustainable movement. 

   
   

In conclusion, movement for our bodies can be a wonderful way to cope. We want to be mindful of how often we are utilizing exercising in order to be on alert for over-exercising. We also want to try and open our minds to what over-exercising ‘looks like’ in order to encourage support with all bodies.  

The information on this website is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical or psychological condition and is not a substitute for therapy. If you are experiencing an emergency please call/text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.