Is my Relationship to Exercise Healthy?

Exercise can help make us feel physically and mentally fit, self-regulate and manage stress. However, if exercise is used for the wrong purposes, it can become unhealthy and damage our self-image and self-esteem.

Here are 5 Signs that your Relationship to Exercise is becoming Unhealthy:

1.        Feeling Guilty or Anxious when you Miss a Workout.

Frequently finding yourself feeling guilty or anxious when you’re missing a workout is a good indicator that your relationship to exercise is becoming unhealthy. While finding motivation to exercise can be difficult for some or on some days, it is meant to be fun and make us feel energised. Feeling guilty for not exercising on days where you feel you "should" is a often indication of underlying negative thinking patterns.

2.        Exercising Excessively and even when Injured or Sick. 

Too much physical exercise can significantly negatively impact our health. Forcing ourselves to exercise when we are not feeling well shows we are ignoring the signs in our body for us to slow down and rest. Aside from disrespecting our bodies and impacting our physical health and wellbeing this is also a good indicator that there is an underlying unhealthy relationship to exercise.

3.        Prioritising Exercise over Social Life, Work, or Self-Care.

While exercise can be a great regulator and bring balance to our lives, prioritising exercise over other things in our lives is a good sign that it has taken too big of a role in our lives. If you are cancelling plans to go to the gym or missing work meetings or other social events to exercise, it may suggest you are prioritising the wrong things. Taking time for yourself is important but this doesn't only have to be through exercise. Balancing the role of exercise in our life, allows for us to create a healthier relationship to it.

4.        A Negative Body Image or Exercising Solely for Appearance.

This is a key indicator that your relationship to exercise is becoming unhealthy. Exercise should not be the only factor in changing our perception of ourselves and body image. Our relationship to ourselves is important and entails much more than just our bodies. If you are only excericisng to attain a certain "shape" or appearance, it may indicate that your approach isn't entirely healthy or supportive of your mental health. Usually this is a sign of an underlying thought pattern and cannot be tackled through exercise. This type of excercise can become very intense and lead to long-term health impairments.

5.        Using Exercise to Compensate for Eating or Negative Emotions.

As above, this is a key indicator that your relationship to exercise is becoming unhealthy. If you are using exercise to "allow" yourself to eat or compensate for calories you may have consumed, it is likely you are not viewing it in a balanced way. Our body requires fuel, even if we don't excercise regularly. Additionally, while exercise can be relaxing and a great addition to a balanced lifestyle, it also doesn't compensate for our (negative) emotions. If you are using exercise to forget about your feelings or distract from them, it may be useful for you to talk to someone.

Exercising can become harmful to your body and mental wellbeing if done in excess. If any of these signs feel familiar to you or someone you know, it can be useful to seek help. If you wish to do so, you can book a free initial consultation today.