The obsession to stay fit has only increased as Americans have bought into the need for the perfect body. As of 2021, the fitness industry estimated a $35 billion revenue. From home workouts to commercial gyms, have we adopted the wrong reasons for our fitness goals?
It has been proven that working out positively impacts our mental health but when does a healthy desire turn into an obsession?
“You know when someone is obsessed with it when they spend three to four hours in the gym constantly doing repetitive exercises,” said Curtis McGee, a personal trainer and fitness expert for 27 years.
Exercise addicts may use extreme training to maintain or lose bodyweight and often justify their behavior by believing a small break in their routine will cause them to gain weight.
“I don’t think you’ll ever cross that line of taking it too far and you’ll always have a good perspective on how to train if you tell yourself, ‘I can have fat every once in a while.’ It’s not gonna kill you,” McGee said.
Forcing yourself to exercise when you don’t feel well, experiencing severe stress and anxiety when you miss a workout and missing social events because you’d rather hit the gym are all signs that you may be crossing over into a dangerous mental space.
Small steps to keep yourself in check before a workout: examine your motivations, don’t compare your progress to others, find new ways to move your body that doesn’t feel like a workout, and set realistic goals.
Overtraining syndrome is when you train too much or too hard without giving your body the proper time to rest. It can cause you to feel depressed, have an irregular heart rhythm and even cause reproductive issues among other symptoms. To prevent this, scheduling rest into your workout routine is vital.