Exercising goes beyond just burning fat, looking slim, and being in good shape. It is necessary to have a proper mindset, because if we are exercising as a reason to punish ourselves for our bad habits, the remedy may be worse than the disease.
Who would enjoy jogging in the park the most? On the one hand, you have that person who does it because he really enjoys it; on the other hand, there is that person who does it because he had two cups of sugary cereals for breakfast and finds himself in need of burning those calories.
That's the point: exercising requires a correct state of mind , knowing what drives us and acting wisely. Therefore, we must be alert to the signs that indicate an unhealthy relationship with exercise , otherwise, we will end up hurting ourselves.
How to know if your relationship with exercise is not healthy
1. You get frustrated by missing a workout
It is very true that exercise requires commitment, but we cannot forget that we also have the same commitment to other objectives.
For some people, skipping, even a routine, is catastrophic, leaving them feeling guilty and frustrated. Some of your biggest concerns are weight gain and muscle loss. It can be said that they are people who take their commitment to another level.
2. You exercise even when it is bad for your body
Even professional athletes know that there is a time to take a breath and let the body recover.
Those who push their body to the limit, beyond pain and muscle capacity, will only end up with potential serious injuries and fractures, not to mention muscle damage from putting them under so much stress.
Cross training when you have an injury is one thing, but pushing yourself when you are aware that it is bad for your health is quite another.
3. You exercise in unsafe conditions
For those who think that nothing should get in the way of their routine, they should know that fitness never comes before health and safety.
There are compulsive people who dare to swim in a thunderstorm, run in the snow, or lift weights when they don't feel physically well. Any of these behaviors can put our health at risk.
4. Your social life is secondary
It is important that there is a balance between exercise and the rest of the aspects in our life. When routine is put in front of all of them, it is one of the biggest alerts that cannot be ignored.
Exercise should not be just another fun thing in our day to day, as are parties, gatherings with friends and family dinners. The important thing is to be flexible.
5. You only care about burning calories
Burning calories is one of the main goals of exercise, but this must be done in moderation and cannot be taken to the extreme.
There is a disorder called non-purging bulimia that happens when we run to the treadmill to burn off the calories from the hamburger we ate just now. That is, purging not only involves laxatives and diuretics, it can also be seen in the form of exercise.
It is a serious disorder, which must be treated with a professional.
6. You relate training to physical attractiveness
Good looks and exercise don't have to be strictly related. Thinking that it is necessary to go around the park 3 times in order not to gain weight, and that you need to continue exercising so that your partner still considers you attractive is another sign that your perspective on exercise is not healthy , and that it is necessary to stop. All of this will cause feelings of guilt and frustration.
This is something that must be made clear, training is not linked to physical attractiveness , or self-esteem, not even weight. The ideal is to make room for other things that give us joy.
References
- Carter, K. 6 Signs of an Unhealthy Relationship With Exercise. For Livestrong [Revised January 2020].
