Addiction to exercise?

[Postie]

Been there done that, due to over exercising and under eating i made my self ill. not only mentally but physically, since i was exercising so much and not eating anywhere enough calories to maintain my weight for my longer runs, loading didn't enter the equation until late on, my primary concern was how i felt on my feet if i felt heavy or looked heavy in my opinion then i would skip meals *(Anorexia) when i felt light on my feet i would cram in alsorts before runs a few hours before. Somedays my legs would feel flat exhausted and weak, okey! most people would probaly skip, but i found that using the weights for a few hours and bunging in a big meal they then felt good enough for me to head off out for a 5 to 10 mile run.

i was obsessed, i would do sit ups for hours after breakfast, i weight trained after dinner, cycled after tea then would run a little later on at nights, but while all my mates where out enjoying a few beers i would be out playing in the rain and the mud. But truthfully all it got me was the inability to walk for 14mths, due to over exercise and malnutrition i weakened my bones in my tibia and fibula leaving me with several fractures a number of sprains and strain and a dislocation that couldn't be re located until my bone density had improved.

now i try to eat sensibly and i also try to ensure that i have at leaste one day a week off so i don't get to suffer that again, but mainly i try to stick to training 2 to 3 times a week instead of 3 to 4 times a day.

That obsession was exactly the same problem I had. I pumped massive amounts of protein, complex carbs and vitamins through my body so I did not have the same nutritional issues, but it was very hard on my body. Was I high on endorphins? Probably. But I honestly think it was less of an addiction then it was an obsession. I had a goal without an upper limit and I wasn't going to let lack of dedication or will power lower my gains for a second. However, in time I learned that more rest would have actually improved my gains and lower my injuries. What's even crazier is that I had taken this stuff in University and I subconsciously knew what I was doing to myself. I just didn't want to believe it applied to me.

Hence, whenever I talk to someone that is following the same path, my advice is always to put some control on enforcing mandatory rest. Four consecutive days off each month (of course including some rest each week as well) will not cause a decrease in performance (professional athletes on a professional program are not included in this statement). If the rest is that hard to do, the motivation to workout actually increases as opposed to drops off at the end of one's rest period.

 

[Roadrash Dunc]

Yup , working-out - weights , running , you name it - is like a drug and can be addictive.

I have a question for you though , dont answer if its too personal :
You said you are *still* 20lbs overweight.Did you start exercising to lose weight and wanted to get to a target weight badly? That would also explain maybe why you were eating poorly.
Following on from that , and i mean this in no offense , but how are you still overweight with such a busy workout routine.Riding 75 miles a morning? I cant believe anyone can be overweight that does that AND not to mention skips meals too!

 

[closesupport]

i know now, i was extremly depressed during my injury period. i couldn't bring myself to do anything, i'd do a few sit ups, maybe a few weights but i eventually got to the point of what the hell, i do it to run, i can't run i couldn't walk without feeling excrusiating pain. imagine limping around having to climb stairs on your **** when the other month you where running 26miles in under 3hrs.

i agree it was my own fault it was my own undoing, i should have been happy with running in the times that i was. rest is as important as refuelling, i found that just sitting relaxing and meditation even a spot of stretching wasn't to exherting, but it got me through what should have been my rest day.

i also found myself reading quite alot of medical books sports and nutrition chemistry and sports injury books when i was laid up, maybe this is what i should have been doing on my rest day, anything to occupy myself and my mind taking into consideration that i was supposed to be recovering, even though maybe it was a little late.

 

[closesupport]

"He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior"--Confucius

i recognise that! conquering oneself is a far greater task than conquering others,

"he who conquuers himself is the mightiest warrior"

CARTE BLANCHE

 

[HellonWheels]

Yup , working-out - weights , running , you name it - is like a drug and can be addictive.

I have a question for you though , dont answer if its too <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=personal&v=56">personal</a> :
You said you are *still* 20lbs overweight.Did you start exercising to <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=lose weight&v=56">lose weight</a> and wanted to get to a target weight badly? That would also explain maybe why you were eating poorly.
Following on from that , and i mean this in no offense , but how are you still overweight with such a busy workout routine.Riding 75 miles a morning? I cant believe anyone can be overweight that does that AND not to mention skips meals too!

No, I did not start this to lose weight, believe it or not. I was once over 300 lbs, and I'm now 145 lbs. I did it to treat a medical problem I had that I learned (in 2001) was being triggered by eating too much food, and highfat foods. I also found out that exercise improves this condition. I started doing all this to fix that problem, and it DID fix it, but now I'm hooked on working out! (lol)...I also returned 3 yrs ago to my teenage love of cycling, so here I am. I lost 160 lbs but I was NOT intending to, I only originally wanted to stop my GI problem.

BTW I didnt say I do 75 miles permorning, I said (or maybe I forgot to say) 26 miles on an exercise bike at high intensity for about 80 mins. This is in addition to regular (outdoor) bike rides of about 50 miles or so, maybe more.

 

[closesupport]

No, I did not start this to lose weight, believe it or not. I was once over 300 lbs, and I'm now 145 lbs. I did it to treat a medical problem I had that I learned (in 2001) was being triggered by eating too much food, and highfat foods. I also found out that exercise improves this condition. I started doing all this to fix that problem, and it DID fix it, but now I'm hooked on working out! (lol)...I also returned 3 yrs ago to my teenage love of cycling, so here I am. I lost 160 lbs but I was NOT intending to, I only originally wanted to stop my GI problem.

BTW I didnt say I do 75 miles permorning, I said (or maybe I forgot to say) 26 miles on an exercise bike at high intensity for about 80 mins. This is in addition to regular (outdoor) bike rides of about 50 miles or so, maybe more.

have you ever heard of sea kelp

sea kelp is a rich source of the trace mineral iodine which is necessary for normal growth and development. Iodine is required for the healthy functioning of the thyroid gland. As a vital component of two thyroid homones, iodine plays an important role in the bodys metabolism, the rate at which the body burns food for energy, and in the maintenance of connective tissues.

Sea Kelp is a rich and dependable source of 60 minerals and elements including iodine, 21 amino acids, and 12 vitamins (including A, C, B12, thiamin, and vitamin E or tocopherol). Because the minerals are in plant tissue they are easily digested and assimilated. Many of the trace minerals contained in Sea Kelp Laminaria are essential for producing enzymes which in turn promote healthy body functions.

you can purchase sea kelp tablets over the counter at any health food shop, or even from the chinese chipy \ restraunt in the for of deep fried crispy sea weed, its very good for providing an energy source, plus all the advantages as stated above.

 

[Carrera]

I think it makes sense to devote time to exercise of the body but also of the mind. No matter how good your athletic level is, it makes sense to dedicate time to other activities. The truth is so many sportsmen tend to overtrain with the feeling that more must be better. However, I was reading Roger Bannister's account of the training he did for his first 4 minute mile and he did all his training in conjunction with other activities. Arnold Schwarzennegger also trained at least 3 hours, 6 days a week but he also studied, learned bricklaying and acting and kept busy. I think if you balance sport out and get injured at some point it's far easier to handle time out when you know you can improve in other areas. After all, knowledge is fundamental to being a good sportsman anyway. Even Lance Armstrong is active outside of cycling with business interests and cancer aid e.t.c. so I think it's all a question of proportion that leads to the best results.

I'm wondering if I have this problem....I find on my off days, I feel down in the dumps, and do a lot of neg self talk for not working out that day....feeling guilty, lazy, etc....I find myself thinking I am a lazyass like the ppl in the malls if I take even one day off. WHY do I do this to myself? I cant help it!


I get a "rush" from working out (both on my stationary bike and my outdoor bikes), which I realy miss on my days off. I wasn't even taking any days off for a long time until my dr told me to take at least one or two days off per wk. I currently do 75 mins each morning at moderate resistance... 5 days/wk on a stationary, and then evening rides and weekend longer rides. Also some strength training.


Three yrs ago I started this as a habit, and now I find I can't "break" it even when I need to, like days off. I'm scared to death of ever needing surgery that may require me to take more than 1 or 2 days off from exercise. I get REALLY depressed when I have to take a day off, I find myself dreading days off.

 

[closesupport]

I think it makes sense to devote time to exercise of the body but also of the mind. No matter how good your athletic level is, it makes sense to dedicate time to other activities. The truth is so many sportsmen tend to overtrain with the feeling that more must be better. However, I was reading Roger Bannister's account of the training he did for his first 4 minute mile and he did all his training in conjunction with other activities. Arnold Schwarzennegger also trained at least 3 hours, 6 days a week but he also studied, learned bricklaying and acting and kept busy. I think if you balance sport out and get injured at some point it's far easier to handle time out when you know you can improve in other areas. After all, knowledge is fundamental to being a good sportsman anyway. Even Lance Armstrong is active outside of cycling with business interests and cancer aid e.t.c. so I think it's all a question of proportion that leads to the best results.

when i used to go for runs within the first 20minutes to the finish i'd be reciting the multiplications table from 1's up to as far as i could to the point that i was counting the multiples as strides, took my mind of fwhat i was doing i would occassionally find myself saying a little prayer or having a little chat with him upstairs.

needless to say he never replied nor did he say watch that hole in the floor there kidda!

 

[Olasnah]

Thanks to everybody who replied, lots of good thoughts and comments. I think its true that I have to remind myself that rest is PART OF the working out!

Try getting out and taking a long walk. It's exercise, you are helping your legs tremendously by doing it, and there's no danger of injury from it. I do this regularly on my off days and find it very relaxing but still energetic.

 

[Emma555]

Wow I can't believe they're are people like me too!! I just wondered what you did that took a year to heal?? I did kinda the same thing, fractured my leg running due to overtraining- can't belive I was so stupid. But I completely agree, you have to have rest days. For ages I swear all I ever did was go to the gym - and it was really hard to break that habit. When you injure yourself, it's hell wanting to train but not being able to. I would definitely say take a look at what your doing - there's no point training everyday as I found the results weren't as good, as when you incorporate days to rest and do other things.

Walking is a great idea on off-days. I am a little like you, and paid for it when I injured myself running. No doubt, exercise makes you feel better - and numerous studies have suggested that exercise can be just as effective as medication in treating anxiety and depression.... Just take those rest days... otherwise you may be forced to take weeks/months (years in my running case) to get over an injury.

Best,
I

 

[closesupport]

I concur with the view about rest.
Rest is essential when training - no one, and I mean no one, can train properly
seven days a week, 365 days per year.
If you are training properly, you need to rest properly.

I suspect Hellonwheels, that your issue is one of routine.
I suspect you are training at a level which isn't taxing you to the extent,
whereby you're enforced to take a rest day.
A good tough training session would condition your body to protest by feeling tired.

All exercise requires your body to repair the exercised muscle.
If you're training every day - your muscles don't get a chance to repair.
Perhaps you need to train longer on specific days - so that rest will be enforced ?

I have read studies that show that rest is as important as physical training.
Lots of athletes sleep/doze after training sessions.
Steve Ovett the great British runner, used to train for two hours, come home and sleep for 4 hours and then train again.

I fail to disagree about the you can't train 7days a week 365 days a year, when you become obsessed you can, well you could if it wasn't due to other illnesses or injuries.

you'll push yourself harder than you did the weeks when you felt best, you may not get the same times or achieve a personnal best. but you'll do it, you get round. 2345wks past and you feel so ill the fact that you have pepped and pushed, then all of a sudden you feel run down as if you have a cold, you rest cause you have no choice, you rest but try and do some light exercise 123 days pass you look in the mirror and think i'm getting fat. you restrict your food intake or you begin to start it all over again even though you haven't quite recovered, then you on your way again to another ilness or injury but i used to find that after one of these illnesses i would set yet another PB.

looking back i put it down to the time spent resting and recovering.

but as for chemicals produced> within our endocrine system a number of chemicals (Hormones\ adrenaline,endorphines and enkephalines,etc) are produced by a number of stimulating effects on different organs the pituritry release an hormone that stimulates the hypothalamous that releaseses adrenal corticotrophic hormones that stimulates the thyroid and parathyroid and stimulates the adrenal glands that inturn stimulates the testes or overies producing testosterone or oestrogen\progesterone. all this is responsible for your high..

the more of the chemicals you produce the better you feel.

 

[Iona]

Wow I can't believe they're are people like me too!! I just wondered what you did that took a year to heal?? I did kinda the same thing, fractured my leg running due to overtraining- can't belive I was so stupid. But I completely agree, you have to have rest days. For ages I swear all I ever did was go to the gym - and it was really hard to break that habit. When you injure yourself, it's hell wanting to train but not being able to. I would definitely say take a look at what your doing - there's no point training everyday as I found the results weren't as good, as when you incorporate days to rest and do other things.

Hi Emma,

Sorry to hear about your injury! Actually, I've still not gotten over my injury. I had some tendinitis in my left foot, and, while I cut back on mileage, managed to hurt my right foot. An MRI. bone scaen, nerve testing, catscan, etc, couldn't ascertain what was wrong. I was about to have exploratory surgery when I became more serious about cycling. I'm not natural cyclist, however, so I do still miss running... it's been two and half years now!! And now I definitely take rest days.

Good luck.

Iona

 

[closesupport]

Wow I can't believe they're are people like me too!! I just wondered what you did that took a year to heal?? I did kinda the same thing, fractured my leg running due to overtraining- can't belive I was so stupid. But I completely agree, you have to have rest days. For ages I swear all I ever did was go to the gym - and it was really hard to break that habit. When you injure yourself, it's hell wanting to train but not being able to. I would definitely say take a look at what your doing - there's no point training everyday as I found the results weren't as good, as when you incorporate days to rest and do other things.

i feel your pain emma i was the same several fractures, 1 compound fracture, ligement and tendon damage plus a sub luxiation (partial dislocation) to that ankle that couldn't be manipulated for nearly 14mths, plus 2 fractures had almost healed, the doctor made remarks of did i not notice any pain, yes i visited the hospital, they said it was a sprain,3wks later i returned week rest ice recover, then 3wks after that my entire ankle went with the loudest heart wrenching pop, the the thought of the sound still makes me cringe, but with walking in it for almost a mile in excruciating pain the doctor decided it was time to xray it. weeks in cast alot of atrophy but still an inability to walk.

but i was used to most the pain since i frequently suffered from march stress fractures, shin splints, sprains an strain (these used to be my rest weeks) . all those little things from doing to much. after being laid up for some months i got my foot working as it should have through cycling and took a liking to it, plus my friend from 3Para reminded me it wasn't heel toe limp. it was left right heel toe, which did help me correct it. but still i don't run because of........ i used to be the same every opertunity i got to complete some kind of exercise i would, i even gave up ajob to do it.

 

[chillipepper]

Hi, I joined this discussion kind of late, I've often wondered how many are in the same situation.. I've been a competitive rider for years, with associated pressure to be lean and perform well through the season, that developed in conjunction with depression (partly due to work stress, partly due to declining results and a feeling of being useless) into a serious eating disorder. I knew deep down what I was doing to myself with this and continuing to push myself hard on the bike.... it's a downward spiral and it's taken 3 years or so to feel like I may be getting on top of it. I've eased up riding, took 2 years off racing and went touring, rode a few gran fondos etc instead as a leisure cyclist, got help but it's a very very hard thing to get away from - the training addiction, body composiiton and performance self-imposed pressure. I guess many cyclists are 'driven' and have personalities prone to such problems.... I'll always have a 'problem' I think but learning to manage it....... I hope I'm not alone?!
Just wanted to relate that, it's one of the first times I've put it on paper (pixels rather), it helps I think. If you feel it happening to you, try and stop it early - I'm now dealing with various health problems, some may be long term (don't know) as a result, wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
As a side note, if you are trapped into a training regimen that you can't break, try making a decision to take a 'year off', carry on biking but get a touring bike, go and ride some audax and relearn why you starting riding.... it's fun!

 

[closesupport]

Hi, I joined this discussion kind of late, I've often wondered how many are in the same situation.. I've been a competitive rider for years, with associated pressure to be lean and perform well through the season, that developed in conjunction with depression (partly due to work stress, partly due to declining results and a feeling of being useless) into a serious eating disorder. I knew deep down what I was doing to myself with this and continuing to push myself hard on the bike.... it's a downward spiral and it's taken 3 years or so to feel like I may be getting on top of it. I've eased up riding, took 2 years off racing and went touring, rode a few gran fondos etc instead as a leisure cyclist, got help but it's a very very hard thing to get away from - the training addiction, body composiiton and performance self-imposed pressure. I guess many cyclists are 'driven' and have personalities prone to such problems.... I'll always have a 'problem' I think but learning to manage it....... I hope I'm not alone?!
Just wanted to relate that, it's one of the first times I've put it on paper (pixels rather), it helps I think. If you feel it happening to you, try and stop it early - I'm now dealing with various health problems, some may be long term (don't know) as a result, wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
As a side note, if you are trapped into a training regimen that you can't break, try making a decision to take a 'year off', carry on biking but get a touring bike, go and ride some audax and relearn why you starting riding.... it's fun!

That sounded like a confession, That must have been really painful, I don't think i could. i'm glad that you notice that you have a problem, but i guess the hardest part is admitting it to yourself and others.

relearn why you started riding, you mean the way the wind passes through your hair (if you have any left) the way it way it whistlesd in your ears the overall sense of freedom and well being. the removal of stress from your everyday life, the time and ability to reflect upon ones self and there everyday life. Touring would be a good idea! As long as you don't push ity to hard concentrating on speed times power heart rate monitors, removing those what just 1` day aweek on rides removing the competition. A change is as good as a break i agree.