Signs You Have 'Anorexia Athletica'

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Compulsive Exercise?

Compulsive exercising and eating disorders often go hand in hand. Someone with an eating disorder will work out excessively to lose weight. A person with bulimia may use exercise as a way to compensate for  binge eating (exercise bulimia). 

In one study 20 to 24 percent of patients with bulimia engaged in excessive exercise. Among patients with bulimia, excessive exercise is associated with greater baseline eating disorder severity as well as poorer treatment outcome.

Signs you are have ‘exorcise anorexia’:

• You will not skip a workout, even if tired, sick, or injured.

•  Will not take time off and seem anxious or guilty when missing even one workout.

•  Will be constantly preoccupied with weight and exercise routine.

•  Tend to lose a significant amount of weight.

•  Will exercise more after eating a lot or missing a workout.

• Eat less if you can't exercise.

• Skip meeting up with friends, give up other activities, and abandon responsibilities to make more time for exercise.

• Self-worth seems to be based on the number of workouts completed and the effort put into training.

• You are never satisfied with your own physical achievements.

• Have irregular periods or stress fractures.

What Problems Can Compulsive Exercise Cause?

Compulsive exercise can lead to:

•  Injuries, including overuse injuries  and stress fractures.

•  Some girls will lose a lot of weight, have irregular periods  or no periods (a condition known as amenorrhea) and lose bone density (osteoporosis). This is known as the female athlete triad.

•  Unhealthy weight loss behaviors, such as skipping meals or drastically reducing calories, vomiting, and using diet pills or laxatives.

•  Social isolation, because working out always comes first. Compulsive exercisers may skip homework or time with friends and family to exercise.

• Anxiety and depression. Performance pressure, low self-esteem, and lack of other interests contribute to emotional problems.

Sometimes, the quest to find the balance between healthy and obsessive exercise is difficult to do on your own. If you see yourself in these behaviours it is important to understand that there is a problem and get support. 

Contact ~ USA: National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders: 1-630-577-1330. 

U.K. : BEAT : Helpline: 0808 801 0677.

Written by Alexandra.
Edited by Deepa