EBP Episode 68: Overcoming Exercise Addiction & Finding Joy in Movement with Nyla Wiebe
Exercise addiction isn't something that's talked about, so I'm so glad to get to talk about it here. I've had my own experience with exercise addiction. For me, exercise was just another way that I could control my body (just like food). It was my way of purging when I'd eaten too much or eaten something "unhealthy".I remember a time in college where I was running a couple of days a week, teaching spin classes 3 times a week, and adding in some weight lifting in there "for good measure". I was running on empty fumes, literally, and ended up injuring myself. But even still, I was so obsessed and so consumed by having to exercise that I found a way to teach cycling with a boot on my foot! Looking back it wasn't my proudest moment.
Thankfully, part of healing my relationship with food included working through the deeper issue that was also leading me to over-exercise. I had to work on how to cope with stress and times in my life where I wasn't in control. I used food and exercise to try and feel in control, but it took me away from a healthy relationship with myself and my body... not to mention poor health as a whole.
If you resonate at all with feeling like you can't skip a workout (you get anxious even at the thought) or feeling like exercise has too much grip on your life, I can't wait for you to hear today's episode! Today Katherine and I had the joy of sitting down with Nyla Weibe of "Nutrition with Nyla" all about her experience going from exercise addiction to finding joy with movement. Nyla describes how she turned to exercise as a way of feeling worthy, of feeling enough.
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SIGNS OF EXERCISE ADDICTION:
Feeling like you can't skip a workout even if you're exhausted, sick, or injured
Feeling anxious when you can't workout on a day you planned to workout
Feeling guilty for skipping a workout
Feeling like you have to exercise more to "make up for" how you ate
Eating less if you can't exercise
Missing social outings because you have to workout
Irregular or missing period
Here's the deal... exercise and moving our bodies is sooo good for us! But when how we exercise interferes with other aspects of our life and our mental health, that's where it becomes unhealthy.We talked about this on the show, but here's where too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. If this is you... if you resonate with obsessive or addictive exercise, here's what you can do:
Commit to adding in other forms of movement to your routine, specifically something more gentle if your typical routine is to do more cardio-type workouts... something like yoga or walking.
Pick one day this week to rest. I know this may be uncomfortable at first, but commit to sitting with that discomfort and maybe find ways to add some fun outings into your day for some healthy distraction.
Work with a coach or therapist on making peace with food and your body (oftentimes with exercise addiction it's out of fear of your body changing)
I'd love to hear, how would you describe your relationship with exercise?