Is My Teen a Compulsive Exerciser?

Everyone knows that exercise is good for the body, but how do you know if your teen is exercising too much and it has become a compulsion? Though exercising may seem like a positive activity for your teen to be partaking in, compulsive exercise can be just as serious as any other eating disorder.

By Teen Rehab

 

What’s the difference between a healthy balance of sports team and exercise and an eating disorder? Here are 5 symptoms of compulsive exercising.

  • Putting Exercise First

    By Teen Rehab

    Teens who have a compulsive exercising disorder will often put exercise before homework, friends, family or other responsibilities.

  • Forced Fitness

    By Teen Rehab

    Does your teen force themselves to work out even when they are tired, overworked, injured or ill? This may be a sign of an exercise compulsion.

  • Emotional Attachment

    By Teen Rehab

    Exercise releases “feel-good” endorphins in the body, reducing negative effects of stress. A sign that your teen might be exercising compulsively is if their moods are deeply affected by missing a workout. If your teen exhibits agitation, anxiety, or guilt from missing one, they may be compulsively exercising.

  • Connecting Food to Fitness

    By Teen Rehab

    If your teen begins determining how much they “should” exercise by how much they’ve eaten, or if they are concerned they will gain too much weight if they miss a workout, this might be a symptom of an exercise compulsion.

  • Always Exercising

    By Teen Rehab

    If your teen struggles to sit still and instead is constantly trying to find ways to exercise —such as jumping in place or doing weights while sitting—they might be exercising too much.

Is My Teen a Compulsive Exerciser?

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