Know the Difference Between a Fitness Habit and a Fitness Addiction

There is a big difference between men and women who work out several times a week and someone who is addicted to physical fitness training. Moderation is the key to making something a healthy habit in your life, as too much of a good thing is no longer a good thing.

Are you training hard? Borderline overtraining? Or do you have an unhealthy addiction to fitness?

There is a spectrum. Finding the healthy balance between not training enough or training too much is the goal for performance, aesthetic improvements or longevity-based programming.

High-level and professional athletes are a different breed, even though they may train all day. These top-level athletes also are seriously focused on rest, relaxation and recovery so they can maintain performance, keep doing what they love and make money for years to come.

Here are some signs that you may be taking fitness training too far and making it unhealthy for yourself:

1. You are always exercising (gym, home, work breaks, vacation)

You should reconsider your regime if two-a-day or three-a-day workouts are the minimum standard every day. There is not a moment in the day that you are not focused on moving more and eating less.

If you find yourself with an extra 30 minutes in your day, you will spend it on a cardio machine or getting in some extra calisthenics. This is not a bad thing by itself, but if you already spent 30 minutes prior to the gym opening on your elliptical machine at home and then 90 minutes at the gym that morning before work, your workout plan is not healthy. When exercise is more of an escape from having to deal with daily life and other human interactions, there is a problem.

2. Skipping meals or training after eating "too much"

Turning lunch into a second workout of the day after eating only a small piece of fruit can be a sign of unhealthy behavior. Those with eating disorders sometimes can trade their addiction and focus more on the other end of the caloric equation by burning off anything they ate that day and staying in a perpetual caloric deficit. This can yield the same result as skipping meals or purging after eating.

Some continue to skip meals as part of a fasting diet so they can reduce caloric intake as they maximize calorie burn each day. If you think you ate too much at dinner at a restaurant, there is a problem if you go home and run or do some other form of cardio before sleeping that night before waking up early to start working out again.

3. You're stressed, exhausted, fatigued, injured or sick

Eventually, training for 4-5 hours or more a day will lead to all of these conditions. Choosing to train anyway if you're not feeling well is another warning sign. There are no recovery days for the fitness addict.

Exercising seven days a week, 2-3 times a day, regardless of how you feel, is dangerous. There's a problem if exercise is always on the schedule, and missing it results in anxiety, depression and a sense of serious guilt. Failing to take it easy and recover when it obviously is needed is a true warning sign.

4. Relationships and other life priorities are neglected

Fitness addictions can cause someone to be more self-absorbed than normal. They only find happiness during the actual act of fitness training. Once the workout is over, they are thinking about the next time they can start exercising again.

You have a problem if the time you spend running, walking or exercising in the gym takes away from normally enjoyable social activities like time with friends, date night, or your child's school or athletic performances.

Get help from professionals

If you think you may have some of these symptoms (or other addictions), give the list to someone in your life and ask their opinion. These fitness and nutrition problems require professional help with a staff that include doctors, psychologists and nutritionists.

It's helpful to have a smart trainer with experience in telling overachieving athletes to pull back and do less so they can see the results of not overtraining. Avoid writing your own workouts that pack three days' worth of work into a single afternoon.

Athletes may not see it if they are overtraining or taking it beyond that level to an even more unhealthy level of addiction training. Make sure you get help, especially if you are experiencing these overtraining symptoms (video).

The other end of the spectrum is not exercising at all, which also can be harmful. Both extreme ends of this fitness spectrum are completely unhealthy and will affect your physical performance, body image and your longevity. Find a place in the middle of the fitness spectrum and build a daily habit of moving more, eating better, drinking more water and finding ways to destress and relax.

Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Visit his Fitness eBook store if you're looking to start a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle. Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com.

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