Do You Have an Exercise Addiction? Answer These 5 Questions to Find Out

 

With so many rave-worthy fitness classes out there, it’s easy to get sucked into a cycle of intense exercise. (Think: SoulCycle for breakfast and Flywheel for happy hour.) While getting your sweat on is definitely part of a healthy lifestyle, getting hooked on an intense routine could signal an unhealthy exercise addiction, says exercise psychologist Heather Hausenblas, Ph.D., co-author of The Truth About Exercise Addiction: Understanding the Dark Side of Thinspiration.

“People tend to applaud and praise people who exercise a lot, and say, ‘I wish I had your addiction,’” says Hausenblas. “But like anything, if someone is addicted to exercise it’s all-consuming. They’re thinking about it all the time, they’re exercising for an extreme amount of time, and experience negative mood states when they can’t exercise.”

Sound anything like you? If you answer yes to any of these five questions, you may want to speak with a professional.

Read the Women's Health article