Athletes and Gym Rats: Is it possible for an individual to exercise too much?
Written by CCTC Staff Writer
Gym rats, fitstagram content creators, and athletes of all levels asked: Is it possible for an individual to exercise too much? Given the fact that exercise is a large part of their lives, you might think the answer is “no.” However, at some point — even for professional athletes — a regular training schedule can turn into excessive exercise. Some athletes develop exercise dependencies, and even go on to develop eating disorders.
Read more to find out:
How to tell if you exercise too much
What puts someone at risk for an exercise dependency
How athletes develop eating disorders along with exercise disorders
What to do if you think you have a problem with food and/or exercise
Yes, it’s normal for athletes, fitness professionals, and those passionate about physical fitness to exercise a lot. However, at some point, your “extra gym time” does you more harm than good.
So, is it possible for an individual to exercise too much?
Whether you’re a high schooler playing at a JV level, a college athlete, a #fitspo influencer, or even an elite athlete, it is absolutely possible to exercise too much.
While you have to train hard to stand out from the competition, or to maintain a sports scholarship, or to continue on a career built on fitness, there is definitely a point where you’re not getting stronger the more you train — you’re getting weaker.
A lot of this has to do with your nutritional intake, the amount of rest you allow yourself, and your mental health. These all contribute to whether you can improve, continue at your current performance level, or whether you start to lose progress.
Related: Pressure to perform, in a sport or in the classroom, is one of many reasons college students may develop an eating disorder.
Athletes: How do you know when training becomes an exercise dependency?
1. You become/remain ill, injured, or (for some people) lose your regular period due to extreme levels of training.
This one is a given. There’s a real “no pain, no gain” attitude in the gym and on the field, but if you’re consistently getting ill or injured, then you are definitely training too hard. You have to dial it back some — and if you can’t, then you have a problem with exercise.
When it comes to biologically female athletes, many people don’t think anything of them having irregular periods, or losing their periods altogether.
But losing your period from working out is a sign that you're training too hard and not adequately fueling your body.
2. You work out even when you are ill or injured.
Any professional trainer will tell you: rest is crucial for recovering from any illness or injury.
While you may still run when you have a head cold, if you're constantly getting shin splints, you need to take it easy.
If you work out even when you are ill or injured, or if you continue to work out even when a medical professional recommends rest, you probably have an exercise disorder.
3. You start skipping out on really important events to get into the gym.
Not every movie night requires your attendance. Sometimes it is nice to have time on your own to move in a way that feels good.
But if you're skipping out on social gatherings or you can't "make time" for a family dinner because of your busy gym schedule, it's a sign that you are definitely exercising too much.
4. "Fitness" becomes your whole personality.
It's normal to be passionate about something, especially when it involves setting and meeting goals.
In weightlifting, running, rowing — any sport, really — it's easy to set new goals. It's easy to celebrate and share the moments when you reach them, especially on social media.
But as soon as you meet one goal, it's easy to make another. And another. And another.
It can create a sort of obsession that shrinks your world until your whole personality is built on the idea that you're "the athletic one," "the fitness one," or a "gym rat."
With the popularity of so-called "fitstagrams", or entire social media accounts that people make and dedicate solely to tracking their fitness levels, fitness obsessions have been normalized.
But if you make the gym or your sport your entire personality, what happens if you can't engage in your sport? You face an identity crisis that could easily spiral into a number of other problems — anxiety, depression, or an eating disorder.
5. You will do anything to get an edge over your opponents or to make more progress.
Another given: if you are engaging in harmful practices to get ahead in your sport or reach your goals, you have a problem with exercise and should ask for help immediately.
Harmful practices could mean:
Taking diuretics or laxatives, purging, or fasting to "make weight" or "slim down" before an event
Using steroids or other dangerous performance-enhancing drugs
Restricting food or types of food because you believe it will help you improve your level of skill or fitness
Dedicating all your time to exercise without taking enough time to rest, fuel your body, or get enough sleep
Related: Read more about the difference between healthy and unhealthy levels of movement
What about athletes and eating disorders?
Eating disorders are common in athletes and even in people who moderately exercise.
While anyone — whether they identify as male, female, or a gender minority — who plays any type of sport can develop an eating disorder, there are certain types of individuals and specific kinds of sports that create an elevated risk for developing one.
What factors put an athlete at an increased risk for an eating disorder and/or exercise dependency?
Type of Sport
External Pressure
Internal Pressure
Personality Traits
Individuals in sports involving weight classes (such as wrestling) and those in aesthetic sports that value physique (such as gymnastics, figure skating, and ballet) are more likely to develop eating disorders. They are more likely to engage in excessive exercise to lose weight as well.
Those who have more pressure put on them — whether it comes from parents, coaches or scholarship committees — are more likely to develop eating disorders and/or exercise disorders.
And the level of pressure an athlete imposes on themselves, plus perfectionistic personality traits, leave an individual at a much higher risk of developing an eating or exercise disorder.
Related: Read more about the relationship between perfectionism and eating disorders.
If you are an athlete who struggles with an eating disorder or exercise dependency…
Reach out to someone you trust and tell them. That person may be a teammate, a coach, a friend, or your parent/guardian.
Just don’t wait and hope for things to change — finishing out the season is not worth your life.
Then, discuss how you can get help. It may require taking a little time away from your sport or fitness program. But you can come back stronger, more physically and mentally well, after taking the time to get help.
If you or a loved one is suffering from an eating disorder, take the first step today and talk to someone about recovery or simply learn more about the holistic eating disorder recovery programs we offer.