Is excessive exercise a form of bulimia?

Hi Anon,

Thank you for visiting the EmpowHER community and sharing your question!

Yes, compulsive exercise is a form of bulimia. Compulsive exercise is just another tool some people use to purge their body of calories, and it is actually called "Exercise Bulimia".

According to a recent report from About Health, compulsive exercisers will often schedule their lives around exercise just as those with eating disorders schedule their lives around eating (or not eating). Other indications of compulsive exercise are:

Missing work, parties or other appointments in order to workout

Working out with an injury or while sick

Becoming seriously depressed if you can't get a workout in

Working out for hours at a time each day

Not taking any rest or recovery days

Compulsive exercising has to do with control, much the same way people with eating disorders use food as a way to take control of their lives. But, it can turn into an endless workout if you're not careful since most folks never feel satisfied with their bodies or their fitness levels, no matter how much they exercise.

Here is a link to the Bulimia "section" of the EmpowHER website:

https://www.empowher.com/media/reference/eating-disorders-center-bulimia

Anon, are you or some one you love feeling like you could be suffering from an eating disorder? if so, don't suffer alone. Please reach out and talk to someone before it's too late. It is a very serious condition and there is always help if you ask for it! 

Please let me know how I can help.

Best,

Kristin