[SorryShaped]

It's time I admit that I am addicted to exercise. I even lie to my family to go to the gym. I'm pushing myself harder every time. 10.5 miles total today, 8 on the elliptical. I walked out the rest and then went to yoga. All of this in under 4 hours. My Sunday was very similar. Every day would be ok with me, but physically it isn't. I usually skip Fridays to rest. This sound like a problem?

[CepheidVariable]

Four hours sounds like a lot. But if it makes you happy and you aren't physically hurting yourself .... Overtraining would be the most likely result.

Isn't the usual question regarding behavior, "Is it interfering with, or negatively impacting, the rest of your life?"

I'll admit, the lying doesn't sound so good.
(I'm not going to pass judgement -- you will know your own behavior and situation better than some yahoo on the internet -- but you mentioned it, so I suspect it's an issue)

[SorryShaped]

I don't have a "rest of my life." I have no friends, no female, relatively nobody. My kids are all grown and busy with their lives. I don't have a desire to be elsewhere, because I don't fit in anywhere. Everyone leaves everyone else alone as a rule at the gym, except just before and after yoga. People there are easy to talk to. Nobody's judgemental. I have a few friends that I only talk to in class. Other relationships that have started at the gym haven't been ideal in the least. I'm always lonely. I feel like I belong in yoga class. I'm safe at the gym. Nobody attacks me verbally. Nobody orders me around. I feel good there. I feel happy there. My only concern is that I'll burn my endocrine system out. I found a list of ten things about exercise addicts and your supposed to seek help if more than 2. I have 8. I am just not very happy anywhere else.

[CepheidVariable]

Well then it doesn't sound much like an addiction, so you're probably good in that respect. I'm sorry you don't feel happy anywhere else.

As for the physical stuff, sorry, I don't really know. You'd be better asking a health professional about that. Although maybe someone else on this forum is more knowledgeable.

I do sympathize. I'm AvPD with it's attendant social anxiety. My exercise classes are one of my few "safe" places. I can be with people and talk a little. People tend not to ask deeply personal questions when they have sweat dripping off their nose.

[SorryShaped]

Originally Posted by CepheidVariable

Well then it doesn't sound much like an addiction, so you're probably good in that respect. I'm sorry you don't feel happy anywhere else.

As for the physical stuff, sorry, I don't really know. You'd be better asking a health professional about that. Although maybe someone else on this forum is more knowledgeable.

I do sympathize. I'm AvPD with it's attendant social anxiety. My exercise classes are one of my few "safe" places. I can be with people and talk a little. People tend not to ask deeply personal questions when they have sweat dripping off their nose.

Not surprisingly, yoga people share, sometimes very deeply. I know some serious details of a few people I regularly talk to that are in my classes. Yoga allows one to open up in all respects, surrender to the moment, and loosen the grip that fears hold. I love my yoga friends. I want to be closer to them. It's a big difference in ages in there. Most are at least 20 years older or about that younger. I think they're ok with the age differences at class, but when I ask to hang out afterwards or do something in the community at another time(ie meeting at free concerts or hang out a at the market thing they do in that downtown or even go to a movie or even for coffee that's less than 100 yards away and best coffeehouse I've ever tried), I get shutdown very quickly. The younger females act like I'm looking for a hookup, and I'm not at all. I also get stared at frequently by the younger female yogis, and have been accused of going to class to "stare at them." I've been making it a point that I can't see 2 get in front of my face without my glasses ever since the first time I was accused. Those women have issues way beyond men looking at them, and I don't need that