IHRSA - May 2003 - (Web) Obsessio

Fitness or Fixation? Discerning the Difference

For some members, workouts can turn into an unhealthy obsession

As a club owner, you obviously want your members to work out regularly, and invest a considerable amount of time and resources to encourage them to do so. But you should also be aware of -- and prepared to deal with -- the fact that, in some cases, a member may develop an unhealthy 'addiction' to exercise.

Marjie Gilliam, a fitness consultant and columnist for the Dayton Daily News, recently issued a warning about two exercise-related disorders -- anorexia nervosa and muscle dysmorphia -- that can afflict both men and women.

Anorexia, which most Americans are familiar with, is a common disorder in which a person fixates on losing weight, employing any means available, including dieting and compulsive exercise. 'Anorexics are usually high achievers and perfectionists who need to feel in control,' observes Gilliam, who is also a certified personal trainer. 'Over-exercising and under-eating not only help these individuals feel in control, but it also helps them to avoid having to deal with feelings and emotions.'

Muscle dysmorphia is a less familiar obsessive-compulsive disorder in which the exerciser is preoccupied with the idea that they're not muscular enough. Men and women afflicted with body dysmorphia 'spend countless hours obsessively lifting weights in order to 'fix' what they perceive to be a body with too little muscularity,' says Gilliam. 'The person cannot, or will not, stop excessive exercise even after injury. The challenge of adding muscle becomes a daily preoccupation and takes priority over other matters in life.'

How do you spot, and help, a member with such a problem?

Anorexic members may lie about the frequency of their workouts, express inaccurate opinions about the size of their bodies, exhibit a morbid fear of gaining weight, exercise when sick or injured, and work out more than once a day or for many hours per day. The common symptoms of body dysmorphia include heavy use of bodybuilding supplements and/or steroids, a previous history of mood or eating disorders, and unusual distress and mood changes when workouts are missed. Victims may also check their muscle mass repeatedly or wear loose clothing to hide their 'frail' bodies.

Gilliam suggests speaking with such members about how exercise may be taking inappropriate precedence over other aspects of their life, and trying to get them to consult a professional familiar with body-image disorders.