She says addiction, I think I'm being healthy.

[Onthewrongsideof30]

My best friend made a comment on a night out to our greater circle of friends...... oh '30' has a completely addictive personality, look at her with exercise that's a completely unhealthy relationship. I never for one second thought I had an unhealthy relationship with exercise, I thought I was just keeping myself fit and based by other fitness threads on here my activity levels are normal. HIIT - 5 days per week, 5km park run Saturday (longer run on top if I can), one interval training session in the evening. I always try to rest on a Sunday. Who is right? When is a hobby an addiction?

Well if you are addicted so am I 😳

That sounds totally reasonable to me. People get funny and defensive about exercise because they think they should be doing more themselves imo!

As long as you aren't injuring yourself, are giving yourself plenty of time to recover, eat enough to refuel, hydrate, listen to your body and excercise because you enjoy it not because you fear not doing so, you're fine!

Envy pure and simple

She doesnt have the willpower and you make her feel bad

It’s an addiction if one day you can’t run or exercise and feel guilty. If you can take a day off for an event, etc... then you are fine.

I say this as an anorexia sufferer with exercise addiction.

Sounds fine & healthy to me. So long as no other areas of your life are negatively impacted I can’t see any reason for concern.

I suspect she’s rather envious of your dedication & wishes she was as motivated.

She’s probably just jealous and trying to make you feel bad about it

Sounds reasonable. So stop talking to her about it.

That doesn't sound excessive. Is she just jealous she can't motivate herself to exercise?

It seems a lot to me but I don't do much exercise! I would say it's only addictive if you have issues with missing a session here or there.

DH has a slightly addictive personality and he can be a bit obsessive about exercise, getting stressed if he misses a run, insisting on running every day while we're on holiday etc.

You sound like you are doing brilliantly! I WISH I could say that was my normal too, but it isn’t. It’s my goal though (just had a baby - not to make too many excuses ).

Your friend sounds a little .

I don't know the medical term or analysis for his but I would say an addiction to exercise is when if you can't exercise you would become agitated or panicky. I think normally an injury to someone who exercised regularly would be painful and annoying but shouldn't affect their mood or sense of well-being.

It sounds like you do a lot to me but if it's not affecting other areas of your life and your not exercising obsessively then you are not addicted - but I'm not a doctor.

YY to it being a problem if you feel can’t ever miss a session though.

It’s an addiction if it hinders your day to day life or if you feel worthless or lazy if you miss a workout.

Laugh and say ''oooh I hear the little jealousy bird tweeting! It's not that hard to get into fitness you know - give it a go.'

The human body isn't made to sit around all day. What you're doing isn't excessive.

Addiction is when you can't stop for a day or two without obsessing about it one way or another.

Addiction is a condition in which a person engages in use of a substance or in a behavior for which the rewarding effects provide a compelling incentive to repeatedly pursue the behavior despite detrimental consequences.

So, do you exercise even when you're ill or injured? Do you prioritise gym sessions over friends and family? Do you feel guilty if you miss a session?
The answers to those questions will tell you if you are addicted or not.

You don't have an addiction. You're doing fine. You could maybe add one more rest day though; exercise is more effective with rest days. Or alternate so cardio one day, then weight training the next.

It might not be jealousy. Nobody knew it for a long time it but I go on 5-10 mile hikes everyday for fitness; because I don’t run or gym and am a solid size 12/14 lots of assumptions get made & I can’t express any kind of opinion without it being attributed to jealousy.

Your exercise habits sound fine, but I wonder why she even knows how much you do (I could tell you which of my friends run, but not how often - unless they're tedious about it on social media)? If you talk about it a lot then you are probably a) coming across as obsessive and b) boring people!

It depends. If your exercise negatively impacts other areas of your life (you don't spend time with your kids, although I can't imagine you have any with that much free time! Or never see your partner or turn down social opportunities regularly because you 'can't' miss it etc) then it is a problem.

Or if when you do miss a session you feel you have to 'make up for it' or punish yourself in some way by not eating or over-exercising the next day. If you are pushing yourself through injury because you don't want to rest and recover and if you are dangerously thin/have no periods etc.

All of the above could be an indication. Perhaps ask someone else you are close to if they think you have a problem - or if any of the other things ring a bell then be honest with yourself and seek help, twice a day six days a week is a lot unless you are an athlete (I say this as an ex-personal trainer)

My week runs like this
Cardio/body weight
Weight session am cardio session pm
Cardio
Weight
Cardio
Cardio
Rest.
I sometimes train when I'm sick, my boss banned me (in a friendly way) from training when I couldn't shake a cough.
I know when to taper when needed, before an event.
I just enjoy it, it's as much part of my day as sleeping or eating. However I hate the laundry it generates ! Lol

Neither of you are right or wrong. Some people consider walking from the living room to the kitchen sufficient exercise and others would be doing triathlons on a daily basis given half the chance.

That said, how does she know all what you do unless you've gone on about it? I exercise a lot but even my closest friend would be hard pushed to tell you when I last went for a run. A lot of fitness fanatics can be a bit like vegans and preach about their routines much to the eye-rolling of those around them.

She has no idea how much I actually do, but she knows I like to train. So her comment was more of a sweeping generalisation. She knows the type of gym I go to as she wanted to join, so was asking for details, cost etc.

Hmm a best friend would surely talk kindly to you one one if they were genuinely concerned, not gossip loudly about you in front of friends on a night out.

What is this "addictive personality" she is diagnosing based on then? Have you battled other addictions? Perhaps she has a point if you've moved from one serious addiction to another? Drugs, alcohol, shopping, gambling?

As addictions go, you've picked a good one.

hiit 5 times a week then in another post you call it cardio if you mean hiit as very short burst at 100 percent heart rate that is a recipe for burnout. not that it has anything to do with your freind