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?

As other PPs have said, it's not necessarily about quantity, but impact. If you enjoy and can manage your schedule without becoming stressed or anxious if you have to miss a session, for example, then grand, crack on. If being thrown out of your routine upsets you, then she might have a point, but I doubt it.

I also do a lot of training for my sport, and when pre-season starts in late July, I'll be training three nights a week, in addition to two or three weights sessions a week in the gym, and probably a 'loosening-off' 5k run once or twice a week. I've always been active and fit, so it's not a huge deal, but at my age, this is the level of intensity I have to maintain if I want to continue to be competitive.

However, during off-season, I cut my training down to a couple of gym sessions a week (so as not to completely seize up!), and spend some time drinking wine and eating crisps. I also enjoy hill-walking, cycling, and yoga - I don't just exercise to keep fit, I exercise because I enjoy it.

Sounds like your 'friend' has some issues about your dedication and discipline and is trying to project her bad feeling onto you.

@sohotinhere I agree (I know)

However in relation to you OP if you aren't dependant of course not 👍🏻😊

You're not answering the questions about how you feel about missing a day or two?

I think also if you do have an "completely addictive personality" as your friend claims then you would have developed addictions to other things at different stages of your life. Eating disorders? Alcohol/substance dependence, obsessions over spending or other compulsions?

If you're doing it when you're ill, that sounds like you possibly have a problem. You need to be able to think rationally about it and decide not to go when it's not sensible.

For all of those asking how I feel about missing a day or two, I have already answered that down the tread somewhere.
And for those saying I'm not doing HIIT properly ........ it's 45 minutes, 4 days per week of pure cardio focused then other 2 are strength focused. I see that as rest of sort as it's less intense. On the cardio days, depending on the interval, I am literally panting, sweat blinding me, clothing soaked through - thankfully I'm yet to throw up, but I have been close. So if that's no doing it properly then f**k me ! Highest calorie count was 1000 burned in a session, I'm giving it a fair whack.

I do Orange Theory twice a week, vinyasa yoga twice a week, and heavy weights twice a week. I also walk my dog a few miles a day. I think I have a balance. Most of the time.

Having worked out for the best part of 25 years, and having been through all fitness fads known to man, you get to know when it’s becoming too much. For example, do you still work out when injured, do you stress if there’s an imposition on your workout schedule etc?

I can honestly say I would freak the hell out if I had to work out fewer than four times a week. And I only vacation in hotels that have top-notch gyms. But I’ve also learnt that not every workout needs to be balls-to-the-wall. I’m not saying this about you OP, but among enthusiasts, I wouldn’t say my slight anxiety-ridden perspective when it comes to exercise is uncommon.

You can't do HIIT for 45 mins if you're doing it properly. For a start it would kill most people, and secondly it is entirely counterproductive from a fitness point of view to smash your system to that extent.

You can prove it to yourself if you want. Just hop on an exercise bike, resistance set to about level 14/20. Do a thirty second flat out sprint (properly flat out i.e. 130-150 rpm) with 60 seconds recovery. Rinse and repeat 30 times for a 45 minute workout. I guarantee by about the 6th interval your body will begin to pack up. That's why HIIT sessions are short. Tabata workouts are 4 mins long and people want to die by the end.

What you are doing maybe causing you to sweat buckets but it ain't HIIT. Kudos for exercising 6 days a week and competing though. It's more than I do i.e. one 12 or 18 minute HIIT session (inc 5 min warmup and 2 min warm down) every other day.

@Ruthlessrooster
Well maybe I'm not most people, I find it pretty rude that you would suggest that I can't be doing it properly.
My class runs for 45 mins and today looked like this. Few minute walk through and warm up.
20sec on 10 sec off 8 per pod
Pod of 3.
3 stations of 3 pods - once round the room
So 72 sets of 20 secs at max capacity. With 10 sec rest/move to next station.
Pods today were
Burpee's x8 (20sec on 10off)
Row x8 (20sec on 10off)
Bench hop x8 (20sec on 10off)
1 min try not to vomit break
Rip squat jumps x8 (20sec on 10off)
High knees/tuck jump combo x8 (20sec on 10off)
Sledge push 50kg + weights 40kg x8 (20sec on 10off)
1min contemplate death break
Bike, out of seat hill climb - high resistance x8 (20sec on 10off)
Side mountain climbers x8 (20sec on 10off)
Box jumps (height as per ability) x8 (20sec on 10off)
For me it's effective and most people who attend these sessions would agree.

Fair play to you OP, that is commitment.

Mind you, the number of women here complaining that their husbands cycle too much does make me wonder what levels of activity are deemed acceptable.

I am addicted to exercise. I do a lot and enjoy it immensely so it's a hobby of sorts. But, if I can't exercise, I do get stressed and I know I don't have a very healthy attitude.

For me it's about the endorphins. I am not fussed about health as such or Losing weight, just the feeling I get.

I do feel trapped sometimes. If you feel like this then maybe you have a problem?

OP, you're avoiding questions about how this impacts on other areas of your life, particularly relating to socialising and being with family and friends.

Yh that’s good, she said it because that person knows they should exercise more but can’t be bothered.

It's doesn't get in the way of family life, I never turn down friends or family due to training. Parkrun is a Saturday is a family affair. I work full time and it doesn't effect my work or greater work commitments, Friday drinks with the team etc.

It's doesn't get in the way of family life, I never turn down friends or family due to training. Parkrun is a Saturday is a family affair. I work full time and it doesn't effect my work or greater work commitments, Friday drinks with the team etc.

It's doesn't get in the way of family life, I never turn down friends or family due to training. Parkrun is a Saturday is a family affair. I work full time and it doesn't effect my work or greater work commitments, Friday drinks with the team etc.

How does this impact on the rest of your life? Do you have a family, and does it take time away from them? Are you able to meet up with and go out with your friends in the evenings or at weekends, or does exercise come ahead of all that?

This is a sensible set of questions. If having to exercise dominates your life, then perhaps it's a problem. If it's just one thing in a whole list of other things you do, then it's just a hobby.

I suppose a follow-up question might be, if Parkrun on Saturday is a family affair, how would you react if the other members of your family said "we're bored with Parkrun, can we do other things on Saturdays from now on?"

Well given it's at 7am, if they want a lie in etc. I go and come back with coffee etc, gone less than an hour. I have done this when the boys are tired from footie etc.

Then on those occasions it isn't really a family affair, is it?

90% of the time it is ...... why should I miss something I love, to stay in the house and wait for the boys to wake up? I don't really get your point ......

I'm not saying you should, I am just pointing out that it's something you do regardless of whether your family want to or not. It's not a family activity, from what you say, it's an activity that you do where your family frequently come along too.

You asked the question about whether this is an addiction or just a hobby. These posts are here to help you work out which it is. If you get defensive about the exploration of this issue, it isn't going to help you determine the answer.

But it is a family activity..... DS is training for his first 10k so I would encourage him not to miss it?! Not being defensive, we are an active family and your asking a pretty unlikely scenario - So it's not just me who wants to be active and healthy ! Maybe we are all addicted?!

yes OP you must sacrifice your enjoyment of exercise because your family don't do it with you every time

My family don't do any exercise with me - I do it when they are at their dads and once a week - for a whole hour (shock horror) my eldest watched my youngest for cash while I go to the gym

women are allowed time away from their families - it's 2018!