exercise addiction?

When exercising becomes addiction?

When I was pregnant, more than a year ago, a friend from the gym asked me how many times I go to the gym. Very relaxed I answered "5 days a week." His response was "Oh my, you are addicted to exercise!" Back then I didn't give it another thought. I love the benefits that a good workout gives me.

Isn't this [the work out] a healthy lifestyle? Everywhere you look you see people jogging, biking or playing sports. The kids are sent not to play just one sport but to play several sports. Exercise is so widely promoted these days that you never think that you will get addicted to it. Yet, like everything else, it is possible to have too much of a good thing.

Anyway I still go to the gym 5 days a week. Recently, another friend of mine told me that she is so into the gym now that she thinks that she might be addicted. I know that she was joking and isn't really worried about addiction. But this made me think and question myself "Am I addicted to exercise?"

What are the symptoms of exercise addiction? I found a website http://www.brainphysics.com/exercise-addiction.php that identified the seven signs of exercise addiction. I think two that are overlooked are: exercising when sick or injured and exercising to the point of pain and beyond.

The other day I hurt my back and was debating whether I should go to the gym or stay home and take care of my back. I went back and forth for a while but in the end I decided to stay home.

According to the website I am not addicted because I didn't go and exercise when I was injured. Have I exercised to the point of pain and beyond? Tricky question because when you exercise you often feel some pain.

Now I can honestly say that I am not addicted to exercise and it is a relieve knowing that.

Just a little something to say....thank you

Everywhere I have worked I have learned a few things from my superiors.

For the last year and half I have been volunteering at the Hospital. When I first started to work with my coordinator I noticed that she thanked me for everything I did. In the beginning I responded by telling her "come on I'm just doing my job." And I never just said "you're welcome." I was a little embarrassed that she kept thanking me for every little thing and I did not know how to react. Today I know her pretty well and every time she thanks me there is a smile on my face and, of course, I answer her with a simple and sincere "you're welcome."

It is not a general rule but I notice that here in the U.S. people are more likely to say "thank you" than in my country. For example I love that here when people step off of the bus they say "thank you" and wish the driver a "good day." I've started doing it too, and I truly thank him for driving me safely to my destination. I never once thanked a bus driver in Romania, and I never heard anyone else say it either.

Another thing that we do here in the US which we don't do in Romania is send "thank you" cards. And we send "thank you" cards for all kinds of reasons. I remember that I got a welcome gift when I arrived in the U.S., and I had to write a thank you card to that person. I wasn't sure what to say. I had to write something a little personal and I wasn't used to that. Even today it takes me a while to figure out a short and a concise way to express my feelings in a note.

I don't want to make it sound like Romanian people don't know how or when to say thank you. They do. But just not in these types of situations and certainly not so often.

You might think that saying "thank you" is so banal but makes such a big difference for both those who say it and those who receive it.