3. Overwhelming guilt and anxiety caused by missing a workout

We all have those days when we can’t make it to the gym due to work or other commitments, but most of us don’t think twice about rescheduling a session. For someone with exercise addiction, however, needing to skip or cut down a workout session tends to be a source of guilt and anxiety.

“People with exercise addiction may feel an overwhelming sense of anxiety or guilt if they skip a workout, even if their body is signalling a need for rest and recovery,” Cannon says. “And although they might be in pain, feeling tired or generally unwell, they may feel compelled to push through, often believing that missing a workout would be far worse than exacerbating their current condition.”

4. Disordered eating

Many people with eating disorders often end up addicted to exercise as a way to lose weight and burn calories, so if excessive exercise is combined with disordered eating habits such as underfuelling, skipping meals or only eating certain foods, then exercise addiction could be the culprit.

This kind of exercise addiction is known as secondary exercise addiction, Howells explains. “In this case, it is not the exercise per se that is the issue, but how it is used as a means to control weight,” she says.

5. Lack of control

One of the most common signs of addiction – no matter what the person is addicted to – is a lack of control surrounding the subject of the addiction. In this way, people with exercise addiction will likely find it hard to control their relationship with working out.

Exercise addiction: 7 signs you definitely shouldn’t ignore