The resurgence of fitness pursuits, especially amongst women
who are striving to compete with their male counterparts, has a sinister side
to it - that of excess to the point of detriment.
The "Adonis complex" as it has been dubbed, is the
result of (mainly male) excesses of body-building, to the extent that a
condition known as Muscle Dysmorphia occurs. This condition results due to
ridiculous measures being taken in order to gain even bigger physical frames,
despite the sometimes grotesque results.
In women, Body Dysmorphia is on the increase, with the
pursuit of leaner, trimmer physiques being the all-consuming factor, driven by
media brainwashing and the constant exposure to 'celebrity' physiques. 'Celebrity'
diets, weight-reduction supplements and emancipation are all contributory to
the increase in cases of malnutrition to the point of starvation. The
concomitant effect is one of Anorexia in some cases - the male opposite counterpart
being dubbed Bigorexia - and in both cases there is a high risk of death due to
taking the body to extremes that is simply isn't designed to achieve or
maintain.
As with all things, if you think that you are over-exercising, or
suffering from disordered eating, you probably are! However, many 'obsessive
practices/addictions' go unchallenged, until someone else makes a comment. The
best way to approach this is - if a partner, friend, family member, colleague,
fellow gym associate or even GP suggests that you might be overdoing the
workouts, you very likely are, and this is the time to take stock of what you
are actually trying to achieve. Many 'obsessive' practices are borne of
'distorted cognitions' - inherent thoughts that fuel emotions and drive our
behaviours. It is these 'drivers' that need the workout, not the incumbent
physical forms.
If you feel that your regimen has got out of proportion to
your original goal, then it's time to talk to someone about it. Counselling no
longer has the same stigma attached to it as it had previously – practitioners
understand the emotions behind the behaviours and can talk about strategies
that are designed to alleviate, compensate and remediate. You can access an
initial assessment of your condition here.
who are striving to compete with their male counterparts, has a sinister side
to it - that of excess to the point of detriment.
The "Adonis complex" as it has been dubbed, is the
result of (mainly male) excesses of body-building, to the extent that a
condition known as Muscle Dysmorphia occurs. This condition results due to
ridiculous measures being taken in order to gain even bigger physical frames,
despite the sometimes grotesque results.
In women, Body Dysmorphia is on the increase, with the
pursuit of leaner, trimmer physiques being the all-consuming factor, driven by
media brainwashing and the constant exposure to 'celebrity' physiques. 'Celebrity'
diets, weight-reduction supplements and emancipation are all contributory to
the increase in cases of malnutrition to the point of starvation. The
concomitant effect is one of Anorexia in some cases - the male opposite counterpart
being dubbed Bigorexia - and in both cases there is a high risk of death due to
taking the body to extremes that is simply isn't designed to achieve or
maintain.
As with all things, if you think that you are over-exercising, or
suffering from disordered eating, you probably are! However, many 'obsessive
practices/addictions' go unchallenged, until someone else makes a comment. The
best way to approach this is - if a partner, friend, family member, colleague,
fellow gym associate or even GP suggests that you might be overdoing the
workouts, you very likely are, and this is the time to take stock of what you
are actually trying to achieve. Many 'obsessive' practices are borne of
'distorted cognitions' - inherent thoughts that fuel emotions and drive our
behaviours. It is these 'drivers' that need the workout, not the incumbent
physical forms.
If you feel that your regimen has got out of proportion to
your original goal, then it's time to talk to someone about it. Counselling no
longer has the same stigma attached to it as it had previously – practitioners
understand the emotions behind the behaviours and can talk about strategies
that are designed to alleviate, compensate and remediate. You can access an
initial assessment of your condition here.
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