Addiction to exercise

We, the people, are pleasure hunters all our life. Is it alcohol, or cigarettes, or food, or weed, or ..., we often develop addiction and, in the end, get punished for our pleasures.

Where I was young, a teenager, I developed the addiction to exercise, without being aware of it at this age. It was so strong, that I sometimes excused myself at my friends, went home, exercised for a while, and than returned back to my friends, who would still be around, doing nothing, lol.

During many years, where I have been with this forum, it has become obvious that almost all of us here, are exercise addicts, even in late age. This addiction seems to be so strong, that, after having had an ablation, people are in the hurry to start exercising, even after only one week, so endangering the results of the treatment.

Are we, in reallity, a group of addicts, being punished for the way we have lived our lives...? There is a saying: "Everything in moderation!". Have we disobeyed...?

Since English is not my native language, I struggle to write, so will avoid any arguments and answers, but hope to hear opinions and arguments from others, with better language skills.

[CDreamer]

I enjoyed my sports but I can’t say I was ever addicted - apart from dinghy sailing and the occasional Ocean Racing - unfortunately the racing continued into the bar.

My step-grandson is a double Olympian in the penultimate endurance sport and I worry for the state of his health in later years, however, when training at that level you are monitored to the nth degree and learn the sobriety of rest and recuperation and detraining. Unfortunately amateur athletes are often unaware of the need for R&R and detraining as we age.

[BobD Volunteer]

There is ample evidence that over exercise can cause AF since it enlarges the left atrium which in turn stretches and breaks the natural pathways allowing more chaotic ones to form.

I understand from papers I have read that profesional athletes who retire in their late thirties and de-train seldom suffer but it is the amateurs who are addicted and refuse to stop who suffer.

I do think you generalise when saying we are all exercise addicts though. Yes I did a small amount of cycle racing in my early teens but gave up as soon as I discovered cars and girls and not necessarily in that order. I have skied a few times (very badly) but running to me is what taps do.

What I do think is that adrenaline has a huge influence . After nearly 60 years in motorport mostly as an engineer and ten of those in a major championship the level of stress was something I never felt until it ended but I am sure it affected me.

[Hidden in reply to BobD]

BobD, since you are a father and mother of this forum, I feel obliged to respond. Many of us were amateur sportsmen, and we are exactly the group that is heavily affected. Also, many are affected without having exercised at all, but they have had additional influences, like stress.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Hidden]

As I aways say it is important not to generalise with AF. For every exercise addict with AF there will be two , three or more who never work out and for every obese AF sufferer again many who are underweight or othewise fit and healthy.

AF is a mongrel condition and few people suffer it the same.

[Hidden in reply to BobD]

BobD, do net get mad with me, but "generalisation" is actually applying the method of "induction", meaning bringing up, whats happening in small number of cases, to the level of all the cases. It has a small probability level, but is very important way to draw the conclusions, which sometimes may be quite correct.

[Frances123 in reply to BobD]

Bob, I love it, running is what taps do! Going to remember that one and use it often 🤣

[Hidden]

“Everything in moderation, including moderation”

I vaguely remember someone saying this. Probably Irish, clever bunch that lot...

By the way, I think it’s still ok to say sex on the forum, but I agree one can never be sure nowadays. That’s another thing I can vaguely remember. Sex that is...

[Elli86 in reply to Hidden]

🤣 most honest comment of the year goes too...... brilliant

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I spent a year in Germany in 1980. Going there, I expected that the Germans are cold and stiff people, without sense for humor. But I was not right! The same with you, English! I am often sorry that my insufficient knowledge of the language prevents me of enjoying your jokes in full extent! "Normal" people are the same everywhere, I guess!

[secondtry]

Very relevant. The more I look at lifestyle changes the more I am shocked how far down the wrong roads we have gone and expect our bodies to cope. I have loved sports all my life in particular tennis, skiing and running but it only took me 12 episodes of AF post diagnosis to convince me big adjustments were necessary.....now I walk a mile x2 per day and pre Covid play Walking basket ball once a week but the important point is life is still enjoyable and AF has been parked!

[Elli86]

Not sure I would say everyone here is an exercise addict however there does seem to be quite a few, with cycling seemingly the regime of choice.

I would confess I was/am indeed an exercise addict myself though. It’s hard not too be once you hit a certain level and get the subsequent feelings from the said exercise. I used to train 5/6 days a week and sometimes for 4/5 hours a night after work, so much so that the owner of the gym gave me my own set of keys to lock up after the evening sparring session. However that was a while ago now, I had to stop after a bout of illness and multiple subsequent injuries. My AF only started in the last year but I think it’s probably caused by the inflammation created by me continually trying (and failing) to get back to the level I was at in my early 20s.

I think you could have a point and would be interested to hear what other people have to say.

[john-boy-92]

Oh yes! Life in the fast lane from teenager in a band, scooter-riding mod to elderly has-been. I loved Spin classes, great music, "dance on the pedals", pools of sweat under the bike, riding at the front alongside the instructor. My Polar HRM still says "over reaching" after a good indoor rowing session. I've been close enough to being in an ICU to enjoy life whilst I can.

[Hidden]

Looking what's happening in general, there are two ways we endanger our health. 1) the addiction to exercise, whereby the addicts rarely admit to be addicts, 2) trying to prove that we are still the "old ones" despite being 60+. I remember to have found my father digging in the garden, where he was 80, despite it was absolutely unnecessary to be done. Now, where I am almost 70, I tend to do the same, not willing to accept that the overload is a no-no for elderly ones.