Getting help

If you display some or many of these signs, it may be time to consider professional help for exercise compulsion. Initially, it may be best to consult with your primary care doctor. If your physician suspects a compulsive exercise disorder, you likely will be referred to a mental health professional.

Through therapy, you can address issues of body image and self-esteem that may be at the root of your obsessive need to exercise. You may also learn techniques to help you confront feelings of stress, anger, fear, shame and anxiety.

Effective therapy can help you to recognize the triggers that cause you to work out excessively, and to respond to these triggers in a healthier way.

More: Get helpful advice from the message boards -- try Eating Disorders, Self-Esteem Support, Fitness and Health and many others.