Could exercise be my biggest issue?

stevow7

stevow7

Well known member
hello guys. so i posted here before about sleep and other stuff but i think i might found the root of my ocd, stress, anxiety. its fitness. i have been extremely addicted to the gym, to nutrition, to fitness. i stress myself all day because, “what if i dont get enough calories or why if i dont sleep 8 hours” at the end of each day my body or mind tells me to stop exercising and even thought i exercise 3-4 days i still get this thoughts. i have a lot of health problems and ocd is one of the most problematic ones. this mental problem is no joke. when it becomes severe its a real psychological problem, but anyways, it all started with fitness. now i cant eat out, go out with friends, i don’t live because i wake up and since that moment i have to deal with ocd. the only times i feel like im living is when i sit down to eat and its healthy meals. i had to cancel appointments because i had to go to the gym or sleep or eat. but im actually thinking, what if i stop fitness and focus on my health? if i keep going to the gym ill end up feeding my ocd o mental problem.
 
A few years ago I feel like I was in a similar boat. I was so obsessed with my diet that I feared going out, and thought a piece of pizza was going to kill me. There was a lot of emotional stuff going on at that time as well.

I don't think going to the gym is a bad thing, or even loving the experience, but I guess you have to ask yourself what are your goals? I mean seriously, are you a competitor at all?

Progress isn't going to be made in a day anyways, so as long as you are working towards something then it won't kill you to not hit your calories or macro ratios perfectly every time, and even if you are somewhat conscious of the effect of what food can and can't do to your body then you will naturally make better decisions to start with even if they aren't always perfect.

Plus if you are really trying to make those gainz... then remember stress can be catabolic. For the gym I utilize some pretty basic periodization that is basically just Jim Wendler's 5/3/1. You work hard for 3 weeks and the fourth week is more of an easy, light, or rest week. Maybe think about programming a restorative period in your training. That way instead of having that feeling that everything is going off the rails you can take comfort in knowing it is part of a bigger plan that will help you reach those gym or athletic goals.
 
I don't think exercise is your problem. OCD is one of your central problems. I would target OCD with top priority.
 
Love yourslef, love life. ANd if you have OCD, start with accepting it, and say to yourself it is okay to have ocd. OCD is not your enemy, it is there for a reason. It is okay to be happy, it is okay to be lazy, it is okay to be you, everything is okay. It is okay to be stressed out and cancel appointments. Accept that you are great as you are and go from there. See Louise Hay on love. See Abraham Hicks about anything with an open mind. but is is okay not to have an open mind. Just BE!

IN SHORT, YOU THINK YOU ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH, AND YOU ARE WRONG. CHECK OUT GERMAN NEW MEDICINE WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT OCD.

https://www.newmedicineonline.com/anxiety/ (Anxiety - German New Medicine - GNM - Neal Smookler)
 
Last edited:
[NameRedacted] said:
A few years ago I feel like I was in a similar boat. I was so obsessed with my diet that I feared going out, and thought a piece of pizza was going to kill me. There was a lot of emotional stuff going on at that time as well.

I don't think going to the gym is a bad thing, or even loving the experience, but I guess you have to ask yourself what are your goals? I mean seriously, are you a competitor at all?

Progress isn't going to be made in a day anyways, so as long as you are working towards something then it won't kill you to not hit your calories or macro ratios perfectly every time, and even if you are somewhat conscious of the effect of what food can and can't do to your body then you will naturally make better decisions to start with even if they aren't always perfect.

Plus if you are really trying to make those gainz... then remember stress can be catabolic. For the gym I utilize some pretty basic periodization that is basically just Jim Wendler's 5/3/1. You work hard for 3 weeks and the fourth week is more of an easy, light, or rest week. Maybe think about programming a restorative period in your training. That way instead of having that feeling that everything is going off the rails you can take comfort in knowing it is part of a bigger plan that will help you reach those gym or athletic goals.
Click to expand...


thanks so much for all of your time. yeah i guess i just put too much pressure in myself trying to get “stronger” or get “muscular” when in reality im doing more harm trying to have the best macros or diet or sleep. worrying about this probably makes things worst. im actually trying to stop counting calories because, 1) it makes my anxiety go up knowing that i didnt ate or ate too much and 2) restrict food intake from others. im also thinking of going intuitive eating. i have this thought that i have to set a caloric goal and hit that everyday but at the end of the day i look bloated and feel weird and basically spin my wheels. this is also why im going to slowly stop counting and enjoy food while enjoying life. and you’re right. progress is made overtime.

also im currently running 5/3/1 beginners!
 
Last edited:
Zoltan said:
Love yourslef, love life. ANd if you have OCD, start with accepting it, and say to yourself it is okay to have ocd. OCD is not your enemy, it is there for a reason. It is okay to be happy, it is okay to be lazy, it is okay to be you, everything is okay. It is okay to be stressed out and cancel appointments. Accept that you are great as you are and go from there. See Louise Hay on love. See Abraham Hicks about anything with an open mind. but is is okay not to have an open mind. Just BE!

IN SHORT, YOU THINK YOU ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH, AND YOU ARE WRONG. CHECK OUT GERMAN NEW MEDICINE WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT OCD.

https://www.newmedicineonline.com/anxiety/ (Anxiety - German New Medicine - GNM - Neal Smookler)
Click to expand...

wow such good words thanks a lot! other than the link you recommend, do you recommend books?
 
I can't give you an answer to your question but I often find myself wondering the same thing and it definitely feels like it. Every time I start to make good progress (on my own scale) I seem to sustain some sort of 'injury' first it was my back during rows & deadlifts. Now I seem to have a shoulder/acl injury after 6 months of finally starting to make good progress again. It almost feels like self sabotage, I absolutely love and get so much out of lifting and progressing in strength and yet every time I start to progress beyond what I've done before something goes wrong. Then I spend time recovering and starting lighter, working my way back up, progressing a little bit and BAM another 'injury'.
 
stevow7 said:
wow such good words thanks a lot! other than the link you recommend, do you recommend books?
Click to expand...

Hi Stevow,

I am in no way qualified to treat OCD but I believe I will cause no harm in writing the following.

You can find many videos on YouTube and also books from Louise Hay, Eckhart Tolle: Practicing the Power of Now (this will ground you if you practice what he says not just read it). As others say, take it easy and take it slow, "not obsessively". The fact that you realized something is not "right" is a big step, the biggest to be fair as you are no longer in denial or in the unknown. It seems OCD has/had a subconscious trigger and keeps you going. Ask yourself what would happen if I stopped doing...? Why do I need this? Is it possible that somewhere in the past an authoritative figure suggested to you that you are nobody unless you do this or that with a 100% ?; Or you would be ill etc if not do something 100% ?; Someone may have suggested in the past, before the first sign of OCD that you are not good enough? This someone could have been a teacher, a parent, a grandparent, a neighbor who had a nice car when you were little, or a doctor or someone who you looked up to as a child. You may no longer remember, but even if you take this on board, it will get to the subconscious level as with the chronic pain with TMS, that the pain has nothing to do with the physical parts. Also, medicine make things worse. If you take any medications contact the person who subscribed them to you and let them know that you would like to reduce the dose and try going without them later under supervision/checks by a professional. While the body is dosed with poisons it has a hard time getting rid of them and everything else is delayed, slowed down.

Take it easy, try to find your trigger as once you find it the issue will go away. Quiet your mind with the Tolle technique. If you can afford professional help, contact a German new medicine practitioner, (I am not sure a psychologist would be able to do the same but you can try if no other available but tell them what you want to achieve as they will just let you visit them forever. )if there are any in your area (or maybe through Skype), they would be able to help find your trigger. While this is referred to as pseudo science (like |Dr Sarno's work), it still produces results in all areas of medicine. Just think of TMS with Dr Sarno, the german new medicine says basically the same thing and has pinpointed every conditions trigger.
---
I hope you are not in pain also, TMS pain is the worse as Dr Sarno used to say. I am lucky my wife researched the topic and got me his book early with mine, I still have numb legs for about 2 years now, but no pain (I believe if I am alone in this I would have killed myself, the pain was extremely bad constantly, the pills would only reduce it slightly), I can work and sit and do anything. It is sad that the greatest humans are not recognized.
---
Your body and mind is always working for your highest good but sometimes it is hard to believe it. Do not regard your condition as the enemy, accept it and know something triggers it and it will stop as soon as you do not need it anymore.
 
Zoltan said:
Hi Stevow,

I am in no way qualified to treat OCD but I believe I will cause no harm in writing the following.

You can find many videos on YouTube and also books from Louise Hay, Eckhart Tolle: Practicing the Power of Now (this will ground you if you practice what he says not just read it). As others say, take it easy and take it slow, "not obsessively". The fact that you realized something is not "right" is a big step, the biggest to be fair as you are no longer in denial or in the unknown. It seems OCD has/had a subconscious trigger and keeps you going. Ask yourself what would happen if I stopped doing...? Why do I need this? Is it possible that somewhere in the past an authoritative figure suggested to you that you are nobody unless you do this or that with a 100% ?; Or you would be ill etc if not do something 100% ?; Someone may have suggested in the past, before the first sign of OCD that you are not good enough? This someone could have been a teacher, a parent, a grandparent, a neighbor who had a nice car when you were little, or a doctor or someone who you looked up to as a child. You may no longer remember, but even if you take this on board, it will get to the subconscious level as with the chronic pain with TMS, that the pain has nothing to do with the physical parts. Also, medicine make things worse. If you take any medications contact the person who subscribed them to you and let them know that you would like to reduce the dose and try going without them later under supervision/checks by a professional. While the body is dosed with poisons it has a hard time getting rid of them and everything else is delayed, slowed down.

Take it easy, try to find your trigger as once you find it the issue will go away. Quiet your mind with the Tolle technique. If you can afford professional help, contact a German new medicine practitioner, (I am not sure a psychologist would be able to do the same but you can try if no other available but tell them what you want to achieve as they will just let you visit them forever. )if there are any in your area (or maybe through Skype), they would be able to help find your trigger. While this is referred to as pseudo science (like |Dr Sarno's work), it still produces results in all areas of medicine. Just think of TMS with Dr Sarno, the german new medicine says basically the same thing and has pinpointed every conditions trigger.
---
I hope you are not in pain also, TMS pain is the worse as Dr Sarno used to say. I am lucky my wife researched the topic and got me his book early with mine, I still have numb legs for about 2 years now, but no pain (I believe if I am alone in this I would have killed myself, the pain was extremely bad constantly, the pills would only reduce it slightly), I can work and sit and do anything. It is sad that the greatest humans are not recognized.
---
Your body and mind is always working for your highest good but sometimes it is hard to believe it. Do not regard your condition as the enemy, accept it and know something triggers it and it will stop as soon as you do not need it anymore.
Click to expand...

Wow, once again such good stuff! i accepted and realized that what really triggers me are 3 things, not wanting to be sick, trying to progress all the time in the gym and well part of my family. why i constantly wash my hands? well because i keep thinking that "if i do not wash my hands i will get sick". also the "i need to sleep 8 hours or eat right to keep progressing in the gym". i did came to realize that hey, i need to accept it, keep calm and just continue living while not needing the obsession anymore. you talked about "The Power of Now", by Eckhart Tolle. yes I almost read the book completely, but it became so repetitive that I did not end it. however, i did applied the technique and it worked! but it was a long time ago and I need to re read it and apply the full tecnique. I'm actually getting better thanks to you guys. i came to realize that this is also tms. yes i do have this so called herniated disc that left me out of the gym for 6-8 months or so (don't remember correctly, but it was a long time). im happy to say that, thanks to Dr Sarnos I'm back and doing all the things I used to do.
God bless you all! thanks once again for your time!
 
There are 2 books, 1. Power of now. 2. Practicing the power of now. This later is shorter and focusing on the practice. But I can tell you here what he says :). The voice in our had is separate from our true being. Most often the voice is not happy with the now, either looking forward to something as a condition to be happy at a later time but not now (like a better figure or more strength, better car, more money, a job, or just not to be homeless...), or it is complaining about the past, or hanging onto past good memories not appreciating the present moment (thinking about the girlfriend/bf. who left). To quiet the ego talking to you and constantly feeding your mind with anything that takes your appreciation away from the moment that is now, all you need to do is catch it in the act. So, you listen to your own "thinking"/monologue. Instead of believing what it says you just have to actively listen to what it says. At this point it will shut the hell up, and you will have quiet in your mind. Just keep listening to it until it stops. Once it stops, you will notice everything is okay, and will enjoy the now, listen to what's around you and do not judge anything just observe. Congratulations, you now have the power of now.
Practice makes perfect. When your mind says you can't do this and this is ridiculous just listen to that too :). The ego will notice that it cannot reach its purpose and will leave you alone. It will come back of course but just listen to it again and it will quiet down again.
 
Zoltan said:
There are 2 books, 1. Power of now. 2. Practicing the power of now. This later is shorter and focusing on the practice. But I can tell you here what he says :). The voice in our had is separate from our true being. Most often the voice is not happy with the now, either looking forward to something as a condition to be happy at a later time but not now (like a better figure or more strength, better car, more money, a job, or just not to be homeless...), or it is complaining about the past, or hanging onto past good memories not appreciating the present moment (thinking about the girlfriend/bf. who left). To quiet the ego talking to you and constantly feeding your mind with anything that takes your appreciation away from the moment that is now, all you need to do is catch it in the act. So, you listen to your own "thinking"/monologue. Instead of believing what it says you just have to actively listen to what it says. At this point it will shut the hell up, and you will have quiet in your mind. Just keep listening to it until it stops. Once it stops, you will notice everything is okay, and will enjoy the now, listen to what's around you and do not judge anything just observe. Congratulations, you now have the power of now.
Practice makes perfect. When your mind says you can't do this and this is ridiculous just listen to that too :). The ego will notice that it cannot reach its purpose and will leave you alone. It will come back of course but just listen to it again and it will quiet down again.
Click to expand...


thanks a lot Zoltan! But I'm thinking of starting again The Power of Now (maybe) just to refresh and to finish it. I do have the second book "Practicing the Power of Now" but i haven't read it. Obviously, this power of now it's not that easy to have but it's possible with time and practice. God bless you all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top