Anyone else have exercise as a compulsion?

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While I would never say I am an exercise nut exactly, I don't feel right if I fail to exercise at all over the course of my average day. I even shadow box as one of my stims. Is this unusual?

For many years I was a "compulsive" walker. Every few hours, I would just have to get out of the house and go for a brisk walk for at least half and hour. Somehow this would straighten my head out. I haven't been doing it so much lately, but I still do it sometimes.

The exercise habit is forceful. If I don't do it for a long time, I don't feel right. If I go for more than a week without doing something I get headaches that go away when I start up again.

I have to walk a lot too. The first few years it had to be every single day (if I couldn't, I was a mess). Now I don't stress as much if I can't fit it in.

My major stim is jumping and I've done it ever since I was a kid. (I've been told I used to do something dubbed "the running dance" in front of the tv when I was very young.) It lead to a pretty good jumping ability and has help keep me fit although I must look ridiculous when I do it. Sometimes I walk and burst into running. Some hipster bikers saw me burst into running once and shouted out "runner," and started laughing. I wanted to chase them down and jump over their heads. Currently I'm also enjoying sliding on the wood floors of my apartment to music.

Going to the gym used to keep my routine organized so I went everyday for a while. Now I'm depressed and can't do it anymore . Also when I was working instead of taking two busses to get home I used to take one bus only and walk the rest of the way. That way I could relax a bit from work while walking...

Ab crunch, weight train and treadmill 3 miles a day, avg 90mins. If I miss one day, I feel awkward and guilty, more than one I start to have anxiety attacks over it...started it as a daily routine in '93. The dining area of my apt is filled with a weight bench and treadmill - no room for a dining table.

A lot of the time I think formal exercise in a gym is ridiculous, especially people on treadmills. I love Yoga but haven't done it in a long time.

Yes!! I feel like I am becoming weak and hypotonic if I don't lift weights, even though in reality I'm fairly strong for a small female. I feel like if I go without ONE session I will turn into a sack of flab too weak to move.

It's a compulsion for me as well.

I never thought of exercising as a compulsion... but I suppose I do exercise a lot. I stretch a lot as well. It feels good and makes me feel good overall. I enjoy exercising... I always have.

Maybe we're more aware of what happens when humans do not exercise. We see people around us who haven't exercised for 20 years. They do NOT age gracefully.

This can generate a justified compulsion for exercise.

I have been a regular gym attendee for the last two years. I go about 5-6 times a week. I have never thought of my gym sessions as a compulsion but I guess they probably are. I tend to feel very guilty if I miss a gym session - even if I have a good reason. I think the reason for this is that going to the nearly every day has become a routine for me - almost like if I don't go, I haven't completed my day.

Whilst this is good from the point of view that I get a lot of regular exercise (which at 43yo is always a good thing), it sometimes means I go to the gym when I really don't feel like it.