How can I tell if exercise is controlling my life?
The following signs are an indication of an unhealthy obsession with exercise:

• You won't skip a workout, even if you're tired, sick, or injured


• You feel obligated to exercise and feel guilty or anxious if you don't get the chance or skip it.


• You compensate for overeating or missing a work out by doing extra exercise to make up for it.


• You're losing weight, even if you don't need or want to.


• You skip social outings, appointments, or shirk family responsibilities to exercise

Often, people who allow exercise to control their life have deeper problems, such as an eating disorder or depression. However, it is possible to exercise and stay fit without it controlling your life. The following tips will help you to stay fit while balancing out a healthy life:

• Eat a healthy diet. Eating a healthy, balanced diet within a healthy range will help you to maintain your weight and stay fit without resorting to excessive amounts of exercise. Whole grains, green leafy vegetables, and lean proteins should replace refined flours like white bread and cakes and fatty cuts of meat, like steaks and burgers.
• Set aside a specific time for exercise each day. When you set aside 30 minutes or an hour each day, you will be able to fit exercise in because it's a priority. In addition, having a set time you know you will be working out will ease your mind, so you won't have to be controlled by the need to get to the gym.
• Be realistic. Know that skipping a workout or not exercising as long as usual is not likely to cause significant weight gain or reduce your fitness level. If you fall off track, just go right back to your scheduled workouts, or do them when you have the time.

How much exercise do I need?
The best way to stay fit without letting exercise control your life is to be informed. You don't need to work out for hours every day in order to be in good physical shape. Experts recommend those who are working to maintain fitness strive to exercise for at least 30 minutes 3-6 times a week. For optimal fitness and weight maintenance, they recommend 60 minutes.

That may sound daunting, but you will be surprised to see how easy it is to stay fit without it taking over your life. Go for a walk on your lunch break, or jog 15 minutes in the morning and then 15 again in the evening. Take an exercise class, or take up a sport such as tennis or soccer. Encourage your family to exercise with you by taking the kids to the park and running around with them. There are many ways to incorporate fitness into your life without letting it control your life.