This module addresses excessive exercise in the context of eating disorders, highlighting its prevalence, risks, and management within intensive CBT-E. Excessive exercise is defined as activity whose duration, frequency, or intensity exceeds health needs, driven by a desire to control weight and shape or regulate emotions, and often accompanied by anxiety or guilt when postponed. It may occur in structured sports, daily routines, or atypical patterns and contributes to physical harm (injuries, fractures, and cardiac complications), psychosocial difficulties (isolation and academic decline), and poorer treatment outcomes. Recognition involves behavioural observation, self-monitoring, and, at times, objective measures (e.g., accelerometers). Treatment focuses on helping patients acknowledge excessive exercise as a problem and actively decide to address it through psychoeducation, “pros and cons” analysis, and alignment with life goals. Key strategies include integrating the behaviour into personal formulations, real-time monitoring of urges, encouraging healthy social exercise, pausing competitive sports, addressing emotional triggers, and, if needed, temporarily restricting activity. The “things to say and do” tool aids in urge management through coping statements and distractions. The goal is to replace harmful, rigid activity patterns with balanced, enjoyable movement that supports recovery and well-being.

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Excessive Exercise Module

  • Riccardo Dalle Grave

摘要

This module addresses excessive exercise in the context of eating disorders, highlighting its prevalence, risks, and management within intensive CBT-E. Excessive exercise is defined as activity whose duration, frequency, or intensity exceeds health needs, driven by a desire to control weight and shape or regulate emotions, and often accompanied by anxiety or guilt when postponed. It may occur in structured sports, daily routines, or atypical patterns and contributes to physical harm (injuries, fractures, and cardiac complications), psychosocial difficulties (isolation and academic decline), and poorer treatment outcomes. Recognition involves behavioural observation, self-monitoring, and, at times, objective measures (e.g., accelerometers). Treatment focuses on helping patients acknowledge excessive exercise as a problem and actively decide to address it through psychoeducation, “pros and cons” analysis, and alignment with life goals. Key strategies include integrating the behaviour into personal formulations, real-time monitoring of urges, encouraging healthy social exercise, pausing competitive sports, addressing emotional triggers, and, if needed, temporarily restricting activity. The “things to say and do” tool aids in urge management through coping statements and distractions. The goal is to replace harmful, rigid activity patterns with balanced, enjoyable movement that supports recovery and well-being.