My wife walks seven miles in about two hours on treadmill, seven days a week. To protect her knee, she never runs, using a treadmill with cushions. Her heart beat is 190 during exercise. I feel this is too much for her age (47) but she has been doing it for 11 months and she has no physical problem from it, so far. She was walking about 4 miles a day for 5 years prior to this. She seems to be deeply addicted to exercise and she wouldn't listen to me. Any advice to this kind of addiction?

That is pretty excessive. In general, 1 hour of any kind of cardio a day is about the max. Unless someone is training for something like a marathon, there's no reason to train that long or that often.
The problem is that if you're dealing with exercise addiction, it is usually closely linked to some kind of body dysmorphia and maybe an eating disorder. Treat this very seriously and with as much tact as you can muster. If she really refuses to consider that she's doing something that may ultimately become unhealthy, then you may need to find out what other issues she's dealing with. Usually obsessive (maybe irrational) fear of weight gain can lie at the core of it, but it can go much deeper.
Has she indicated any reason for exercising so much?

Also, a heart rate of 190 is extremely high for only walking, and at 47 should be almost impossible to reach - the general 'rule of thumb' is that your max heart rate is 220 minus your age, so hers should be closer to 173. This isn't an exact science though, but it does indicate that she is really stressing her cardio system out by doing this.

If she's been doing it a while, her heart rate should gradually improve I would think, from improved fitness levels. How much does she weight and how tall is she? I'm guessing to get that sort of heart rate by walking, she must be quite heavy, or seriously unfit.

Many thanks to both of you, Naxis and Willapp.
She is not training for marathon or any thing. She is just obsessed with her figure. She has been underweight (90 lb. she is about 5') for about six years and has practically no periods for all these years because of this. Somehow she feels more energized than, say ten years ago. She looks at least ten years younger than her age, buying jeans from teenage section, wearing short skirts in the summer, etc. She did a lot researches on diet, always careful about the food she eats. She really enjoys food, a big serving of ice cream EVERY night.

The 190 heart rate could be off a bit. It's based on the treadmill that reads from your palms, not chest. Her running speed is only 4.5 mile/hour, but she is soaked in sweat completely every time. Her resting heart rate was in 80's many years ago. Now it's in 60's.

I am new here, maybe posted in a wrong board. I looked at Addiction section. That doesn't fit either.

She seems to be OK so far, but I want to make sure it's ok for her to continue this way.

Well, it's not exactly healthy and if she is anovular from being underweight, it's definitely unhealthy - any doctor will tell her this. It's definitely overkill to do so much cardio and will almost certainly end up being a detriment to her overall health in the future. At her age, she should place some focus on resistance training for hormone regulation and bone density as she gets older. It will help her keep her figure without damaging her health. She really should address the situation. Based on all the info you provided, I'd be very concerned about her long term health.

She does some stretching and weight lifting everyday, along with running on treadmill. Her doctor explained the reason being anovular. She understood that but refused to gain weight. She is happy that it seems to be ok for six years. I try very hard to find research to show her that she is over exercising. There are a lot books helping people to get on the exercise wagon but non to help people “turn it down a notch”. She is stubborn. Unless I find a credible source, she won’t listen. I don’t know what I can do.

Has she gotten a physical or bloodwork done recently? Bone density tests? Hormone checks? If something shows up abnormal, it may help sway her. Unfortunately, exercise addicition is a fairly new phenomenon and there isnt a lot of "credible" sources. You might urge her to talk to one (or many) trainers. Not one worth their salt will agree with a regimen that excessive. If "experts" in every related field aren't enough to make her reconsider her exercising, I'm not sure what else to tell you.
Good luck to you.

Her physical and bloodwork are ok. No hormone check recently. Was low years ago when her period stopped. She thought she was pregnant but doctor told her she was underweight that body could not produce enough certain hormones. She is aware of this. But her obsession with her body image (I admit that her body looks very sexy) and the fact that she feels good all these years make her convinced that this is ok. I'll keep trying.

I know you said there aren't a lot of books for exercisers to turn it down a notch but there are a ton of "muscle" books that do tell you tom turn cardio down a big notch, especially compared to the cardio she's doing. Maybe you could point her out to some of these books. Also, there's a lot of information about "rest days" out there on the internet that you should also bring up because she obviously isn't incorporating that into her workout either.

>>>She is not training for marathon or any thing. She is just obsessed with her figure. She has been underweight (90 lb. she is about 5') for about six years and has practically no periods for all these years because of this.

Ten pounds underweight is really not that much. For many years my girlfriend was 5-feet 5½ inches and weighed 118 to 120 lb, which is considered underweight for that height ... but let me tell you, she looked GREAT in a bikini. Perfectly proportioned, not bony sticking out, and she never had to watch what she ate nor did she exercise. So, I think the focus needs to be on how your wife looks and feels as opposed to what the scale says. This country has way too much of a food and/or scale obsession.

Amenorrhea (cessation of menses) can be one sign of too much exercise, or she could be going through menopause (yes, it’s possible at her age). She would need to have an FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) level checked to make that determination, so please ask her to go to see her gynecologist for a good checkup.

In terms of being obsessed with her figure ... I can definitely relate to that one, having had body dysmorphic syndrome for as far back as I can remember. Still do. At the current time, is your wife pleased with her physical appearance without clothing? And, are you pleased with her physical appearance, in and out of clothing? If not, have you discussed your feelings with her? (please forgive me, but I can be very blunt about things)


>>>Somehow she feels more energized than, say ten years ago. She looks at least ten years younger than her age, buying jeans from teenage section, wearing short skirts in the summer, etc.

How much did she weigh ten years ago? If you have children, how old are they now? Is she taking any sort of supplements (i.e. Hydroxycut, vitamins) --- And a 47-year-old woman who can wear short skirts in the summer ... good for her!!! You may have had an hourglass figure when you were younger, but when you get older the sands of time run down to the bottom ... particularly your knees.


>>>She did a lot researches on diet, always careful about the food she eats. She really enjoys food, a big serving of ice cream EVERY night.

Do you feel she is on a good diet, and about how many calories is she consuming every day. And how much is a “big serving” of ice cream every night?


>>>The 190 heart rate could be off a bit. It's based on the treadmill that reads from your palms, not chest. Her running speed is only 4.5 mile/hour, but she is soaked in sweat completely every time. Her resting heart rate was in 80's many years ago. Now it's in 60's.

Running 4.5 miles per hour is not that fast. I used to run 5.5 miles per hour with periodic bursts up to 7 miles per hour, and I did this for an hour a day, five days a week. And she’s supposed to be soaked and sweat completely ... that’s perfectly normal. Just make sure that she’s drinking water the entire time she’s on the treadmill. I recommend at least one liter.

In terms of her heart rate, I don’t trust the gizmo on the treadmill. Get her a heart monitor that straps around the chest with a watch she wears on her wrist. At her current age (47), 100% of her THR (target heart rate) is 173 (220 – 47). There are a number of arguments over how fast it should be. Some sources say 65-75% of your THR is fast enough. Others say 75-85%, and still others say 85-90% is best for fat burning. When I was her age I worked out on the elliptical trainer and my heart rate was 100% of the THR (175 beats per minute) for the full hour, and I felt no ill effects. But that’s me.


>>>She seems to be OK so far, but I want to make sure it's OK for her to continue this way.

Suggest she go for a full physical examination including blood work, and discuss the issue with her doctor.

well as addictions go.....this seems to be one of the healthier ones.....
although not having the period should be a signal that she has reduced her body fat considerably because that's what happens to young gymnasts...they don't get their period because they have no body fat.
that may be a red flag, but I wouldn't worry too much. :angel:

Does you wife eat healthy? Protein, carbs, fruit, and veggies? Does she skip meals? Pick at her food? At 90lbs and 5 feet tall, obsessed with working out sounds like anorexia to me. I had it for yrs. 5'5" and weighed 109lbs, worked out like a maniac, controlled everything I ate and drank.

I hope she takes care of herself.

Sid

Does you wife eat healthy? Protein, carbs, fruit, and veggies? Does she skip meals? Pick at her food? At 90lbs and 5 feet tall, obsessed with working out sounds like anorexia to me. I had it for yrs. 5'5" and weighed 109lbs, worked out like a maniac, controlled everything I ate and drank.

I hope she takes care of herself.

Sid
She eats well balanced meals. Doesn't skip. It's her underweight that worries me.

well as addictions go.....this seems to be one of the healthier ones.....
although not having the period should be a signal that she has reduced her body fat considerably because that's what happens to young gymnasts...they don't get their period because they have no body fat.
that may be a red flag, but I wouldn't worry too much. :angel:

While I appreciate all the posts, especially those point out the danger, I'd say your comments give me some comforts. Yes, her body has very little fat and her legs look very sexy.

I know you said there aren't a lot of books for exercisers to turn it down a notch but there are a ton of "muscle" books that do tell you tom turn cardio down a big notch, especially compared to the cardio she's doing. Maybe you could point her out to some of these books. Also, there's a lot of information about "rest days" out there on the internet that you should also bring up because she obviously isn't incorporating that into her workout either.

Just found an article from iVillage about "rest day", said at least rest one day a week. My wife is literally 365 day a year no stop exercise.

>>>She is not training for marathon or any thing. She is just obsessed with her figure. She has been underweight (90 lb. she is about 5') for about six years and has practically no periods for all these years because of this.

Ten pounds underweight is really not that much. For many years my girlfriend was 5-feet 5½ inches and weighed 118 to 120 lb, which is considered underweight for that height ... but let me tell you, she looked GREAT in a bikini. Perfectly proportioned, not bony sticking out, and she never had to watch what she ate nor did she exercise. So, I think the focus needs to be on how your wife looks and feels as opposed to what the scale says. This country has way too much of a food and/or scale obsession.

Amenorrhea (cessation of menses) can be one sign of too much exercise, or she could be going through menopause (yes, it’s possible at her age). She would need to have an FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) level checked to make that determination, so please ask her to go to see her gynecologist for a good checkup.

In terms of being obsessed with her figure ... I can definitely relate to that one, having had body dysmorphic syndrome for as far back as I can remember. Still do. At the current time, is your wife pleased with her physical appearance without clothing? And, are you pleased with her physical appearance, in and out of clothing? If not, have you discussed your feelings with her? (please forgive me, but I can be very blunt about things)


>>>Somehow she feels more energized than, say ten years ago. She looks at least ten years younger than her age, buying jeans from teenage section, wearing short skirts in the summer, etc.

How much did she weigh ten years ago? If you have children, how old are they now? Is she taking any sort of supplements (i.e. Hydroxycut, vitamins) --- And a 47-year-old woman who can wear short skirts in the summer ... good for her!!! You may have had an hourglass figure when you were younger, but when you get older the sands of time run down to the bottom ... particularly your knees.


>>>She did a lot researches on diet, always careful about the food she eats. She really enjoys food, a big serving of ice cream EVERY night.

Do you feel she is on a good diet, and about how many calories is she consuming every day. And how much is a “big serving” of ice cream every night?


>>>The 190 heart rate could be off a bit. It's based on the treadmill that reads from your palms, not chest. Her running speed is only 4.5 mile/hour, but she is soaked in sweat completely every time. Her resting heart rate was in 80's many years ago. Now it's in 60's.

Running 4.5 miles per hour is not that fast. I used to run 5.5 miles per hour with periodic bursts up to 7 miles per hour, and I did this for an hour a day, five days a week. And she’s supposed to be soaked and sweat completely ... that’s perfectly normal. Just make sure that she’s drinking water the entire time she’s on the treadmill. I recommend at least one liter.

In terms of her heart rate, I don’t trust the gizmo on the treadmill. Get her a heart monitor that straps around the chest with a watch she wears on her wrist. At her current age (47), 100% of her THR (target heart rate) is 173 (220 – 47). There are a number of arguments over how fast it should be. Some sources say 65-75% of your THR is fast enough. Others say 75-85%, and still others say 85-90% is best for fat burning. When I was her age I worked out on the elliptical trainer and my heart rate was 100% of the THR (175 beats per minute) for the full hour, and I felt no ill effects. But that’s me.


>>>She seems to be OK so far, but I want to make sure it's OK for her to continue this way.

Suggest she go for a full physical examination including blood work, and discuss the issue with her doctor.

Enjoy reading your long post.

She was little over 100 lb years ago. She runs slow on treadmill but long hours to protect her knee while burning fat as much as possible. She eats about 1500 cal, I think. She can tell me the cal of the food she eats. She reads her food count book all the time and memorized them. I cann't.

I do have a heart monitor at home. I'll let her get a better measure of hear rate.

We have one son who just turned 18. So we have a lot time at home, just two of us. She looks great with or without cloths on. She has a pretty face too. I am a happy man, just have a little concern about her exercise.

>>>She was little over 100 lb years ago. She runs slow on treadmill but long hours to protect her knee while burning fat as much as possible. She eats about 1500 cal, I think. She can tell me the cal of the food she eats. She reads her food count book all the time and memorized them. I cann't.

The general rule of thumb for women is to consume between 1200 and 1500 calories a day, so you're wife is taking in plenty of calories. She just needs to keep things well balanced (protein/carbs/fat).

In terms of time spent on the treadmill, she's really not turning much in the way of calories. Keep in mind that she's only 90 lb, so the # of calories burned in an hour for her is a lot less than the # of calories burned for somebody who is 130 lb. [removed] walking 4 mph for 120 minutes is only going to burn 280 calories.

What I suspect, aside could be part of the issue ... your wife wants to "have her cake and eat it, too" so to speak. She could never have as much ice cream as she does and stay as slender as she is if she didn't put as much time on the the treadmill as she does.

Is she putting in too much time exercising? Truthfully, I don't think so. What she might consider is cutting back an hour on the treadmill and substituting weight training instead. By building muscle, she'll keep her metabolism at a higher level. Or, find another type of exercise (i.e. roller blading, dancing, bowling).

My concern is actually her heart rate. Maintaining 190 bpm is *WAY* too fast. You can burn fat by staying between 75-85% of your target heart rate, which for her would be 130 to 147 bpm. Also, make sure she has a glucose drink after she works out, or she's going to lose muscle mass.

You are right thta she exercises so much that she can eat a lot, since she really enjoy eating.

The 190 heart rate measure is wrong. I just tested. The treadmill reads 197 while my heart minotor says 125 (which I tested before and was accurate). Way way off. So I think her heart rate is ok.

john55 - im sorry if this scares or offends you but frankly, it sounds to me like your wife has an eating disorder. all the things you've mentioned: counting calories, obsessed with the way she looks, over excessive excercise, missed periods, all leads to anorexia. if she gives in to "junk food" does she feel guilty afterwords? does she let herself indulge in "junk foods" at all? does she avoid social gatherings to avoid "bad foods"? Does she plan out her meals for tomorrow today? 90 pounds is WAY too low for her age and height!!! (does she deny that??) i dont care how good she looks. she is putting herself at a high risk for osteoperosis. again, i dont mean to scare you but take it from me please, someone with personal expierience with this crap.

john55 - im sorry if this scares or offends you but frankly, it sounds to me like your wife has an eating disorder. all the things you've mentioned: counting calories, obsessed with the way she looks, over excessive excercise, missed periods, all leads to anorexia. if she gives in to "junk food" does she feel guilty afterwords? does she let herself indulge in "junk foods" at all? does she avoid social gatherings to avoid "bad foods"? Does she plan out her meals for tomorrow today? 90 pounds is WAY too low for her age and height!!! (does she deny that??) i dont care how good she looks. she is putting herself at a high risk for osteoperosis. again, i dont mean to scare you but take it from me please, someone with personal expierience with this crap.

I appreciate you remind me the potential danger. I am worried about anorexia too. That's why I like to hear as many as possible your guys' opinions.

While some part of her story seems like anorexia, she really enjoy food. She doesn't like junk food, other than ice cream, her favorite. Her calorie intake is about right for her height. She just burned a lot. Her weight is below normal range but is kept stable at that level for six years. And she feels good, much energized than before. Her doctor didn't say much about (maybe because she didn't have any complains?) I am still not sure what she should do (or I should do.)

Hey John,

I just want to back up what pinstriped said and add that I'm sorry, but I completely agree with her. I wanted to type this before in reply to you, but I wasn't sure how to phrase it as to not offend or scare you and I think Pinstriped did that well. I am a recovering anorexic also and, having had such "close experience" with the disorder, I think I can confidently say that there is a VERY good chance this is what your wife is dealing with.

Basically, what pinstriped said is 100% true -- your wife's absolute obsession with exercise, maintaining a low body weight, food, appearance and calorie counting is NOT healthy. I don't care how good she looks, it's extremely unhealthy because it's dominating her life, her mind and her emotions. And it sounds like this obsession is all the time, everyday, right? I think we have a tendency to overlook this kind of stuff because it seems "healthy," when in reality, this is just as much a "sickness" as compulsive overeating is, you know? Also, anorexia comes in MANY different forms. It's not just girls who eat only celery all day and have bones sticking out everywhere, you know? Women who *appear* to be very healthy and only *a little bit* too thin or even a little overweight can just as easily be fighting this disorder. I know it's hard to see that, but maybe just try to think of it more as a disease of the mind than as a disease that is physically obvious, you know?

So, back to the facts. First, be VERY wary of assuming that just because your wife eats a big bowl of ice cream every night it means she doesn't have a disorder. You said she knows the calorie count of EVERY other food she eats, right? So logically of course, she probably knows the EXACT calorie count of that big bowl of ice cream, right? And she probably restricts/plans her other calorie intake to fit around that bowl of ice cream. Do you see what I mean? So she may be "allowing" herself to eat 1500 calories a day and just restricting within that allowance to make the ice cream fit in. I know this seems counterintuitive to our idea of anorexia, but just trust me that MANY anorexics do this exact thing. They "save up" their calories throughout the day for a big, indulgent dessert at night (so they can feel like they're "free" in what they eat and feel like they eat "normally" and enjoy it.) But in reality, they're still restricting, because no way would they have that dessert if they'd already reached their "calorie allowance" for the day. Does this make sense?

Anyway, just take it to heart that anorexics can be pretty decieving in their work to not *seem* anorexic. They may seem like they eat this big, indulgent thing daily, but in fact, the only reason they eat it is because they know it fits into their "plan." For example, in some of the worst of my anorexia, I would stil' eat a totally "healthy" 2000 calories a day. I'd eat three meals, with snacks in between, and have a big ol' dessert (like Ho-Ho's or a big bowl of ice cream) every single night. BUT, I was underweight and refused to gain to a healthy weight. BUT, I knew and CONTROLLED the calories of every morsel that entered my mouth. BUT, I was absolutely obsessed with exercise and wouldn't miss or skip it for anything. BUT, I was obsessed with my body and food and my weight and calories and honestly, couldn't fully focus on much else.

Does that sound like what your wife is going through? Because from what you've described thus far, it sounds to me to be VERY MUCH like your wife's life. I really think you need to discuss this with her and get her into a therapist to talk about some of these issues. Regardless if it's full-fledged anorexia or not, she's dealing with some levels of body dismorphic disorder, refusal to live in a healthy weight range, obsession with exercise, etc. And you know that, so don't let her fool you into thinking that what she does is normal or healthy, okay? Common sense alone tells you that exercising 2 hours a day is NOT healthy and you know deep down that normal people don't NEED to know or count every, single little calorie, right? So take action and help her get better. I know you may think she looks *great* now and she may think she has *tons* of energy, but I can GUARANTEE that you will both be happier once she truly gets better.

Good luck (and sorry this is so long...i just want to help with something I feel i can understand!)

Hi Jonistyle,
What you said that "think of it more as a disease of the mind than as a disease that is physically obvious" makes a lot sense to me. My wife has a full time job. Although she works from home, she is on call 24 hours a day, sometimes stressful. She is an extremely disciplined person. The way she handles calorie intake fits her personality. She has a master degree in mathematics. I don't know whether this is relevant, she is definitely good at counting numbers. A lot times too much precision and accuracy in all aspects of her life.

After reading so many good posts, which I really appreciated, I think I got it. My wife needs to relax her mind. Exercise is a reflection of it. The key is her mentality. And I thank you, Jonistyle.