Having been in the fitness industry for about 15 years now, I have had the pleasure of meeting so many people in every arena of exercise. You name it, from bodybuilding to acro-yoga to ultramarathons and everything in between; I have encountered dozens, if not hundreds, of people that are incredibly passionate about what they do to be physically active. But the question I want to explore is this: can excessive exercise be TOO much of a good thing? Is there a bell-shaped curve scenario where once the "optimal" level for a person is attained, that going over could actually be negative? I am going to make a case for both sides and you can decide which one you would like to take.

PRO: I have met a handful of people who have actually battled addiction with exercise. Addictive personalities often cannot be changed; essentially they wouldn't give up being extreme but rather "transfer" the addictive behaviors to something else. So, when you meet an avid marathoner, or triathlete, etc. that may tell you that they are sober, it is likely that their exercise program had a significant part in helping his/her recovery.

The human brain experiences a chemical reward when we exercise. Evidence has shown that this can be used as an alternative reward for those battling addiction, which can make staying clean easier. I have seen multiple articles in Runner's World magazine about people who came back from literally rock bottom thanks to physical activity.

But it's not just people with substance abuse that benefit from the rewards. Anyone who regularly works out will likely benefit from improved mood, feelings of accomplishment, decreased anxiety and stress along with many others.

And what is "excessive" for one may not be for another. I say, if you need to do some form of exercise every day to squelch the stress of work, money, family or whatever, I say go for it. . . as long as you are not injuring your body. Having fitness as a slight crutch (for lack of a better word) isn't necessarily a bad thing as long as it is only improving your life and not the opposite. This leads me to my next point. . .

CON: Just as I have seen and heard cases in which exercise can literally save one's life, it can also play a role in potentially destroying it. There is a fine line between exercise becoming an aid, to a true dependency and, to the extreme, a compulsion. If taken to such an extreme it can create physical, social and psychological havoc. Conversely, a healthy athlete and an exercise addict may share similar levels of training volume-the difference is attitude.

I have witnessed marriages crumble and friendships dis-band (or friendships that form with only workout buddies) due to the addiction. And I can easily see how it can happen. While many of my clients tease me that I am an "obsessed runner" I assure you that I pretty much never skip a night out or an event with my friends and family to go for a run. If I know there is something planned in my life, I wouldn't skip it to go for a run; but I wouldn't likely skip my run either. I would most likely get it in either before or after. It is truly a delicate balance however, and I will be the first to admit that my mood is definitely different on days that I don't get outside and get my runner's euphoria. So, DOES that make me an exercise addict or just really dedicated to a sport that I truly enjoy? If I am not injured and constantly exhausted, I feel that it is the latter. You can decide what you think. . .