What is the Difference Between “Healthy” and Punishing Exercise? We Asked the Experts
As a proud collaborator in National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (NEDAW), Sanford Behavioral Health stands with the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) to raise awareness. Every day, we challenge stigma and provide hope and support to those in need. In 2026, NEDAW takes place from February 23rd to March 1st. This year’s theme is Every BODY Belongs. In honor of NEDAW, we’d like to invite you to a free mindful movement and body-gratitude livestream on February 26th at Noon EST. The livestream, in partnership with The Recovery Barre, West Michigan Eating Disorder Specialists, and Michigan Eating Disorder Alliance (MiEDA), celebrates the concept that EVERY BODY BELONGS.
Mark your calendar for this half-hour class and click the link below to register.
What is the Difference Between “Healthy” and Punishing Exercise?
We asked the experts, Erin McDowell, MPH, Ashlynn Howe, M.Ed., and Kellie Boprie, LMSW, CEDS, to describe what joyful movement means to them and how it differs from punitive exercise. Click on their names for more information about their organizations.
Erin (on left) with colleague Isabella Wolschleger spreading the word!
Erin McDowell, MPH, Sanford Behavioral Health Eating Disorder Community Outreach Liaison, MiEDA Board Member
Movement has become an important part of my recovery because it helps me reconnect with my body in a way that feels supportive and empowering. Swimming and strength training allow me to focus on what my body can do rather than how it looks, and I love the feeling of strength, steadiness, and capability they bring. I also enjoy movement in a variety of joyful ways. Walking my dogs or jumping into random exercise classes with family or friends are examples of moving for the joy of it. These moments remind me that movement can be social and recharging. During my recovery, movement has shifted from being driven by rules to being rooted in gratitude. I honor my body for carrying me, supporting me, and growing stronger alongside me.
Ashlynn Howe, M. Ed., The Recovery Barre
Movement, especially in a group setting, has been a huge part of my own recovery journey. It brings me joy, grounds me in my body, and helps me connect with both myself and others. As someone in long-term recovery from both an eating and an alcohol use disorder, I understand the shared feelings of inner restlessness and the desire to hide. Moving with others has given me a powerful way to release physical and mental energy, and it is also the opposite of isolation.
Becoming aware of our thoughts and rewiring our mind-body relationship to movement takes time (and often, active resistance to much of the cultural messaging). But we live in our bodies every day for the rest of our lives, so befriending them by learning to experience joy in movement brings so much healing and mental freedom that trickles into everyday life. It is possible, worth the journey, and so powerful for anyone, but especially those in recovery. Today, movement is my biggest, lifelong coping skill and social outlet. I love that every time I lead a class, I get to watch others experience the same joy and freedom.
Kelly Boprie, LMSW, CEDS, West Michigan Eating Disorder Specialists, MiEDA Board Member
Exercise and movement are often a part of many of our lives. For those of us who live in able bodies, we may walk to and from the subway or bus station, climb the stairs to our office, and chase our children around. Some of us may enjoy biking, swimming, golfing, and more to care for and sustain our health, or to use movement/exercise to challenge ourselves (e.g., training for a 5k). In the world of eating disorders, exercise and movement can become very challenging. Exercise may be used to compensate for calories consumed, eating, or to “feel” as if we have earned a meal. It is important for all people, especially people who may be struggling with an eating disorder, to be able to have a healthy framework for movement and exercise.
Maybe you are wondering about your relationship with exercise. I find it helpful to have a working definition of compulsive exercise to better assess our relationship with “healthy” exercise. According to L.Teranis, “Compulsive exercise describes a highly driven and rigid urge to exercise, combined with a perceived inability to stop exercising, despite awareness of the risk of harm from continued exercise.” An individual who is engaging in compulsive exercise may go for a 5-mile run without eating anything, or decide they must go to the gym after a meal and work out until they have burned as many calories as they consumed. Compulsive exercise may also look like a person exercising despite having experienced a stress fracture, concussion, or bradycardia.
Beneficial exercise and movement look like:
- Increased energy: when we exercise, it provides a boost and increases endorphin production.
- Enhances mood: after exercise or movement, we experience an uplift in mood, feelings of accomplishment, and perhaps a reduction in stress.
- Passion-driven: our choice for exercise and movement is related to what we enjoy and what we may be trying to accomplish. We may have a passion for pickleball, both the competitive and social aspects. Therefore, when we play, we engage in our hobbies and interests.
- Scheduled around life: we fit exercise into our schedules without missing events or outings to exercise. There is flexibility in when, where, and how we move and exercise, depending on what we are doing that day and/or week.
- It is a source of enjoyment: we walk away with a sense of joy, a connection to our bodies, and a renewed interest.
- Respects our bodies and limitations: we take breaks when we are sick or tired. We listen to signs of injury and stop. If we notice some muscular pain, we stop to assess and give our body a rest.
Compulsive exercise looks like:
- An exhaustion of our body.
- Lowers mood: undernourishment and lack of rest deplete the body, and our mood starts to tank. We may even experience an increase in anxiety because our body is now in an active state of nervous system dysregulation due to the body not getting to rest and recover.
- Punishment-driven: exercising in response to what we may have eaten, exercising due to engaging in overeating or binge eating.
- Life is scheduled around exercise: skipping out on kids, family, or social events to exercise and saying no to other activities or events to prioritize exercise.
- Source of obligation: it is no longer fun and enjoyable but a “must,” something we must do, resulting in less flexibility and potentially resentment towards a particular type of movement or exercise.
- Ignores the body’s cues and pushes past limitations: due to under-fueling/under-eating, a person may experience lightheadedness or dizziness but continues to lift, bike, or walk. Or they may have been placed on a movement restriction due to surgery or a break/strain/concussion, and they exercise despite this.
It is important to identify if our relationship with movement and exercise reflects beneficial or compulsive behavior. It may be difficult to identify, particularly if we are struggling with disordered patterns of eating and body image challenges, but talking it over with a trusted person or our support system, and reflecting on what is driving the desire and behavior around exercise and movement, is important. Movement and exercise should not feel like a chore. We can approach exercise from a place of care for ourselves, enjoyment, and stress management.
