My Addiction To Exercise Permanently Damaged My Body. But It Also Taught Me How To Love Myself

My Addiction To Exercise Permanently Damaged My Body. But It Also Taught Me How To Love Myself
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 16: Runners cross the Golden Gate Bridge during the 2013 San Francisco Marathon and Half-Marathon on June 16, 2013 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 16: Runners cross the Golden Gate Bridge during the 2013 San Francisco Marathon and Half-Marathon on June 16, 2013 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Exercise has always been an outlet for me. Whether heading to yoga after a long day at the office or jogging outdoors to unplug from my hyper-connected life, physical activity has always been my go-to method of winding down and re-centering. But while the benefits of exercise -- staying in shape, de-stressing -- are preached by many scientists and health professionals, it's a "prescription" that can be easily abused. Which is exactly what happened to me.

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