Book excerpt: Exercise addiction, also known as compulsive exercise, is characterized by using exercise to get rid of calories. This behavior is also known as exercise bulimia because the person is using exercise to purge calories from his or her system. The compulsive exerciser might also eat compulsively, restrict food, throw up, and/or take laxatives, diet pills, or other drugs, or any combination of these. Compulsive exercise is a bit different from other eating disorders: it can be a lot easier to hide. Students learn the common signs of eating disorders, when exercise becomes compulsive, the dangers of exercise addiction, trigger factors, and psychological, social, family, and biological factors of the condition. This book also provides helpful suggestions for treatment and getting help.