Metabolism, exercising and gaining weight

Please bear with me because I'm sure this point has been raised on here numerous times before.

I am 1 - 1.5 stones underweight, have various health problems associated with low weight and low BMI, and have been told by many people that I need to gain.

I have a problem with exercise in that I am addicted to it.  I workout every day, for 1.25 - 1.5 hours at a time.  I work at high intensity and also incorporate weight training, although that seems to be a bit of a waste of time since I really have very little muscle on me due to my high intensity cardio that I seem to be addicted to.

To cut a very long story short, I have received alot of encouragement from people such as Abbi, GI Jane and Rebelchick (amoung others) on this forum as far as needing to gain weight goes.  I am in a bit of a quandry because although I'm smart enough to know that I need to do something so I'm here for when my two boys grow up and hopefully give me grandchildren, my ED and exercise addiction keeps stopping me from even trying to gain weight let alone actually doing something about it.

I've been trying to gain for about two years now but haven't seen any results.

Two quick questions if I may:

(1) Given that I exercise so much, and am also very active in day to day life (I find it impossible to sit still for any length of time, I have been diagnosed with anxiety and OCD), would it be correct for me to assume that my basic metabolic rate is naturally high?

(2) If I were to try and have a day off from working out, would my metabolism drop atall?  I don't think I'm wording this very well, but what I'm basically trying to ascertain is how much my metabolism would change, if atall.

Sorry if this is rambling - you know how it is when you think as you type and the words just come out all jumbled!

Hope someone can help, so I can hopefully get myself straight and get a positive frame of mind to start trying to gain weight with the right frame of mind to finally succeed.

Many thanks and much love.

1... not necessarily.  Your basal metabolic rate is the rate at which your body burns energy when completely at rest.  Therefore is affected most by your size, age and muscle-tone.  You're about 40 years old and if you're 20lbs underweight your muscle-tone is likely to be quite poor so your BMR could be quite low.  Your total energy needs will be relatviely high, however.... so unless you're prepared to exceed those energy needs by a considerable amount day in day out with plenty of food you will not gain weight.

2.... your BMR would not materially change from having just one day off.  Your total energy needs would reduce slightly.

I think what you're trying to avoid is the reality which is that if you really want to be 20lbs heavier, healthier, with a better chance of a longer life .... and not bent double by the age of 50 with osteoporosis.... then the excessive exercise leeching the calcium from your bones, stressing your weakend heart and helping keep you chronically underweight has to be tackled first and foremost.  Replaced with maximum 20 mins - 30 mins gentle exercise I'd say until you are those 20lbs heavier.  That's really the bottom line.  If you have anxiety and OCD issues, talk to your doctor and tackle the root cause of the problem

gi jane always gives the best advice. I really would try and adress this exercise thing . its a problem i have struggled with and is partly why im in such bad nick . it really doesent serve any purpose when weight is so low like gi jane says it this leaches calcium from your bones. your bmr stays risen for 24 hours after exercise . its really wont make as much difference as you think not exercising it will be hard , but your body will heal far quicker . im gaining and doing very little exercise and my weight hasnt shot up infact im not gaining anymore than i was when i was doing alot of exercise . i know its probably feels impossible to change but you can do it , i did and it does get easier you dont exercise and calories ruling your life forever do you ?your metobolic rate probably is high but as you get better nutrition this will increase anyway . sorry to ramble on when i read your post it reminded me how i was. there is a book i brought off amazon by rebecca prusssin called exercise addiction , i really think you d benefit from it , sports nutrition is a good onr to by nancy clark. you know its supprising just how much you do need to eat just by not doing anything and having kids and managing them is so energic plus whatever else youve been doing. I would definitely see your doctor about the ocd and anxiety . h xx

If you are working out so compulsively that you don't even take a recovery day off, you may need to seek a counselor but I recommend taking at least a week off from exercise entirely in order to let your body begin to heal. Your body is likely high in cortisol, your thyroid hormones are probably pretty messed up, and you could have damaged your heart. I'm a distance runner but I still take 1-2 days off per week, more if I FEEL that I need a day. I ran 12 miles this morning and I love the feeling of it but I'll also love the feeling of NOT running if my body feels sore. You won't really gain weight with exercise because exercise may be suppressing your appetite. You  need to challenge yourself to a week off, starting now. This is for your health.

Thank you all so very much for taking time and trouble to reply to my post.

I have read all your replies and taken in everything you have said and recomended.

I am seeing my doctor and a cousellor / therapist to help with my addiction to exercise.  Sometimes I feel as if I'm making real progress, but it doesn't take much to tip me back and I have to start over again. 

I am going to make a concerted effort to cut down the time and intensity of my exercise, as GI Jane you rightly pointed out that 20-30 minutes maximum is probably more of an acceptable amount, although I'm loathe to admit it to myself I'm afraid.

I've looked for the book you recomended, Helen, on Amazon - looks as though it may be definately worth a read and very helpful.  Thanks for that.

bsh0611 - you make me feel terrible, but I mean that in a ncie way!!  When I run I tend to do about 10.5 km at a time in about an hour, but on my non-running days I still bash it out on the elliptical and the rower.  As I said in my original post, although I know I should have rest days, it seems an impossibility at the moment.

I take on board everything you have all said and will make sure that when I go back to see my counsellor next session I shall go with a different frame of mind - hopefully! 

Again, many thanks for your replies.

Is there any way I can save this topic to my profile so that I can refer to it easily without having to search?  I really do think that I will gain alot from re-reading your posts again and again.  Thanks!

Just know you are not alone!

I too am an exercise addict and I turned something so good into something so bad!

Unlike others I can't stay out of the gym!  Should be so easy to rest.....I am getting there as I added in a day of rest and now I may even take a week off after reading this post....I lift weights everyday but I can't build muscle mass because I am so active...it is so stupid but all mental!

tslate34, you sound just like me we could be related.  My husband says he regrets the day I ever discoverd the gym because I've let it almost consume my life and rule what I do and when.

I know this sounds stupid weak-willed coming from an almost 40 year old mother of two boys who really ought to know better, but I guess it's the same as any addiction - much wants more and more wants the whole lot.

I used to be in the same boat as you, waycat. But really, at such a low weight, exercise does more harm than good (if any at all!). What little muscle mass you have will sure be wasted away, which will actually lower your metabolic rate. I suggest you stop exercising and up your caloric intake. Yeah, you'll gain a bunch at first, but it's supposed to even out as you reach a healthier weight. It will be hard mind you, but it will all be worth it in the end. And actually the more you exercise and the more muscle you lose, the slower your metabolism gets, which will cause a much larger initial gain. I wish you the best of luck!!!

Goobyb, many thanks indeed for taking time to add your knowledge and obvious experience to the other great replies I've received to my initial questions.

I see now that my exercising and restricting what I eat has slowly but surely, over the years, had a detrimental effect on my physical and emotional health.

At first it didn't seem very apparent, but soon people started noticing how thin I'd become, how sunken my face is, how dull my skin is, etc.... and of course coming to this forum has just re-enforced the message I was getting from friends, family and medical professionals.

I am receiving counselling for my addiction to exercise and also at the same time for my irrational fear of food and gaining weight.

I'm hoping that this counselling, coupled with support from friends, family and also people (I should also say FRIENDS) on this forum, will kick start me.  It's been two long years since I started trying to gain, but if I'm totally honest I wasn't really trying because I've always been in denial about the real truth and how ill I was becoming.

Oh dear, what a moaner I sound!  I do apologise.  I really must be more positive.

Thank you again to everyone here! You are all wonderful!