i have a problem with "no exercise rule"

I've seen so many posts here that label exercise as a "bad" thing in weight gain. well i couldn't DISAGREE more! Infact, exercise (which was previously taken away from me), was the MAIN and probably the ONLY thing that have helped me to start gaining weight (AND it was mainly CARDIO with a little WEIGHT training)! I was in a much HAPPIER mood, had a BIGGER APPETITE, and was able to CALM down other anxieties.

Hey, we even learn in school's health that exercise is a must in weight loss AND gain.

so i guess what i'm trying to say is that unless you're suffering from some kind of over-exercise compulsion, exercise is "mandatory" for a HEALTHY weight gain. so PLEASE try not to discourage EXERCISE for WEIGHTGAINERS. this place is not ONLY for the disordered.

you're here one day and you think you own the place?

yeah you're right its not only for the disorderd. but its mainly for the disordered. who nearly all have a compulsion to exercise - you're scaring the crap into them.

so those who are trying to gain for aesthetic reasons would be told that some light cardio is good and strength training is ideal. but to make a comment like 'exercise is mandatory for weight gain' is irresponsible.

i said UNLESS one is suffering.

 and even if one is suffering, i don't see how the lightest bit of exercise (which should be closely watched over) would hurt, like brisk walking. I would perfer to let the person know that exercise is for healthy reasons. shouldn't a person feel safe with exercise? infact, i think ALLOWING some exercise would help a person feel "normal", and help with the depression. (again, the exercise should be closly monitored but at the same time make the person feel SAFE, HAPPY, RELAXED, and see exercise as something to be ENJOYED).

exercise is a big part of many people's lives, especially to those who are the "athletic" type (as opposed to those who have an ambition to learn, music, etc). I just remember when exercise was taken away from me for a little bit, i lost even more weight. but when someone ALLOWED me to exercise, i felt so much better, gained weight, etc..... all that stuff. :/.

i'm just afraid for those who DO NOT HAVE DISORDERS that read all these "exercise is dangerous" warnings.

I've pretty much felt like I don't belong here at all. I think it's awesome that there is a place like calorie count where people can come to discuss their weight problems and become healthier...but this entire forum is consumed by people who are recovering from eating disorders and they pretty much reign supreme. I'd love to get some helpful weight gain exercise dialogue back and forth in this forum for underweight people who don't have an ED to blame. Last summer when I was consistently calorie counting, AND exercising, I definitely had exercise to thank for my larger appetite and overall healthier lifestyle. I dunno, I can only speak for myself, I'm currently gaining and exercising and I can't imagine doing one without the other. It does make it more difficult to gain while burning extra calories doing cardio, but underweight people without EDs should be able to account for those extra burned calories. It's unfair to completely shut out exercise from this forum for those of us who are capable of gaining while exercising. It would be such a great help to me to find other gainers who hit the gym, and how they manage to keep calories up at the same time.

I guess I just wish there would be an ED recovery forum separate from the weight gainers forum...

You need to chill out. Your posts are rude and maybe some people are having a hard time-some human compassion helps and also yeah people do gain weight on less than 2500 cals and refeeding is dangerous and needs to be gradual.

zopta...that for me?

donegaining... people who need to gain weight for 'other than ed' reasons are not going to think exercise is dangerous. thats ridiculous. plenty people here have asked about exercise, people who dont suffer from eating disorders.

you need to remember that there are ppl on this forum who's bmi's are 13 and 14. the are at risk of sudden death exercising at this weight. so that is where the cut back on exercise attitude comes from.

im sure that those wishing to bulk up are already hitting the gym and those who are unsure can ask.

I've never seen anyone discourage exercise for anyone trying to gain who wasn't in recovery from an e/d, jus' sayin.

And even if someone doesn't have an e/d, but their bmi is very low, it still could be dangerous to exercise.

I honestly agree with you.

Im recovering from an ED, and knowing that I am able to do some cardio and strength training makes me eat more. I eat more knowing that i can build muscle and get stronger. If i couldnt work out, I wouldnt eat and i would still be losing weight.

Original Post by mikfizzle:

If i couldnt work out, I wouldnt eat and i would still be losing weight.

So, you're cultivating an attitude of "I have to exercise to justify eating." You might be happier being able to exercise, but that's because you're indulging your eating disorder - your post shows that you have an unhealthy attitude towards exercise, even if the amount you do is moderate.

This is what I posted to someone else recently:

You will gain muscle mass while absolutely sedentary. Most people think it takes working out to gain muscle mass, because it does for people who are already a healthy weight. But underweight people are a special case. This is because during periods of starvation muscles atrophy (waste away). So part of recovery involves repairing and rebuilding atrophied muscles back to their full strength; in other words, muscle gains. The more you weigh, the more muscle your body requires to carry your weight around; so you will also gain more muscle to support your higher weight.

The above applies to people with eating disorders.

I'm sorry but I have to disagree, I enjoy my exercise. I like knowing that I am challenging myself to become healthier. I know for a fact that working out is helping me cope. It makes me less anxious about eating food, before my working out I was only eating 500 calories a day. Now i am gaining while eating 2500+ a day. I have no treatment team, we cant afford it. I am recovering on my own with the help of my mother who as much as she tries doesn't understand.

I am doing what I can for me, to keep me eating so I can get strong again. While i think it is unwise to encourage others with ED's to exercise, it does have some benefits so I would not completly rule it out.

I will tell you from personal experience that when underweight from an ed and doing exercise is a dangerous combo. To me the reasons behind why you feel you need to do this is part of the ed. This way of coping with eating is not healthy. You have to learn to use other coping skills.There is plenty of time to be active when your body is healed and mind as well. I had the line of thinking many here had when I was 19 and that is how I ended up in the cardiac unit for a week. I was underweight and my body was too malnurished even though I was gaining to be able to do any activity. This is very serious. I did recover from it and did not end up needing a pacemaker but know a girl who does have one.  Many hospital programs when underweight you have to be on bed rest meaning no even daily errand walking.  I do not know the medical side for a person who is underweight not from an ed. I would think it would vary due to what the reason behind it is. I think people who don't have an ed and do activity would use it as a healthy outlet not for the reason to be able to eat a high calorie level meal plan. Also they would be more moderate with it because they would see high levels of activity as not productive to their goals where as an ed suffer would not always. This is more then just body recovery but also mind. I know many people who switch ed's from anorexia to compulsive exercise to bulimia etc. I am not saying anyone is doing this here. I don't know but just can give you feedback from my struggles and people I know.

i guess ive learned the hard way that exercising while underweight is dangerous , i dont know who else has osteophrosis but its not nice , i guess i wish i hadnt done exercise as i might be in a better place now , at the end of the day when a healthy weight is reached exercise can be incorporated again , i guess the part of me telling me exercise is ok when underweight is the ed voice h x

Original Post by donegaining:

 and even if one is suffering, i don't see how the lightest bit of exercise (which should be closely watched over) would hurt, like brisk walking. I would perfer to let the person know that exercise is for healthy reasons. shouldn't a person feel safe with exercise?

don't think anyone is saying that's not ok? obviously there are individual variations (some people have exercise addiction issues etc) but even when I was inpatient I started to be allowed 2 walks daily when I was still at a very low weight like fidget mentioned. but this was a WALK, as in if we ran they'd get taken away lol. I think the main point is that cardio should be strictly limit for ED sufferers gaining weight. I know many people do yoga or pilates and I really see no disadvantage to that either. but if you're running 10 miles a day it's gonna make it harder to gain firstly, and if you don't have an ED that's not so much of a problem but if you do it's just hampering your mental recovery.

No one argues that, overall, exercise is necessary for good health. But this blanket statement does not apply to all people at all times, and we all must be sensitive to that.

And no one argues that there are more than just people with eating disorders in this forum. Everyone who is seriously looking to GAIN WEIGHT is welcome here!

It all depends on the personal situation of the person as to whether they should be exercising or not.

Those who are recovering from an eating disorder or exercise addiction and who are significantly underweight should probably not be exercising - certainly not aerobic exercise. Exercising is another way to burn calories and get into a deficit. Some posts above are right, it is another way the disordered mind can trick the body into keeping a deficit, and the weight loss will continue. When gaining during recovery from ED, you want to make sure you do not have a calorie deficit, and in fact have a significant calorie SURPLUS. This is difficult to do while exercising and may lead into a slippery slope into a relapse.

We try to be sensitive to that here because of the large number of people in recovery.

Obviously if you don't have an ED, and are merely underweight naturally or because of a growth spurt, you aren't going to read one post saying exercise is not healthy and think that's true, come on ... we use common sense here ...

If you are gaining weight for other reasons, unrelated to any sort of disordered eating, exercise addition or health condition, the right type of exercise can help you gain muscle, which will give you more body mass. Weight-lifting exercises that are designed to build muscle should be included with your weight-gaining diet however perhaps aerobic exercise should be cut back a bit.

So although exercise can be part of a healthy approach to weight gain, for those NOT IN RECOVERY, it by no means is mandatory.

And every weight-gainer must remember, if you do exercise however, make sure to compensate by EATING MORE CALORIES to make sure there is no calorie deficit and instead is a calorie surplus.

For more on exercise to gain muscle, read THE AIM IS TO GAIN: A Guide to Weight Gain, Whatever Your Reason - UPDATED & also Gain Weight and Be Healthy and How to Build Muscle at About.com