Eating healthily and exercising

A common misconception is that people who eat healthily and work out want to lose weight. I have received various different comments over the last couple of months about what I eat and the exercise I do. People say things like 'you dont have to go to the gym, you are already skinny' or 'why do you only eat healthy foods, you dont need to lose weight.' 

What these people fail to realise is that I dont eat healthily or exercise because I am trying to lose weight. In fact I am actually trying to gain weight at the moment. I do these things however because I love and respect my body and want to keep it healthy and strong. 

Eating healthy foods does NOT necessarily cause weightloss if you are still getting enough calories. It just means that the foods you eat nourish your body and make you feel more energetic, instead of harming your body and making you feel lethargic and slugish.

Similarily, exercise does NOT lead to weight loss as long as you are fueling your body with enough energy. The health benefits of being physically active are endless and include things like disease prevention and more efficient respiratory, cardiovascular and metabolic functioning. As well as improving your physical health, exercise also has the ability to improve mental health.

I suppose an important question to ask yourself if you have had an eating or exercise disorder before is 'why am I exercising?' or 'why do I eat healthily?' If the honest answer is because you enjoy these things and want to nourish your body and allow it to be healthy and strong, then I see no reason why you shouldn't be doing these things. 

If however your honest answer to these questions are more 'disordered' reasons, then I would question whether you should be eating healthily or exercising, as doing these things will most likely be destructive to you and your mental health.

Remember to rest

Ever since getting a gym membership a few weeks ago, I have really enjoyed being able to exercise regularly, regardless of the weather. I have also really enjoyed doing a wide variety of exercises instead of just walking like I used to do and I can already see my fitness and strength improving. Something incredibely important to remember is to make sure you have rest days, to give your body a break and allow it to repair and recover.

 Something else to remember is that on rest days, you should not feel as though you cant eat as much as you usually would. If you only feel as though you can not or should not eat your regular intake if you are not doing exercise then this is not a healthy mindset to have and perhaps you aren't ready to start exercising again. You should not think of exercise as something you do so that you can eat, you should think of eating as something you do to keep you healthy and that gives your body the fuel it needs so that you can exercise when you want to.

For instance, I have been to the gym the last 4 days in a row and I am choosing to have a rest day today to allow my sore muscles to repair. I have full intention of eating my usual intake today even though I am not exercising. It has taken me a long time to change to this mindset but I am glad to say that my days of compensating for not exercising by eating less are over! I know that my body needs to be fueled properly EVERYDAY and that is exactly what I intend to do!

Although not as much energy will be required by your body for actual physical activity on rest days, if you eat your usual amount this just means that more energy will be available to help your body to repair and recover. It also gives your body a chance to replenish its energy stores which will prepare you for exercise again,  next time you do work out. Rest days also give you a chance to focus on other important aspects of your life, that you may not usually have time. Remember that looking after your mental health is just as important as looking after your physical health.

The number of rest days a person takes is an individual choice however I think that people should try to rest atleast one day a week. Personally, I find I need atleast 2 rest days per week as I am still very new to working out and I dont want to rush my body into making progress too quickly. I also want to make sure that I am only exercising for the right reasons and that I am not getting addicted to exercise, as I know that this sometimes does happen post anorexia recovery.

Herbalife

Ever since starting my recovery I have really started to learn the importance of looking after your body. While I have done a much better job of this over the past 12 months then I had previously, I have decided that I would like to take that a step further and really start to nourish my body. I am hoping that this will improve my energy levels and get my body functioning optimally so that I can feel happier and healthier.

I have decided to start a Herbalife program which I hope will help me to feel more energetic and which I also hope will help me to fuel my body. Its by no means a weightloss program, but instead a wellness program which I may transition into a muscle building program if I decide to in the future. If you would like to find out more about Herbalife, follow this link. I have decided to start off with a protein plus starter pack as well as a herbal peach tea which is really supposed to help with your energy levels.

I have also joined a gym which I hope will allow me to grow fitter and stronger whilst taking the herbalife products and of course eating lots of good foods too. I am defintely not planning on taking the herbalife products instead of eating, I just plan to incorporate them into my diet. For example I might have a tea with my breakfast, and a shake with my lunch and add the protein powder to things I already eat ie. My morning oats or other snacks.

I have made my consultant aware of my history of anorexia and she is really excited for me as she believes Herbalife will really help me. She too was once really underweight and Herbalife has really helped her to transform her body and life. She asked me to write 20 goals and also do some before shots so that we can use them to see any progress I make. Here they are :)

1. Increase my confidence

2. Learn to eat more intuitively 

3. Cut back on sugary processed foods 

4. give my body the nutritious food it deserves

5. Get stronger

6. Gain some weight (in the form of muscle)

7. Become more energized 

8. Tone my muscles

9. Get fitter

10. Do a fun run for charity

11. Have a well balanced life 

12. Develop a healthier relationship with food

13. Stop counting calories

14. Learn to listen to my body

15. let myself rest when I need to

16. Develop a more positive body image

17. Prove to other sufferers that full recovery from anorexia is possible 

18. Increase my positivity and enthusiasm 

19. Run 10 kilometers

20. Visit the gym regularly  (atleast 3-5 times a week)

My top 5 recovery tips

An important thing to remember about recovery is that it really is different for everyone. What works really well for some people in recovery, doesn't work at all for others and there is no right or wrong way to recover.

Despite this, I thought it may be helpful if I share the 5 main things I did in my recovery, which allowed ME to recover.

You may or may not find these things helpful yourself but if you havent already tried these things, maybe you should give them a go. I hope they help you as much as they helped me! 

1. Follow a Meal Plan

I simply couldnt have recovered without a meal plan. In my opinion you cant just eat intuitively in recovery and if you try, chances are your anorexia will make many of your food choices for you. A meal plan is an easy way to keep track of the energy your putting into your body and can therefore be incredibely helpful to help you to restore your weight. 

While it wasnt always easy, I followed my meal plan perfectly all the time. I found this very helpful as it meant that my anorexia wouldnt even try and convince me to eat any less (no matter how anxious the food made me). It was almost like my anorexia knew I had no choice but to follow my meal plan and so it stopped even trying to tempt me not to do so. 

Whilst designing my meal plan, I considered how mang calories I needed and therefore chose various foods that would allow me to reach my 'calorie goals' for each day. It is importang to note that following meal plans doesn't necessarily mean eating the same things everyday. My meal plans always had a lot of variety and I would change what I ate from day to day while making sure I was eating the right amount of calories. 

2. Restrict exercise

Even though you may really enjoy exercise and want to be fit, exercising while you are in recovery may not be the best thing for your health. Not only does it make gaining weight even more difficult, but your ED may just use it as an opportunity to compensate for any extra amounts of food you are eating.  

Cutting out exercise was incredibely difficult for me whilst I was trying to restore my weight but I can see now that it was the best thing for me to do. Not only did it enable me to gain weight more quickly but it also helped me to learn to control my anorexic thoughts in relation to exercise. 

Just remember that you wont need to restrict your exercise forever and doing so will most likely speed up your recovery for you. So by cutting out exercise, you will most likely be able to exercise again sooner, once you are recovered!

3. Monitor your weight

Some people dont like to see what they weigh and I can completely relate to that. I believe in order to recover however you really do need to keep track of your weight somehow. This may involve a blind weigh in or weighing yourself, whichever you are more comfortable with. 

From memory, I weighed myself 2-3 times a week so that I could make sure I was gaining the weight I needed to. I found this incredibely helpful as it stopped my mind from playing tricks on me. For example it stopped me worrying that I had gained enormous amounts of weight when I hadnt at all. 

Also, without weighing myself I would not have known when I needed to increase my intake. Whenever my weight stayed the same for a few consecutive weigh ins, I knew straight away that I needed to add something else to my meal plan. This ensured that I kept gaining the weight I needed to.

4. Talk to others in recovery

It doesnt matter if you are suffering or recovering from an eating disorder, either way it is can be  an incredibely lonely experience. I found that no matter how much the people in my life tried to understand what I was going through, they simply couldn't. 

I highly reccommend you reach out and talk to other people who are going through the same thing as you. Talking to other people who I could relate to and who understood what I was going through was extremely helpful and comforting for me. I felt as though I could tell these other sufferers things I wouldnt have told anyone else, which meant I could get things off my chest without the fear of being judged.

While it wasnt the case for me, some people may find that talking to other anorexics can trigger their eating disorder. If this is the case for you, then I definetely DONT reccommen talking to other sufferers. In this case I would suggest talking to a professional or someone else who you trust, so that you can get everything you need to off of your chest.

5. Believe you can do it
If you dont believe in your self, your anorexic voice will over power your own thoughts and you will give into your anorexias demands. I honestly think that in order to recover, you need to believe you can do it and you also need to believe it is possible.

For example when you feel overwhelmed about eating a certain food and your anorexia is trying its hardest to convince you not to eat it, if you dont believe in your self chances are you will give into your anorexias demands. But if you believe you are strong enough you will see that you can do it and therefore you will be able to eat the food that is scaring you so much.

Recovery isnt something that happens overnight, it is something that requires you to fight incredibely hard for a very long time. If you dont believe in yourself, I dont think you will be able to fight your anorexic thoughts whenever they may arise. So please, try your best to believe in yourself. Everyone is capable of recovering, no matter how sick you are. You may feel like its impossible but its not. I promise you can do it!

Having healthy relationship with exercise

If I had woken up on any morning over the last few years and had heard the rain, I would have most likely have instantly felt sick and anxious. The thought of being unable to go for my daily walk would have once terrified me, however this moning I did not have any of these feelings at all when I woke up to the sound of rain on my roof. In fact, I was incredibely excited to hear the rain as we are in desperate need of rain where I live at the moment and it is just what our farm needs.

I admit, that I do exercise a lot as my dog needs lots of exercise and I enjoy it too. Somtimes I find myself wondering if my relationship with exercise is uhealthy. Sometimes I do not know if I actually enjoy walking, or if it is actually my anorexia that just enjoys t so much. Feeling this way this morning was great though as it showed me that I don't have an unhealthy relationship with exercise. Feeling fine about having rest days because I am tired, too busy or because it is raining shows that my eating disorder does not control my exercise!

 To me, feeling completely fine about exercising proves that I do not use exercise as a form of compensation for eating. I just exercise because it makes me happy and makes me feel good. For example even though I knew I wouldn't get for my moring walk today, I still ate the same sized breakfast and morning tea as I usually do. It is uhealthy to feel as though you can only eat if you exercise. Sure eating gives you the energy you need to exercise, but you need food whether you exercise or not.

People don't only run to lose weight

Something that people often fail to understand is that weight loss is only one possible goal for someone who runs or exercises. Just because some people may start running to help them lose weight, this does not mean that everyody does. Isuppose the raeson that I have decided to write this post is beacuse I have received comments from different people suggesting that it would be stupid for me to run. They have said that I have no need to run as i am already thin and that running would make me lose all of the weight that I have managed to gain in my recovery. 

Personally, I do not agree with any of these satements. I can honestly say that I do not want to lose weight anymore and therefore weight loss is definetely the reason why I exercise. I actually like my body the way it curently is and therefore if I did decide to start running or to do any other forms of exercise, it would not be because I have the goal of losing weight. I would only do it for enjoyment and also for my fitness and health. Afterall, there is nothing wrong with wanting to exercise so that you can be fit and healthy, as long as you are not taking it to any unhealthy extremes.

So I do not think anyone should judge me or critisize me if I want to start doing a bit of running. As long as I fuel my body with the energy that it needs, there isnt anything unhealthy about me going for a run sometimes. If I ever started to feel as though I was only running to try and lose weight then I agree that it is not healthy for me to run, but whilst that is not the case, I know that running is not bad for me. Also, I agree that it would no be a good idea for me to run whilst I was underweight but since I am not underweight, I dont really have to worry about that either. 

I was actually reading an article in the newspaper yesterday about how to eat and fuel your body whilst exercising, depending upon what your goals of exercising are. For example if you do want to lose weight, which may be necessary for some people who are overweight, then restricting your intake both before and after exercise was suggested. However if the exercise was purely for fitness purposes, then they reccommendded that you fuel up both before and after exercising, which is exactly what I do. 

What are your opinions on what I have said? Do you also find it frustrating when people fail to see that you don't exercise because you want to lose weight?? Do you have any ideas aboout how you can try to explain to those types of people that there is nothing wrong with exercising, as long as it is for the right reasons?

Having a healthy relationship with exercise

I woke up this morning to the sound of rain on my roof. Once, this would have caused me a lot of panic and anxiety as it would mean I would either have to go out walking in the rain or not exercise as much that day which was an even more terrifying prospect. This morning however, it did not worry me that it was raining one little bit. In fact I was really happy as we need rain desperately on our farm.

I ate my normal sized breakfast, without even considering eating less and just made the most of having some extra time in my morning to get a few things done. I quickly vacuumed my loungeroom and kitchen as they needed doing badly and I also chatted to a friend on snap chat and straightened my hair (probably a silly idea considering it is raining).

Breakfast this morning

It is a wonderful feeling, not to be worried about exercising less sometimes and to me, this is part of what it means to be recovered. I dofeelalittle sorry for Tess as it means she will only get one walk today but besides that, it doesnt worry me one little bit. I plan toeat just as much today as I usually do and Idont plan on walking any further then I usually do tonight.

I honestly feel as though I have overcome my issues with exercise which I am thrilled about. I wrote this as a part of my 'when im recovered page' and now feel as though I have finally achieved it. In fact Ihave achieved many of the thingson thatlist which just showshow far in my recovery I have come.

Exercise for enjoyment only

I will not feel as though I can't exercise or that I need to limit my exercise, when I want to exercise because my body will be strong and healthy enough to cope with it. I will never feel guilty for not exercising If I am too busy or if I am injured or unwell. I will only exercise when I genuinely want to, purely for enjoyment purposes.

Sohow did I do it? I guess as my mind has continued to get better, my anorexia has just got weaker and weaker. Also, by not giving into any a orexic thoughts Iha e had regarding exercise, I suppose that would ha e made a big difference to. I guess it reallydoesjust prove that if you fight really hard and never give up, anythig is possible! 

Power walking- my exercise of choice

Power walking has always been my favourite form of exercise as it just makes me feel great whilst I am exercising as well as afterward. Whilst I was gaining weight Istopped power walking but it feels great to start it again. This morning I have already taken my dog Tess on a 6 km power walk and I feel fantastic and totally energised. I think I like power walking so much as I dont feel any physical discomfort whilst I am doing it like I would if I went running but I still know that it is good for me. I found the following article which talks about the benefits of power walking. Remember that you really should not be power walking if you are underweight or trying to gain weight, unless your doctor has told you it is ok.

5 Benefits of Power Walking

Last Updated: Jan 28, 2015 | By Aretha C. Smith

Power walking is a simple activity that offers many benefits. Photo Credit Błażej Łyjak/iStock/Getty Images

Power walking is a style of walking performed at a steady, energetic pace. Consisting of pronounced arm movements and brisk, wide footsteps, power walking requires little more than comfortable attire, proper walking shoes, and a love of fresh outdoor air. This form of activity offers many benefits.

Weight Management

Power walking is an effective way to help manage your weight. Since it works your muscles using intense, exaggerated movement of the arms and feet, it is an efficient method for burning calories. Walking at a brisk pace of 4 mph burns anywhere from 236 to 345 calories per hour depending on your level of effort. Thus, power walking -- in addition to a healthy diet -- helps keep unwanted pounds at bay.

Improved Health

Incorporating regular exercise into your fitness regimen helps combat illness and disease. When done with consistency, power walking can help raise good cholesterol levels and decrease bad cholesterol levels. Cardiovascular exercises like power walking help to lower high blood pressure and lessen the risks of illnesses like type 2 diabetes. Power walking also decreases the likelihood of serious health issues like certain types of cancers and stroke.

Reduced Stress

Power walking helps reduce the stresses associated with day-to-day living. One session every day helps redirect your focus and concentration away from stressful environments and situations; it is an efficient way to engage in time alone and release tension. Endorphins released in the brain through exercise result in a more relaxed disposition and calmer state of mind. Removing yourself from the hectic pace of the office or busy home atmosphere for a power walk can leave you renewed and refreshed.

Better Performance of Daily Tasks

Power walking uses both upper body and lower body strength, which results in stronger muscles and bones. Improved body conditioning provides better endurance for carrying out daily tasks. Regular exercise will heighten your ability to do challenging tasks like lifting heavy objects with ease; you gain a better sense of self, feelings of accomplishment and better productivity.

Convenient, Cost-Free and Time-Efficient

If you want to shape up without the cost of a gym membership, power walking is a cost-free method to meet your goals. If you are the adventurous type, power walking enables you to explore outdoor areas you are unfamiliar with while you burn calories. If saving the environment is your concern, power walking can transport you to your destination. You not only cut the need for a car but save money on gas as well.

If the family dog needs a walk and you need a workout, power walking is a convenient way to do both at the same time. Done anywhere, this activity is accessible and fits all different lifestyles.

source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/509626-5-benefits-of-power-walking/