Gym or no gym

[Ashley-Kate]

hello,
I was recently invited by a bunch of friends (that don't know about my eating disorder) to go training with them 3 times a week at a gym close to were we live. Now normally i would jump on this occasion seeings how well i have an eating disorder and i would never pass on an opportunity to go to the gym and work out, yet right now i know that i am havng a ahard time with that paticular aspect of my eating disorder and trying to not go over bored and over exercise. and i am not sure that if i go with my friends i will be able to not think about the calories and comparing my trainning to theirs.. and basicly i would realy like to go but i don't know if it is because i think it would be fun or because i would really like to go trainning and burn calories.. and i am pretty sure it is more along the lines of the second alternative.. but then if i refuse i wil be like the lazy friend that doesn't work out.. why i am soo obsessed with what people will think of me... ouff.. i don't know what to do..

 

[ladylore]

Re: gym or no gym

Would it be safe for you to go once a week with them? Exercise isn't a bad thing and I get your point.

Are these the type of friends you could confide in? Even telling them that you have a medical condition and need to limit exercise. But you would be happy to get together afterwards for tea/coffee. Maybe a bite to eat.

A couple of options for you. It's paramount that you stay safe. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Jazzey]

Hi Ash,

What does your doctor say about exercise? My only concern would be going back to calorie counting...And I agree with LL. I would probably tell my friends that I have a medical condition and can't exercise right now. Then I'd find another way to meet with them regulalry.

 

[suewatters1]

I would tell your friends that you can't go with them because your DR won't let you right now.

Don't they always say check with your DR first when doing exercise; so your friend hopefully would understand and maybe you can meet them after they are done for a coffee, tea or Hot Chocolate.

Sue

 

[Ashley-Kate]

yeah, thanks for the help all of you, I have decided to informe my friends that i have a "medical conditon" my dr is for the most part against the hole gym idea because she knows that i do still have a probleme with exercise and need to get that controled before i go to the gym and do more exercise. And plus i am anemic so even if i did go to the gym i would be worn out before all of them and i would feel bad, so i told my friends that i am anemic and need to get that in order before i go into exercising at a gym although they are well aware of the current exercise i do they seem to be okay with the idea that i am going to wait before doing to much intence exercising.

 

[Into The Light]

well done a-k :goodjob: you're taking care of you!

 

[Jazzey]

I'm happy to hear that Ash.

 

[ladylore]

Great Job!

 

[Halo]

That is awesome Ash....taking care of yourself first and making good choices. You should be proud of yourself :2thumbs:

 

[Ashley-Kate]

yeah i wish i would feel great about it.. i know it is the right choice and that i did it for me but i feel like ... because i made that choice.. it's hard... and while they are going to be at the gym i am just going to feel even worst because they will be exercising and i won't be there .. sounds pathetic.. i know but i can'T change how i feel

 

[ladylore]

So what other fun things could you do for yourself during that time? It may be a good time to plan to do something else during that time.

 

[Halo]

Good idea Ladylore.

Ash, does the gym have a juice bar or what about a tanning salon...maybe you could do something like that while your friends work out.

 

[Ashley-Kate]

it is a big gym so i might start swimming classes instead of going training on machines that count all the wieght you lose and what not.. swimming is exercising not recommended by my dr. either but i am compromising not going to train too intensly but at least doing something

 

[Halo]

I understand that it may sound like a good idea but if it is not recommended by your doctor then I really wouldn't go against that advice. Do they have a hot tub? What if you just spent the time your friends are working out to pamper yourself in the hot tub or sauna.

 

[ladylore]

Do they have a hot tub? What if you just spent the time your friends are working out to pamper yourself in the hot tub or sauna.

Now that's a great idea!:tiphat:

 

[Banned]

Just one caution re hot tubs:

Hot tubs are awesome and I love them, but don't forget that they recommend a maximum of ten minutes at a time in them...and your doctor may actually advise against it depending on the extent of your medical issues. They are not recommended if you have heart problems, high or low blood pressure, diabetes, or a host of other medical problems, so check with your doctor on that as well.

If your gym facility is large enough, how about just a casual stroll to keep moving but not over-do it? Or bring a good magazine and sit in the kiddie pool and read (they are usually a warmer a temperature, so might be a good compromise if the hot tub is not suitable).

 

[Ashley-Kate]

i am a bit upset, i guess it is frustrating that i can'T just go back to a normal life so easily. my doctor feels taht any additionnal exercise to my rootine would not be good for me because i am currently starting to eat a bit more and have not reached the proper amount of food intake per day to allow myself to do even the exercise that i am doing on a regular basis. I could not even do yoga and that isn't too hard.yet i do understand his point of view i just feel that i am doing so good i am eating more and things are better for me and my anorexic thoughts are all over the place telling me that well i should be aloud exercise because i am eating.. I am still going to stick to hte swimming but not classes i am just going to go to the pool area and just swim around to relaxe.and by allowing myself this "exercise" i have made a deal with myself that i will have to add one element to my daily eating. therefore i may do exercise (a bit) but i am not going to be burning more than i am already.. if that makes any sence..

 

[Jazzey]

Please listen to your doctor's advice Ash. A few things come to mind here - if you start exercise, of any kind, and you're food intake isn't up far enough, you will be hurting your body again. When you don't eat enough, your body doesn't have sufficient nutrients to keep it functioning properly - including your mental faculties Ash.

Exercising now, in any amount, is a slippery slope to your recovery, and I think that you know that. Get better first in having sufficient caloric intake - then worry about physical activity. The problem with our mental faculties being affected (by not having enough nutrients) it's that it's incredibly easy to start having the same thinking patterns that we had before....You just can't think properly to make the best choices for yourself.

I equate anorexia to other types of illnesses - like alcoholism. It's always there in the back of your brain. While I hadn't dealt with my anorexia problems in a while Ash (I'm a lot older than you) I started dipping into those thinking patterns recently, during a particularly difficult time. So I doubled up - exercise and very little food. What I'm trying to tell you is that you have to constantly be aware of the anorexia and, you have to actively make choices which get you out of those thinking patters. Exercising at this time is not one of those choices Ash. It just isn't.

While I understand your frustration right now, the mere fact that you're asking this question tonight, indicates that you're already treading down old thinking patterns Ash. I'm being very honest with you here.

 

[Ashley-Kate]

i know your right a greater part of me believes what you are saying but the other part of me feels that i can resist the need to restrict even more or to exercise even more. can't I ? is it that hard, and what exacly is over exercising.. what is too much when will i be able to start again without it being too muchhow will i know how much is too much...

 

[Jazzey]

i know your right a greater part of me believes what you are saying but the other part of me feels that i can resist the need to restrict even more or to exercise even more. can't I ? is it that hard, and what exacly is over exercising.. what is too much when will i be able to start again without it being too muchhow will i know how much is too much...

That's the hard part about anorexia Ash. You can convince yourself sometimes that you can battle it out. And yes - you absolutely can: but by making good choices.

Right now, you're doing really well. And I'm proud of you. And as long as you're doing really well, keep going. Don't tempt those old urges by starting activities that you know may bring back urges that you may or may not be able to battle - then you're just making the recovery process harder for yourself...

So I'll answer your questions here in the order of priorities as I see them. When will you be able to start again? - when your doctor has given you that green light physically and mentally. When you don't have a doubt in your mind that you can stop any activity that feels like you're going down that path again.

Is it that hard? Only for right now. But it gets easier and easier - once you've reached your optimum caloric intake and you've maintained a healthy weight for a good stretch of time.

How will you know when too much is too much? When you're solid in where you are including having a healthy body weight and where you've retrained your brain out of those old thinking patters. You will know Ash - I promise. The uncertainty that you're feeling right now is just that internal struggle that you're still having for the time being. But you're doing a great job right now and I don't have a doubt you can do this. I'm just asking that you don't tempt your recovery by doing anything that may tempt you in dipping back into those other thinking patterns. Do you know what I mean?