If the nutrition isn't already there exercise is bad?

[Lunar*Fey]

I have a lot of trouble believing that you cannot gain muscle weight if you don't already have a good amount of weight on you. How can that be true. I tried to argue with my doctor that if I could do some weight training it would help me gain weight through muscle and she told me that wasn't true at all and that you can only tone your weight once it is there. She said my bones were too small and my white blood cell count was low because I am malnourished. But EVERY other aspect of my health (according to the blood tests and vital signs) is considered normal or healthy. Any way what I am asking is that is it true that I cannot gain lean muscle mass until I gain the weight I want to be in fat. I definately have body fat, I mean I am basically only body fat. I am not saying I am fat as in overweight, because I am not AT ALL. but I definately do have body fat. I am just so frustrated and confused. Help?

[GreenPrince]

Oh, my dear Lunar*Fey.

Of course you are frustrated and confused, but try to listen to your doctor.
She/he really tries to help you and knows a lot about this kind of situation. Every MD does.

Can you see it this way:
When your Body Mass Index, BMI, is low, your body will not build muscles by physical training,
because your body will prioritise other tissues first.
That means you will lose weight by the physical training, because the calories are spended on muscle energy.
Hope this information will decrease your confusion a bit.

Then your frustration...
Do mind if I ask you if you have a favorite cuddle animal – a teddy-bear or something like that?

[Lunar*Fey]

Green Prince,
thank you. I understand what you are saying....but when I get exercise I tend to eat more. She often doesn't seem to understand things although I know she is trained in her field of course. It's strange because if I remember correctly when I was doing strength training (a long time ago) I was gaining weight but then I stopped because I was told not to exercise at all and started losing weight. I am an athlete by nature and really miss sports, I get very depressed. I try not to though and have gotten better with it. I actually was at my natural weight until I had the stomach virus recently :(.....My weight has been this way for a long time though, so I mean its not like my body is regenerating...I've been this weight for a while and I eat as much as possible daily...right now its hard because I am just getting over the awful virus but I am stuffing it down and re-stretching my stomach (which is always painful). I do what I have to do but after a while I usually stop gaining no matter how much I eat...thats why I felt the strength training would help. I have such a small frame that it is hard for me to weigh a lot naturally :( . But I do understand what you and she are saying and I listen, I really do...its just some of the things she says I have failed when doing....if that makes sense...and I just feel like no one around really cares about what I want or how I feel at all....all they care about is the number on the scale and whether or not I eat junk food.

by the way...If I stunted my growth is there any way it can sort of...catch up? My mom didn't stop growing until she was like 20....I do hope I can catch up...*sigh* I would have been nice and tall like my mom.... :(

Any way I really don't mind you asking...but I don't have a certain favorite thing. I do have lots of stuffed animals that join me on my bed. I also do have a "blanky" that I have had since birth. I sleep with it every night, and as a fifteen year old its embarrassing I suppose but I am not ashamed ;) . Why do you ask?

[dreamrawalwz]

You are a slow grower and developer. It may be natural exasperated (sp?) by the ED or not. Seems natural for you. You will catch up, don't worry. Yes, doing weight lifting will increase muscle mass. I'm sorry your doctor is misinformed in this. I was taught this back in 5th grade. I don't want to sound like I know everyting (of course i don't!) and your doctor knows nothing, but I think she is genuinely concerned for your wellbeing. Can you try to negociate rather argue? Give her your possible plans and start out minimal and slow. Show her you're not loseing weight. Cardio will help lose though, so don't do othat. Maybe take long walks, which can help build leg muslce. Just try pushups and situps in your room. Even if that's all you can do, that's more than nothing. Can you get a yoga/pilates DVD? That's all with your own body weight, which is soetimes better than weights themselves. My mom mentioned isometrics. Just sit there and tense up one muscle and hold 15-30 seconds, let go, and repeat. No one will see that you're doing it, and it really helps.

[Sharon in Colorado]

Since I don't have your e-mail, I can't tell you directly, but I'd suggest you go to the raw and sports section at vegsource and ask there. There are a lot of knowledgeable folks there who could probably tell you about your weight and body mass and all that sort of thing.

[GreenPrince]

Lunar*Fey,

Some comments for you.


Green Prince,
thank you. I understand what you are saying....but when I get exercise I tend to eat more.
Yes, you balance your body and get hungry.

She often doesn't seem to understand things although I know she is trained in her field of course.
I'm sure she has a sort of preliminary diagnosis of a syndrom which has been described in the medical litterature since the 17th Century, and I guess you don't agree with it, so there is probably a communication gap.

I only wish I could help you a bit with that gap.



It's strange because if I remember correctly when I was doing strength training (a long time ago) I was gaining weight but then I stopped because I was told not to exercise at all and started losing weight.

I think they tell you...

because you will risk endocrine disturbances when you get below critical weigths, and from there it's sometimes an unnessecary long way back again.

because excessive exercise is often a symptom of your problem, and partly a cause in the causation chain.

See? They really will help you.

I am an athlete by nature and really miss sports, I get very depressed. I try not to though and have gotten better with it. I actually was at my natural weight until I had the stomach virus recently :(.....My weight has been this way for a long time though, so I mean its not like my body is regenerating...I've been this weight for a while and I eat as much as possible daily...right now its hard because I am just getting over the awful virus but I am stuffing it down and re-stretching my stomach (which is always painful). I do what I have to do but after a while I usually stop gaining no matter how much I eat...thats why I felt the strength training would help. I have such a small frame that it is hard for me to weigh a lot naturally :( .

A common feature of virus infections is that you get tired. I hope you sleep well and will find some time for rest in the daytime.

But I do understand what you and she are saying and I listen, I really do...

I know yo do. I really do...

its just some of the things she says I have failed when doing....if that makes sense...and I just feel like no one around really cares about what I want or how I feel at all....all they care about is the number on the scale and whether or not I eat junk food.

Medical education and training is still connected to mainly SAD.
Raw is partly of a quite different nutrition value, and the regeneration capacity and rate different.

Generally, if you keep your weight and firm increase it, your body will start repairing itself and you will get rid of a lot of connected problems.

by the way...If I stunted my growth is there any way it can sort of...catch up? My mom didn't stop growing until she was like 20....I do hope I can catch up...*sigh* I would have been nice and tall like my mom.... :(

Any way I really don't mind you asking...but I don't have a certain favorite thing. I do have lots of stuffed animals that join me on my bed. I also do have a "blanky" that I have had since birth. I sleep with it every night, and as a fifteen year old its embarrassing I suppose but I am not ashamed ;) . Why do you ask?

I got an idea. Then I logged in to delete my last two lines, because I found it too complicated to carry out. You had already commented my post, so I will briefly give you the sunny background.

Once I helped a girl with a very severe ED. She didn't talk. Nobody could reach hear. I started to "communicate" with her teddy-bear. Suddenly the ice was broken, she projected herself on the bear. She had never worked after her university exam. She recovered and got a qualified job. She was a MD.

Lunar, you are a clever girl. I know you do an enormous amount of work with your food. You will recover, you will solve your problems. You will succeed. :)

But do something else for some hours daily, something not related to food. Focus on something quite different.

Btw, a blanky is not embarrassing. You need it, like the pillow is not only for our heads, but has a deep comforting influence.:)

[Lunar*Fey]

Tracey,
thank you. I think I may have slowed my growth slightly....but who knows. If I did do you think I would still grow to my full potential later or is it done and over with and I missed out? I am asking for a dance DVD for Christmas and I think I may get one. If I don't then I'll order one from ebay. I have my eye on "Dance with Me Ballet" Its like a beginners thing that basically works to create muscle and good posture through ballet moves which I think I would love. I would also liek a hip hop dance DVD. I love to dance. Yoga or pilates would be awesome too though. I really hope I get one, it would make me feel like my mom "allowed" me to dance or whatever...if you know what I mean. Thanks for the isometrics idea! I'll try it out. I've done things like that unknowingly before but not on purpose....so hopefully it can use it to work for me. thanks!

Sharon,
Would you like my email? I would love to hear what you have to say if you want to. THanks! I have checked out that forum before, maybe I should join and ask.

GreenPrince,
Thank you, you are always quite helpful.
What I meant when I said she often doesn't understand things is that she uses a stereotype of a person with an eating disorder for everything. She is very nice and I don't mean to be speaking badly of her at all. Its just she uses a stereotype before listening to me. Its also really frustrating because she often doesn't even check on me but tells me that "such and such must be bad because I am an anorexic". She says that RAW is my eating disorder and that being raw is restricting. I don't feel that I have an eating disorder any more. Sure, sometimes I feel some thoughts but I catch them and so easily ignore them that it doesn't affect me. I mean, how many people with eating disorders eat over 3000 calories on a daily basis...stuff themselves until they can barely move and then go to bed? How many girls with anorexia try as hard as they can to keep food down when they have the stomach bug, and then when they finally can keep food down get up out of bed at night to get an extra snack? I mean, seriously...I am wayy past those things I used to think and feel long ago (as in two school years ago).

It's just really frustrating because she says it over and over. She also says that my brain doesn't work correctly because my white blood cell count is low. That is the only thing "wrong" with my blood work.

Also, I was never a compulsive exerciser...I played sports all my life and was never anything close to a couch potato...I was a natural athlete. Now I feel like I could never get that back. Also, My body composition was never ever the way it is now even though it was the same weight. Like it doesn't bother me to the extreme because I can only hope that I will not still fear exercise when I am older and on my own...therefore eventually I may have a truly strong, healthy body if I put my mind to it. I just hate the habits I am creating for myself by sitting in front of a computer all day and never being active at all...or something...its hard for me to explian it all correctly...

Don't worry, when I was sick I had very little energy and layed down/rested and read most of the days. I have mucho energy now but still a little wobbly. Its also hard re-stretching my stomach....ouuchh...

It made me really happy to hear how you helped the girl, that is so wonderful. You are a beautiful spirit.

Also, thank you for telling me to do something else. I agree but often simply cannot get myself to do anything but sit in front of the computer. I am truly addicted. :( Or I shouldn't say that, because by saying it I am making it possible I suppose. I am going to work on getting myself addicted to some of my passions instead (besides athletics of course :( ). thank you for reminding me of this.