Today was yet another rainy day here in these parts…
Another perfect day for one of my weekend workouts!
But, seeing as I was suffering from some minor DOMS after yesterday’s shenanigans, and my place doesn’t get dirty again quite that quickly (what kind of person do you take me for here?), I decided to take it easy today. In fact, I’m pretty sure the most difficult thing I did all day was lift and cut up a watermelon.
Which I may or may not have eaten half of in the process.
What? Don’t give me that look. I need to feed the addiction before the supply runs out.
But no, today really was an easy and relaxing day where I really didn’t do much of anything at all. I mean, I went to church, picked up some groceries, met a friend for coffee, and went to spend some time with Mom and Dad, but in terms of being really physically active? Mmm not really. I just relaxed.
If you would have asked me, even one year ago, how I felt about days like today, my answer would have been something along the lines of: “Ehhh. They’re okay, I guess,” which basically means: I don’t really like them, but I feel like I should, so I’m going to try and convince myself that I do. Dig a little deeper, however, and you’ll find the real hidden meaning… I don’t like them… I’m scared of sitting still because what will happen if I don’t move around enough?
The most common question I received after revealing that I don’t work out anymore was: “Did you end up gaining weight?”, and I’d be lying if I said that that wasn’t one of my main concerns going into it as well. What would happen if I stopped exercising? Well, I can tell you what did happen.
Nothing, as far as I can tell. I didn’t end up gaining any weight; if anything, I actually lost some.
Seems kind of counter-intuitive, doesn’t it? There’s actually a substantial amount of literature out there about exercise leading to weight gain, and the Cliff Notes version of it is basically that exercise acts as a stressor on the body, thereby fatiguing the adrenal system, raising cortisol levels, and causing the body to hold on to fat. Now, it’s important to note that this only applies to doing too much exercise. Physical activity is extremely important for our overall health, but it’s when we push too hard that we eventually run into problems…
That’s an except from Brendan Brazier’s The Thrive Diet that really stuck out to me because he describes something that I was also beginning to experience myself. Despite working out daily and keeping a fairly clean diet, I noticed myself slowly gaining weight that was not muscle. You can imagine how frustrating it was to be working your butt off only to be rewarded with the opposite of what you wanted, and I think it was ultimately that frustration that caused me to cut back on the exercise – I wasn’t going to do it if a) I didn’t enjoy it, and b) it wasn’t working like it should.
I’ll admit, it was hard at first. Extremely hard. I kept thinking that if I was already slowly gaining weight with all that exercise, I’d surely only gain faster once I cut it out. But like I already said – it never happened. My body rebalanced itself and the creeping weight gain stopped, crept right back off, and eventually stabilized. I’m a pretty anxious/nervous person by nature, and tend to have a hard time dealing with stress, so sometimes I wonder if all of the added physical stress from exercise didn’t simply push my already elevated stress levels over the top and throw my body out of whack. Maybe it would be different for someone who’s naturally more relaxed. I’m not sure, it’s just a theory.
And before you ask, yes, my diet changed as well…
… but before we talk about that, can we talk about this bread for a second?
I bought it this morning from a local bakery and holy Toledo was it good. Soooo soft and fluffy; and look at all of those cheesy bits! Swooooooon. But I digress. What was I saying? Ahh yes.
My diet changed not in that I started to restrict to compensate for my lower activity levels, but in that I stopped overthinking things and just went back to eating the simple foods that I ate while growing up. Butter. Milk. Cheese. Potatoes. Bread. Meat. Dessert…
… back to the basics – no more coming up with strange concoctions and alternatives.
So that’s that – a little bit more of the backstory behind my changed views on food and fitness. Please don’t think that I’m trying to attack anyone who loves to work out; that’s not my intention at all. The message I’m trying to get across is that it’s okay to not fit the generally accepted “ideal;” everyone has to find out what works for them individually. Whether it be working out daily or not, passing on dessert or not, different things work for different people… different people like different things… and that’s perfectly okay.
Happy Sunday, you guys 🙂 Hope you’re enjoying a relaxing long weekend.
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Thoughts? Have you ever experienced something similar with exercise and weight gain?
Do you have trouble with relaxing without feeling like you constantly need to be doing something?
Hey Amanda, I know this is really old but I’m just wondering if you could ever talk more about your fear of weight gain in more detail? I’d realy appreciate a current update post on how you have delay with it if you would be willing to share. Thanks And love Samantha
If you don’t currently exercise and aren’t very active during the day, any increase in exercise or physical activity is good for you. Aerobic physical activity any activity that causes a noticeable increase in your heart rate is especially beneficial for disease prevention.
Best blog post, ever 🙂
I absolutely LOVE reading your blog. After my own bout with anorexia, bulimia, and all that jazz, I am ready to begin my REAL life over again, and your blog is the only one I allow myself to read. I am currently taking a break from exercise in an attempt to get my period again, and this post really makes me reconsider ever going back to the strenuous exercise I’ve been doing for the past two years. Thanks so much Amanda, you are truly a Godsend to me.
I know this post is practically 3 months old, but I just had to comment. WOW. I completely relate 1000000000%!!!! I had to give up exercise in recovery too…it stressed me to NO END, I wasn’t fueling properly, and it basically made me feel like crap! Whoever said that exercise decreases stress and anxiety has clearly never been in my body (or yours!). I totally agree with everything you said here, not to mention basically all your other posts in general. I’m going back through all your old archives and everything you write about resonates with me so deeply. It’s like I’m reading about my own struggles. Thanks for the genuine, thought-provoking posts! <3
I am currently experiencing this!!
how did u overcome this ??
I am so frustrated with myself! 🙁
I know it’s hard, but you have to realize that what you’re doing isn’t working for you and that the only way to fix it is stop and have patience and faith. It’s not going to be easy, especially because it seems so counterintuitive, but you have to force yourself to see it through. That really is the only way…
First off, I just have to say that I love how the foodie comes out in you in the middle of a post…let’s appreciate this bread, shall we? But I have to admit, that’s a mighty fine specimen of carbs right there! Man, I love bread!
Anywho…I had a point to this comment…oh yeah! I didn’t realize until now but I DID have the same sort of thing happen to me last summer when I was really getting into running. I was logging in at LEAST 10 miles a week, but couldn’t seem to get my tummy to flatten out. I’ll never forget it because my dad commented on it once. We were standing in the kitchen talking about my new interest in running and he asks me, “So with all this running you’ve been doing, why is it you still have that?” and then he POKED ME IN THE BELLY! Ugh, I didn’t talk to him for like a week after that. But even then, it never dawned on me that my body could have been holding on to that fat for a reason…I just thought I wasn’t working hard enough. What’s funny is how things change…now I don’t spend HALF as much time “burning calories”, which isn’t how I think of my time in the gym at all, but still…I usually spend no more than one hour in the gym (divided between warm up, workout, and cool down/stretch), I don’t feel like I’m “killing” myself and the weight has just been falling off! And just this weekend, when I was over at my parent’s house, my dad greeted me with “Hey skinny minny” 😀
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a friend who was doing some research on that. And he actually bought me lunch because I found it for him smile Thus let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch!
You are so inspiring and motivating, Amanda.
And, in a lot of ways, I feel like we’re living identical lives. The changes you’ve made and the things you’ve learned over the past few months are exactly what I’ve been experiencing. We’ve stopped trying to live a perfect life and just let life be perfect. <3
“We’ve stopped trying to live a perfect life and just let life be perfect.” <--- Ohhh! I love this so much! Gonna have to write it down and remember it. Way to rock my socks off 😀
I actually wrote it on the white board by my desk after I wrote it on here! I’m glad it resonated with you too. (:
Way to rock MY socks off!
It is really interesting to see how exercise affects people differently! I know for me that my body is just used to being in marathon training mode, but I do make sure that I fuel enough and sleep enough to support my training. Its funny though because when my performance takes a dip and I slack on focusing on getting enough food I seem a bit softer…bodies have a beautiful and smart way of telling us what we need!
I definitely used to face that fear with not exercising and taking rest days. Now I do try my best to embrace them, its still a little of a challenge for me though.
I have experienced the adrenal fatigue symptoms and oh gosh is that no fun at all!
I relate, that I too am an anxious person by nature, so I sometimes wonder how all the exercise I do effects my body internally. And I definitely freak out majorly over any little changes I make to my routine. Great post!
I have experienced the exercise weight gain phenomenon! In the beginning of my eating disorder recovery, I spent a certain amount of time in what some people call “quasi recovery” where I ate just enough to gain weight to a certain point but was still obsessed with calorie counting, clean eating, and exercising. I learned that if you exercise and don’t eat enough to fuel that exercise, it is a huge stressor to your body. Your metabolism slows down and tries to conserve energy, because the body senses the energy deficit.
Have you ever heard of set point theory? Basically, humans aren’t really supposed to “control” their weight through diet and exercise. Everyone has a basic weight range where their body feels comfortable and is in homeostasis. If you don’t restrict your intake and just eat to your hunger signals, the body should rest in a weight range that it prefers, regardless of whether or not you exercise. Obviously there are other factors to weight gain, like stress, hormonal issues, lack of sleep, etc…but disregarding those issues, the body is actually pretty good at taking care of itself, if you treat it well. You seem to have figured that out pretty well on your own! It took me a long time to come to that realization…and even still I struggle with the fear of too much vs. not enough with both food and exercise. It’s enough to drive a girl crazy!
I have heard of the set point theory, and based on my own personal experience, I pretty much agree with it. Before I got sick, I ate whatever I wanted, tried to stay active without ever REALLY exercising, and maintained my weight just fine. It wasn’t until I started interfering with all of my meal planning and workouts that my body went totally nuts. Now it feels like it’s finally starting to find it’s balance again, which I’m so thankful for, because it really is enough to drive someone crazy…
This is just so motivating for me,Amanda; I don’t know how to thank you for all those awesome and helpful post you write,seriously!
I am relying on exercise a lot,even though it’s gotten a bit better already,but it’s really annoying though. Also,I feel that my body is really wxhausted and crying for some rest,but I feel unable to act accordingly because of those irrational fears insode of my head and it’s simply awful.
Sometimes,I get so frustrated about the whole situation I even find myself crying,but in the end,I always continue running down my body for nothing.
Where is the way out? I can’t find it somehow.
🙁 Aww girl, I’m sorry. I’ve been in that exact same position, and I don’t know how I got out of it other than I just reached a point where I got SO frustrated and unhappy with the way things were that the logical part of my mind rebelled against the ED driven part and gave up on all of that nonsense. Hang in there, be strong, and continue to try to push yourself out of your comfort zone. It’s gonna suck and it’s gonna be hard, but that’s the only way to make any kind of progress.
Its so nice to have you back! Seriously I missed your wise perspective and healthy take on the world! It seems like the changes you’ve made have been extremely positive and I applaud you for not going with the status quo and for figuring out whats best for you. Keep it up girl! Truly inspiring!
Oh YES, I’ve definitely experienced extreme exercise-induced weight gain. Several years ago, I’d do two hours of cardio every single day (I’m not kidding), but my weight kept creeping up. This resulted in “freak out,” which in turn meant increased food restriction and more exercise vigilance. It took a severe injury to stop this vicious cycle, followed by a leap of faith to adopt a more moderate approach. Now I realize that the stress and corresponding raised cortisol levels were causing my body to hold on to fat. It didn’t trust me, I didn’t trust it, and that was just a bad situation all around! It amazes me how smart our bodies are, yet learning to TRUST them is so challenging. In an information age where so much conflicting information is right at our fingertips, it’s hard to believe that the answers aren’t found externally, but internally.
Lots of reflecting and praying has helped me realize that I truly do love working out, but only if it’s stress relieving–not inducing. I’m still searching for that balance!
Happy Monday! <3
“It amazes me how smart our bodies are, yet learning to TRUST them is so challenging. In an information age where so much conflicting information is right at our fingertips, it’s hard to believe that the answers aren’t found externally, but internally.” <---- LOOOOOVED this! And you're so right! We keep looking for answers from sources who know nothing about us or what we individually need, when we should really stop and just listen to what our body is always telling us. Love you!
It’s so lovely to have you back in the blogging world! Your wisdom always makes pleasant reading!
I moved blogs because I reached a point where I felt like I was a phoney. I had to stop all this ‘healthy’ alternative stuff because it just wasn’t working for me and my health. I too went back to basics. Ate meat again, stopped all these non-dairy products and just started eating. I tried to stop being fussy. I eat so much more, by way of variety, than I used to and it feels so much better. I still visit and comment on the ‘healthy blogs’ but I read a lot more food blogs than I ever did and that also helped me to start to focus on what is important in my diet, not keeping up appearances for the sake of readers who don’t actually care what I do!
As for exercise, it’s never been an issue for me, thankfully. I do it when I fancy, which is not very often. I actually need to get into some sort of habit and domore cardio than I do because I don’t do a lot but I’ll see how it goes! I like to walk, so I do that. I, too, quickly fall into obsessive over-thinking so the safest thing for me is to not to think too much about exercise or food. 🙂
Really interesting discussion! Thanks!
I really, really admire this post.
I too, myself, realized that going back to the basics – eggs, milk, cheese, butter, sugar – instead of the “specialty” foods that health food bloggers obsess over (e.g. stevia, nutritional yeast, chia seeds, etc) made me feel more wholesome and sane. While I respect the food choices of others, and I think it’s great that consuming these special foods works for them, I find that I feel much less concerned with the constant need to eat “healthily” when I go back to the foods I grew up eating, in moderation of course, and obviously it’s much more economical!
Great post as always!
I was intrigued by your post and the info on exercise, or lack there of. However, even though I was really into reading it, I too got distracted as soon as you put up a bread pic. Drooooool. But really, back on topic – that’s interesting, and I can totally understand it.
Holy shit. HOW did you know that I NEEDED this post today? I haven’t been working out for awhile but I’m usually “okay” with it because I try and stay busy and active all throughout the day though. Days like today, though, when I literally have nothing to do but sit on my butt and watch holiday weekend marathons on TV I really struggle. It’s hard for me to just be at “peace” with doing nothing. Thank you so much for this, Amanda! You are a god send!
I have the same experience with exercise. Ever since I have been listening to what I want and not what I think i should do I have been exercising less and feeling a TON better. I do think it is because all of a sudden I am not worried about eating enough do to exercise and that my body is finding its happy place again. I have a ton of trouble relaxing. I am always looking for something to do. I hate just sitting. even reading starts to bore me after while and I have to get up and walk around. Something I am working on though! i have come to find I can sit and play The SIms for hours!
I think a lot of it has to do with finding something that you enjoy doing and then allowing yourself to do it for the sole reason that you enjoy doing it. We tend to feel like everything we do has to have some kind of point or purpose, but we usually overlook the fact that sometimes the point of doing something is simply enjoyment. Sure, playing video games may not be the most productive thing in the world (I spend hours on WoW when I have time), but as long as it’s not taking over our lives, I see no problem in doing it… especially if it helps us unwind 🙂
You made such an interesting point in this post – I never thought of exercise being a physical stressor that can lead to weight gain… but it makes total sense! And all the more reason to take a more moderate approach to exercise. I’m not sure about my weight, but I definitely FEEL so much better by not overdoing it.
Also I love love love what you said about eating real food again. Me too! I find that real foods are so much more nutrient dense than their “health food” counterpart. Even butter, which I used to be so freaked out about eating, has found its way back into my diet. It’s natural, it contains healthy fats, and people have been eating it for centuries! Plus it tastes darn delicious! 😀
You know, if we don’t overdo butter like the chefs on food network, then it’s actually a VERY healthy food! I don’t know how strongly the Candida issue holds up along with its special diet, but I’ve read that for those with Candida, butter is a very good thing….I have stomach issues and if I eat too much butter I feel terrible! But when I have just a good, sweet amount, my stomach is really healthy~strange huh? 😀 Eat more butter. haha.
Great post Amanda. Each of your posts makes me so glad you are back.
I’ve always worried that if I stopped working out, that I would gain weight. I mean.. It burns XX amount of calories a day or week.. and those just wouldn’t be burned anymore. I eat a fairly clean diet (Love my candy) and in my head know that diet plays a major role in weight gain/loss. I’ve never GAINED from working out.. but I used to run 10 miles on the treadmill a couple times week (3 or so years ago).. and never lost an ounce. I look back and think that it was crazy to have put my body through that torment.
I stil work out 5-6 times a week.. but have started incorporating yoga.. and doing some lower impact things as well.
interesting post, amanda. for me – i love working out. and i don’t know if i do too much of it? without it i feel high strung and stressed. but, i do agree that it is all about finding the RIGHT balance for yourself – and no one else. and i’m happy that you have done that for yourself and learned to…relax. relaxing is a hard thing for me, too. but it is a perfectly beautiful part of life we should all be enjoying.
I’ve always thought that was a really interesting thing from Brendan. I stopped running about 2 months ago and was so scared of gaining weight but it just hasn’t happened. In that same period of time I’ve gone back to eating real foods – greek yoghurt instead of soy yoghurt, eggs instead of 3 servings of protein powder and its done me the world of good. Its funny how we can go full circle sometimes isn’t it 🙂
It definitely is! I’ve pretty much come to the conclusion that I can’t really say “This is how I’m going to eat/live/think for the rest of my life,” because things are always changing and oftentimes I go back and end up eating my words. There was a time that I was convinced that I would never eat meat again, and err… well that fell through. And it was the same with all of those “healthy” replacements… I thought there was no way I’d go back to the real thing, aaaaaand now I’m eating my words again. One thing is for sure though, and that’s that every time I try and deviate from what I know in my heart of heart’s is right for me, I always end up coming back to it and feel so much better as a result.
Hey girl,
You may or may not remember me ( i deleted my blog, it was cheriebuttonss @ wordpress )
Im so glad you’re back, I’ve kept your blog in reader all this time, the other day I was actually cleaning up the users I follow, and I couldn’t bring myself to delete you in case you came back, and look what happened.
Main thing I stopped by to say is, I’m in the same boat as you. Although I’m still vegan, about 9 months ago I decided to quit the gym. No more exercise for me. I was going about 6 days a week.
I now go for walks a few days a week, and like you, clean the house if I need a little ‘workout’, Ive started going out for meals now with friends and not worrying about other people preparing my food. I’ve changed my black coffees for lattes, added chocolate to my daily diet and eat pizza about 3 days a week.
And, I.havent.gained.one.kilo. I couldn’t believe it at first. But its such a good feeling. The time I used stressing about ‘will i make it to the gym’, ‘I’ll do my assignment later after the gym’ is now spent relaxing. Not worrying or feeling guilty about exercise. (although I will admit I still have my times)
Honestly I feel so much better, more energetic as well, and a lot happier. Glad to see you’re doing the same. <3
Of course I remember you, Cherie! I’m really glad to hear that you’ve been doing well! It’s pretty crazy that we get stuck in these mindsets where we’re unwilling to deviate from our routines even a tad bit in fear that something bad will happen as a result, when in reality those consequences we fear don’t end up happening 99% of the time… Great to hear from you again 🙂
What a great post. You and I are completely on the same wavelength. Life should be lived as stress-free as possible, and I agree that exercise is a serious stressor. While training for my half marathon, I quickly discovered that I was gaining weight despite running double digits weekly. While this didn’t concern me too much (I run for fun and not to lose weight), I did do some research (aka Google haha) and basically learned what you did! So interesting right? I think it just goes to show us all that humans are meant to live intuitively – rest when we are tired, stop eating when we are full, etc. It’s how we were as children and it’s how we need to be now!
I’ve always found when I’ve weighed myself after a weekend of wasting time on WoW and snacking non-stop I’m always a kilo or two lighter, yet when when I go crazy working out the scales says otherwise. I’m so glad you’ve found a balance that works for you and makes you happy. You’re the best!
Ack! You play WoW? Looooove! It’s actually kind of sad how much time I’ve spent playing that game over all of these years lol. And with the new exp. coming out, I don’t suppose it’s going to get any better…
Same here, but I’ve made some wonderful friends through it and I still lets me be social while sitting in my PJs. Everything in moderation! (Although when it comes to WoW my definition of moderation may differ slightly from the norm ;)) Yay for MoP!
I’ve never commented before, but I just wanted to say that I LOVE your attitude toward food and exercise. Seriously. For years I’ve compared my diet and fitness routines to other “healthy living” bloggers, feeling like a failure if my workout wasn’t as intense [or *gasp* I didn’t work out one day], or comparing their meals with mine. It’s frustrating and quite frankly, completely pointless. You’re right, we are all different and we don’t all have to go to the gym five to six times a week to be “healthy.” I feel like lately, especially since returning to college, I’ve been completely turned OFF by the idea of stepping foot in a gym. I do a LOT of walking around campus between classes [and my campus is dang hilly!], I’ve been doing some yoga [though I’d like to make time for more – it’s something I legitimately enjoy] and I’ve started running once a week with a girl on my floor [we’re training for a 5k]. Other than that, working out is NOT high on my priority list. And I’m learning that that is OKAY. I’m not training for a long race or a fitness competition. What is the point in investing so much time in something that I feel is a chore? Life is short and physical appearance has no eternal value! It won’t last. I don’t want to go back to the gym unless I REALLY want to. I am fine without it. Thank you for sharing your heart with us. It is SO inspiring. :] God bless you!
Thank you for your comment, Jordan! I definitely reached the same kind of conclusion as you… what’s the point in doing something that I don’t enjoy, and which doesn’t even really bring me that much satisfaction? It always felt like I was chasing happiness, you know? Like I was always telling myself “I’ll be happy when…” and even when/if I reached that point, I’d be happy for maybe a moment, and then the same process would repeat. It was like it was never good enough. Now, if I don’t enjoy it or the results of it, I just won’t do it, because yeah, like you said, life’s too short and there are too many things that I DO enjoy doing to waste time on something that I don’t.
wow what a great realization Jordan! Jordan and Amanda, I think exercise or being active is still important simply because of our cardiovascular health, prevention of bone and muscle weakness when we get old, etc., but I am really starting to see what you mean here by the fact that TOO MUCH EXERCISE ACTUALLY CAN HAVE adverse effects!
Well, it’s still wayyyyyy mind boggling for me what Brazer said about how too much exercise leads to weight gain (and not the muscle kind), and I still can’t wrap that around my head b/c it’s just so controversial in our “exercise obsessed” society! But I guess if I think of it in terms of, too little eating and then eating a tiny bit makes our bodies TRAP the fat makes sense, so they’re similar to one another? But even still, I agree that we need to do what our bodies and minds enjoy as well as take it easy when we need to. Thankfully, I actually really enjoy being active outdoors and exercising in general because to me it just feels good (hello adrenaline and dopamine, hah!), but doing what’s best for us is definitely key~ Like I said before too, too much extreme of anything is detrimental for our mind, body, and spirit! 🙂 What an interesting post Amanda!
And Jordan, I am so sorry that healthy living blogs have taken a negative effect on you rather than a positive inspiring one! I hope whatever you do, you are happy and healthy. 😀
SO true. Obviously exercise does not necessarily lead to weight gain, if that were the case then endurance athletes wouldn’t be so lean. If you’re training 15-20 hours a week and getting lots of sleep and rest and ample nutrition, you’re good to go (and really only pro athletes have that kind of time but you know what I mean). If you knock any of those three variables down (not enough sleep, or not enough food, or too much food/sleep for the exercise you’re doing), then that = weight gain for sure. I experienced that last year and cut down my workouts, and now things work like they’re supposed to – generally I train hard, I sleep a lot, and I eat a lot, and I weigh less than when I don’t work out (or not necessarily weight, but I’m a lot leaner). I think SO many girls get caught in that trap, and the only thing you can do is take a break – and if you discover you don’t actually love the exercise, then you just find other things you DO like. If you miss the workouts or running, biking, triathlon whatever – you go back to doing it, but you make sure to get the other two variables in check. right on! Oh and yeah, watermelon…friend and I bought one at the farmer’s market yesterday and together ate it all in one sitting. I’m going to be so sad when summer’s over!
It’s always trying to figure out that balance that’s soooo frustrating though! I remember being constantly buggered with questions like “Am I eating enough? Am I eating too much? Am I exercising enough? Am I exercising too much?” Gah! It was driving me crazy. Maybe I’m just not meant for that kind of calculation, because when I finally tossed my hands in the air and stopped obsessing so much, that’s when things finally started falling into place. Plus, I think the added stress that all that obsessing was causing me wasn’t helping my case either lol.
are we living parallel lives? LOL. yes, same here. The body takes in exercise the same as it does emotional stress. It’s breaks down, so unless we have time to recover and rest, we’re not doing it any good. Extra time away from exercise allowed my body to heal. I lose weight when i don’t exercise but then it starts to even out after my life does. “A FREAKIN’ MEN.”
Love, love, LOVE this.
I’ve never experienced exercise-related weight gain mostly because I don’t exercise too much these days. However I have very much experienced food-related weight gain 😛
I think our society is too exercise obsessed. People who don’t need to exercise as much are the ones doing it all the time whereas the people who the “exercise more” recommendations are aimed at aren’t doing it at all.
Oh well.
Definitely agree! It seems like people gravitate towards one of the two extremes… either exercise way too much, or not at all. What ever happened to finding a nice balance in the middle?! Did I miss the memo that it’s gone out of style?
Seriously Amanda, you rock. I absolutely loved this post and I’m thrilled to hear you’ve matured mentally with regard to exercise and food. Your post got me thinking— it’s kind of ironic how going back to how we intuitively ate as kids actually helps us grow. Back then, all we did was eat whatever we wanted, played like no tomorrow, and didn’t fret over calories/exercise/diets. Getting back to that frame of mind, in my opinion, is the only way to truly live. Hopefully, I can get back to that carefree-ness again…one day, one day!! 😀
Thanks for the inspiration my friend 🙂
You can friend, you can! <3
I love your amazing attitude toward life! I used to feel like I had to exercise daily but now only exercise when I truly want to and instead of the gym I much rather go walking or biking in my neighborhood! But I agree – each person is unique!
Simple foods – delicious!!
🙂 aim
I love the message you are sending across in this post Amanda! It is important not to overstress our bodies, yet with the influence of magazines and even newspapers saying we require so much exercise it is tempting to work our butts off like crazy. That cheese bread looks absolutely incredible. This past year I have learned that I really really really like cheese!
Oh my goodness, YES. I just had an ah-ha moment, all thanks to you. Even though I’ve been building muscle in some areas, I’ve been noticing fat creeping up in other areas, which has left me (understandably) wondering, WTF am I doing ‘wrong’. I’m not overeating either. I can relate to having difficulty relaxing – I feel ‘lazy’ or unmotivated if I don’t get my daily exercise! Thanks for posting this – I definitely need to re-evaluate this area of my life & look at making some changes. 😀
Funny how you mention this just today. My sunday was spent pretty much lazying around, not doing much yet I still felt fine.
As for the weight gain: While I was still keeping myself from exercise in order to gain weight I actually lost several pounds or at least had a hard time staying at a stable weight. Now that I started running again the pounds seem to jump right onto me … Sigh, it is frustrating though at the same time necessary. I know it yet can’t make peace with it. Reading your post today helps me a little, though. It feel good not to be alone with it.
I totally have trouble with allowing myself to relax. I’m on semester break for about two more weeks and every day I don’t have to work a shift at my job I feel like the laziest blob ever. I still have the ED mindset of needing to “deserve” food through activity. What helped you change your mindset? Anything else besides noticing you didn’t enjoy working out? Because I do enjoy it at times but have a hard time spending a day just walking from here to there, reading, eating … I wish I could let loose …
It took me a good long while to get out of that mindset myself, so don’t stress too much about those feelings not going away quickly… it will get easier with time! The idea that we have to do something to deserve food is a hard one to shake, but it helps to stop looking at food as some sort of a reward or goal that we have to work for, and instead looking at it as a means to reach other goals. What I mean is, food gives us energy so that we can live our lives… we don’t live our lives just to be able to eat. Struggling with ED’s and prolonged restriction make us put food on a pedestal, but really it’s just a means to live our lives.