Advice for a weak body
ArtsyDarling
Posts: 39 Member
I am recovering from anorexia. (I don't have a doctors help. Its expensive.) I want to start exercising again but i notice in strength exercises my muscles are still very weak. They get shaky like they almost want to collapse. I might be trying to do the moves too advanced but i feel like nothing is happening if i don't, so im torn. Any advice on getting my muscles strong quicker or some rehabilitating exercises that still tone the body?
My goal is to recover and tone my body up. Im not trying to lose more weight. I just want to get better without pulling my family financially down with me.
My goal is to recover and tone my body up. Im not trying to lose more weight. I just want to get better without pulling my family financially down with me.
0
Replies
-
Don't rush it... Progress slow and steady.0
-
LolBroScience wrote: »Don't rush it... Progress slow and steady.
In a normal anorexic that would be said but i was actually obese when the tendencies started. Now i am a normal 150. I should be able to exercise if my body is at healthy weight. My muscles are just weak still.0 -
ArtsyDarling wrote: »LolBroScience wrote: »Don't rush it... Progress slow and steady.
In a normal anorexic that would be said but i was actually obese when the tendencies started. Now i am a normal 150. I should be able to exercise if my body is at healthy weight. My muscles are just weak still.
Slow and steady still applies. For anyone starting out it is best to take it slow at first. As your body masters the easier routines and exercises you will be able to move on to harder things. If you jump straight into the hard stuff you are going to have a very hard time doing them. Ease into it and your body will adjust a lot faster.0 -
Given what information we have in your post, I would venture that you are on the right track, and yes, slow and steady will win the race. There are a number of things you can do at home, including strength building exercises, that only use body weight. When you get more comfortable and stronger, you could change things up and continue to progress. Try looking at the free app "You Are Your Own Gym." "Convict Conditioning" has also been mentioned around here alot. Folks also seem to like fitnessblender.com (free routines online, I think).
Obviously, your muscles and overall strength have been through the wringer. Be kind to yourself, work on a good program like the above, or others that you might find, that ensure you are working your entire body. A well-designed program is better than trying to figure out something on your own, at least in the beginning. Take it easy, and don't do things that obviously bring "real pain." There is workout pain, like the kind you get when you fatigue your muscles or do something until muscle failure (all a part of building strength), and then there is real pain that you want to avoid. Learn to read your body and what it is telling you.
There is no time like today to start working on building strength. It will do wonders for not only your physical health, but your mental and emotional health as well. Best of luck to you.0 -
ArtsyDarling wrote: »LolBroScience wrote: »Don't rush it... Progress slow and steady.
In a normal anorexic that would be said but i was actually obese when the tendencies started. Now i am a normal 150. I should be able to exercise if my body is at healthy weight. My muscles are just weak still.
Slow and steady still applies. For anyone starting out it is best to take it slow at first. As your body masters the easier routines and exercises you will be able to move on to harder things. If you jump straight into the hard stuff you are going to have a very hard time doing them. Ease into it and your body will adjust a lot faster.
Thank you. Your probably right. I figured i was probably trying to hard. This stuff seems so simple and you expect to be able to get up and just do it. Its frustrating when you find out you can't.0 -
ArtsyDarling wrote: »In a normal anorexic that would be said but i was actually obese when the tendencies started. Now i am a normal 150. I should be able to exercise if my body is at healthy weight. My muscles are just weak still.
Your body can be at a healthy weight but still have reduced muscle mass, which is very common in those who lose weight extremely fast - some of the weight being lost is muscle. That's particularly true if you had a protein deficit as well as a calorie deficit, because then your body steals muscle mass twice - once for energy, and once for amino acids to keep the cells of your body functional.
You can get some strength from simple adaptation (your brain getting more effective at using your muscles) but in the long run to get full strength back you will likely need to build more muscle, and that is a slower process.
What I'd recommend focusing on at strength training are keeping good form - lower the resistance if you need to in order to maintain form - and then focus on doing exercises at a resistance level where you can complete 8-12 reps in a set. Never work the same muscle out on two consecutive days - your body needs those 48 hours to repair the muscle and get it ready for the next exercise. I personally prefer a day of full-body workout and a day of rest (where you can still do light cardio if you like, but nothing too strenuous). For example I'll walk a couple of miles on my rest days.
Make sure you eat a good amount of protein (for a normal weight person looking to build muscle, a rule of thumb I've heard is about 0.6g per lb of body weight). Protein is the raw material needed to build muscle.0 -
CarlydogsMom wrote: »Given what information we have in your post, I would venture that you are on the right track, and yes, slow and steady will win the race. There are a number of things you can do at home, including strength building exercises, that only use body weight. When you get more comfortable and stronger, you could change things up and continue to progress. Try looking at the free app "You Are Your Own Gym." "Convict Conditioning" has also been mentioned around here alot. Folks also seem to like fitnessblender.com (free routines online, I think).
Obviously, your muscles and overall strength have been through the wringer. Be kind to yourself, work on a good program like the above, or others that you might find, that ensure you are working your entire body. A well-designed program is better than trying to figure out something on your own, at least in the beginning. Take it easy, and don't do things that obviously bring "real pain." There is workout pain, like the kind you get when you fatigue your muscles or do something until muscle failure (all a part of building strength), and then there is real pain that you want to avoid. Learn to read your body and what it is telling you.
There is no time like today to start working on building strength. It will do wonders for not only your physical health, but your mental and emotional health as well. Best of luck to you.
Wow thanks that's so much good information. I really appreciate it! So it's okay to get going until my legs give up? I shouldn't be afraid?0 -
Move back down to lighter weights and progress at a rate your body can tolerate. You are recovering. No need to push too hard0
-
rankinsect wrote: »ArtsyDarling wrote: »In a normal anorexic that would be said but i was actually obese when the tendencies started. Now i am a normal 150. I should be able to exercise if my body is at healthy weight. My muscles are just weak still.
Your body can be at a healthy weight but still have reduced muscle mass, which is very common in those who lose weight extremely fast - some of the weight being lost is muscle. That's particularly true if you had a protein deficit as well as a calorie deficit, because then your body steals muscle mass twice - once for energy, and once for amino acids to keep the cells of your body functional.
You can get some strength from simple adaptation (your brain getting more effective at using your muscles) but in the long run to get full strength back you will likely need to build more muscle, and that is a slower process.
What I'd recommend focusing on at strength training are keeping good form - lower the resistance if you need to in order to maintain form - and then focus on doing exercises at a resistance level where you can complete 8-12 reps in a set. Never work the same muscle out on two consecutive days - your body needs those 48 hours to repair the muscle and get it ready for the next exercise. I personally prefer a day of full-body workout and a day of rest (where you can still do light cardio if you like, but nothing too strenuous). For example I'll walk a couple of miles on my rest days.
Make sure you eat a good amount of protein (for a normal weight person looking to build muscle, a rule of thumb I've heard is about 0.6g per lb of body weight). Protein is the raw material needed to build muscle.
Thank you! I know i should go get my body checked out and see what my muscle mass and fat ratio are i am joining the YMCA soon so i will find out there hopefully, my scale last said 22- 23 but it's meant for a healthier type of person and that was a while ago but I feel better and I've remained relatively the same size as far as i can tell. I was wandering how much meat I should be eating. Is that per day? Per meal?
0 -
Here's an idea of where my body is at. I did a Pilates for beginners video yesterday and I made it through the abs part easily but when it came to the legs they would cramp and just start to tremble and after a while it was impossible to lift my leg up and try over and over again. Of course she was flexible and I am too so I was trying to follow her lead.0
-
ArtsyDarling wrote: »Here's an idea of where my body is at. I did a Pilates for beginners video yesterday and I made it through the abs part easily but when it came to the legs they would cramp and just start to tremble and after a while it was impossible to lift my leg up and try over and over again. Of course she was flexible and I am too so I was trying to follow her lead.
Sounds normal to me. The more you do it, the better you will get at it.0 -
ArtsyDarling wrote: »Here's an idea of where my body is at. I did a Pilates for beginners video yesterday and I made it through the abs part easily but when it came to the legs they would cramp and just start to tremble and after a while it was impossible to lift my leg up and try over and over again. Of course she was flexible and I am too so I was trying to follow her lead.
Sounds normal to me. The more you do it, the better you will get at it.
2nd this.
Another suggestion is to seek out videos that feature modifiers. For example the OLD Winsor Pilates workouts have a modifer (Daphne) You get the old videos on YouTube (The new Winsor Pilates workouts by GAIM, do not have a modifier)
If you can't find videos with alternate routines, then watch the entire video with no intention of doing the exercises. Just keep a list of the exercises and Google the modifiers yourself.
Also, IIRC videos by a company called "Crunch" (on Amazon) often feature one of the participants doing modifiers.
Hope this helps
0 -
beachhouse758 wrote: »ArtsyDarling wrote: »Here's an idea of where my body is at. I did a Pilates for beginners video yesterday and I made it through the abs part easily but when it came to the legs they would cramp and just start to tremble and after a while it was impossible to lift my leg up and try over and over again. Of course she was flexible and I am too so I was trying to follow her lead.
Sounds normal to me. The more you do it, the better you will get at it.
2nd this.
Another suggestion is to seek out videos that feature modifiers. For example the OLD Winsor Pilates workouts have a modifer (Daphne) You get the old videos on YouTube (The new Winsor Pilates workouts by GAIM, do not have a modifier)
If you can't find videos with alternate routines, then watch the entire video with no intention of doing the exercises. Just keep a list of the exercises and Google the modifiers yourself.
Also, IIRC videos by a company called "Crunch" (on Amazon) often feature one of the participants doing modifiers.
Hope this helps
And wanted to add: continue to be kind and gentle to your body. Don't try to keep up with the fitness girl on the video, she is a Pro. Just do your best. Take breaks when you have to and get at it again. Then repeat.
In time you will find that you need shorter breaks/less often. And before you know it, you will have more endurance.
Be consistent and take it at your own pace.0 -
ArtsyDarling wrote: »rankinsect wrote: »ArtsyDarling wrote: »In a normal anorexic that would be said but i was actually obese when the tendencies started. Now i am a normal 150. I should be able to exercise if my body is at healthy weight. My muscles are just weak still.
Your body can be at a healthy weight but still have reduced muscle mass, which is very common in those who lose weight extremely fast - some of the weight being lost is muscle. That's particularly true if you had a protein deficit as well as a calorie deficit, because then your body steals muscle mass twice - once for energy, and once for amino acids to keep the cells of your body functional.
You can get some strength from simple adaptation (your brain getting more effective at using your muscles) but in the long run to get full strength back you will likely need to build more muscle, and that is a slower process.
What I'd recommend focusing on at strength training are keeping good form - lower the resistance if you need to in order to maintain form - and then focus on doing exercises at a resistance level where you can complete 8-12 reps in a set. Never work the same muscle out on two consecutive days - your body needs those 48 hours to repair the muscle and get it ready for the next exercise. I personally prefer a day of full-body workout and a day of rest (where you can still do light cardio if you like, but nothing too strenuous). For example I'll walk a couple of miles on my rest days.
Make sure you eat a good amount of protein (for a normal weight person looking to build muscle, a rule of thumb I've heard is about 0.6g per lb of body weight). Protein is the raw material needed to build muscle.
Thank you! I know i should go get my body checked out and see what my muscle mass and fat ratio are i am joining the YMCA soon so i will find out there hopefully, my scale last said 22- 23 but it's meant for a healthier type of person and that was a while ago but I feel better and I've remained relatively the same size as far as i can tell. I was wandering how much meat I should be eating. Is that per day? Per meal?
That's the amount of protein per day. Doesn't have to be meat, but meat is a great and delicious source of complete protein.
And yeah, don't compare yourself to a pro, even for people without an ED nobody is reaching pro levels on day one, anymore than I could sit down at a piano, having never had lessons, and play beautifully. You get better by doing something over and over.0 -
Dear, you are so young! How long were you anorexic? Can you open your diary for us to better assist you? What you are feeling can be caused by still having a poor diet. Are you getting enough protein? Drinking enough water? Getting balanced vitamins and minerals? What is your daily calorie intake? Are you using a food scale? These things for you are key before worrying about building muscle.0
-
mandipandi75 wrote: »Dear, you are so young! How long were you anorexic? Can you open your diary for us to better assist you? What you are feeling can be caused by still having a poor diet. Are you getting enough protein? Drinking enough water? Getting balanced vitamins and minerals? What is your daily calorie intake? Are you using a food scale? These things for you are key before worrying about building muscle.
I was anorexic for about two years on and off twice during losing 100lbs in the whole journey. I haven't used my diary on here. I try not to count calories anymore. My my so many things to take into consideration.0 -
Here is something to consider. Anorexia comes with obsessive thinking and I am betting it transfers very easily to physical activity. You don't have to hit 100% every time you work out and you will still see progress.
I also suggest you focus on strength activities; not cardio.
Don't worry where you are starting from. Be kind to your body, take it slow, and it will respond.0 -
You can look up physical therapy exercises online. Use the names of the muscles and you can usually find starter suggested exercises with video, for folks with problems in those areas (so they tend to be easier).
Pilates is good itself, though. Yoga, too, but don't get discouraged there, either. All of that holding of a pose is more challenging than it looks 0 -
ArtsyDarling wrote: »LolBroScience wrote: »Don't rush it... Progress slow and steady.
In a normal anorexic that would be said but i was actually obese when the tendencies started. Now i am a normal 150. I should be able to exercise if my body is at healthy weight. My muscles are just weak still.
Recovery takes time. Protein supplements might help your muscles, though. And start small on the weights and work your way up.0 -
I'm gonna put this out there. Eating is going to greatly effect your strength. I've found that I absolutely have to eat before I work out. My body needs the energy. If I'm in a rush in the morning and don't eat enough before lifting, I will get "weak" and shaky before the end of a long work out. I need protein and carbs for breakfast.0
-
shakey is normal when we are challenging ourselves. it's ok.
I think yoga and pilates are great. and body weight exercise.
Just remember to go slow and remember that you are a beginner and you won't be perfect and that's perfectly ok
and if you haven't, i would recommend finding some sort of support group to help you thru your recovery.0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.5K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 430 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.8K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions