I Stopped Exercising for Two Months (& Why You Should Too)

I stopped exercising for TWO MONTHS. Today, I share why I stopped exercising and how it affected my weight, strength, mood, etc. Did I gain weight? Did I lose muscle? Did it influence what I eat in a day? I also talk about exercise in and after eating disorder recovery. 

Why did I stop exercising?

I went from being on holidays to being on my period to getting covid to getting food poisoning to getting my period again to getting a cold (or covid again?) to being ‘on the road’ and, well, only just arriving at Casa Arts after a long trip. There was no time and energy for exercise, so I listened to my body and rested! Struggling with a horrible car break-down abroad, I simply had other things on my mind too, and other things took priority. This is okay.

Did this break influence how much I ate?

On rest days (or weeks or months), my body still needs fuel! Though I have gone through some periods of slightly less hunger (more on that here), I still nourish myself and I still keep a healthy regular food routine. 

How has my break from exercise influenced me, physically and mentally?

I have still felt at peace. I’ve been living my best life (except for covid/cold/food poisoning)! And as I haven't weighed myself in years, I'm going to assume I haven't suddenly blown up in the meantime either (and that muscle memory will help me get back on track when I am ready to).

Why do so many people look to the gym and weight lifting post-recovery?

1. To finally feel strong rather than frail! If someone could wave a magic wand and my weight and body composition would never change, I would still be going to the gym.
2. Physique goals/body confidence (nothing wrong with that, if done in a physically and mentally healthy way)
3. Taking care of their body in a healthy way, and learning to appreciate the body for its functionality rather than aesthetics. 
4. They were active before the ED and are just returning to normal, healthy living! (Maybe replacing childish exercise for something that better fits an adult's routine)
5. Replacing the ED with a socially acceptable new obsession. Yes, it does happen too

How to deal with compulsive exercise in recovery? 

Recognise that, in recovery (and for other people with other illnesses), IT IS NOT HEALTHY. No matter what society may try to convince you off. Yes, even walking can be DETRIMENTAL! 

1. It maintains the eating disorder, preventing mental recovery 

2. It may hinder weight gain, preventing physical recovery 

3. It adds stress to the body, preventing physiological recovery. 

By exercising, you keep giving power to the ED, which is honestly not something you want to do for the rest of your life! In addition, the additional stress may lead to breaking DOWN of muscle and may prevent energy from going to nonessential functions like reproductive and hormone health. Hormones become out of whack, leading to reduced bone density (alongside cardiovascular problems), which in turn increases likelihood of injuries during said exercise, potentially irreversibly! 

In the presence of adequate estrogen or testosterone, exercise increases bone density, so in the healthy person exercise is healthy. In the presence of HPA dysfunction, exercise exacerbates bone loss and is not. For my best tips to take a break and sit with the discomfort, check this out. 

What about the mood boosting effects of exercise? 

Sit outside in the sun or get in the flow with a non-active hobby. These are good for you without breaking your body down and without appeasing the ED. Attempting to use the health argument to justify a behaviour that is contributing to energy deficit during starvation and thus helping perpetuate a life-threatening illness is classic eating-disorder logic. Exercise can be adverse, it can be dangerous, and, in the context of electrolyte abnormalities (i.e. more common in the case of purging or of blood glucose level abnormalities), can be even lethal. 

There will be plenty of time for fitness once you are fully recovered, if you want there to be. Patience is, as always, a virtue. So hang in there. Relax. Rest. Watch all of my YouTube videos. Your body needs it and is asking for it.