[Jen]

Hey Emma,

This is a great question--I love how much effort you put into keeping yourself healthy! It's fabulous.

It's a tricky situation, because on the one hand, I totally get that exercising helps you feel good--nobody feels good when they're not moving their body at all. But on the other hand, you do need to gain weight, and exercise might prevent that from happening. Also, you have to be very careful that a new mindset doesn't pop up without you recognizing it (you know how ED tricky thoughts can just creep in and you don't realize it until it's much later?), and that is: "I can eat as long as I exercise." A lot of times people who are struggling turn to exercise as what they think is helping them eat, but it ends up being a compulsion...and you just don't want to get to the point where you refuse to eat unless you've exercised. You know?

I'd say that there IS a compromise available. If you are going to be exercising, you'll be needing to eat even more to not only maintain your weight, but not lose it, and gain it. So if you increase your mealplan a decent amount (increase the amount of calories total that you are eating), then exercise isn't an issue--provided that the tricky ED thinking doesn't start up again.

I WOULD suggest talking to your doctor about this, though. Let her know everything you wrote in this post, and explain that you ARE willing to increase your intake so that you can continue gaining weight. Also, you might need to compromise on the type of exercise--like, running probably isn't going to be realistic. But taking walks, or doing a Zumba class here and there, is more realistic.

Good luck Emma! I'm proud of you.