# Anorexia nervosa survivor needs to gain muscles.



## BellaLatina (Oct 29, 2009)

I am recovering from anorexia nervosa and had starved myself to almost death.  Would some one be kind enough to tell me what I should do to start gaining muscle back that I lost?  Lifting weights?


----------



## suprfast (Oct 29, 2009)

EATING.  You can work out all you want but if you dont put any food in your mouth there will be no muscle
kris


----------



## BellaLatina (Oct 30, 2009)

You can't grow my muscles just by eating dumbass.  DUH.


----------



## Marat (Oct 30, 2009)

One would need to be eating at a caloric surplus in order to provide the 'materials and energy' necessary to put on muscle mass (bodyweight in general). 

The training portion of the formula is the stimulus that brings on the mechanism for muscle growth. However, you will not have any muscle growth if you don't take in the necessary nutrients to facilitate the process.

How's your diet look?


----------



## samalmarr (Oct 30, 2009)

I would recommend you increasing your calories slowly by adding 20/30 extra per day.

To be honest if u want to gain alot of muscle of a skinny body you need to be eating around 200 grams of protein and at least 2000 calories.

I would recommend some people 3500 calories depending on many factors.

Thanks alot


----------



## Merkaba (Oct 30, 2009)

Let's not be so fast to pass judgment and call names.  I'm sure others could do the same to you!

How long has it been since you've recovered?  Because...

Actually in your situation you can gain muscle just by eating because when you starve yourself your muscles are basically being digested for lack of better words and for simpler explanations.  You will put some of it back by eating properly. and staying alive. You will also be putting some back into fat stores which is optimal for hormonal balance and this thing called survival. Fat is Good around here!  (proper fats that is)

Right now what you need to do is concentrate and learning to eat correctly not building muscle.  Building muscle is easy. You can do basic movements with resistance.  Sculpting is harder and more advanced.  Generally you need EXTRA calories when you start wanting to increase muscle.  And generally you're going to gain some fat when trying to gain muscle.  And PLEASE don't think you'll need to spend hours in the gym.  

Look on the bright side, you will more likely be able to shape up and stay lean coming from such an extreme.  Congratulations on kicking such a horrible disease!

WE usually recommend folks go to FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal .  Get familiar with it, set up your file and start putting your favorite things in it that aren't in the database.  If you continue asking for advice at some point or another most advice around here will come to a question of nutritional tracking which is vital for those that are wanting to get specific results, and we're going to refer you to fitday then anyways.  So how and what are your nutritional days looking like now?


----------



## suprfast (Oct 30, 2009)

BellaLatina said:


> You can't grow my muscles just by eating dumbass.  DUH.



What was i thinking.  Feel free to stay on your current diet and follow the strongman workout routine, check back with us in two years and show us your massive muscle gains.  

You need food.  All the performance parts in the world added to your sports car would not do anything without GASOLINE.  Food being GASOLINE in this analogy.
kris aka asshole


----------



## jmorrison (Oct 30, 2009)

Great way to introduce yourself.  Call someone who is trying to help you and offer you advice a dumbass.

Food IS the key to a healthy body regardless of what type of body you want.  Food regulates hormones, insulin, glycogen, mood, energy, fat gain/loss, in short, it is the most important aspect of any change you want to make to your body.

You should probably open your ears a little, lock down the attitude, and be a little more grateful for any advice you get.


----------



## Little Wing (Oct 30, 2009)

BellaLatina said:


> You can't grow my muscles just by eating dumbass.  DUH.


----------



## Phineas (Oct 31, 2009)

Merkaba said:


> L
> Actually in your situation you can gain muscle just by eating because when you starve yourself your muscles are basically being digested for lack of better words and for simpler explanations.  You will put some of it back by eating properly. and staying alive. You will also be putting some back into fat stores which is optimal for hormonal balance and this thing called survival. Fat is Good around here!  (proper fats that is)



He's right.

I've been into bodybuilding for a little over a year now, but before that I had been a long-distance runner for almost six years (started running because I use to be obese). I took it too far, though, and not only ran WAY too much but didn't eat proper nutrients nor anywhere enough calories. In fact, not only did I not eat enough to improve my endurance muscles, I didn't even eat enough to meet my basal caloric needs, meaning I did essentially the same thing to my body that anorexics do. In the last month I was running (which was when I was at my worst) I would gain 2-3 lbs on off days simply because my body was desperately clinging to those calories now that I wasn't burning 2500 more with exercise that day.

I quit running September 7, 2008, making the decision at the end of a half marathon I did that day. Even though it wasn't until around January this year that I had a basic idea of what I was doing with weight lifting, I put on about 10 lbs in the first week since quitting. By mid-October I was 20 lbs heavier and with only about a 4% increase in body fat. 

Take my word for it, when your body has been waiting for those calories, simply eating is enough. First, *Re*build your body. Then, you can "build" it.


----------



## Bradford01 (Nov 11, 2009)

Building muscle mass can be achieved while grounding by yourself, but it is much easier to keep up your focus and dedication if you have a training partner that is counting on you being at every workout. The trick is picking a good partner because if you pick a bad one this can have negative effects on your muscle building quest, as well. The most important thing you must look for in a partner is that they have the same dedication and desire towards building muscle mass, as you do.


----------



## Merkaba (Nov 12, 2009)

Bradford01 said:


> Building muscle mass can be achieved while grounding by yourself, but it is much easier to keep up your focus and dedication if you have a training partner that is counting on you being at every workout. The trick is picking a good partner because if you pick a bad one this can have negative effects on your muscle building quest, as well. The most important thing you must look for in a partner is that they have the same dedication and desire towards building muscle mass, as you do.



B.S.  I say.  I can't Stand working out with other folks.  Always been that way and know many the same way.  

Just me and my headphones.


----------

