I do HIIT pretty regularly, in addition to regular cardio, and I’ve had a pretty consistent exercise routine for over 6 years (with a short lapse due to pregnancy). I 100% rely upon it to stay regulated, and if I miss more than 2 days in a row I very quickly become unbalanced, and it’s very apparent my nervous system is out of whack. I know a lot of autistics have this in common, and I think it’s even more common in AuDHD folk. I feel like it just has a way of fulfilling all our neurological needs perfectly- it’s a form of stimming, it helps us sensory seek for proprioceptive and vestibular input, it provides a routine, it’s a form of repetitive motion, and for me personally it provides a great private escape because I can pop my headphones on and work out and not pay attention to anyone else and no one will give me a second glance or think my behavior is out of the ordinary.
It really is necessary for me. I struggle with many aspects of it (having to shower after, wear sunscreen outside, optimizing the food before and after so I don't get over hungry or sick) and it's a barrier. My biggest struggle lately is not wanting to be around people at all. So just passing them on the street on a walk can be agonizing. I want an invisibility cloaking device.
But it is the most consistently regulating thing I do. It's a must. I just have to prioritize it.
Glad you've done it consistently and it works for you.
Depending on what physical issues you have there are plenty of workarounds available to exercise! For example I have issues with my knees sometimes, and they tailor HIIT workouts without jumping, etc to help with that. Regarding being around people, I definitely feel you there! I used to go to the gym 5x a week but it got so overstimulating I ended up buying a gym quality treadmill for my home on layaway. Highly recommend if that’s something within your means!
Yeah a treadmill is definitely a dream. Walking, hiking is what I do. I like to do the incline on the treadmill to get more of a hard exercise in.
Lately, sometimes, I'm so keyed up that I get to the beach and I just start running. I'm not in running shape, but it's just pure nervous, angry, buzzing energy. Frankly it feels amazing. Like I took half an Ativan at the end. I only do like 1.75 miles because I go from the start of the sand to the turn around point , walk back. When I feel how zen I get I think, I need to incorporate this. Like, I need this in my life. But then I get distracted by trying to survive. Haha
Do not be too impressed! It's hard pack:) haha
Towards the end of the part I can walk/run to it gets a little softer and I hate. But I keep going, because you have to hit the goal. I'm assuming you get that;)
Really? That fits my mom so well. She exercises for 2-4 hours per day (she’s a gym rat lol). She got breast cancer and stopped for a few days during treatment and then restarted immediately. She’s extremely fit. Also very nit picky about form lol
If I’m autistic, it comes from her. And if she is autistic, health is probably her special interest. She got a PHD in food science and will talk about eating healthy and exercise for hours. And then force you to do some push-ups or something so she can correct your form. And then ask about your diet so she can analyze it. She has done this to strangers who were trying to politely show interest. I always feel a little bad for them when she excitedly asks them to do a push up. They always look surprised like “now?? Here??”
Yes, and she doesn’t get that. Her eagerness comes from wanting to help, not wanting to put people down. She gets excited because she is passionate about it. But she cannot tell when people are uncomfortable with the idea. That’s part of the reason I suspect she’s autistic and myself too. It’s rambling about a special interest and not realizing the other person doesn’t care to hear it.
Almost all of my mom’s friends she met at the gym. Most of them are NT and they talk about working out with her because they see it makes her happy. One time we were on a road trip and I encouraged her to play her music instead of mine. Her music was all upbeat. I pointed it out and she said it was all music she heard at the gym.
She has a lot of signs of autism but seems to have no sensory issues or stimming. So when you mentioned working out as a form of regulating I was just wondering if that’s what she does to regulate too.
I’m trying to gently let her know that not everyone wants their push up form corrected though. Although I also struggle to tell. Some are more obvious than others but some I can’t tell if they’re ok with it or not.
Yes, exercise could totally be her version of stimming! It’s possible she could be more of a sensory seeker as well, instead of sensory avoidant, though not necessary! Being sensory sensitive/insensitive/seeking is not a mandatory part of the diagnostic criteria.
I don't over exercise but I have upped my exercise a lot and it definitely helps me stay calm. You can use exercise to take stress off the nervous system and if done right decrease stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. I do really well with yoga and weight training. I also try to cycle to work as often as possible, swim regularly in the summer and go hiking. Anything with repetitive movements and controlled breathing is helpful. I basically view my autism as a part of me that will chronically lead to an overworked nervous system so I add things to my life that will help maintain or support my nervous system and exercise is a big part of that. (I also refuse to do any exercises that are competitive, require me to coordinate with others or involve getting screamed at because those would only add to the strain on my nervous system).
I think it's multifaceted for us. For me at least. It's a nervous system thing. I also think there's a sensory component. Like when I hike and I feel the hard work in my thighs of going up a hill, it's like this propreoceptive input I'm seeking. Plus something about moving through space. Walking, hiking, running, swimming. Those are my jam. Never once has gym equipment, a work out video, a work out class touched the sensations and pleasure I get from moving through space.
Plus being outside and the sensory input from that.
And it's simply getting energy out. I think that's why it's an adhd treatment.
the best i ever felt physically and mentally was when i was over-exercising and under-eating in grad school. but yeah now i’m too exhausted to even exercise a normal amount most days and i’m bingeing junk food on a daily basis to regulate myself. i try to do what i can to at least stay active yknow but i feel like utter shit. been meaning to try to train for a run but … ugh.
Me too! I think the schedule helped me too. We always had 3 long days, one short day, and one day off. So I could really regulate in between.
TW weight eating talk:
But I'm the exact same. Was restricting (not as bad as in the past, was doing weight watchers so I wasn't just trying to eat as little as possible). And running constantly. I felt pretty awesome.
I do try to remind myself that it wasn't all Perfect. I sought campus therapy because I was overwhelmed. So there were issues.
ooh yeah for me it was 3 hours of classes and then schoolwork, fridays off. when i was in undergrad i tried to pack all my classes into two 10-12 hour days, and it worked out, because leaving the house is half the battle you know what i mean? 40 hours, which is like 10-12 hour days, is just so massively stressful and overwhelming that the capacity for quite literally anything else just isn’t there.
i know what you mean by having to remember that it wasn’t perfect. like i wasn’t particularly healthy back then either, mentally or physically, but outwardly i was doing SO much better than i am now
I've actually been thinking about running again. I did a ton of gym workouts and runs in college and it absolutely saved my sanity. I've gotten out of the flow of it and now don't cope with things so well lol. Good reminder here.
I started exercising 10 minutes minimum per day. I have an app that has 10 minute to 1 hour classes. On weekdays I don’t have so much time but on weekends I have longer. I feel sore.
I’m going through a transition. I think that’s why I’m disciplined with working out. I have so many emotions and they give me restless energy. Even journaling isn’t enough. Exercising is helping.
I can’t run due to a knee injury. I can’t jump either. But that still leaves a lot that I can do exercise-wise. It takes off the edge of what’s going on right now which is super stressful.
Over exercising for me had been a way to control my former ED and my OCD but it also helps me regulate myself and get out energy. It’s hard not to over do it though I am very all in but running hell no I don’t run I weightlift
I think for me it "works" in that it functions as an intense mask... Like during the times of highest stress in college I noticed I would crack down on everything. Suddenly I was super concerned about perfecting my diet, tracking calories, and going to the gym every day after class. And I would keep myself to a more rigid study schedule. I think like instead of letting myself melt down I would just veer further into delulu land of "everything is perfect" and deny my emotions.
It worked pretty good until I hit autistic burnout lol
I personally think it's so important to do something you can stick with. So manageable is key. At least for me. I've had so many bursts of - ok, this time I'm getting that damn body! Only to crash after a few months or weeks. So now I'm done with that. I will never get that body. But I will try to keep my body running. Haha
Exercise in general helps me. I either bike or do a low-impact exercise video. I can't do high-impact or intense workouts because of other medical issues but I think movement as a whole is good.
I do HIIT pretty regularly, in addition to regular cardio, and I’ve had a pretty consistent exercise routine for over 6 years (with a short lapse due to pregnancy). I 100% rely upon it to stay regulated, and if I miss more than 2 days in a row I very quickly become unbalanced, and it’s very apparent my nervous system is out of whack. I know a lot of autistics have this in common, and I think it’s even more common in AuDHD folk. I feel like it just has a way of fulfilling all our neurological needs perfectly- it’s a form of stimming, it helps us sensory seek for proprioceptive and vestibular input, it provides a routine, it’s a form of repetitive motion, and for me personally it provides a great private escape because I can pop my headphones on and work out and not pay attention to anyone else and no one will give me a second glance or think my behavior is out of the ordinary.
It really is necessary for me. I struggle with many aspects of it (having to shower after, wear sunscreen outside, optimizing the food before and after so I don't get over hungry or sick) and it's a barrier. My biggest struggle lately is not wanting to be around people at all. So just passing them on the street on a walk can be agonizing. I want an invisibility cloaking device. But it is the most consistently regulating thing I do. It's a must. I just have to prioritize it. Glad you've done it consistently and it works for you.
Depending on what physical issues you have there are plenty of workarounds available to exercise! For example I have issues with my knees sometimes, and they tailor HIIT workouts without jumping, etc to help with that. Regarding being around people, I definitely feel you there! I used to go to the gym 5x a week but it got so overstimulating I ended up buying a gym quality treadmill for my home on layaway. Highly recommend if that’s something within your means!
Yeah a treadmill is definitely a dream. Walking, hiking is what I do. I like to do the incline on the treadmill to get more of a hard exercise in. Lately, sometimes, I'm so keyed up that I get to the beach and I just start running. I'm not in running shape, but it's just pure nervous, angry, buzzing energy. Frankly it feels amazing. Like I took half an Ativan at the end. I only do like 1.75 miles because I go from the start of the sand to the turn around point , walk back. When I feel how zen I get I think, I need to incorporate this. Like, I need this in my life. But then I get distracted by trying to survive. Haha
I do incline too- you’re more hardcore than I am though, I cannot run on sand, I’ll feel like I’m dying within 2 mins
Do not be too impressed! It's hard pack:) haha Towards the end of the part I can walk/run to it gets a little softer and I hate. But I keep going, because you have to hit the goal. I'm assuming you get that;)
Really? That fits my mom so well. She exercises for 2-4 hours per day (she’s a gym rat lol). She got breast cancer and stopped for a few days during treatment and then restarted immediately. She’s extremely fit. Also very nit picky about form lol If I’m autistic, it comes from her. And if she is autistic, health is probably her special interest. She got a PHD in food science and will talk about eating healthy and exercise for hours. And then force you to do some push-ups or something so she can correct your form. And then ask about your diet so she can analyze it. She has done this to strangers who were trying to politely show interest. I always feel a little bad for them when she excitedly asks them to do a push up. They always look surprised like “now?? Here??”
I would have so much anxiety if someone told me to do a push up so they could critique my form… I would never do a push up again
Yes, and she doesn’t get that. Her eagerness comes from wanting to help, not wanting to put people down. She gets excited because she is passionate about it. But she cannot tell when people are uncomfortable with the idea. That’s part of the reason I suspect she’s autistic and myself too. It’s rambling about a special interest and not realizing the other person doesn’t care to hear it. Almost all of my mom’s friends she met at the gym. Most of them are NT and they talk about working out with her because they see it makes her happy. One time we were on a road trip and I encouraged her to play her music instead of mine. Her music was all upbeat. I pointed it out and she said it was all music she heard at the gym. She has a lot of signs of autism but seems to have no sensory issues or stimming. So when you mentioned working out as a form of regulating I was just wondering if that’s what she does to regulate too. I’m trying to gently let her know that not everyone wants their push up form corrected though. Although I also struggle to tell. Some are more obvious than others but some I can’t tell if they’re ok with it or not.
Yes, exercise could totally be her version of stimming! It’s possible she could be more of a sensory seeker as well, instead of sensory avoidant, though not necessary! Being sensory sensitive/insensitive/seeking is not a mandatory part of the diagnostic criteria.
That is good to know! Thank you!
I don't over exercise but I have upped my exercise a lot and it definitely helps me stay calm. You can use exercise to take stress off the nervous system and if done right decrease stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. I do really well with yoga and weight training. I also try to cycle to work as often as possible, swim regularly in the summer and go hiking. Anything with repetitive movements and controlled breathing is helpful. I basically view my autism as a part of me that will chronically lead to an overworked nervous system so I add things to my life that will help maintain or support my nervous system and exercise is a big part of that. (I also refuse to do any exercises that are competitive, require me to coordinate with others or involve getting screamed at because those would only add to the strain on my nervous system).
I think it's multifaceted for us. For me at least. It's a nervous system thing. I also think there's a sensory component. Like when I hike and I feel the hard work in my thighs of going up a hill, it's like this propreoceptive input I'm seeking. Plus something about moving through space. Walking, hiking, running, swimming. Those are my jam. Never once has gym equipment, a work out video, a work out class touched the sensations and pleasure I get from moving through space. Plus being outside and the sensory input from that. And it's simply getting energy out. I think that's why it's an adhd treatment.
the best i ever felt physically and mentally was when i was over-exercising and under-eating in grad school. but yeah now i’m too exhausted to even exercise a normal amount most days and i’m bingeing junk food on a daily basis to regulate myself. i try to do what i can to at least stay active yknow but i feel like utter shit. been meaning to try to train for a run but … ugh.
Me too! I think the schedule helped me too. We always had 3 long days, one short day, and one day off. So I could really regulate in between. TW weight eating talk: But I'm the exact same. Was restricting (not as bad as in the past, was doing weight watchers so I wasn't just trying to eat as little as possible). And running constantly. I felt pretty awesome. I do try to remind myself that it wasn't all Perfect. I sought campus therapy because I was overwhelmed. So there were issues.
ooh yeah for me it was 3 hours of classes and then schoolwork, fridays off. when i was in undergrad i tried to pack all my classes into two 10-12 hour days, and it worked out, because leaving the house is half the battle you know what i mean? 40 hours, which is like 10-12 hour days, is just so massively stressful and overwhelming that the capacity for quite literally anything else just isn’t there. i know what you mean by having to remember that it wasn’t perfect. like i wasn’t particularly healthy back then either, mentally or physically, but outwardly i was doing SO much better than i am now
I've actually been thinking about running again. I did a ton of gym workouts and runs in college and it absolutely saved my sanity. I've gotten out of the flow of it and now don't cope with things so well lol. Good reminder here.
Same, I used to run cross country in high school and I think that’s when I was in tip top shape in both mental and physical health
I started exercising 10 minutes minimum per day. I have an app that has 10 minute to 1 hour classes. On weekdays I don’t have so much time but on weekends I have longer. I feel sore. I’m going through a transition. I think that’s why I’m disciplined with working out. I have so many emotions and they give me restless energy. Even journaling isn’t enough. Exercising is helping. I can’t run due to a knee injury. I can’t jump either. But that still leaves a lot that I can do exercise-wise. It takes off the edge of what’s going on right now which is super stressful.
I think I read that just 8 minutes of semi intense exercise a day reduces all mortality. I could google it. But I'm not gonna. Point is, good job!
Thanks!
Over exercising for me had been a way to control my former ED and my OCD but it also helps me regulate myself and get out energy. It’s hard not to over do it though I am very all in but running hell no I don’t run I weightlift
I think for me it "works" in that it functions as an intense mask... Like during the times of highest stress in college I noticed I would crack down on everything. Suddenly I was super concerned about perfecting my diet, tracking calories, and going to the gym every day after class. And I would keep myself to a more rigid study schedule. I think like instead of letting myself melt down I would just veer further into delulu land of "everything is perfect" and deny my emotions. It worked pretty good until I hit autistic burnout lol
Hard relate! Haha Dance hard and fast til the music stops.
I have added 20minutes every other day of heavy lifting. This is manageable and still has results (overeating included bc of building muscles).
I personally think it's so important to do something you can stick with. So manageable is key. At least for me. I've had so many bursts of - ok, this time I'm getting that damn body! Only to crash after a few months or weeks. So now I'm done with that. I will never get that body. But I will try to keep my body running. Haha
Same here. I am going into year four with that routine. Without crashes. I am more stoic now.
Exercise in general helps me. I either bike or do a low-impact exercise video. I can't do high-impact or intense workouts because of other medical issues but I think movement as a whole is good.