calorie obsession

Hi this is my first day on the forum! I'm recovering from anorexia and am in need of support! i gained back about 10 pounds, then lost 6 again.  My nutritionist tells me to eat 2500 cals, but that seems like too much, but i lost on 1600. I'm not very active at the moment, im 95 pounds at 5 feet 2.5 inches. What should I eat? Anyone have similar situations they would share with me? I tend to eat a lot more at night also. Help!

Check out the "weight gain" and "health and support" forums.   I bet you'll find a lot of people in very similar situations.  Skim the most popular threads in those forums too...lots of good info/stories.

Eat what your nutritionist and doctor tell you.

welcome sarah,so glad you have decided to goin us in recovery. thats the first step it doesent matter  how many times youve tryed to recover , i have found that each time ive lapsed and started recovery it makes me stronger, and stronger to beat this. regular eating is the key to get your body working again this may seem daunting , but it will get easier it is normal but if you havnt been doing it for a while it will seem scary. 3 meals and 3 snacks is good . i can understand why your nutritionist says 2500, this is the mimimul amount needed inorder to repair your body and make you healthy again also to get your metabolism going. as long as you are not in danger of going into refeeding symdrome its better to do it as soon as you can , i find putting it off can be another anorexic avoidance and just makes it harder in the long run. if you dont feel you can manage this big a leap try to just up it gradually daily it might be better for you to deal with mentially but remember it isnt to much 2500 is usually the minimum amount eventually you will need more. its good your not doing alot giving your body time to rest will heal your body quicker. there are a few older topics you might find useful, the first the aim isa to gain whatever your reason , also support recipies . do you have family who can help you with your meals?. i hope thats some help, im no expert in recovery myself but i know what it like to be in your dilema im always here if you need to talk h x

thank you tessa! i almost started crying. its just that ive been trying to recover for months and months, and its so hard on my family and my life, and i feel as though im backsliding. i know i should gain and i have to, but i want to feel good about my body. i get so obsessed about calories and numbers, i just want to be normal, i dont want to have to think about this anymore! but to gain weight, i need to. but if my bmr is like 12, 1300, then why dont i gain on 1600?

Where do you get a BMR of 1200-1300?  How old are you?

 

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

and other similar calculators. im almost 16

Try this one, most calculators are inaccurate for those under 18.  This one will only calculate for under 18.  This does not take into account any period of time where you may not have provided your body with sufficient calories which I'm sure your nutritionist is allowing for.

Hi ya sarah, reading your post is, i totally understand. Im going through exactly the same at the moment. I also normally eat alot at night which then makes you feel so guilty that you try to restrict the next few days. I was seeing an eating disorders team last year and was doing well. Other things happened around that time so i stopped seeing them in order to deal with other things. i suprised myself of how well i was doing. That was up until 4 months ago. I lost a stone and once you start you cant stop. I am now being referred back to them, which i am pleased about. I hate feeling tierd and grumpy all of the time....all because of food. So i am there with you. All i can say is yes the dieticians will tell you to eat that amount. But i got told that, it lasted about a week and then i was back to my usual habbits. I suggest you set yourself goals. Add 200-300 calories every 4 days so you get used to the amount. Where you probably counted calories to restrict, do the opposite. Count calories to reach your goal. if you say 1800 cals. You eat that amount and make sure you do. My way of dealing with 'night munchies' is keep busy, i draw or write. if you keep a diary that is a good distraction. But also have things like carrots or cucumber sticks ready to eat. they are healthy so you wont feel so guilty, yet you are satisfying what your body is telling you. hope this helps. chin up. you can do it!!

Original Post by angel_21:

....All i can say is yes the dieticians will tell you to eat that amount. But i got told that, it lasted about a week and then i was back to my usual habbits. I suggest you set yourself goals. Add 200-300 calories every 4 days so you get used to the amount. Where you probably counted calories to restrict, do the opposite. Count calories to reach your goal. if you say 1800 cals. You eat that amount and make sure you do. My way of dealing with 'night munchies' is keep busy, i draw or write. if you keep a diary that is a good distraction. But also have things like carrots or cucumber sticks ready to eat. they are healthy so you wont feel so guilty, yet you are satisfying what your body is telling you. hope this helps....

Actually, no, this isn't helpful. You are telling her to eat less than her dietician recommends. Going "back to your usual habits" won't help either you or her, and eating 1800 is not enough to gain weight - the OP was losing weight on 1600, and should be aiming for 2500+. Setting yourself goals is fine - so long as it meets or beats what your treatment team is telling you.

Also, eating carrot and cucumber sticks when you are hungry and supposed to be gaining weight is letting your eating disorder win. You should be eating calorie-dense foods that will help you to gain weight. It would at least be better to eat the crudites with some hummus or peanut butter - as part of your 2500 calorie meal plan.

thank you so much everyone for the support this is so much more helpful than i expected. its just even though i know what i have to eat, or should eat, its so hard to do. and i never trust the nutritionist...why would i need 2500 cals? thats so much! surely my metabolism MUST be slower than that! is this ED speaking or is this the truth? and when i eat a lot, i feel so bloated and moody i hate feeling like that. i just want to be happy again

please listen to the nutritionist they know  whats best, it might not seem that way , if you dont want this disorder  you have to listen. part of getting over an ed is about letting go of the control the ed is giving you. trust others ,your judgement isnt good at the mo ,your starved in mind and body . you need to let people in you cant do this alone h x

Original Post by merylwhite1:

Original Post by angel_21:

....All i can say is yes the dieticians will tell you to eat that amount. But i got told that, it lasted about a week and then i was back to my usual habbits. I suggest you set yourself goals. Add 200-300 calories every 4 days so you get used to the amount. Where you probably counted calories to restrict, do the opposite. Count calories to reach your goal. if you say 1800 cals. You eat that amount and make sure you do. My way of dealing with 'night munchies' is keep busy, i draw or write. if you keep a diary that is a good distraction. But also have things like carrots or cucumber sticks ready to eat. they are healthy so you wont feel so guilty, yet you are satisfying what your body is telling you. hope this helps....

Actually, no, this isn't helpful. You are telling her to eat less than her dietician recommends. Going "back to your usual habits" won't help either you or her, and eating 1800 is not enough to gain weight - the OP was losing weight on 1600, and should be aiming for 2500+. Setting yourself goals is fine - so long as it meets or beats what your treatment team is telling you.

Also, eating carrot and cucumber sticks when you are hungry and supposed to be gaining weight is letting your eating disorder win. You should be eating calorie-dense foods that will help you to gain weight. It would at least be better to eat the crudites with some hummus or peanut butter - as part of your 2500 calorie meal plan.

Hey guys i am totally not in sync with the whole quote thing. But anyway hopefully this is right. After re reading my own post after reading merylwhite1 reply. i have realised i was an idiot to give you that advice. i obviously am not dealing with my own issues properly and i have been honest with my dietician about what i have been doing. So i apologise for being a plank. and thankyou merylwhite1, :)

Original Post by sarahbear24:

thank you tessa! i almost started crying. its just that ive been trying to recover for months and months, and its so hard on my family and my life, and i feel as though im backsliding. i know i should gain and i have to, but i want to feel good about my body. i get so obsessed about calories and numbers, i just want to be normal, i dont want to have to think about this anymore! but to gain weight, i need to. but if my bmr is like 12, 1300, then why dont i gain on 1600?

 You need calories not only for weight gain but repair. You can't go by calorie calculators in recovery. You are malnurished and that is very different then a healthy person. In my past I had a lot of treatment by top nutritionist,therapists,etc and most of them of course there were a slecet few who were clueless but on the most part gave me good direction but I played my own doctor and that is why I remained ill. You have to trust the process and when you are scared tell them so they can help you. Tell your nutritionist how you are scared to eat this amount and your ?'s. She can help you see why and support you. I know for me right now I can't be comfortable in my body. I want that but the changes are hard but I hope one day it will allow me to be.

Angel you are not an idiot. I know you did not mean harm and everyone makes a mistake. It sounds like you are struglling and I wonder if you need support from here?

yeah abbi333 you are probably right. I was beginning to do well on my own......or so i thought and then it all comes and bites ya behind. :) I have realised this now and i am in the process of seeking more input. Which although scary i feel quite relieved about it. thanks for your advice much appreciated. :)