1,500 calories sedentary

Im 5'4'' , 20 yrs old and 108 lbs.

is this enough for me? or should I try and have more? I know this is a low weight but I wanna make sure that Im at least having enough calories (I  know I might gain some because my body wants to be at a more stable weight hence me wanting to have the right amount, not too much, not to little...so that I can avoid weight gain due to undereating....)

please help. It's been a tough week but Im sticking to it. I'm having 1,500 calories of completely "normal" food...and I've already gained a pound (which I needed) but Im scared of how fast this will be and how much.

I used to be 112 before the ED...so...yeah.

thanks to all.

EDIT: I forgot to add. I'm at home all day. I don't study or work, so Im really not doing any sort of exercise...sometimes I go out grocery shopping or to the doctor...but thats about it..and its not everyday.

thanks.

You're currently at BMI 18.5 and you should really be BMI 20 to be recovered from an ED.  That's 116lbs...    So your aim needs to be 2500 cals a day, every day, rather than any lower.   This should boost your metabolism up to full speed whereas 1500 a day will just keep it suppressed and you'll struggle to get the right nutrition from so little.  When you get to 118lbs you should be able to maintain on about 1900 cals a day, even if all you do is walk around shopping.  But cross that bridge when you come to it.

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hey gi-jane.

Thing is I've never really been of a bmi of 20. I've always been very naturally skinny..and my nutritionist said that if I was 112 just a year ago witout even counting calories, my body should bring me back up to that weight without a problem. I accepted this fact and I know that 112 should be more of what I shoudl weigh...thing is I havent seen my nutrutionist in a while and wont be able to so, hence me coming here to ask if 1,500 was enough ...Im gainign weight fairly fast...I checked on various calculators and they all give me a range from 1,500- 1,600 cals a day...

thanks for your help.

1500 isn't enough... unless you're completely immobile or confined to a wheelchair.  1900 would be a better target.

If you've always had a tendency to undereat you probably were only 112lbs because that's all your nourishment allowed.   A lot of people are skinny kids and fill out in adulthood.   If you eat the right amount of food (1900) and you end up at 118 or 128lbs... maybe that is actually your 'natural weight' and that's what you're really worried you'll find out?

actually no.

I've never had a tendency to undereat before. I ate all that I wanted without much thought. Whenever I overate, which I know I did because I had huge plates of food, and lots of it, like during vacation time, I would gain up to 118..but as soon I was back home having my normal meals, I would slim back down to 112-114, without the need to even think about dieting or exercise.

It is possible for someone to be naturally slim. Just because someone doesn't have a BMI of 20 doesn't mean that they're not perfectly healthy, because I was. I had lots of tests done before, and they all came up in the healthiest state they could be...plus I had my period regular each month amongst other things.

So to gain up to 118 just because its a bmi of 20 sounds silly to me...as long as I'm healthy, the BMI doesn't mean a thing. Actually doctors now a days know that BMI can be very misleading because of many reasons...its only one indicator of health, but its not the best one.

Then why ask the question in the first place if you've decided that anyone who disagrees with you is automatically in the wrong and that the BMI scale is a load of rubbish?   Of course it's possible for someone to be naturally slim, eat like a horse and not gain any weight.  Who didn't do that when they were a kid?    However, you only got to your current weight by eating far too little for presumably a very long time.  You're only gaining at 1500 because your metabolism is shot from undereating..... keep undereating and this won't change.   You're also gaining at 1500 because you're underweight and recovering from an eating disorder.   But if you're  determined to keep ploughing on regardless and don't think anything has to change, good luck.

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Im not sayint that you're wrong. I asked a question and I got an answer. Yes 1,500 might not be enough, which I'm not fighting about. Im arguing the other "you have to gain weight to be in a bmi of 20 to be healthy" which is not really true. If I did ask a question was to ask for help, not to keep messing myself up. I know that Im messed up and I know I will gain weight.

The difference is there. Being a BMi of 20 is one thing, and eating enough is another.

If I eat enough and gain up to 118 then fine. If I eat enough and gain to 112 then fine too.

thats what I want to figure out, not what BMI I should or shouldnt be in.

well if you plug in your stats, CC says you should be eating 1600 so I would assume that should be the least you eat. But since you're under 21, the calculators aren't meant for you.  Gi Jane's reccommendation of 1900 is closer to accurate. So the answer to your question is no, 1500 is not enough.

Thanks. Yeah Im definitely gonna up em. I searched for teenage calculators and they give me 1,550-1,600...so Im not that way off.

chel- I dont get it. You say you have my stame stats and you are sedentary as well and you are maintaining on 1,500? but you tell me to eat more? doesn't make sense

Bananee,

No you don't have to gain to a 20 bmi....but what jane was trying to say was that if you have an ED that you are still trying to get over, the 20 bmi is better for you right now.  People with ED's can't always follow the rules of normal dieters.  For ED recoverers, it's better to bring them up to a higher bmi than you normally would for someone who hasn't already done damage to their metabolism.

In recovery from anorexia, the usual target is given at 20 BMI. This is to help prevent a possible relapse or to drop into the underweight range again when you reach and adjust to a maintainance stage.

Bananee,

My stats are pretty close to yours, although I'm a few years younger, and I too maintain on 1500 calories. I'm not completely sedentary, but only walk for exercise and don't do it everyday, and other than that I sit all day long. I used to maintain on like 1700 calories, but I started bc pills and my weight jumped about 5 pounds, and even though I've been off the pill and taken a different one I still gain on more than 1500. I can't seem to lose weight no matter what. NOT that I'm trying to. But I just had my wisdom teeth out and I was undereating by a lot for over a week because I couldn't physically eat much (nothing for the first few days, then like 500 for a few days, then 800, then finally 1,000...etc) and I didn't lose one pound. Which is good in terms of my health, but seems indicative of a damaged metabolism or hormonal problem. The fact is, given my genetic history and my stats, I really shouldn't be struggling to maintain on 1500 calories a day, and you probably shouldn't either. I would think 1800 would be a more appropriate number. But I'm at a loss as to what to do so that eating 1800ish wouldn't cause rapid weight gain. So I'm looking for advice just as you are.

Lena: Plug in your stats to the teen calculator and eat that for a solid 2 weeks... THEN weigh. It may be up 2 lbs or so, but honestly, 2lbs is nothing, and give a month you'll be right back to where you were before. 

chirp is right. When we choose to change our intakes to a few calories more, our weight will naturally go up a bit (some people are lucky enough to not experience any weight gain but the norm is to gain a bit, specialy if u have been consuming a strict amount for a long period of time), but after at least 2 weeks, you can start seeing how your body is really going to react to this new intake. From there you can tell if you can maintain, lose or gain. It's more about trial and error...its kind of hard to figure it out because everyone's body is different, but it's not impossible. If anything else fails, you should seek professional help. I, myself, am paying a visit to my nutritionist and talking about my concerns and what I should be eating to be healthy. I know Im not way off, but I've gone up and down and all over the place with my intake which I know hasn't done my body well. At least I know that I no longer crave to binge, since a long time ago,  so its a good indication that I might be on the right track, at last (this along with other signs, like period going back to normal, etc).

peaches0405- I know what she meant. I've been in recovery for about a year or so (or more) and I haven't relapse at all (only once a loooong time ago for only a week) so my intake, despite some small up and downs I just previously mentioned, has remained on enough calories to keep my body out of starvation mode, meaning that I haven't been undereating the rest of the time. My weight has naturally fluctuated and it might go up a bit since Im not exactly where I should be, which is something Im all up for, because Im really sick and tired of just living this way. I came here and asked about calories, just to know what I should do. I've had many professionals telling me that I should gain to a weight that's natural for my body to maintain, not one that is higher or lower, which is what I intend to do (that's what I tried to explain as well)

There's no need for a person recovering to be a bmi of 20 unless their bodies naturally take them there after consuming a right amount of calories. Actually, extra weight gain can cause more relapse than staying in a more natural weight for their bodies. I'm not just saying this to say that having a BMI of 20 is healthier for this girls because for some it can really prove to be beneficial, specially if they've been malnourished for a long time and I do appreciate the concern as well. My nutritionist was the one who explained this to me, also my dad who;s a great doctor..he said to just eat a good balanced diet, of enough nutrients and calories, and to make sure I got some physical activity, nothing strenous, just enough to keep my body in shape, and my body would find it's happy weight and things would slowly fall back into place (which means getting my full health back)

I'm sorry if I came across as if I was being a little angry about the whole BMI of 20 thing..but to me, its practically not necessary, unless your body needs it. The body is a very smart complex thing...it knows how to get what it needs, if you feed it properly, so that it can repair and mend itself naturally when it comes to this situations.

Thanks again to all for taking time to answer.

-xo

Hi, I get the impression you don’t want to hear from me because I have responded to a journal entry and sent you a pm lately but you have ignored me but I want to try to tell you what I think will help you from what I have learnt myself.

You know that a BMI of 18.5 is too low and you have stayed at your current weight since I first started talking to you on this site so it sounds like you are going around in circles, you want to gain a little weight yet you are still the same. When will you take the final leap and just gain a little weight?

Naturally small framed girls do not always need to gain more then a BMI of 19 - 20 to be healthy unless they are recovering from an eating disorder in which case a BMI of 20 is recommended to protect from relapse

At 5 feet 4 inches tall, if you cannot maintain a BMI of 19 on less then 1900 - 2000 calories minimum when you are sedentary, then chances are your current weight is not the best for you

Maintaining a BMI of 19 or less on 1500 calories a day does not mean it is the best natural weight for you, it just means that you are not eating enough to give your body the chance to reach it’s healthiest weight.

If a BMI of 19 is a healthy weight for a slim built women of your height then they should be able to maintain it on about 2000 calories a day sedentary, and if you cannot maintain your current weight with 2000 calories then chances are, your low BMI is simply the result of not eating enough and may not be the weight your body wants to be at; even gaining to 112 could be enough, just a little bit more!

Sorry if this is not what you want to hear dude, but I have learnt that a slim BMI is only healthy for people who can maintain their slim BMI on more calories then what you are currently consuming.

I was not starving myself when I had a BMI of 18.5 so I thought it was just a healthy natural weight for my body because I am small frame but I have learnt that I was just not eating enough to give my body the chance to reach a weight that it wanted to be at, and my BMI is now close to 20 and I eat 2000 calories a day lightly active or sedentary and I feel much healthier and happier now then I ever have!

And by the way, I feel like you don’t want to talk to me because I confirm your worst fears - that 112 is a healthier weight for you and that you need to eat more.

And there is no such thing as being “ very naturally skinny” research indicates that some women just need to eat more then other women to be a healthy weight.

It can be EASY for a slim built small framed women to fall to a low BMI but that does not mean they are NATURALLY healthier with a BMI of 19 or so, it just means that need to eat MORE to maintain a low BMI of 19, when other larger framed women need to eat only 1700 calories to maintain a BMI of 24.

I want to share with you that since first joining this site I am eating 2000 calories a day sedentary or lightly active and I am around your height only a little taller, and my BMI is just below 20 and I feel so much healthier and I really wish you would consider gaining a little weight.

personaltrainer- Im sorry I havent replied to your messages and what not, I really do apologize, I am not ignoring you as you say, and even less doing so because you are "confirming my worst fears". My worst fear is not gaining weight. Actually you should know this because I've talked to you before about my fears, and they're not that.

Later on I'll try to catch up with you but really I've been trying to avoid gettin on CC because everytime I do for some reason I get worst? it's not very logical because people here help me a lot but for some reason it triggers me the wrong way. I fidn that I do much better, I eat more, and I feel more relaxed and in tuned with my body when I find outside help and do things more "on my own". I know what I need, and I've been eating more lately as well.

I know I've taken a long time to gain weight which is my fault, but Im finaly taking the steps needed to bring me to that healthier me.

Im visiting my nutrionist next week , getting blood tests done, etc.

Anyway I wont discuss the whole BMI issue anymore because everyone has a different point of view and I respect that.

Im pretty sure I'll be fine :)

thank you

take care

-xo

Thank you, Chirp and Bananee (and sorry to invade your post like that Bananee). I think I will try your suggestion--I know I need to do something but I wasn't sure what, and what you recommended is certainly do able and not too drastic. I don't feel very good eating only 1500 calories, and a few pounds is worth it if it improves my health and well being.