How does my daily diet sound?

Hello, I am a recent new user. I am 15 years old, male, 5' 10.5" and 122-124lbs. I am a recovering anorexic, have got my eating habits nailed down (I used to only eat 800-1200 calories a day, except on binge days where I consumed 1800 and some days 3000!!! ) Anyways, the past three months, I occasionally binged I will admit due to "dieting" phases that I still experience. After the holidays (two binges, one Christmas, one New Year's Eve, over indulged on cookies and candy both time eating close to 3000-4000 each day) I am really watching what I am eating to ensure no weight gain. I plan to just increase portion sizes after I ensure I lost the extra 2500 calories or so I ate are gone. So here is my daily diet, please critique:

Breakfast: (same everyday)
1 Packet Weight Control Oatmeal (160 calories, 6g fiber, 7g protein)
1 LG Apple
8oz Skim Milk

Lunch: (varies on Tuesdays and Thursdays where I have around 5oz lean meat and 2-4 servings of a light veggie such as broccoli or summer squash)
Every other day it is:
2 Slices of "Double Fiber Whole Wheat" (100 calories per slice, 5g fiber)
2-3oz meat (such as ham, turkey or roast beef)
1tbsp Lite Mayonaise
1 MD apple
8oz Skim Milk

PM Snack:
1oz-1.5oz of Dry Roasted almonds

I then have 70-80 minutes of swim practice in which we swim anywhere from at LEAST one mile to one mile and 2/3's.

Dinner:
1-2 servings of lean meat (such as 3/4 an entire chicken breast for example)
2-4 servings of vegetables

Daily, I am trying to get 1700-1850 calories. I want to continue this until the end of this week in which I will increase the calories to 2000-2200 I would say? (80 minutes of swim practice a day and walking roughly 1-2 miles a day in between classes, I go to boarding school)

How is this?

Oh and for today I've eaten:
1 packet Weight Control Oatmeal
1 Lg apple
8oz skim milk
1 md apple
1 sm salad with no dressing (basically just spinach and a little bit feta cheese)
5oz pork tenderloin
5-7oz Broccoli
1.5oz dry roasted almonds
(so far 1050 calories basically)

I have to be brutally honest and tell you you are still seriously undereating.  I want to commend you for recognizing that you have a problem, but you still have far to go.  It seems to me that you need some really good counseling to determine why you have such a distorted image of yourself.  I can see you are trying to take baby steps to achieve a healthy eating routine, so let me suggets swithching the lunch sandwich to whole grain bread, low fat peanut butter and banannas or jelly.  This will help to add a little healthy fat and some much needed calories to your diet.  If you want a flat stomach try situps and add some protein shakes to your diet.  You need protein to creat muscle :)

Ok anyways, I went into swim practice with roughly 1200-1250 calories assuming it would be a somewhat easy(ier) practice seeing as how we did almost a mile and a half yesterday. Well nope, we had to put out another 2300meters (which is just shy of a mile and a half) and worst of all, 1400 of them were "sprints" with minute rests here and there, 5 seconds after maybe 100meters, but still pretty hard.

Dinner was terrible tonight! I thought the lamb wouldn't be so fatty!!! The server cut me some slices and the slices he cut me were I must say 80% fat, so I asked for some more slices so that I would be able to derive more actual meat from them. I think I ate around 3-4 actual ounces of lean meat, minimal fat, which I guess is around 180-220 calories according to calorie counting sites. Then, half of my plate were root vegetables. The root vegetables were AMAZING. I would have eaten an entire plate if I went buck wild, but I did the "half-plate veggies" rule and had around 2 cups of them. Calorie-king.com says that is around 180 calories for 2 cups of root vegetables. Then for desert I realized I was pretty shy of my 1800-1950 goal even though I was quite satiated. I enjoyed a frozen yogurt in a cone (just enough fat free frozen yogurt to reach the top of the cone, so about 1/2 cup) so around 120-140 calories there, and then had a piece of small dark chocolate (55 calories). So doing the math -> 1250+190+180+130+60 = roughly 1810 calories. So the lowest I could have had I will say is 1700, and the highest 1950. Pretty good I think, however I felt very ashamed and fat afterwards =/

Dinner was very awkward also. Everyone was joking about anorexia for some odd reason and were joking that my friend Kashi (a rail like myself, who also suffered from an eating disorder a year ago, but not actually defined as anorexia) is 5' 10" 125ish and people were joking around for her to lose weight. It made me very very uncomfortable to sit there but figured it would be rude to get up and move to a different table. Maybe that's why I felt very fat after dinner?

But because I am not exactly sure whether or not I hit my calorie goal for today, tomorrow I will try to eat only things I can count (such as for dinner, it is "Cranberry Stuffed Chicken" and because I cannot get the nutritional facts from that, I will order from my local Chinese restaurant on the "Special Diet menu" where they just boil the food with no added sodium, sauces or anything.) I will then measure the amount of vegetables and everything.

I got kinda scared when some of you said my body is in starvation mode but I thought I would have to be like only eating 1500 a day consistently for a while for that to happen... no? I have only been eating this 1600-1900 mark for about a week now and most days I hit the 1700-1900 range.

Anyways, tomorrow no swim practice, so I will hit the weights, like I usually do when no swim practice is scheduled. Thanks for the support everyone.

all i want to say is rice, you are doing a great job trying to up your calories! congrats! i know it is hard. it is hard for me too. i am getting about 1800-1900 these days and i've been feeling great....but i also doing do the swim practices you do!!! i still wish you the best and continue to try to up your calories! =]

nikki

rrice, you are definitely headed in the right direction and have been given some good advice.

The one piece that I will second is to get enough calcium -- you are still growing, and growing bones need calcium. 

I think I get enough calcium. I take a multi-vitamin that has 16% of what I need, a chromium supplement (for sugar metabolism) that has 9%, and then I have a glass of skim milk at breakfast and cheese in my sandwhiches at lunch. I also enjoy a variety of vegetables which does have calcium in them and what not. Either way I am pretty sure I am hitting the 100% easy.

I will try to hit 1800 today. Tomorrow I will shoot for 1900. Monday will be a big step because I won' want to do it, but I will aim for 2000. I just feel so FULL lately that I can't imagine that I am losing / maintaining my weight after feeling this full. (Might be because I am eating such water-dense foods, also eating very healthy) but still...I don't want to, but shouldn't I feel a little empty at times if I am to lose the weight I gained over holiday break...? I only want to weigh about 122lbs which is what I was before the holidays then I will try to maintain again.

Does anyone have any good healthy breakfast ideas also? I want to try a new breakfast I think. Currently I eat 1 packet of Cinnamon weight control oatmeal, 1 Md Banana, 8oz skim milk, and then 4oz of decaffeinated anti-oxidant Lipton tea (calorie free)

You're doing really well!  It looks like you've educated yourself about nutrition. 

Lamb is a very good meat!  It's lower in fat and what fat there is can be trimmed away. 

Small, frequent meals keep your metabolism revved up, are more easily digested, and prevent cravings.

Swimming is one of the best exercises!  Have fun!

hey rice..i went to boarding school too and I know the options really aren't up to you..but try a cereal or two for breakfst--i found mueslix at school was great!!! withthe skim milka nd some fruit or yogurt.

You're always moving around so try for  5-6 small meals ..pack the snack bar in your bag and snack on it as you move from class to class or across campus.

You are on the right track and don't forget with all the swimming and other exercise -i'm sure you take- a few more calories here and there won't make you fat they make you and keep you healthy.!

-nish

Hi Rice:

I think you are doing great.  I am conerned about your hesistancy to speak to the school doctor. I went to  a doctor at Georgia Tech when I was a student there.   I was not too happy with that particular doctor.  However, with support of my family I was able to see a private therapist and nutritionist.  From what I am reading, I truly believe that you may have some underlying reason casuing you to analyse your food consumption to the extreme.  I am not passing jusdgement on you.  Please don't think that I am critical of you.  I admire your perserverence, however, there may be some other factor that is having impact in your life Your preoccupation with food, (be it too much food  or too little food), is simply a method to avoid the  issue you need to address in order to live a more balanced and happy life.  Most likely you are not eve aware of what the issue is.    My questions is, are you generally happy?  Is there anything else bothering you?  If you do not want to discuss this  in this public forum, please email confidentially me at huatlwill@aol.com  Wishing you all the best.

Well,

First thing first, because I was not able to get the nutritional facts for dinner, I ordered a Grilled Chicken Salad when my friends ordered pizzas and subs. I measured the diced chicken, 1.3 or so cups, and about 5-6 cups of salad, 2tbsp lite italian. I was not able to finish it in one sitting, so put it in my room and then finished it an hour and half later with an ounce of almonds. I reached today with 1700-1800 calories exactly :), weight lifted for an hour.

Going back to my food problem.

I did have anorexia about a year ago from this date to May of 2006-June of 2006 (when I still had eating symptons of starving myself). At that time I regularly only consumed 800-1200 calories, and then began bingeing in May up to 1800 calories some days, then escalating to the 3000's as time moved on. However, I have gone over a week without a binge now. Coming up on two weeks actually. Anyways, I do think about food constantly and I hate that. I always think about food, what I am going to eat, its caloric values, what my daily calories are, how I can alter my eating habits someway to become skinnier, to become more normal, why I can't eat a bacon egg and cheese sandwhich at 10 o clock at night like all of my friends. Why I can't look good "physically" like my friends yet I eat a lot healthier. I am miserable, I will not lie. I don't believe I am still anorexic though because technically I am not starving myself, and I do not wish to seek aid unless I was starving myself (Because then it seems like I am going to the doctor just for attention, you know what I mean?)

Does anyone have any "cures" to getting rid of this obsession with food :(. I find playing video games helps plenty, I become absorbed into them and this helps a lot, but I do not play video games every day if at all because of all my schoolwork, leaving me to think constantly about food every other minute of the day.

Someone help me with this...?

You are so hard on yourself and I totally understand.  When I was in high school I did exactly what you are doing to your self.  I was ?Class President?, super popular and all that stuff, however, I was never happy with my body.  People told me I was attractive, I just chose not to believe them.  My self image stunk.  As a result, I started focusing on my weight, counting calories, the clothes I wore (too tight ?too loose). I compared everything about myself to my friends.  Even though I had friends I still felt isolated from them.

When I hear you say you do not wish to seek the aid of the medical profession, I certainly understand.  I felt the same way. I knew I was not crazy, I just felt different from everyone else.  The thought of asking for help scared me and I was cynical about anything they could possibly do to help. The last thing I wanted to do was tell my parents I needed to see a shrink. (Yuk?the shame of it all!!!) My dad was a Colonel in the Air Force.  He was very conservative and strict.  Eventually, I continued to count calories to the point that the numbers ran through my mind all the time.  Then I?d exercise all the time, then I studied obsessively, then I joined even more extracurricular groups etc and nothing ever seemed to take care of the ?empty? feeling in my gut.

I could not talk to friends about it, because I did not know why I was feeling like this.  I could not talk to family, because they were most likely part of the reason I had these issues. Finally I became so miserable; I had no choice but to seek help.  I truly believe taking this step helped save my life.   Therefore, my friend, do not be ashamed to seek help from whomever you can.  This is your life and your health.   You deserve the best you can get.  You need the attention you are not seeking.  You must not be afraid to seek help.  You can do this quietly.

(Please note that the above support may not sound like advice for calorie counting, however, it is very much about calorie counting and should be accepted as part of the support offered on this site.  )

Today really sucked the big one when it came to eating.

Woke up, usual breakfast, great. Lunch was "Brunch" and I have an omelet (my guess is around 3 eggs or so) with some chopped onions, tomatoes and mushrooms. So I approximate 350 calories (rounding around, not sure exactly) and I also had 8 strawberries, some peach slices and a little bit of fruit salad. So I counted from 360 calorie breakfast, that I was around 850 give or take after lunch.

Went to mall and COMPLETELY forgot my ounce of almonds for a snack. Luckily, at GNC they had "Ostrich Snack Sticks", 80 calorie stick of meat, 14g of fiber, 600mg Potassium, lots of nutrience, no sugar, just a good snack. However, at dinner I was veryyy low on calories. For dinner I had a salad with crispy chicken, lite italian dressing (would have had grilled chicken, but the chicken tonight was crispy =/) Also a glass of skim milk, cup of new england clam chowder with a dinner roll. So, dinner was pretty big, but hey...I didn't eat much at all today, so rounding up and down I think I hit around 1600 today. I am ok with that and was EXTREMELY full after dinner and EXTREMELY bloated. Tasted great :)

Tomorrow I won't be at a mall or anything and I will be in complete control of my diet again, so cheers :)

Happy Sunday everyone haha.

hi rice,
  I am a female, 21 years old. I'm 5'5 about 120 lbs, but I hit 122 pretty often. I know this is hard to understand because I have had disordered eating habits, but this weight is far too low for you. I was a very successful swimmer through college and could not imagine consuimg less then 2000 calories a day, and I would probably be starving at the end of the day.
  At one point I stopped getting my period, which are signs of severe nutritional deficiency for women, and weighed 110 lbs. I was getting over a hard break up and slightly unsure of myself. Getting to the  point where you are surronding yourself with people you care about and doing things you enjoy you will begin to realize that food and eating are something to enjoy. Being fit and looking good are obviously important to you which is great, but what exactly is the point of focusing on it. A little meat is nice, I know that I like it in my men :). Anyways, there is a lot of pressure to be thin, unfortunatly for people at your age, but try and think more about enjoying your life then the image you think you should portray. Good luck!

-h

Hello, rice!

You definitely have the mind of someone who's too obsessed about being thin.  You are so lucky to be fifteen and to have your youth.  You can be thin but girls really like muscular guys.... people who look strong!  So don't hesitate to eat more... it sounds like you are very active and you are probably burning too many calories to count.  Focus on changing how you think about food.  Life is supposed to be about enjoying things and that includes food! Everything in moderation. You could have had a slice of pizza with your friends. Yes,  people putting back 5 slices of pizza in one sitting aren't doing themselves any good.  Moderation! Oh! and please talk to someone about you poor self image and your obesessive eating habits.  Life is way too short to be miserable.

Good Luck! and I know you can do it!

-R

I can't do it...

I was with one of my closest friends, Jenny, today and I have been miserable all day because I feel like I am getting fatter although I am in negative calories! I have been depressed all day and she could tell and just told me that she was there if I ever needed to talk. It got to the point that I wasn't even listening to what people were saying to me as I was thinking about daily diets I could arrange that would give me the skinny body that I want. Something triggered off in my brain and I sat next to Jenny and told her everything. Everything about I have been recovering from anorexia, how my kidneys shut down a couple months ago from my dieting, about the weight maintenance pills I take, supplements, how I count every calorie I put into my body, and I ended up breaking down crying. She just held me and told me that everything would be ok and that she would find someway to help me.

I am totally helpless, a 15 year old guy crying in the arms of a 15 year old girl, what the **** is wrong with me?!

Studying for spanish, I talked myself into potentially letting myself enjoy a slice of pizza for lunch instead of my sandwhiches, too not care whether or not I am "eating enough or not" and to just eat healthy and things in moderation. If I feel nothing is good for dinner and I don't feel like having a hopeless salad, I will enjoy a slice of pizza and glass of skim milk or something and not torture myself having a plain salad with tuna sprinkled on it.

I don't want to be miserable, but I feel that I will still continue in my obsessive eating habits.

I need help but don't want to seek help from the school doctor or my mom because she threatened to send me to a facility if I continued my obessevive eating habits and I don't want to leave school. What can I do

I have a quick question about how many calories you guys think this is?

1.25 Cup Colombo Low-Fat Plain Yogurt

1/3 Cup Kellogg Low-Fat Granola w/ Raisins

1 scoop (scoop of a large spoon you might use to cook with) of pineapple chunks, 2 slices of cantaloupe and 2 slices of a green melon (guessing from a small/medium sized melon, all 4 slices)

1 Hard-Boiled Egg

That was my breakfast this morning, is that ok...?

I don't know how boarding school differs from public schools in terms of medical care, but I would think the doctor would keep whatever you tell him confidential, especially if you request it. You could also try the counselor, but somehow I doubt the amount of knowledge they have in regards to eating disorders. They probably can't empathize with you enough for you to trust their judgement and proposed solutions.

Sorry, can't answer your question about grains. I don't eat enough of them and haven't done much research there.

Edit note: Oops I forgot to check the second page of replies, so I was totally replying to a week-old message!

Rice:

Do not be discouraged by reading what I have to say.  I have followed your post for some time now.  I have helped people who suffer from eating disorders and depression.  I was the person that helped Elton John get sober and stop his bulimia back in 1990.  You can check this out if you do a search on Hugh Williams/Elton John.  I am convinced that you need to be treated for mild obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and possibly depression.  There are medicines that can help relieve you from this emotional prison.  You deserve to get the help you need.  I'm not suggesting you get in to therapy.  You simply need to get a doc to subscribe one of the newer SSRI meds that will help you with this.  They may take a month or two to work, but it is worth a try.   Best of luck my friend.  HANG IN THERE!

I talked to my mom about it and then she said to talk to the doctor. From there, we talked and I talked to him about how I think I need some serotonin medicine to stop my anxiety and he agreed. I am being put on 20mg Crovax (I think it's called?) for about a month and we'll adjust the prescription from there.

Should this kill my obsession and make me normal?!

You are normal my friend, you are just trying to work through a medical issue that is no different from treating diabetes or HBP.    Be proud that you have taken the first step.  I'm not familiar with the medicine you mentioned.  Is it possible that it was Cymbalta, Lexapro, or Celexa?  Your doctor should have warned you that some young people get suicidal thoughts when they first start taking these meds. This is rare, but, you need to know that there is a slight risk.   If you have any strange feeling or thoughts about suicide you need to tell your doctor immediately. Also, get your  mom's support, and you must tell your best friend and reach out for help if you have any thoughts about suicide. I'm not trying to scare you.  You just need to know it is a very slight possibility and it can be reversed.   Quite often the doc may have to put you through a trial on one med and then switch to a different one.  Everyone is different and everyone gets slightly different results.  Your doc might need to try one or two different meds to find the one that is right for you.  Be patient.  Sometimes the first week or two of starting these SSRI's can make you feel a little anxious, but, stick with it...if you have these side effects, they will pass in a few days....if they don't then the doc will need to try a different SSRI.  I hope this helps.  Hang in there and feel free to post or if you have any issues you can also reach me via aol.   You are going to feel much better....be patient!      & nbsp;    huatlwill