LOCKED TOPIC

In Recovery

In a anorexia recovery should you really remain sedentary? and still eat 3000-3500 calories if you're a teen?

if so can someone explain the reason's why i understand as we are teen's we still have a lot of growing and everything to do but is the other calories for repairing everything you have done to your body and then does the other go to weight gain?

Original Post by warrenfossey:

In a anorexia recovery should you really remain sedentary? and still eat 3000-3500 calories if you're a teen?

yes and yes:)! (well not completely confined to a wheelchair sedentary, just as little exercise as possible sedentary) also you should feel free to eat any amount above 3,000 calories..not just up to 3,500. there's a girl on this website actually who i believe once had a 9,000 calorie day. anything is possible when your recovering, as you'll soon discover ahah;). the calories eaten during recovery are used to first of all, repair your organs, muscles, tendons and various other insides which were hurt in your eating disorder. you might not think that takes much energy to repair, but believe me it DOES. in my opinion that is why it's so hard for us to gain weight at first, even if we are eating 3,000+ calories a day..because our body spends so much energy on simply repairing itself before it can actually gain any weight. second of all, the calories are used to help the brain. you may have noticed that you think some pretty sick thoughts because of your ed, and now that you've started eating more you don't think so more or those thoughts aren't as strong..calories are the reason for this. they help you both physically and mentally:)! and third of all, the calories are used to increase our body weight. NOT to make us fat though. there's a difference believe it or not ahah:)! hope i've answered both your questions, and great job starting recovery. your doing the right thing, really you are:D! xoxo

Well, I honestly don't think 3,500 calories is ALWAYS necessary. Obviously if you feel strong enough to eat 3,500 a day, DO IT! You'll recover much quicker if you do. However, it take a LOT of time to get up to 3,500 calories. Going into it too fast can lead to relapse.

As for sedentary, I believe you should not do much exercise. NO jogging/running/weight lifting until you are at your healthy weight. Just do some light walking or yoga. Yoga really helps me relax in the morning :)

If you can make it to 3,500 or over, I recommend you do it. However, it is possible for some people to gain healthily on less then 3,000 calories. It really depends on how well you can handle the extra calories. :) Good luck!

Oh right so currently me walking to work and being at work (walking to is 2.5miles and my job involves standing on your feet/watering/retail) is not good at all? and would you recommend not doing that at my bmi of 14.5? also i am male 16 years old and 175cm and currently eating roughly 2600 a day whilst being at work is this no way near good enough? or is it, or should i really be trying to get up to that 3000 minimum with little exercise

My BMI is 14.4 at the moment, but I've gained 5 pounds on 2,100 calories. I use to work every day, but during recovery I've taken time off to really recover. I'd say if you're on your feet most the day, you should DEFINITELY be getting in over 3,000 calories. Maybe cut back your work too? Like, work half days or half of the week? It sucks, but your body really can't be under that much pressure while its trying to recover. But now I see your stats, 3,500 calories would be a good aim. 

Yeah i have gained from a bmi of 14 to the 14.5 and i must admit i done that on 2400 but i done that very early on in my recovery i have been trying to recover for like 6 months now and i have only really put on 3kg and that was quite early in my recovery, and i am just scared to jump up to that and gain everything so quickly and a lot of people even say that anorexics don't gain on 3000 even when sedentary, to me i find that so hard to believe but is it really true!?

It really depends on the person. I have a feeling that if you have only put on that small amount of weight in 6 months, you'll going to be someone who will need over 3,000 calories to start gaining. I know, its terrifying! The thought of gaining all the weight back is enough to make you want to give up. But you've come so far, why give up now? 

I do think anorexics can struggle to gain on 3,000 calories, and many need much more then that. Seeming as you work a lot & are a teen, you may need even more then 3,500... But take it one step at a time. Remember that everyone will have different methods with gaining, so find one that works best for you! Your bmi is still dangerously low (as is mine), so we need to keep eating, keep increasing + get our lives back. 

Recovery is scary, but it'll be worth it. 

Yeah tomorrow i am going to increase to around 2800-3000 from my current 2600, also i will try and stop any pointless walking around at work and just do my job as like you say standing for 5 hours of the day waitering/sales assistant is quite enough for a recovering anorexic, Like you say we need to get our lives back and i don't know about you but i know my life before this was so much better so its definitely time to get that back! Good luck with your recovery and you're right it will definitely be worth it

can i ask though what are you currently doing, are you like sedentary or are you working still? if so how long and what are you actually eating now?

Hey, I agree that life before this anorexia was way more simple! All the more reason to keep fighting! I'm sure by reducing the amount of walking/exercise you do, recovery will be much quicker.

3,000 calories would be great for you at the moment, so stick that out for a while and see what happens! :) 

At the moment I'm working just 3 days a week, 9 till 5, + my job involves a lot of standing around (retail), so I'm in a pretty similar situation to you! I didn't want to give up work altogether, but I know that I need to give my body a break too. are you working monday to friday? Just remember to give yourself a break, thats what recovery is all about! :) 

My diet is quite healthy, although thats mainly because I'm suffering with orthorexia. Its a nightmare, but something I'm trying to kick in the butt... This is my meal plan for today.(I've started changing them every day for more variety...)

Breakfast: Oatmeal with an apple, banana & almonds with a slice of toast and peanut butter - 675 calories

Snack: Cereal bar with a fruit smoothie - 205 calories

Lunch: Jacket potato with sweetcorn, soya butter, half cup of quinoa & half an avocado - 744 calories

Snack: Carrot sticks with hummus - 183 calories

Dinner: Veggie burger with egg-free mayonnaise, mixed salad and olive oil - 681 calories

Snack: Bowl of bran flakes (in almond milk) with blueberries and cup of tea - 319 calories

(Sorry about the really accurate calorie count, I'm a little unhealthily obsessive) Thats the meal plan for today! :) It takes a lot more then you would think to actually start gaining weight! I've gone up to 2,800 calories today. See how that goes! eek! :) 

What is your job is it like just a general sale's assistant? or like mine its working in a tea and coffee specialist which has a coffee bar to so basically a good 2 hours of my 6 hour shift will be running up and down back a fourth taking drinks out etc, and yeah i am currently working 30 hours a week - 4 or 5 days a week 10-4 but we only get a 20 minute lunch break, just wondering do you eat like the same amount of calories on the other 4 days you have off or do you eat more or less or just generally stick to your target every day and how quick have you been gaining like weekly?

Yeah i am currently trying to increase from my 2600-2700 to like 2800 to 2900 pushing 3000 but i am really struggling to just get it all in without feeling like i am constantly eating sort of thing! and i can never get over this seriously why is it a anorexic takes so much more before we actually start gaining weight

I'm working at a till most of the day, although there is usually 1 or 2 hours of running up and down doing errands for my boss (making tea, clearing up, sorting through clothes.) 

My lunch break is only 20 minutes too. I literally have the shovel food down my throat during my break and get back to work. I hate that about working with an eating disorder. :L I really try to eat the same amount of calories, I usually plan out & make my lunch when I'm at work the night before, so I can never have an excuse to go below my calories.

I've not been gaining the past couple of weeks :L,although when I was, it was about 1/2 pound a week. When I first started recovery, it at about 1 1/2 pounds a week, which scared me. But now I know I need to up my calories again. Aghh... 

 I remember when my eating disorder was in 100% control, I thought I would gain weight on more then 500 calories (which is IMPOSSIBLE). It's such a nightmare, but one we just have to fight through! 

But I'd say increase as soon as possible to 3,000. Its tough, and I know it can sometimes make you feel like a pig... But trust me, you are not!You need this food to be healthy! Its natural to feel like you are eating too much, but thats the ED speaking. Food = energy, and you need energy to keep working AND repair your body. You need double the energy, and thats why you need that much food. :) I'm trying to increase too, I know how tough it is. Wish you the best, if you need any help, just ask! :) 

Yeah i am currently working 4 or 5 x a week and mine does involve running up and down probably for a total of like you 1-2 hours or more depending how busy the coffee bar is (making drinks,taking them to customers coming back , washing up,etc.

And snap my lunch break is that too, and at the moment i seriously am struggling to get the calories in its rubbish i mean like i just can't get my head over the rate of weight gain like even though i do more than some people on this forum e.g walk to work 2.5miles then work for 6 hours then play cricket on Saturday i can't get over the fact of if i increased to 2800 or 3000 that i am not going to gain like so quick as like you i want to be gaining 1/2 pound a week? or 1 pound etc..

Do you do any pointless exercise at work like sometime pointless walk? or anything, 1 thing i am struggling with is allowing myself to sit down i always have to be doing something and its horrible as i know that's not normal but its just the scare of gaining to quick and all. Do you have that or have you taught yourself to allow your body to recover and rest

How much were you eating when you first started and how much are you eating now when your gaining at 1/2 pound a week?

it's just horrible i just can't face the facts everyone is telling me on here that because i am 16 175cm and male and have a low bmi atm of 14.5 then i need atleast 3000 or more to gain weight at a healthy rate i just see it all happening to quick

Hey, I can relate 100% to never wanting to sit down and rest. Its like your brain is just pacing 24/7, wondering what food its going to eat, and when its going to eat. Its a nightmare, but its something I'm getting better with. 

I sometimes tend to stay as busy as possible after eating (go out shopping, clean the house, work, etc), but if I'm feeling really positive with recovery (like today :) ) I will just sit in the house and read a book or watch some TV. Its important to let your body rest, and I think once you start allowing yourself to have a break a little bit more, you will feel a bit more positive. 

I'm sorry you are struggling to get the calories in. Its obvious you do a lot of exercise and keep yourself busy, so its very important you get enough calories in to repair and recover your body. Do you like smoothies? It could be useful to make your own calorie dense smoothie at home and have a couple each day if you are struggling to get in the calories. They are delicious and healthy, and high in calories. Think of almond butter, bananas, nuts, yogurts, fruits and seeds. Add whatever you like to your smoothie/milkshake, and it will give you more energy!!! 

Please believe me when I say you won't gain weight any faster then anyone else. If it helps, when I gained 1/2 pound a week I was consuming 2,300 calories a day. That was when I was 88 pounds. Now I've gained 5 pounds and its already taking more to gain... Its hard, but its something that has to be done! 

You need at least 3,000 calories. I know its hard to take in, but its something you need to accept. Maybe you need a break from work/stress and just give yourself some time to work things out? It could help you 

I have faith you can get through this, you just need to stay strong and gain! Remember the reasons to gain & live your life again. You can do this! Please don't give in!