Okay so I am at the level where I wish to stay. Although at times I feel like I gained more than my original goal. I was wondering though, for about a week I have not been at the intake that I should be at, but lower, due to stress from graduation/parents/and studying.....but why hasn't this showed?

If I eat way lower without meaning too, I still stay the same weight? I am so confused about my metabolism. When I measured it I was around 1600 for maintanence, but if I eat that much then I start gaining again....any ideas?

If you get any insight, I would love to know. I am not sure if age comes into consideration.  If I ate the number of calories they tell me to eat and work out as much as I do, I gain some weight.  Not a lot, but it drives me crazy. 

Wish I could help... I sort of stopped counting for about a week, but I was logging all of my food at the very end of the day after I was full and didn't intend to eat anything else (like right before bed). I've just been eating like I normally would, but I've been losing weight (and I think my count is around 1800-1900). I never had this problem before losing the weight (after surgery).

Maybe you should try not counting, but if you find you're gaining change what snacks you're eating... instead of eating a handful of nuts, have a fruit...that way you keep your eating habits the same and consistent, but you can change your daily calories down by a few hundred just by switching to lower cal but equally nutritious snacks(and vice versa if you're losing weight).

though you've gained some weight, your body's still quite familiar w/not getting enough nutrition.  so if you're cutting yourself short bec of a hectic lifestyle, your metabolism will slow down a lot faster than a non-ed-recovering person's.  you've trained your body to survive on very little food.  so training it to survive on a normal amount of food is a process.  it won't take forever, but it takes longer than it does to gain weight.

eat maintenance calories at regular intervals every day.  give your body a hug.  don't worry, you won't have to be on a diet just to look like everyone else.

thanks caloriecounting me and everyone who has posted thus far, I am in such frustration and pretty down this week. I haven't been that hungry, leading to a big drop in my intake, leading to (nothing changing), why?

I am so happy that I am finally tons healthier than where I once was, but I also never imagined having to try to get to a maintanence level without constantly gaining....I feel like not only did I pass my goal, but I keep keep getting higher, without even upping my intake at all....

I am so discouraged...I have really been thinking positive thoughts and trying to tell myself that I truely love my body, but I want to be where I set my goal, and now I am so confused as to why my body won't budge?

if i've learned one thing in recovery, it is this:  love your body, and it will love you back.  forever. 

i truly feel for you and hope your body gives you more credit for the major progress you've made.  best of luck.

You may feel like you've passed your goal weight, but your body may see things differently. Maybe your body will just be happier at a higher weight than you've decided it should be. I mean, choosing the weight you want to weigh is pretty arbitrary in any case, even if it is at a specific BMI or whatever for you height. It's like deciding that you want to weigh the same as you did five years ago or when you were a teenager...you aren't the same person anymore, and your body isn't the same (size, shape, health) as it was back then either. You may just have to accept that your body is happiest at a different weight than you think it should be.

That is great advice amilia, and thanks so much caloriecountingme, I am just in one of those "blah moments" I suppose. But I am learning to embrace my body and to love it. Before I got in the shower today I actually stared at myself for about 2 minutes and smiled...I felt like I was a woman....and for once I really loved what I saw. I think the key is looking past the lines of what is on the surface and to find what truely lies beneath! I am so glad that I did this today........

But then again, there is always the stupid thoughts that maintaining at a lower amount is possible? Who cares right??

I am probably echoing what others have said, but I want you to know that I'm right there and I feel for you. I, too, am 5'7" and while I never was anorexic, I mysteriously became dangerously underweight from Sept through Dec. and gaining it back was a process. I originally wanted to be at 121 again - where I was happiest adn healthiest before the major weight drop, but then I kept gaining, and was pretty happy at 125, assuming maybe I'd gained muscle, etc, accounting fr the added weight. I am now above 130 adn trying to accept it.

It's hard, but looking in the mirror and appreciating myself is something I've learned helps me to live life without worrying about food and working out. I have decided to go back to just eating normally, living life, and working out to be fit and happy, and not obsessing about everything. THen, like when I was 121, my body will decide what is healthy for itself. Our bodies want to be healthy adn thin, we just have to remember that - EDs and excessive dieting/execise are just stressful and "stupid" and teach out bodies that they have to outsmart us by holding onto weight (fat). Wow, I feel like I should be telling this to myself! But anyway, just try to relax about food, workout, live life, laugh, have fun with friends, etc. Before long, your body will have regulated and will look amazing without you having to give it a thought or count a calorie. You will be much happier, as I am sure I will,t oo, once I learn to do this. It is very diificult, but I feel like it will be worth it!

Another thing I've had to accept - if we gain a little too much and look a little overweight - who cares? We are still beautiful, and everyone gains a little once in a while. It's a normal part of life. It doesn't make them worth less or me think less of them as a person. And we lost the weight once, we can do it again. The healthy way this time, and for life. Good luck! Sorry for the long post.

HUGS!

Sarah thanks so much for taking the time to post this. I feel like you really do understand. It is hard to see the scale go up to higher than what I originally expected. I guess the hard thing for me is the whole calorie intake thing. My body seriously runs on the minimum now so it is so hard to accept that I will never probably be able to even eat at maintanence. I wish that I could take back my health geek knowledge sometimes and to just go with the flow of life and enjoy the skin that I am in.

Trying to accept myself has definitely been a challenge, but I think that you put it all in perspective with your final paragraph!

Keep posting about this issue people....is anyone else learning to maintain after gaining?

Positivelinny, from reading the weight loss forum I've noticed that there are lots of people there who have screwed up their metabolism over the years but have managed to rebound and lose weight normally and get it to function again.  I think you will be able to eat at maintenance again, you just need to give your metabolism time to repair itself.  It needs to learn to trust you again, which it will do over time.  Have you added exercise back in because that, and increasing muscle mass, will increase your metabolism?