LOCKED TOPIC

2500+ calories only: Weight Gainers-What Did YOU Eat Today? - January 23rd until February 21st

RULES: 

• Do not post here if you are not reaching 2500+ calories (3000+ for adult men). We strongly recommend 3000+ to gain.

• Teens must reach 3000 a day minimum

• REMEMBER TO EITHER POST THE CALORIE TALLIES OR THE PORTION SIZES!

• Also remember I do not support you using alcohol as a calorie substitute. So if you reach 2500+ with alcohol in your diet, eat a little more to make up for it.

• If you are struggling to reach the necessary amount (and everyone has at some point) then please post a separate thread w/ questions.

• Do not post links to your personal blog.

• No partial meal plans. Only post complete daily intakes.

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This thread is for those of you looking to actively gain weight for whatever reason.

Requirements- If you are a male you need to eat at least 3000 calories, females must eat 2500-this is so that your body can begin to now only gain weight, but also for your internal organs to begin to recover, this takes fuel/calories.

It is NOT suggested that you excercise while underweight.  Excercsie is often an addicition seen with those with eating disorders. Try to stop cold turkey, IF you excercise, 2500/3000 is NOT enough.  You are only harming yourself+prolonging the illness by excercising.

If you are struggling to reach the necessary amount, and we all did, then please post a seperate thread w/ questions.  It is harmful for ppl to see posts that are under the food reuirement amount.  There are suggestions on this forum  regarding higher calorie+denser foods that should be incorporated to aid in reaching calorie goals.

Hey guys. I'm back at home and just finished up a shift at work, so I finally have time for a proper post.

First of all,

coffeestains - welcome home from IP! I remember that beautiful feeling of freedom that finally comes with leaving the hospital. Coffee was definitely first on  my list as well, but to be honest, I was a little brat in IP and would, without fail, sneak downstairs to the hospital cafe for coffee every AM without fail during shift change. =P

daydream - thanks so much for the encouragement after that hard dinner. It really meant a lot to me that you took the time out to reply, because it was exactly what I needed to hear. From my experience the gain does slow down after a while and your metabolism begins to adjust at your current calorie level. I know you've been in treatment before, so you've probably had similar experiences there where you gained, and then it began to even out. At one point, I was barely gaining on 3600/day!

Muchlinksi - good luck with the upcoming IP stay! I'm proud that you've stepped up to the plate and accepted the extra help&support that can be had in IP. You deserve, after all yoru hard work, to give in a bit and let yourself be taken care of. <3

glittersandsprinkles - I'm so sorry you had a rough dietician appointment. I know others have mentioned this, but I wouldn't lower back down to 1800. You still have a large amount of weight to gain. I think you've been starving for so long that the last thing you should do to yourself is cut back!

Kt - I think it's great that you've recognized that you're hungriest in the late afternoon - I think I'm the same way. Now that you know, you can plan accordingly - that way you won't feel 'bingish' cause it's already been planned for. Just an idea!

Natmelts - That's great that you're beginning to feel more and more like yourself! I've had similar experiences in the past and it's a nice feeling! I remember when I first felt a tiny twinge of interest in guys again - LOL. It was so foreign!

georgie - Gosh, I'm in the same boat! It is SO uncomfortable! I just try to remind m yself that if I were to fall back into my eating disorder, I'd only lose more time in my life and it would only set me back. Each day in recovery is a battle, so why woudl I want to go back and do it all again? Because it's this or ED. =( I believe in you, you can do it!

Mandie - hey girl! Seems like a lot of us are in the same position. We're all here for you, so vent away!

carrotcake- I'm sorry you're struggling so much right now. I hear how terrible you feel about it. =( If anything, your over-excersising isn't a 'failure' on your part, per se, but rather just feedback to your team that some additional support from someone may be helpful. I don't necessarily mean intense help, but maybe you're lacking something that may be helpful? An idea might be to really try and think about some areas where you feel you could use more support and encouragement, and ask for it at your weigh-in. That way, instead of falling back into a deceitful pattern, you're being upfront, honest and pro-active!

suspendue - hang in there! The fact that you're keeping on despite the depression is a testament to your strength. =)

Weird eating schedule today - back to uni in the evening so no 'real' dinner (no time OR groceries!)

B 2 extra large slices wholemeal seeded toast + 3 tbsp peanut butter

L 2 extra large slices wholemeal seeded bread (sandwich) w/ 1.5oz stilton cheese and spread with mango chutney, pink onion and rocket (arugula) 
Carrot sticks + 3 tbsp hummus to dip  
35g dark chocolate

Dr 3 gin and tonics

S 2 oz bombay mix, 1 sliced apple 

'D' M&S Salmon Sushi Pack and large fruit salad (on train)

'S' 100g granola and 1/2 cup soya milk

Aw thanks Mashed & Fill - youre both right - I do need to keep going. Its just really hard bc when Im at a heavier weight, Im (as quoted by my BF - in a permanently foul mood) as I feel so incredibly awful with myself. But even though Im 'nicer' at a lower weight, its not healthy.

Carrotcake I hope you can turn things around. I know its hard once you start to slip - try and harness all that positive effort you put into your recovery so far along with some of that #black and white# thinking so that its all 'on' for recovery. 

B 2x weetbix w C milk, prunes & strawberries + 1 slice rye toast w butter & marmalade + glass OJ

S handful trailmix

L 1x tuna mayo sushi roll, 1x veggie sushi roll & serve edamame beans + cappucino

S strawberry sundae!

D lentil, mince & veggie bolognaise w cheese & pasta + steamed veggies + pot vanilla yoghurt

S sultana & apple porridge w milk + hot choc

Thanks mashed :) I'm around the same age as you - 19 - and haven't had ED as long as you (almost 5 years) but it's still so hard. Knowing that I have to gain weight is so different to accepting that I have to (and then actually doing it). And it doesn't help that the weight gain is obvious on my face and my waist. Also, when people squeeze my arms they comment on how skinny it is, but in my head I'm going "but you haven't seen my tummy!!!!!" I keep reminding myself that I don't have a period yet so there's no way I can stop now but when the weight comes on as quickly as it did (1.5 kg in a week) I freaked. And to answer your question, I'm living near King's Cross but uni is in Pimlico. What about you? I see you got on a train went back to uni...is your uni in or outside of London? AHh... M&S sushi..I remember when I last ate that, I was so ED-affected and only ate 2/3 of the rice becaues it was white. How stupid. Whoa, sorry about the rant and longggg boring reply lol. Thanks again. x

Has anyone ever gained that much so quickly? It'll help to know people have and are actually coping with it :P Or...what kind of a rate do you usually gain at?

Georgie! If you didn't read...I had a binge on 6 muller rice the other night (and that was only part of the binge) and when read your post, I was like, "I should've sent some to Georgie instead" :P

Yesterday's eats:
B: Pumpkin oats cooked with vanilla almond milk, egg white, pumpkin puree, topped with PB&Co WCW and pumpkin butter (this looked freaky...it was green and orange!)

S: Apple

L: Oak smoked ham and cream cheese sandwich (LOADS of cream cheese!) and mixed veggies

S: Banana and walnut bar

S: salted almonds, SO many rice tea biscuits

D: 2 large slices (!) beef escallops with creamy mushroom sauce (Ok...my sauce kinda failed), small bowl brown rice cooked with salt and oil, and large plate stir-fried veggies

S: Moma breakfast pot, muller rice pudding x 2

I did have a bit of a binge at the end of the night (yes..even after that snack), but it wasn't as bad as the other days. I haven't included it in my MP though. I've started the day today with a bigger breakfast of bl-oats (blueberry oats with blueberry flaxseeds, egg white, soymilk topped with DCD and almond butter :P). I doubled the serving...I hope that by increasing my cals in the day the binging at night will ease a bit more....maybe it'll help my insomnia too...

xx

Georgie Ah tell me about the foul mood - of recent I've been permanently grumpy, which is weird because I know that when my weight drops below a certain point my mood goes down too - I've had this horrible idea in my head that maybe likewise when it rises to this point I turn into a nightmare. Realistically, I know it's just my ED clinging on for it's last power trip. Do you mind me asking if you have periods? Mine came back at BMI 16, I'm now nearing 17.5. It dawned on me the other day that it's no wonder we're hormonal messes - we're effectively going through puberty again and our hormones are all over the shop. All the emotional crap we numbed out with anorexia is now coming back twofold! Still, we've just got to hope it gets better. I think in many ways we are now at the hardest stage - that grey area between sick and healthy that makes people believe we're 'better' when really we're only just starting on the real mental work of having to accept ourselves without our illnesses.

Mandy Aah I'm in SW London (Putney/Wandsworth) and I go to Warwick uni, so the train journey back involves going to Marylebone or Euston then schlepping to Leamington from either Coventry or Leamington Spa station. Grr. I love m&s sushi but it's not a patch on the Wholefoods brown rice sushi - it's not an ED thing when I say I've always preferred'brown' grains - rice, pasta, etc. Probably because they're what I've been brought up on. I'm actually leaving tonight but I always post my eats at the start of the day to give me structure.. I want to move on to intuitive eating but having given it a go for one day and got myself into a bit of a panic, I think I need to wait till I'm a) at maintenance and b) fully aware of what my body needs to keep itself stable before I can start listening to my body... Honestly I feel like if I listened to it properly at the moment I'd never stop eating, because my mind would shout louder and I can quite easily stuff myself well beyond the point of physical fullness. 

Good Sunday Fellow Gainers!  

 A tough week has been had by all I think. I got so caught up whollowing in self-pity I was beginning to annoy myself, so I dread to think how much I annoyed everyone else. Do any of you ever wonder about your dieticians advice? I got a letter from mine saying I should be eating 2200 to gain? But surely of anyone she should be advising 2500 for repair etc?!

 Anyway, this set me into a spiral of analysis. My stupid demon voice meant I wouldn't have as much during the day so I would end up with lots to eat after supper. Bad idea. It = one very sore tum and one whopper of a food baby. I feel like I should have an exorcism and if I were to take a different form so people actually saw my possessed state, it would resemble the girl in the Exorcist. I am seeing her (dietician, not the girl from the exorcist!) tomorrow but in the afternoon when I will have a whole lot of food inside of me - I know that when I see the increase in weight flash up on the scales it is a good thing, but I am so worried that it will simply freak me out!! I am battling hard with the thoughts that I should eat less during the day so it will be consistant with the last weigh in. Which is such a silly idea, esp as I have already learnt the consequences the hard way  

Rather embarrassing Q - does anyone have really foul/odd smelling flatulence? It comes at totally random times and is very embarrassing! Much to the amusment of my brother...  

On a more positive note, this morning I noticed a definate improvement in the boobage department. Huzzah!    

suspendue_lahaut: well done for not counting and getting over 3000! Great achievement, esp in light of the depressive thoughts.   

Jackster35: thanks for that info. Which thread is it from?  

GeorgieUK and Daydream28: I always love your eats!  

Moi:

B: Bran Flakes with dried fruit and one small apple, 1 fresh lemon squeezed into green tea, slice of bread, 1/2 myoplex shake = 562  

S: 1 slice of rye bread with sunflowerseeds,

L: sandwich (wm granary bread with mayo, cucumber and tuna) = 336  

S: mixed berry trek bar= 203 (anyone else find these mega sugary?)  

S: savoury oatran (oatbran w/ salmon cooked with tomatoes, garlic and squash) served with green beans and spinach = 526

P: yog with flaxseeds and a hunk of soreen loaf = 297

S: mix of alpen and grapenuts with oatly milk = 427  

 2,501

oh man guys, tough weekend, few really 'down' times...but i did it. I was at home with my family and those are ALWAYS hard unfortunately.

Saturday's eats

Pre-breaky- 1cup oatmeal, big banana, 2tb kraft pb(you're right taste so different than natural...yummy though!), 1c orange juice

breakfast-because everyone in my family gets up late- 2eggs over easy, 2slices real bacon(AH!), an orange

L-big bowl homeade chili, side salad + veggies

S- 1c chocolate milk, big bowl munchies(well...i ate all the sunchips..left the yucky pretzels and cheesies.lol...then my sister got really mad at me)

D- sumemr sausage sandwich on 12grain, lots of veggies, 1c milk

Hey :) thank you everyone for your welcomes and your support! It's been going really well since i got home from IP on Wednesday, i've stuck to my meal plan and challenged lots! :) It's soo nice to be home, yet a bit scary, since i do still have a long way to go and my weight is not budging at all on my current intake on 2800 cals...i definitely need more, i find it so odd that i'm not gaining on this amt. its crazy what our metabolisms do when re-feeding. 

Fillmeup-  that is hillarious about the coffee in IP :) ...i would try to sneak some and girls who would go out on a meal pass, would often bring me back coffee ;) i'd chug it quick at smoke break outside, so the nurses wouldn't catch me! ;) lol, but one time i evidentally "smelled like coffee" lol, so they had to do a random room search, it was funny (kinda) ;P 

anyway, here's my mp from yesterday :)

Breakfast: 40grams Irish oats cooked in 1% milk. 1 tbsp ground flax & 1 tbsp wheat germ cooked in. 5 chopped prunes. topped w/ 1 tbsp crunchy unsalted Peanut butter.

snack: Skim cappuccino & a Pure orange cranberry bar.  

lunch: (out to lunch with mom @ Angelica Kitchen in NY) Marinated lemon-herb tofu sandwich on mixed grain bread w/ parsley-almond pesto & roasted  vegetables. hot green tea & a spelt fig newton bar! (soo Yummi) 

snack: Fage w/ 20grams lizi's pecan granola + small banana chopped + 1 tbsp of almonds.  

Dinner: Whole wheat couscous w/ 4oz chicken; seasoned w/ herbs de' Provence & basil. sauteed mushrooms, onions, cherry tomatoes & spinach. w/ shredded Gruyère cheese melted on top.

snack: Vanilla-bean Orgain w/ a "banana belle-foster" 18Rabbit bar crumbled in! :) 

Houseelf-the info posted is from a private messgae that I sent a few weeks back as I was really struggling to get past the 2000 mark and looking for reasons to get to 2500-AND funny enough my dietician as well said to eat 2300 to gain. I don't think she has a lot of experience with ED's as when I showed her my food record (days anywhere from 1600-2200-very inconsistant) she praised me and said how great it was that I was eating-yeah compared to the less than 1000 cals its good but we all know not good enough!! I told my friend who is a naturopath what the dietician said I need to gain and she thinks its that they as well are so used to exactly what the calculators say (and working with overweight people who overestimate as a rule not underestimate like most of us are apt to do) and that unless you've had ex with ED's and metabolism or been trained that way they don't know. Wow that was long-but point is I completely understand how hard it is when you get contrary prof advise. ED uses that as an excuse to have less and then it goes down from there-all the more reason to have more. On that note-yesterday = my first true 2500 cal day so I'm going to post for the heck of it!!

Bfast (preyoga)-apple, slice rye bread with Almond butter, fig jam, and dried figs on top

Snack-soy latte from Sbucks, kind bar

Lunch-1 cup quinoa salad (with apples, dired cranberries and almonds), plate of carrots and cucumber

Snack-tons of mixed friut, container (6oz) of chobani greek yogurt

Dinner-boy choy black beans and mushrooms on soba noodles (pretty big portion)

Dessert/Snack-square of homemade pear cake with scoop of yogurt on top sprinkled with walnuts and almonds

I had lots to make up after dinner and so I didn't enjoy dessert as much cause I was full and anxious-but I ate it. I also took way more soba noodles than usual. Also anxious that I am getting too much fat-the pear cake is flourless with almond butter as a base and so clocks in at 17 grams of fat (236 cals) per serving!!! So that freaked me out a bit-but it was good:)

I "roughly" count-and now that I have written this down-I wonder if I have overestimated somewhat-not too bad but maybe a bit-thoughts or feedback!! I do "exercise"-no running or anything just yoga and walks with the dog-yesterday 90 min dog walk, 90 min yoga class.

So excited to post though-you all have been such an inspiration-I have been reading! 

One more thing-GeorgieUK-do I ever relate-now that I am allowing myself to eat more and the weight is coming too-I am really fighting these huge flairs of anger-and my husband get sthe bulk as well. Mashedtatties-maybe its as you said-the ED is no longer as complete of a coping mechanism so the feelings are coming 20 fold. I find I am either angry or depressed a lot of the time. I do get good flashes too though so I guess its something that we're feeling again.

Dos anyone else still really struggle with wanting to isolate? I am feeling the need to really focus and keep myself in a little "bubble". I find I am feeling embarrassed that

1) I eat so much

2)I am gaining weight

when the whole world is focused on weight loss-I can't tell you the number of friends that have said to me "well you want to do it the right way with healthy foods..." yeah yeah yeah. Even my mother when I told her that one of my fears is continuing to gain and getting HUGE-came back with-"well do you think you have such little control of yourself that you would allow that too happen". Not the thing to say (though she meant well) cause the answer is yes I do think that-and I don't want to live my life having to have "control of mysefl"

I find it very interesting how many similarities in patterns there are with this thing. I remember when I first began to realize I had a problem I thought these things were unique little quirks of mine....little did I know it nearly all has to do with the phisiology of starvation-sorry for the ramble! 

Hi everyone some great posts of support from everyone so thank you so much. I have been away for the night and managed to keep up the 2500, i have told my self im going to at least do it for one more week. Each day at a time! The great thing was I actually did something so normal yesterday, I went out for dinner with a friend then went out to a bar after. So normal and totally against ED's plans for me to isolate but I actually spent the night out AND enjoyed it!![plus the involvement of some quite yummy men!] made me realise life is out there!

monicamarie93 thanks so much for your positive comments and support. It means so much to know people are going through the same thing and are willing to share their experiences. How are you doing at the moment? PS love your piccie!!

jacster: great to see you posting here! thanks for the support and keep up the yummy eats.

Carrotcake dont let ed pull you back your doing so so well. I know what you mean about the excercise, im sitting here feeling so anxious because I really want to go for a jog and do some step on my wii fit but trying not to. ED is saying but you put on so much weight u need to, grrrrrrr

mandyloves dont worry about your gain mine was almost double yours I guess our bodies are not predictable like machines!! Also perhaps you are just so hungry It seems like you are binging? Perhaps having slightly more at lunch etc would help? Those all nighters probably mean you need the energy too! Keep strong!

fillmeup thanks for the advice I hope you are managing to have some time for yourself what with all the work you are doing. I can imagine it must be difficult to keep up the eating  schedule what with being so busy. You can do it!

Georgie your eats look great, and just focus on how the extra weight means you can enjoy life. You ARE good enough and although you feel bigger others probably look at you and see how small you still are!

houself keep strong but I am laughing as I write this as my boobs seem to have grown too!! The only bit of weight gain I dont seem to mind! If only my bum would follow in size too!!

Saturdays eats:

B: 1/3 cup granola and milk, wrap and pb, 5 cherries

S: chilli wholegrain sunbites, fruisili bar

L: hummous and falafel wrap from boots and skinny salt and sweet topcorn [yum] Yoghurt with special k bar crumbled in, apple

S malteser bunny and mullerlight

D: in GBK butternut squash salad,[inc. lots of feta and olive oil roasted toms,]2scoops [big cinema style scoops] ben and jerrys 1 cookie dough and 1 baked alaska] Im so immensly proud about that!!

S: Cadbury bliss bar

Today

B: nanas choc chip cookie, mullerlight yoghurt, some fruit salad

L: innocent sweet potato chilli veg pot, snack a jacks,salad, smarties yoghurt, pear,  

S: yoghurt coated raisins and caramac bar ice cream [ed was telling me too much sugar for one snack but I ate it anyway!]

S: pizza oval bbq chicken flavour and dairylea triangle

D: huge plate stir fry vegetables, red pepper hummous, bbq flavour crack obits bannana custard and 1 hobnob

S: galaxy ripple bar and mullerlight choc sprinkles

I see you guys talking about sneaking coffee into IP. A stupid question; why wouldn't coffee be allowed there? I mean what's so bad about it? O__O

Coffeestains: I have to try couscous the way you had it for dinner! I love couscous :P I even came up with a sweet version of it for breakfast yesterday

houseelf: Yup... having flatulence problems. AND it amuses my brother too! And I'm having a hard time "accepting" passing gas like a normal person, because I *or actually, my ED* always thought of any "human body functions" as a disgrace. So yea, eating is a disgrace, sexual feelings are a disgrace... farting is a disgrace. Okay, drifting away from the main subject...I've noticed a little more boobage also :P Just not enough to be wearing an A cup yet. When I was 13 years old I was almost a C cup!!

Well, all in all today was better than the past few days...Felt unsure about the entire recovery thing at morning, but it got better after a warm bath.

I went to a chinese restaurant with my brother and mom. First time I have Chinese, first time I go to a restaurant with mom, and first time I go out to eat in over two years actually!

I had duck! Never did before, and didn't panic because I have no idea how many cals are in duck meat. It feels quite nice :)

Also, since I'm getting so much better physically, I think I can take up a yoga class, I need to rebuild muscles and I want to tone and take care of them :) Also, I'm getting back to my electric bass class! I stopped playing over six months ago because I was so exhausted all the time, I wasn't paracticing properly, so my technique got worse and worse til I started thinking I'm a failure and just...stopped! I can't believe how stupid that was! How could I quit playing such a beautiful instrument?! STUPID ED. Hating him more everyday ;)

MY EAAAAAAATS. mmm :)

B: Coffee. banana, 3 scrambled eggs, a small tomato and some black olives.

S: an apple, petit fours.

L (at restaurant): Sizzling duck.

S: a bowl of fattoush salad with soy sauce. I think it's a nice spin to a traditional dish. :) coffee. tangerine.

D:banana, bran flakes with cinnamon.

Sorry, triple post, I have a crappy laptop and crappy internet connexion. How do you delete these things? >_<</p>

Hellooo everyone :) I managed to reach my calories again today! Thanks mashed_tatties for the welcome, it's nice to have somewhere to go where everyone's going through the same kind of things! I have a couple questions about the weight gain - Everyone says the initial gain is mostly water weight and food so i'm just wondering how long this last for? I don't want to weigh myself until it's gone so I don't freak out as much. Also how does it affect you when you eat 2500 calories for a while then have one or a couple days where you restrict?

Anyways my eats for today ... :)

B: Chocolate chip clif bar, vanilla greek muesli yogurt, another vanilla yogurt with strawberries, maple syrup (600)

S: Chocolate chip granola bar, coffee crisp bites (200)

L: 2 thick slices ww bread with 2 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tbsp strawberry jam (365)

D: Sesame seed bagel, 2.5 tbsp cream cheese, oreo cake snacks (415)

S: Strawberry greek yogurt, vanilla yogurt, 1 cup kashi go lean crunch, maple syrup, strawberries, cinnamon (480)

S: Ritz s'mores sandwiches, double berry muffin (490)

2550 :)

I just noticed I had no veggies or meat for the day. Oops!

Hi! Back from uni; it was too difficult to post whilst there (v. limited internet) but I managed to eat pizza out, have waffles, nutella, chocolate chip cookies, a chocolate mini roll, a Vanilla and Chocolate Balls Muller Crunch Corner, a Kitkat Senses, to name but a few of the food challenges : ) Oh, and a lot of alcohol. Anyway, Today;

Breakfast (uni); Large Apple, slice of Hovis with Jam and PB!, T

Snack (empty house); handful of Shreddies, 2 Crackers with Cream Cheese and Marmalade

Lunch; Chicken and Sweetcorn Mayo Sandwich, Apple and Carrot Juice

Snack; Spotted Dick and Custard(!) Mocha

Dinner: Piri Piri Innocent Pot (was going to cook, but was too tired, and it was reduced to 99p!) with entire packet of Chicken Breast added, glass of Milk (I know, hard core right )

Snackett;Aero Chocolate Mousse, Hot Chocolate, 2 Dark Chocolate Fingers

After Dinner i was getting something before bed, and ED was screaming 'Too much fat, did you see what was in that spotted dick!' So I stood in the middle of the kitchen, said loudly but calmly '**** You' and ate the two chocolate fingers before getting the snack i was going to have and taking it to bed with me. Never did ED give me the feeling of centredness that recovery occasionally and wonderfully allows.

Well done everyone; I've been reading and seeing how hard its been. The fact that we are pulling through shows the strength of support in this forum.

mandieeee; don't worry about meat and veg, if your body wanted them it would let you know; sometimes your system wants a break from fiber and just craves calcium. Its good that you can listen to that (even subconsciously) rather than micromanaging what your body 'should' want!

Also; hi jacster35; I was scared of that too to begin with. But i found that once you allow yourself to eat enough, and eat when you are hungry rather than having to stick to a rigid plan, then your body stops desperately craving because it trusts you to nourish it Also, there is no such thing as 'healthy' and 'unhealthy' food, only your overall diet. You should be having at least 70g of fat a day anyway, so 17 in a dessert isn't bad! Looks like you didn't have much fat earlier, so it's probably actually a good thing (def helps with digestive issues)

Coffeestains18; Hello to you too! Wow, I feel behind! Well done for continuing to do well out of ip.

houseelf; the flatulence is due to food fermenting in your bowels; due to it being the type that ferments, and being there fore a relatively long time. I used to get it because I was eating too much dried fruit and vegetables, and having too much fibre+not enough liquid. Green vegetables and cucumbers are a particular killer! Maybe try eating fewer?  http://www.cks.nhs.uk/patient_information_lea flet/flatulence

Today's Eats: Ahh, Tomorrow is the last day before IP! :)

B: 2c Peanut-Butter Bumpers Cereal, 1c Soymilk

L: 1can Amy's Black Bean Chili, 2 Joseph's Whole-Wheat Pitas

S: Starbucks Mocha Frappucino (2% Milk), Apple

D: Pita Pizza (Whole-Wheat Pita, 1/3c Shredded Mozzarella, 2tsps Black Olives, 2oz Crimini Mushrooms, Black Pepper), 1c Tomato Soup

S: 2c Kashi Honey Sunshine Cereal, 1c Soymilk

Total: 3000cal :)

Glitter- Thanks for asking :) I am managing over here, definitely having more of a stuggle the past week or two, buuuut, between the support here and at home I am doing fine.

AND on a happy note today at the grocery store they had boxes of power protein bars on clearence for $1.22!! Woohoo! That is like 1/5 the usual price! YES! SCORE FOR ME! And kind bars were on sale for 40 cents, and I've never tried one before but they look really good!

B-1c oatmeal + big scoop real pb,1/2 c blueberries

S- big orange, coffee,1 c choc. ,milk

l-2x 12grain bread+lots of chicken, veggies salad and italian dressing,

S- banana, and a vanilla protein shake

D- 2c fettucine with can of dill and lemon tuna, 5 asparagus and 3/4c steamed peas, 1/2c sliced mushrooms, carrot cake cliff bar

S-berry yogurt + pb + 1c milk

DIdn't eat as much as i should have today. it's been hard lately with consistent gaining i'm experiencing not feeling hungry, plus no exercise also isn't helping with increase the appetite.

I've kind of had a hiatus from posting here, but I've still been reading everyone's posts, and I just wanted to pop in and say GREAT JOB EVERYONE!  I've kind of gotten into a binge-restrict cycle, so I haven't been posting here, but I've managed to get to a bmi of ~20, so I think I'm done gaining and I'm going to try to maintain.  I gained weight rather quickly from binging (which made me panic!), but now I've been maintaining at a BMI of 20ish for the past week or so on ~2500 calories, so I'm glad that my metabolism isn't ruined!  I still haven't gotten my period, but I think I'm going to be patient and wait for its return for a little while rather than gaining more.  I wouldn't say I'm "recovered", at least not mentally; I'm still struggling with a lot of body image and food issues and trying to find normality and balance.  But I'm hoping things will get better.

muchlinski:  Great job; you are an inspiration--I hope IP goes well for you and you find it helpful in beating your ED!

suspendue_lahaut: Great job on the duck!  And glitterandsprinkles, Yay for going out and eating with a friend.  I still haven't gotten the courage to eat at my university cafeteria with UNMEASURED portions and UNKNOWN calories.  Keep up the good work!

jacster35:  I understand your fear of getting huge, but it's not something to worry about when you're underweight.  I was afraid of this too (especially since I was overweight before my ED!), but I've been steadily maintaining a BMI of 20ish for the past week or so while eating ~2500 calories.  Right now, I feel fat, but I know I'm not.  So you WON'T keep ballooning up! Your metabolism will adjust!

houseelf: I know what you mean about the food baby!  I feel pregnant a lot!  Whenever I walk around with a bloated "food belly" I want to hold up a sign that says "I'm not pregnant or fat, I'm just bloated!"  *sigh*  Will our digestive systems ever normalize?  And yes, I have horrible flatulence too.  Luckily I live by myself, lol.  Haha, my brother would be amused too, except that I don't live at home anymore.  I guess all younger brothers are alike :)

carrotcakelove:  Hang in there!!! We all have bad days (I've been having a lot this week and have been having a LOT of thoughts of relapse), but you're doing the right thing.  It's the overall forward progress that matters, we all slip up on occasion.  You are NOT a failure, you just had a little slip up.  Think of all the progress you've made and how much HEALTHIER you are now than when you first started recovery!

Sorry I didn't reply to everyone!  I read everyone's posts, but for some of them I just couldn't think of anything helpful/useful to add.  But you all are doing great--you guys are an inspiration.  *hugs everyone on this thread*  Keep fighting!