Metabolism post Anorexia

I am recovering from Anorexia and found out today that my BMR is 1030. I am currently 123 lbs and 5'6". I was down to 99 lbs. last year at this time but have been at a healthy weight about 6 months. I started taking birth control to regain my cycle as I'm 17 and need to be laying down bone (lost my cycle in December of 2006). Since being on the birth control I've gained 10 lbs, I eat around 1800 calories per day and am still gaining like crazy. and I feel like my metabolism has slowed down a ton. I exercise vigorously 4 days a week and am pretty darn active in general. I have a lot of muscle and relatively low % body fat. I am always freezing cold. I am really wondering if my metabolism will ever pick up again, I am confused as to what I should be doing dietarily.   Any one been through this?

You should really talk to your doctor or whoever is medically supervising your recovery.   1800 cals a day is the minimum amount for a very sedentary teen.... 2200-2400 would be more normal for someone your size & age who is very active and quite muscular.  It takes a lot to permanently knock your metabolism out.   Eating normally usually gets it back up to speed sooner or later.  From what you describe I suspect that if you're freezing cold and your body fat is low then you're probably still undereating.

More food, regular meals and snacks.... plenty of good nourishment.  And then let nature and time take its course.  But do talk to your doctor or dietician

It takes time and regular meals (i.e., 3 meals, 3 snacks a day) to rev up your metabolism.

I know (the many times) I've gone through the refeeding process I always started out with a ridiculously low bmr and it would skyrocket with regular 'feeding'.  So much so it would take nearly 4000 calories to gain/maintain.  It settles down after awhile and I slowly go back to 'normal' calories.

If only I would stop effin' up the process!

Keep eating and don't back down no matter what the ED tells you - you don't want to get stuck in a cycle of restricting, refeeding, restricting, etc.  It really sucks.

Hi. I also was missing my cycles but I was not anorexic nor did I have any other  health problems. However, for some strange reason, my cycles were gone. I was 5ft 9 and ate 1600cal/day. I also went to the gym to do the elliptical for 60 minutes/day. I wasn't losing weight but pretty constant around the 114-117lbs range. Before the exercising, I did weigh about 125lbs. But I felt fine and healthy except my cycles were missing. Whenever I went to the doc, they told me that gaining as less as 5 lbs can help bring my cycles back. Then she told me to take BC to get my cycles if I was not willing to gain the 5 lbs. I didn't trust her at the time and it was almost 6 months later that I made up my mind to become healthier by bringing by cycles back. 40 days after making up my mind, I was 119lbs, eating 1700-1800 cal/day and working out as usual. And then I got my cycles back! That was back in november and in december, I got it again! But theoretically, I should still be having a calorie deficit if I eat that much and work out 60 min. However, I actually gained some weight, which means that I am also in the similar situation that you are in. It's also really confusing for me because I don't understand why I am still gaining. Right now, I think I am around 120-121lbs range. I feel fine. My pants fit the same. However, I am getting my cycles~hopefully, I am not gaining any more weight. I think it just takes a bit of a time for your body to gain some "essential" body fat that it needs and then your metabolism will rev up so you don't gain any more weight. The body is one amazing machine and it can do stuff without your conscious thought processes. Good luck!

Thanks so much for your help-everybody. I saw my nutritionist and she recommended I restrict to 1600 calories per day and increase my cardio exercise. I tried this yesterday and was starving and miserable all day, then I woke up during the night starving and had to eat to go back to sleep. Today, I was starving again-but I tried to restrict myself and control, but I couldn't really keep myself below 1800, there's really no point in going to bed hungry because I KNOW I'll wake up. So should I just let my body gain and listen to hunger cues? (I am pretty good at knowing when I'm hungry), or should I restrict?

From my experience, it is best to listen to your body, and respond in the most sensible way possible

If you are starving and need more food, then add a little more food when you feel you need it - a extra serve of bread at lunch, an extra snack, a slightly larger helping of dinner; just don’t let it all build up by ignoring your hunger signals all day, and then having a HUGE serving of dinner at night

It is much easier to just give your body more calories when it needs them, instead of ignoring the hunger only to wake up hungry later

Listen to your body, your are VERY LUCKY that you can recognize your hunger signals as a lot of people cannot tell when their hungry!

So, when you need more food, add just enough to satisfy your hunger pangs, so your not starving but haven’t eaten too much more

Original Post by bmebaby:

 So should I just let my body gain and listen to hunger cues? (I am pretty good at knowing when I'm hungry), or should I restrict?

 I'd have thought any kind of restriction is not a good thing for you because of your eating disorder history and the sheer fact that you're still very young and your body isn't 'done' yet.   I'm surprised a nutritionist would suggest it, to be honest.  If you're 5'6" you have to be getting well past 150lbs to be in the overweight bracket so you could happily gain 10 or 15lbs from where you are now and still be very slim-looking and healthy.  Muscular people are never in the bottom end of the weight-band because muscle is more dense than fat.

Really, if you need to eat you should eat.   Choose good foods, spread the meals and snacks out regularly and go with what feels right. 

Yes, I am also concerned that any nutritionist would suggest restricting like that.  This is alarming, to say the least, especially considering your age and eating history....

Does your nutritionist know about your history of disordered eating? 

Sorry hon but your nutritionist is crazy.  I've been almost exactly where you were and let me assure you the last thing you should be doing is eating less and exercising more.  Geez, that is how we got in this mess in the first place!

First, eating any less than your body needs will result in both weight loss [not good at all for you] and slowing metabolism to conserve energy [exactly what you don't want].  Doing even more cardiovascular exercise isn't a good idea either. Since you have a nice athletic build with very little body fat anyway [proven by the fact that you feel cold], why not just do some strength training?

All-in-all, my advice (not a doctor, just sensible) would be to eat more.  That will bump up your metabolism.  If you gain a few lbs. that wouldn't be bad, but more importantly you will be nourishing your body properly!

Good luck!

I was very shocked at my nutritionist's advice also, and I took it much more seriously from her. She actually was one of therapists who helped me when I was in out-patient intensive therapy for anorexia about a year ago. I think she was trying to make me happy since I am unhappy with my gaining weight (which I have been, slowly, but steadily) I do space out my meals well and am a very clean eater, I never eat anything processed or any refined grains or sugar added items. I feel that my metabolism has dropped since going on birth control, though, because I used to eat 2,000 calories without gaining weight around july and august. Then, in September when I started the pill I gained and so reduced my portions, but still continue to gain :( Thanks for all your help!