Reached goal now what?

Hey everybody! okay so i have reached my goal weight range after being in recovery it gives me a bmi of roughly 18-19 which im happy with and would want to stay in this weight range. I am still seeing my therapist and its my first week of maintenance but im just freeking out a bit! Last week i purposely gained 1.4kg to get into my target this week i have reduced my intake my 150kcals and gone to the gym once but im scared thatim still going to gain weight as surely i wont drop from a 1.4 gain to nothing or a tiny gain? help! x Also my periods.. i havent had one in alamost 3 years but they stopped very early on into my eating disorder when i only lost a little bit of weight so i wonder whether me losing them relates to my weight at all? I know that people say to get ur periods back u have to gain a bit more than ur orignal weight but i really cant handle getting to that weight again so if i stay at a stable weight of what i am now (which i want to do) will they come back? x

Sorry this is so long, im jsut really confused!! xx

Your weight is still too low. You should aim for a bmi of 20 or possibly higher in recovery, especially as you do not have your period. This is also because a BMI 20 means if you lose some weight when then adjusting or unintentionally lose, such as if you were to fall ill with a stomach bug, you do not reenter an underweight category.

I will tell you what my nutritionist told me years ago that if you try to control your set point by even 5 pounds you will have health complications like lack of period for ex and also have to eat way less calories then optimal. For what 5 pounds for ex is it worth it? You stated you are in therapy and I wonder if you are talking about the fears you have? It is not an exact science about the period. What we do know is that your body has to be fueled with adequate calories and nutrients aka fat/protein/carbs and not working out too much. Also for many to be at a normal body weight for them.  Some people though have gotten there period back at low weights and that is not for me the only sign of being in a healthy range. Why can't you handle being at the weight you were before?

who picked your weight goal?  A doctor?  a nutritionist?

It is still very low and could be too low for you.  In fact, it is unlikely for you to get your period back at  a BMI that low.  And if going higher scares you, then that is a sign you are not recovered yet.  Recovery is more than a weight goal.

I would keep talking to your therapist about this and find out what it is about going higher that scares you so much.

There is no need to fear - nobody is saying you necessarily need to gain heaps of weight, but even people with naturally slim BMI”S less then 20 usually need to reach a higher BMI to get their period back.

Basically, most women with naturally slim BMI’S of 18.5 - 19 who have lost their period due to an eating disorder, almost ALWAYS need to gain to a HIGHER BMI then they were BEFORE they lost their period, in order to get it back

Some women have BMI’S slightly under 20, but they eat normally and do not need to restrict to get there; even these naturally slim women need to gain slightly higher to get their periods back. The body tends to need EXTRA reassurance that it is healthy enough to have a period again - and the extra “ reassurance” means extra weight.

It is important to gain to a BMI of 20 after anorexia because it not only protects you against falling under weight if you become ill, but mentally it helps you face your aversion to reaching that “ healthy weight “ range.

If you want to fully recover, you will have to right your fear against reaching a BMI of 20! It is only a number! What is the worst that could happen to you in your life apart from the fact you “ feel fat? You can learn to deal with that fat feeling.

Once you reach a BMI 20, you look and feel healthy, and you get your period back, THEN it is possible that you may naturally fall back a couple of LBS to a BMI of 18.5 - 19: THIS IS OKAY as long as you have NOT HAD TO RESTRICT to get there.

Remember, weight is only a number, and part of recovering from your eating disorder is to over come your intense fear of gaining weight and to use other things in your life to replace the importance of weight.

This is a hard thing to do, and I still fight it every day over 4 years after my anorexia.

Remember, it is not healthy to pick a weight you want to be at; part of recovering is allowing your body to dictate a weight that is natural and healthy for you. If you educate yourself about the right toning exercises then you can look solid and slim regardless of the number on the scale. It does not take much to have a toned and attractive body, you DO NOT have to control your weight to an artificially low weight just to look good! Trust me, I know this to be a fact!

My therapist and I agreed to this goal. Although he would be happier with me at a bmi of 20-21 he says that if i can mantain a bmi of 18-19 he will be content as it has taken me a very long time to get here. I got to a bmi of 17.5 once before and slipped straight back down again because it was too much. I wouldn't want to go back to my original weight (even though im not 100% sure of it) because i wasnt happy there and was part of the reason y this all started in the first place. At this weight i am the happiest i have been in such a long time even prior to my eating disorder so im just scared of losing that feeling. I am talking about my fears and when speaking about bmi of 20-21 my therapist said that hes sure id look completely different etc and would look sooo much better at that bmi but doesnt want to push me because he's afraid it could cause me to relapse. It's not so much a looking good thing its a self acceptance thing more so i think. I'm sorry if im upsetting people or making them angry with this post and i appreciate all your concern and advice but i jsut dont know if i can make it up there

My BMI is 20 and I have a before and after photo in my profile. I look a hell of a lot better and not much different.

If you're not willing to change expect to remain without your period, without bone density and eventually without fertility. And a shortened life span. Tell me, is size and apperance really worth putting your life at risk?

Yes Lala - a BMI of 20 IS preferable for a recovering anorexic to reach, however; it does not mean that a BMI of 18.5 - 19.9 will cause health problems or shorten most peoples life.

TO THE OP - your current BMI range CAN be fine for SOME people, the problem is, BMI’S below 20 are NOT SUITABLE for people recovering from eating disorders. The normal rules do not apply to you.

Honestly, your body has been damaged and it really does need to gain to a BMI of 20 because it needs extra weight to help repair your system.

After you gain to a BMI of 20, if you eat normally you may naturally fall to a BMI of 19

Your eating disorder is distorting reality, this is reality; if you gain to a BMI 20 your body will have the energy needed to repair. After your body repairs itself, and you eat enough calories, then you need to let your body dictate your weight; it may drop to a BMI of 19, or it may go up to a BMI of 21.

I recovered from anorexia and became a personal trainer and trust me, it is possible to learn to feel comfortable with your body through resistance and toning exercises and regular exercise. You also need to combine this with seeing a therapist to get over the mental barriars to accepting a slighytly higher weight.

I was DEAD against gaining too much weight, until I discovered how different my body looked when I did the appropriate exercises. It does not take that much effort to be toned and look slim.

So, the best out come will be if you let your body repair adequately by gaining to at least a BMI of 20, then once you stop gaining you should start eating normally for your age/height/activity level and let your body dictate a healthy weight. If you exercise daily and do weight/resistance training 2 - 4 days a week your body will look the best that it can.

 Your body will LOOK its best if you let it find its natural weight, and you become as toned as possible; that will look MUCH BETTER then controlling your weight to an unnaturally lower weight then your body want to be at.

lalabanana you do look amazing well done! i am so very proud of u and u should be of urself also. thank you all for your advice i am seeing my therapist tomorrow and il talk to him to see if we can decide something. admitedly im stull not 100% about the 20 but we shall see! thank u x