Recovery process..

Previously iv'e been eating very little but as i'm trying harder and harder everyday to eat more, it seems to become more of a struggle! I was just wondering has anyone else had the same problem as me? ie. increasing calories and feeling sooo bloated and disgusting all the time because of eating alot more than your body is used to! The foods i'm eating are all healthy, I'm just eating alot more of them!

I know that i'm doing my body alot of good in the long run from escaping starvation mode but does anyone have any foods/remidies that prevent your stomach feeling this gross all while eating the increase that i should be right now?

Any feedback would be great! <3 x

Eat alot of nuts.  They are usually between 160-200 calories and won't make you feel full & bloated and will give you good fats and up your calories.  They're like a miracle food for recovery!  Seeds & avocados are the same, but I like the best.

Since you have been eating very little, its still possible your in starvation mode and you may experience refeeding.

I have struggled with recovery and this is my second time going through refeeding since I started to restrict again and I'm getting back on track.

First of all, congrats on making the choice to recover!  The road to recovery is very difficult emotionally and physically.  Not only have our stomachs severely decreased in size, but our digestive systems get messed up after restricting/purging etc. so you probably will feel bloated and get very full very quickly for a while.  Carry around Tums or Maalox and take them when you need them, I would get horrible acid reflux and stomach pains when I started upping my calorie intake.  Just remember all of this is just temporary discomfort, food is medicine and we need it to be happy and healthy! ^^

As you increase your calorie intake (and believe me, you will need to to keep up with your metabolism as it stabilizes) eventually you will be able to withstand more food.  If you still have a lot of trouble taking in more food, choose more calorically dense foods and foods that take up less space in the stomach.  Dried fruit, nuts, peanut butter etc. full fat milk and yogurt are great.

If you keep working on it, I encourage you to challenge yourself too.  Like desserts.  I challenge myself to one dessert a day and it has been getting easier and easier!  I feel great, all of the discomfort is worth it, it really is so keep pushing girl!  You can beat this!

Thank you for your comments =] Was very quick ..

 

Soulmaiden - you seem to have ALOT of experiance. I'm not entirley sure what my body wants right now but, i do know that i need to keep my food intake increased, I was just wondering if i keep doing so but with healthy foods and only 'good' fats, will i gain weight and If I do how do i lose it again and how long will it take?

This is the only thing that is restricting me from getting better im so worried to look fatter and for people to notice! it's crazy im so scared about this 'healing' process but so badly want to do it!...<3 xx Please write bach =D

princessdiamond

don't worry about "looking" fatter... the worst part is the number on the scale, trust me I have gained about 10lbs and no one has noticed at all! (which makes me think that most of the weight isn't 'real' and I still need to increase, I am still quite boney)

and if you feel bloated somedays, just wear a sweatshirt, the worst part is the water weight/retention which seems like real "weight", but 98% of it isnt't, your body just needs time to reajust.

Original Post by xprincessdiamondx:

Thank you for your comments =] Was very quick ..

 

Soulmaiden - you seem to have ALOT of experiance. I'm not entirley sure what my body wants right now but, i do know that i need to keep my food intake increased, I was just wondering if i keep doing so but with healthy foods and only 'good' fats, will i gain weight and If I do how do i lose it again and how long will it take?

This is the only thing that is restricting me from getting better im so worried to look fatter and for people to notice! it's crazy im so scared about this 'healing' process but so badly want to do it!...<3 xx Please write bach =D

You can, a calorie is a calorie, and at first I was only willing to eat more fruit, veggies, peanut butter, cereal and chicken as opposed to beef, oatmeal, pasta etc.  Not only was that difficult, because you have to eat more of that food to equal the calories I needed, but I got really really full and disgustingly bloated, not to mention my meals were lacking in taste and variety.

With my dietician's push (more like a shove >.< hah hah) and lots of support, I started introducing desserts and different foods into my meal plan.  Not only did I realize the tastes and sensations I have been missing, but I have started to enjoy food again, to really enjoy it and not be afraid of it.  Food is food, and no matter how much it seems like it, an eating disorder is not about food, food is just something to take the focus of the core issues.  So right now, I understand completely if you want to stick to safe foods, but I encourage you to eventually try a dessert or something out of that 'safe' limit.  I'll be here if you ever need encouragement ^^

You will not look fatter, you will look healthy, dear.  Anyone who says you look like you gained weight is an idiot and probably means well but doesn't know how to say it.  When I started to nourish my body, I got comments like "oh you look healthy" or better etc. even the occassional "have you gained weight yet?"  But its the sparkle of life and happiness that returns.  I have started to have more energy, I'm happier, I'm interested in arts and my passions again, not just food.  So push through, you can do it, its worth it!  Remember, you are not just a number on the scale.  I also seriously recommend weighing yourself no more than twice a week, once preferably.  Or better yet, have someone blind weigh you.

you can do it!

It took me a couple months, but now, I am eating SO much more than before, and I can sometimes feel like I haven't eaten anything.  Just push through it, keep everyone else's advice in mind, and don't let it deter you!  It really will work out, and you will be so much better for pushing through the discomfort.  Keep it up! :)

Hey! I'm new to the whole recovery scene, but I have found that when I feel nasty and bloated or something, it is often a good idea to get more fiber. sometimes you can have...er.."digestive issues", especially upon reintroducing food to your body when it has been deprived! if you aren't getting enough fiber in your diet, there are supplements you can take; I'm particular to Metamucil..they have pills (which I take) or these little cookie things, but I find that those are super nasty.

as others have mentioned, your stomach has probably shrunk a ton and isn't used to being filled, so when you do fill it, you feel gross. gotta love ED's, right...

anyhow, good luck! Taylor

I am brand new to this board, but I just so happen to be going through the SAME thing as you are right now, and I felt compelled to write.  I've been steadily losing weight and keeping track of my calories for eight months now.  In the beginning,  I was only eating about 600- 800 cals a day, and at first, I lost a lot of weight!  That's why I kept it up.  I was really hungry at first, but eventually, I trained myself to be "full" on 800 cals a day.  Then, about 3 weeks ago, I noticed that I just wasn't feeling very energetic.  And despite working out at the gym 5 days a week, I wasn't losing weight anymore.  So I did some reading and found out how incredibly low my calorie intake was compared to what it should be, and that was causing my metabolism to slow way down since my body was in starvation mode.  I realized that I wanted my metabolism to be high- especially since I am working out so much, and I didn't want to feel so sluggish.  So starting Friday, I upped my intake to 1200 cals a day.  (I'm supposedly supposed to be at like, 1800 or something, but it'll take time to get there!)  I did it by eating peanuts- like I had read to do by other users, and just more calorie-dense foods.  Sure enough, when I weighed this morning, I had gotten out of my weight loss slump and had dropped .6 lbs!  PLUS, I feel a LOT more satisfied and energetic.  After I work out, I'm back to still having energy afterward... just everything feels much better.  It's tough to make yourself do it, but just think, in order for your body to metabolize foods more efficiently, you need to at LEAST be at 1200 cals a day.  You'll feel better eventually.   

Wow, I just stumbled into this conversation. As someone who has a lot of weight to lose, I think it's really cool that this website serves people on the other end of the spectrum and that you're all here to support each other! Good luck to you all.

Princess,

I can relate what you are going through as I have been on both ends of the spectrum and right now, eating enough is an issue due to current medical problems. One thing I do to help is to sip on Peppermint tea. I find it calms my tummy and decreases bloating, but it doesnt increase calorie intake. Maybe sip a cup of peppermint tea while nibbling on a muffin or sandwhich. It can calm the tummy and wash down a few calories. I dont know if this will help you, but I find the tea is good to calm a tummy regardless of the problem.

 

Good luck and good for you for fighting through this!! I am proud of you!!

 

I'm going through the exact same thing you are right now. I'm struggling to eat at least 1200cals a day, and some days I don't make it but I try my best. I find it's helping me to only eat "safe" or healthy foods, just a lot of them. Those are the days I make it to 1200 or maybe even more. Eating junk food, white sugar, white bread, and processed foods makes my stomach hurt and makes me want to restrict again, so I avoid these foods as much as possible. The white bread especially makes me feel bloated and gives me horrible stomach cramps, so maybe try to eat whole grains instead if you aren't already? that's what helped me the most, cutting out those types of processed carbs. Also I pop a few tums throughout the day, they always make me feel a lot better too and help me get calcium.