Having problems breathing?

adobrev

i know this sounds like an issue that I should take up with a doctor, which I will AFTER I speak to you all, and if it doesn't change, then I'll seek medical help,


Basically, I'm 86.5 lbs and I'm trying to weigh 105. I have to eat 2040 calories a day minimum, in order for me to gain the necessary weight I need by the end of summer (my goal).

The thing is, I've noticed the reason why I hit my daily goal is because I'm eating lots of fatty, oily, fried, and sugary foods. That being said, I know it's very unhealthy, and I've been doing this for a whole week, and have noticed breathing problems and I'm worried I'm in the process of clogging my arteries >.<. Plus I can really run the risk of subjecting myself to diabetes in the future if I don't stop my high sugar intake.
Could you guys suggest some healthy foods and drinks I could replace the crappy things with so I can reach my daily calorie goal, please?

Thank you! Don't judge me...I don't like doctors. I feel like every time I come into their office, they're going to find something wrong with me....so please help so I don't give them anything to find pleaseeee?:))

moribunny

If you feel like eating what you are is hurting your health, then stop eating them. There are "healthier" foods that are high calorie like nuts for example. Ever look at peanut butter? A peanut butter sandwich can be over 400 calories just for a few ounces. You can also try googling foods you like, look up their nutritional values, and try to create a meal plan that you like and helps you gain weight.

kramrn77

Even if I were a doctor, I couldn't give any advice over the net. You might have some serious underlying cardiac or respiratory conditions. Or it might be allergies. Go to your doc.

As far as cutting out crappy foods- just do it there are plenty of healthy, calorie dense foods out there to help you gain weight without the crap. Oily fish, lean red beef, nuts, coconuts, avocados. All can increase your calorie count as well as providing nutrients.

adobrev

Thank you for both of your suggestions!

I thought avocados were for losing weight though?

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FoxyLifter

adobrev wrote: »

Thank you for both of your suggestions!

I thought avocados were for losing weight though?

There is no food specifically designated to be eaten only while in weight loss mode. Avocados are calorie dense so these sound like a great food to eat if you're trying to gain weight, but don't want to eat a lot of volume.

kramrn77

I wouldn't recommend eating a whole case. You'd be having the poop shoots (technical nursing term, there). But one or two a day can add good calories in. There are a ton of foods out there that are calorie dense and still good for you.

adobrev

kramrn77 wrote: »

I wouldn't recommend eating a whole case. You'd be having the poop shoots (technical nursing term, there). But one or two a day can add good calories in. There are a ton of foods out there that are calorie dense and still good for you.

Would you mind listing a new more? Like even recommend a few meal plans, please?

canadjineh

Avocado as mentioned, full fat greek yogourt, cheese (full fat and grass fed preferably), nuts - especially pecans, walnuts and macadamias which have a higher ratio of fats to carbs, if you want a few more healthy carbs with your meal plan pineapple and mangos are good. Quinoa has good carbs & protein, brown rice, sweet potato.

RodaRose

adobrev wrote: »

kramrn77 wrote: »

I wouldn't recommend eating a whole case. You'd be having the poop shoots (technical nursing term, there). But one or two a day can add good calories in. There are a ton of foods out there that are calorie dense and still good for you.

Would you mind listing a new more? Like even recommend a few meal plans, please?

Also almonds, small hand burger with cheese.
Sour cream, full fat salad dressing, full fat mayo, rice, pasta, beans, sausage, chicken thighs, salmon, tuna, almond butter, peanut butter, dried fruits, banana chips, muffins, bagels, scones, cheese, potato salad, cole slaw, chocolate, nutella, granola.

1. For example, make a hamburger with cheese along side some rice with butter.

2. For breakfast have granola with full fat milk or yogurt.

Good luck.

adobrev

Thank you everyone!!!! I really appreciate all of your hero and suggestions, Im going shopping in the morning, and I added everyone's suggestions on my list

adobrev

Thank you everyone!!!! I really appreciate all of your hero and suggestions, Im going shopping in the morning, and I added everyone's suggestions on my list

snikkins

Did no one notice the OP said he/she weighs 87 pounds? Or did I miss that while skimming?

In any event, I think you should seek medical advice on how to gain the weight if you haven't already as well as how to develop a healthy relationship with food

adobrev

snikkins wrote: »

Did no one notice the OP said he/she weighs 87 pounds? Or did I miss that while skimming?

In any event, I think you should seek medical advice on how to gain the weight if you haven't already as well as how to develop a healthy relationship with food

See the thing is, EVERY single time I got visit my doctor, I always ask how can I gain weight and if I'm underweight, how unhealthy is it. She always responds with"yes you're underweight, but you're not in the red zone, and your blood pressure and everything is fine." So when I ask how to gain weight all she says is take multi vitamins.

So it's either I need a new doctor, or I might be on the underweight side for my height, but not to the point where I could be anorexic. I still get my periods regularly, and for the full amount (5 days).it never skips or anything, I do have bad cramps though, but it runs in the family.

I'm not sick or anything because of my weight and I know for a fact I don't have a gaining weight disorder, because I weighed 96 lbs at one point, but I went through a pretty traumatic point in my life and I lost the ten pounds. I have gained half a pound since they very first time I logged into MFP, but I also wasn't consecutively logging in and making a point to eat the recommended amount the app advised.

So my main problem is knowing which foods to buy and which ones to avoid.

LKArgh

OP sorry but I think you are getting dreadful advice. You need to talk to your dr again, and you need to see a dietician. Most probably a therapist too. You are severely underweight, worried your arteries are clogging from too much fatty food and trying to rationalise why your weight is fine and why you should not listen to your dr. This is an eating disorder you are describign and you need professional help, not tips on eating clean.

MonsoonStorm

aggelikik wrote: »

OP sorry but I think you are getting dreadful advice. You need to talk to your dr again, and you need to see a dietician. Most probably a therapist too. You are severely underweight, worried your arteries are clogging from too much fatty food and trying to rationalise why your weight is fine and why you should not listen to your dr. This is an eating disorder you are describign and you need professional help, not tips on eating clean.

This.

It's great that you are actively trying to gain weight, but you are obviously having panic attacks in regards to food. Your arteries don't magically clog overnight.

You need to see a doctor who will listen and pay attention, and who will also run blood tests for deficiencies. I've no idea how tall you are and as such how underweight you are, but if you have been eating poorly for a long time then that should be checked.

If you think you can manage to eat more calorie dense 'clean' food without triggering anxiety, then nuts, avocado etc is the way to go, but I still think you need to seek *real* help in regards to this. As aggelikik said, it sounds like you are in eating disorder territory to me. No underweight 20 yr old should be having anxiety attacks because they've eaten some fried chicken.

MonsoonStorm

by the way, since you hate doctors, perhaps a therapist/dietician would be the best route for you as aggelikik also suggested. Between them they will help you to find ways to deal with what's happening without doctor's intervention.

However:

I feel like every time I come into their office, they're going to find something wrong with me....

why do you go to their office if you feel healthy? If you are in their office in the first place then something is obviously wrong and they need to figure out what. If you are thinking along the lines of "I'm going to have cancer", "maybe that salad I ate in mexico has given my hepatitis and my liver is shot..." etc, then again, that is something for a therapist.

You can't avoid doctors forever, they are there to help.

adobrev

MonsoonStorm wrote: »

by the way, since you hate doctors, perhaps a therapist/dietician would be the best route for you as aggelikik also suggested. Between them they will help you to find ways to deal with what's happening without doctor's intervention.

However:

I feel like every time I come into their office, they're going to find something wrong with me....

why do you go to their office if you feel healthy? If you are in their office in the first place then something is obviously wrong and they need to figure out what. If you are thinking along the lines of "I'm going to have cancer", "maybe that salad I ate in mexico has given my hepatitis and my liver is shot..." etc, then again, that is something for a therapist.

You can't avoid doctors forever, they are there to help.

I go every year to get my physical exam done. Or if I get a cold which is once in a blue moon, but whenever I go in I always ask about my weight because I hate how thin I am. I honestly doubt, with all due respect, that I have an eating disorder because I've been checked for it, and results were negative. I don't exhibit anorexia or bulimia traits.

I'm not having panic attacks on eating 'a piece of fried chicken', I'm worried that my childhood bad habits are finally catching up to me and me eating poorly now isn't helping it. As a kid I didn't drink milk or water all that much, but mainly soda and sugary foods. Ive been trying to drop the habit for the past year now and it's on and off.

I'm afraid of seeing my doctor because I'm always told I'm fine and deep down I don't think I am since people make fun of me all the time, so I'm worried after all this time assuring me I'm ok, she'll finally say something.

Does that make sense?
I was 5'0 last year, now I'm 5'1.

My BMI is 16.3, which is underweight, yes. on the cdc website it says normal BMI for my age and height is 18.5-24.9
And that I should weigh from 98 - 134 lbs.

I personally want to be 105-110.

Regardless, thank you for the concern.

adobrev

aggelikik wrote: »

OP sorry but I think you are getting dreadful advice. You need to talk to your dr again, and you need to see a dietician. Most probably a therapist too. You are severely underweight, worried your arteries are clogging from too much fatty food and trying to rationalise why your weight is fine and why you should not listen to your dr. This is an eating disorder you are describign and you need professional help, not tips on eating clean.

I never said I didn't listen to my doctor, I said I don't believe that just taking multivitamins are what's going to help me.

But thank you for your response.

LKArgh

You have a BMI of 16 and you are still growing. You are scared that drinking soda as a child has affected your health. You already have a eatin disorder. Your health is indeed in danger, and you are probably already experiencing physical symptoms because of very low weight. You need professional support before irreversible damage is done. I seriously doubt that tracking calories is safe in your case. Please talk to a therapist and get guidance on how to proceed.

adobrev

aggelikik wrote: »

You have a BMI of 16 and you are still growing. You are scared that drinking soda as a child has affected your health. You already have a eatin disorder. Your health is indeed in danger, and you are probably already experiencing physical symptoms because of very low weight. You need professional support before irreversible damage is done. I seriously doubt that tracking calories is safe in your case. Please talk to a therapist and get guidance on how to proceed.

I will thank you, I really do appreciate it, I'm going to make an appointment for some time this week,

BuccaneersFan

^ Complete overreaction. Just wondering, aggelikik are you in the medical profession?

I don't know how being concerned with eating junk food and being concerned with being underweight is an eating disorder. If you are indeed having breathing problems you should go to the doctor and get checked out to be safe. As far as your diet, you've gotten ZERO help from your doctor up to this point, so why continue to rely on her.

I think you've gotten great advice here. If you want to gain weight in a healthy way the majority of your caloric intake needs to be from healthy foods. Also, I would suggest starting to do some weight lifting so as you gain weight you'll gain some muscle and not all fat. YOU WILL NOT GET bulky by lifting weights, which is a common misconception among women. Make sure you get enough protein as well, around .80g of protein per pound of lean body mass would be sufficient, but more is fine as well. Find out what your body fat % is and then use that to figure out how many pounds of your weight is not fat.

adobrev

BuccaneersFan wrote: »

^ Complete overreaction. Just wondering, aggelikik are you in the medical profession?

I don't know how being concerned with eating junk food and being concerned with being underweight is an eating disorder. If you are indeed having breathing problems you should go to the doctor and get checked out to be safe. As far as your diet, you've gotten ZERO help from your doctor up to this point, so why continue to rely on her.

I think you've gotten great advice here. If you want to gain weight in a healthy way the majority of your caloric intake needs to be from healthy foods. Also, I would suggest starting to do some weight lifting so as you gain weight you'll gain some muscle and not all fat. YOU WILL NOT GET bulky by lifting weights, which is a common misconception among women. Make sure you get enough protein as well, around .80g of protein per pound of lean body mass would be sufficient, but more is fine as well. Find out what your body fat % is and then use that to figure out how many pounds of your weight is not fat.

I wouldn't mind getting bulky at all I actually was looking forward to toning my legs and abs and working out my traps and arms after I gained the weight. Would you recommend that I start using weights right away or use my body weight first and do calasentics?

LKArgh

BuccaneersFan wrote: »

^ Complete overreaction. Just wondering, aggelikik are you in the medical profession?

I don't know how being concerned with eating junk food and being concerned with being underweight is an eating disorder. If you are indeed having breathing problems you should go to the doctor and get checked out to be safe. As far as your diet, you've gotten ZERO help from your doctor up to this point, so why continue to rely on her.

I think you've gotten great advice here. If you want to gain weight in a healthy way the majority of your caloric intake needs to be from healthy foods. Also, I would suggest starting to do some weight lifting so as you gain weight you'll gain some muscle and not all fat. YOU WILL NOT GET bulky by lifting weights, which is a common misconception among women. Make sure you get enough protein as well, around .80g of protein per pound of lean body mass would be sufficient, but more is fine as well. Find out what your body fat % is and then use that to figure out how many pounds of your weight is not fat.

She has a BMI of 16 and she is still at an age where she said she is growing. Your post is a cross between ignorant and harmful. And trust me, ignorant is a very mild word, when it comes to encouraging a young girl with an eating disorder to eat "clean".
As for the brilliant advice to have her lift now, while she is dangerously underweight, let her dr clear her for this type of exercise first. Not to mention the idiotic comment about her having to worry about gaining fat, with A BMI OF 16!

Joannesmith2818

There is some great advice here. But just to say its great that you taking what people are saying on board. Good luck on your journey

kramrn77

Nothing she has said is actually indictative of an eating disorder. She's stated that she is underweight and wants to gain without resorting to fried junk food. Again, not indicative of an eating disorder. BMI is notoriously inaccurate, so no- not concerned- especially considering she recognizes the problems and is taking steps to correct.

As for the advice to go to a nutritionist- that's excellent if you can get a referral. Part of the problem is that doctors don't really get much training in nutrition. So she may just not really know the right things to tell you and then you get thrown back "take your vitamins". I am assuming you have had a thyroid panel done and had that ruled out. That might account for the shortness of breath as well.

Sued0nim

actually a lot of what she said is indicative of an eating disorder

a teenage girl who is still growing at a drastically low BMI and so confused about food that it is making her panic


sweetheart please talk to your parents and get some proper help

I think your rational mind is very sensible but nobody can do this alone

adobrev

I don't agree that I have an eating disorder, but I'm sure someone is going to say "denying that you don't have a disorder is a symptom of a disorder". In order to accurately access and say I have one ,you'd have to look through all of my medical records, and at least have some type of license in the medical field to understand my medical chart. I also mentioned that I've had tests done and they've been negative.

I did say I was going to set up an appointment with my physician some time this week to do a check up, and see what's going on with my breathing.

The thing is, not everyone who is underweight has an eating disorder, it's just how we are. Same with people who are a bit over weight, they don't have an eating disorder, they're just converting their food into fat and storing it more than the average person who does exercise and burns the excess calories.

Again thank you for everyone's concern though, I do appreciate that people care on my fitness pal

mbaker566

it did take me a long time to catch up with my height.
consider nut butters.
avocados
good hearty breads.
eating a balanced diet will help you feel healthy but if you have fatty foods now and then, you will be fine as well. and enjoy this time in your life

ManiacalLaugh

Just popping in to say, don't worry about "catching" diabetes from eating too much sugar. Neither Type I, nor Type II work like that. Sugar exacerbates symptoms from a problem that's already there, which is why people who eat a lot of sugar are diagnosed (because the symptoms pop up when they binge on sugar), but trust me, this is not a disease you can get from eating a candy bar.

That being said, if you have a family history of Type II, that would warrant some caution, as it is largely genetic. But I'm just trying to alleviate some of your anxiety about eating.

BuccaneersFan

aggelikik wrote: »

BuccaneersFan wrote: »

^ Complete overreaction. Just wondering, aggelikik are you in the medical profession?

I don't know how being concerned with eating junk food and being concerned with being underweight is an eating disorder. If you are indeed having breathing problems you should go to the doctor and get checked out to be safe. As far as your diet, you've gotten ZERO help from your doctor up to this point, so why continue to rely on her.

I think you've gotten great advice here. If you want to gain weight in a healthy way the majority of your caloric intake needs to be from healthy foods. Also, I would suggest starting to do some weight lifting so as you gain weight you'll gain some muscle and not all fat. YOU WILL NOT GET bulky by lifting weights, which is a common misconception among women. Make sure you get enough protein as well, around .80g of protein per pound of lean body mass would be sufficient, but more is fine as well. Find out what your body fat % is and then use that to figure out how many pounds of your weight is not fat.

She has a BMI of 16 and she is still at an age where she said she is growing. Your post is a cross between ignorant and harmful. And trust me, ignorant is a very mild word, when it comes to encouraging a young girl with an eating disorder to eat "clean".
As for the brilliant advice to have her lift now, while she is dangerously underweight, let her dr clear her for this type of exercise first. Not to mention the idiotic comment about her having to worry about gaining fat, with A BMI OF 16!

I see you didn't want to respond to the question about whether you work in the medical field.

I think you have an issue with reading comprehension, and trust me, issue is a very mild word, you obviously lack any reading comprehension at all. First off she's 20 years old, she's not growing anymore. Secondly, I never used the word "clean" when suggesting what she should eat, I said eat "healthy foods." Are you saying she should not eat healthy foods? Because that is completely and utterly ignorant. Third, I never said for her to "not" gain fat or to worry about gaining fat, I said that by lifting she would gain "some muscle and not all fat." Eating a bunch of crap to gain weight is not going to leave her any better off than she is right now.