Increasing calories? Recovery?

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peaceloveabby01
peaceloveabby01 Posts: 68 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Sorry this will be kinda long

I've been struggling with an eating disorder for as long as I can remember. In April of 2014 I went to inpatient treatment. This was after multiple several month long hospital stays. When I left, I was fully weight restored. And was maintaining my weight at about 3000 calories a day.
Since then, I've been slowly but surely dropping my calories. I weight train which I absolutely love and I want to get bigger muscles, which obviously can't happen if you aren't eating enough. I've been eating around 1000-1200 calories a day for the last year. My weight has stayed the same, I think my metabolism has probably slowed to nothing which is why I'm not dropping weight on such a low calorie diet.
I've been in denial for a while about it being a problem but lately I think my body has finally had enough. My hair is starting to thin and I'm bloating an ungodly amount on my stomach. Energy is crap. So I need to increase my food. By a lot.
I've found the Minnie Maud guidelines and I don't like all of the things that it preaches, but I think the minimum of 3,000 calories a day is accurate to repeat the damage.
The thing is, I'm planning to start this program in a week when I'm moving because I think a change of everything will be conducive to change. I'll be living in a hotel for 2 weeks while I wait for my things to arrive (cross country move) . Perfect time to start. But here's the thing, I don't really want to do the baby steps of the calorie increase to get there. I think it would be easier for me to just start the minimums. I'm sort of an all or nothing person I like to jump in with both feet. It's how I do best. So my question is, is that OK? Can I just jump from where I am to there? I'm not underweight (5'4" and about 110 pounds) but I do have a very slow metabolism look to me, very very thin arms, almost frail, but my stomach is always bloated and carries a lot of weight in that area.
If someone could guide me in the right direction, Id appreciate it more than you know. Im really fed up with this eating disorder ruining my life and I don't want to ruin yet another vacation restricting my food

Replies

  • HamsterManV2
    HamsterManV2 Posts: 449 Member
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    You need to work this through with a professional. This is beyond anyone here's pay grade. Calorie counting for someone with a eating disorder needs to be done under guidance and supervision to make sure you don't relapse into unhealthy and harmful habits.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,395 MFP Moderator
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    I would agree that you definitely should be working with your recovery team. If you were maintaining at 3k, go back up there and continue to lift. By eating a maintenance, getting adequate protein (~90-100g) and following a structured lifting program (like one of these), you can see some increase muscle and lose fat.
  • rebel_26
    rebel_26 Posts: 1,826 Member
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    hmm thinning hair...have you checked your thyroid function? I hate to keep advising people to check their thyroids but the thinning hair and even alopecia is a side affect of hypo. (I had alopecia was my primary reason for seeing the doctor)
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,395 MFP Moderator
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    rebel_26 wrote: »
    hmm thinning hair...have you checked your thyroid function? I hate to keep advising people to check their thyroids but the thinning hair and even alopecia is a side affect of hypo. (I had alopecia was my primary reason for seeing the doctor)

    It's also a side effect of malnutrition (especially protein deficiency). Considering large cuts in calories and a history of an ED, both are within the realm of possibility.
  • meggoleggo89
    meggoleggo89 Posts: 54 Member
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    It's definitely important that you have medical supervision with this and if you've only been eating 1000-1200 calories/day, I wouldn't suggest jumping right up to 3000. Not only will it shock your body (which could lead to heart problems/heart attack) but it could be horrible for you mentally. A lot of eating disorder patients have an all-or-nothing characteristic/mentality (it's the black and white thinking) and that is another reason to seek out professional help during this.
  • mrflipmode
    mrflipmode Posts: 64 Member
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    I'm trying to gain weight as well.
    I'm classed as healthy but would like more tone, no matter what i eat i don't see to be able to gain weight.

    Maybe even ask your doctor to get a blood test to see if you're missing anything from your diet.

    I was missing Vitiman B and told how to get round this, good luck

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