Post Anorexia Weight Loss - Help with how to eat

dragon_girl26

emmykayyy wrote: »

I'm gonna also point out that if you are doing strength training, some of that weight might be muscle rather than fat If you are doing a fair amount of exercise please don't eat below 1200

Not likely. OP says she's currently only eating 1000 to 1200 calories a day. In order to build significant muscle of any kind, she would need to be eating more than that. If anything, eating a VLCD (which is essentially what she's doing right now) would cause muscle loss.

concrete_daisies

dragon_girl26 wrote: »

Not likely. OP says she's currently only eating 1000 to 1200 calories a day. In order to build significant muscle of any kind, she would need to be eating more than that. If anything, eating a VLCD (which is essentially what she's doing right now) would cause muscle loss.

Yeah, I realised that as I was reading some of the responses

CattOfTheGarage

Can you get help through an eating disorder charity like beat?

Also, does anyone know if disordered eating responds to cognitive behavioural therapy? That may be easier to get a referral for. Also can see no reason GP will not refer you to a dietitian, you do not need to meet ed criteria for that, I would press hard for that referral and if he will not give you it then change GPs. Sometimes it works better if, instead of asking the GP what you should do, you say "please refer me for this". It makes their job easier and unless you are asking for a completely inappropriate service they are quite likely to do it.

OP, I do not agree you should be shooting for the middle of the healthy BMI range. There is no reason to believe you will be healthier or happier there than at the top of the range. If your BMI is in the healthy range then you are already at a healthy weight, and you should leave it alone and concentrate on the ed symptoms. Your feeling that you will be happier with your body if you are 7lb lighter does not sound realistic.

Hope you get some help and support. Well done for how far you have already come

Iccleamelia

jennifer_417 wrote: »

Because, unfortunately, our health care system is so overburdened, that only the most desperate cases get the help they really need, and sometimes not even they do.

Honestly, I find some of your responses in this thread to be a bit concerning, and it worries me that you don't have more support. I read where you talked to your Dr, and he offered you antidepressants. They are at least somewhat trained to recognize the symptoms, maybe it would be helpful for you to take his advice? EDs do tend to have their roots in depression, and it may actually help you to feel better.

I'm not one to think that pill solves every problem, but if it can help, then why not at least try it?

I know and i am aware that there are people out there that are in more desperate need than i am for treatment - and is sometimes why i seem to feel the need to punish myself with starvation for being this weight, for being so greedy

I have been on and off the meds for the first year i was weight restoring, but after that my depression has decreased - what is still there is the anxiety and that haunts me and makes me feel like I'm constantly in a really stressful job or something perhaps that is hindering the weight loss...

plus meds are known to make some people gain weight - I don't want to take that risk either

Iccleamelia

CattOfTheGarage wrote: »

Can you get help through an eating disorder charity like beat?

Also, does anyone know if disordered eating responds to cognitive behavioural therapy? That may be easier to get a referral for. Also can see no reason GP will not refer you to a dietitian, you do not need to meet ed criteria for that, I would press hard for that referral and if he will not give you it then change GPs. Sometimes it works better if, instead of asking the GP what you should do, you say "please refer me for this". It makes their job easier and unless you are asking for a completely inappropriate service they are quite likely to do it.

OP, I do not agree you should be shooting for the middle of the healthy BMI range. There is no reason to believe you will be healthier or happier there than at the top of the range. If your BMI is in the healthy range then you are already at a healthy weight, and you should leave it alone and concentrate on the ed symptoms. Your feeling that you will be happier with your body if you are 7lb lighter does not sound realistic.

Hope you get some help and support. Well done for how far you have already come

I've tried their website and occasionally called their helpline when I've been REALLY anxious, but they can't really offer me any proper treatment.

And i have been referred by GP to a dietician before, but got rejected - again.

I genuinely do feel I'll be happier at BMI 20, honestly! and thank you

SCoil123

As a recovering bulimic I found I need healthy ranges as my goal. Fixating on a certain number sets me up to get sick again. Please consider this when setting your goals.