Losing weight with a seriously damaged metabolism?

mandapanda721

I am so upset
It seems that no matter what I do, I can't lose weight.
I have a history of anorexia/ednos. At 16 years old, I have gone from 143 pounds, all the way down to 110 at 17 years old. I did this by eating only 500 - 1200 calories a day. This year, ever since I turned 18, I cannot stop gaining weight. I am back up to 137 at 5'4!! My clothes don't fit and I'm fatter than my mom. Diet soda and a low carb diet might also be to blame. For a short time, however, I weighed 140 lbs, then in a month went down to 136. But that's it! I lost that weight eating only vegetables and fruit and raw food. Now I am eating 1300 calories a day, weight training and doing cardio. I started at 134 and now I am up to 137 but I think it is water retention from a new routine and/or getting my period.
What routine should I follow to lose weight or fix my metabolism? Either way I want to keep the strength training and cardio.
But along with this exercise, should I either a)calorie cycle, like 800 calories one day, 1500 another day, 1200 another etc, b) eat only raw food and settle at whatever calories it ends up being, or c) do carb cycling? Like low carb most of the week and then eat carbs on the weekend?
How do I repair a damaged metabolism and lose weight? I have one month before I leave for college and my metabolism along with my confidence have taken a serious beating Help!!!!! I just want to be 30 by the time I go to college and then my goal weight from there is 125. I'm freaking out.

LJGettinSexy

I suggest you ask your doctor/dietician about your metabolism and how much calories to intake and any other questions you may have about your weight, especially with your history. It seems to me you are too young to have all these issues and asking us non-professionals on this website will only make you more confused.

MorningWhispers

For starters quit beating yourself up. 137 is actually a nice healthy weight.

Stop looking at movie stars, models, etc and thinking that is the way we should look. That is not realistic. 137 is a great weight for a healthy teenage girl.

There really is such a thing as being too thin.

It doesn't sound like you have dealt with the issues that lead you to become anorexic to begin with. You most likely need to talk to doctor and get some help in finding a love for yourself.

Eat healthy, stay away from soda -regular and diet, watch the sugars, get outside and do something that you like - jump on a trampoline, bike ride, go for a swim - live a healthy life and enjoy it and quit obsessing over not being thin enough.

doIlhands

i suggest eating at maintenance for awhile. Even if you go on some crazy low-carb raw diet and lose 10lbs if you don't learn to control yourself chances are you will be right back where you started.

leebesstoad

5'4" and 137 is a BMI of 23.5. Comfortably in the normal weight range. So stop beating yourself up. Stop thinking you are fat because you aren't. Not by any stretch of the imagination. Perhaps you haven't dealt with all the anorexia issues so you might want to talk with someone about that.

herblackwings39

i suggest eating at maintenance for awhile. Even if you go on some crazy low-carb raw diet and lose 10lbs if you don't learn to control yourself chances are you will be right back where you started.

I second the recommendation for maintenance. You're within a healthy weight range for your height. Give your body some time to recover from the dieting. You can use lifting to help with definition.

judychicken

Bump

jess1992uga

Well actually to repair a metabolism destroyed by ana (I have had ana for 7 years and had BED for 8 years before that) it is recommended you eat 2500 calories WITHOUT exercise. It's all here: www.youreatopia.com
But honestly, I would go see a dietitian and maybe get your thyroid tested.

heybales

Along with other great advice - mainly to eat very near maintenance.

Keep the lifting.
Drop the cardio to walking only for a long while. You don't want anything to interfere with your body's chance of getting stronger and making muscle.
That's one of the main reasons metabolism is probably shot, a whole lot less muscle mass than expected for your age, weight, height.
That can set up a life of yo-yo dieting, just asking many on MFP, even without an ED you can make your body and life miserable that way.

Why little cardio? You don't want to take away from chance to do your lifts as heavy as possible.
Only by going as heavy as you can for you, will the body respond by trying to build new muscle.
It probably won't take long for existing muscle to tap out and more be needed.

Plus the cardio can encourage storing more glucose for endurance type workouts, that is weight fluctuations - and that is going to freak you out more than it needs to.
So skip it for now.

3 or 4 x weekly lifting heavy for you. 3 x weekly is full body, 4 x is split routine. There are some great resources around.

And when you eat at MFP maintenance, it'll be inflated for you probably, so for a tad you be eating excess. Well, no better way for your body to put excess food to use, is then building more muscle.

Log the lifting as strength training. It doesn't credit that many calories, because indeed it doesn't burn as much as cardio during the session. But eat them back too, with enough protein.

chicbuc

Everything Haybales said.

You are at a healthy weight. You may initially gain a bit, but it will even out and it will repair your broken metabolism if you stick with it.

Good luck!

mattschwartz01

I'm sorry to be blunt but this is not the forum for answering these kinds of questions. Please seek help and advice from a medical doctor, physician's assistant, or nurse practitioner.

sevsmom

As for the "how" to going about losing weight in a healthy way. . .you need to seek professional advice. Heck I'm only 1 inch taller than you and I weigh 138. . .And i'm THRILLED with that!! (Ok. . .thrilled may be a bit much. I'd like to go 130, but it's better than 170!!)

I have kids a bit older and a bit younger than you. So, the mom in me is about to be unleashed. You MUST find a way (with professional input) to find away to have a healthy relationship with your body. It's OK to want to be thin or what have you. But you have to begin to understand that your value is NOT in what your body looks like (and how good you are at using it to attract others to you). It's a tool that you want to function properly for a long long time. That requires GOOD nutrition, ADEQUATE (not excessive) exercise, and a HEALTHY overall outlook. Please promise me to have a real conversation with your mom about your concerns. Tell her how you feel about your body (not blaming anyone. . .just tell her the truth). You may be surprised to find that she thinks you look fantastic, and didn't realize you were struggling with this. Moms WANT to be there for their kids (generally speaking). I hope you get the love and guidance you need from you mom.

bumblebums

Along with other great advice - mainly to eat very near maintenance.

Keep the lifting.
Drop the cardio to walking only for a long while. You don't want anything to interfere with your body's chance of getting stronger and making muscle.
That's one of the main reasons metabolism is probably shot, a whole lot less muscle mass than expected for your age, weight, height.
That can set up a life of yo-yo dieting, just asking many on MFP, even without an ED you can make your body and life miserable that way.

Why little cardio? You don't want to take away from chance to do your lifts as heavy as possible.
Only by going as heavy as you can for you, will the body respond by trying to build new muscle.
It probably won't take long for existing muscle to tap out and more be needed.

Plus the cardio can encourage storing more glucose for endurance type workouts, that is weight fluctuations - and that is going to freak you out more than it needs to.
So skip it for now.

3 or 4 x weekly lifting heavy for you. 3 x weekly is full body, 4 x is split routine. There are some great resources around.

And when you eat at MFP maintenance, it'll be inflated for you probably, so for a tad you be eating excess. Well, no better way for your body to put excess food to use, is then building more muscle.

Log the lifting as strength training. It doesn't credit that many calories, because indeed it doesn't burn as much as cardio during the session. But eat them back too, with enough protein.

Listen to heybales.

One of the nice non-appearance-related side effects of heavy lifting is that it seems to set your head straight about certain things, too. It boosts confidence and gives you attainable goals that do not have anything to do with your appearance.

mandapanda721

What if I calorie cycle? Here's a schedule I just made up...
Monday: Lifting (full body), 1600 calories.
Tuesday: Rest, light cardio (walking), 1000 calories
Wednesday: Lifting (Full body), 1600 calories
Thursday: Cardio (running) 1000 calories
Friday: Bodyweight training (can't make it to the gym that day), 1200 calories.
Saturday: Cardio (running, hiking, whatever) 1800 calories
Sunday: Rest. 1000 cals.

If I make my calorie intake kind of unpredictable will that help? And I figure on the lifting days I can eat more because the muscles need it to grow...

bumblebums

What if I calorie cycle? Here's a schedule I just made up...
Monday: Lifting (full body), 1600 calories.
Tuesday: Rest, light cardio (walking), 1000 calories
Wednesday: Lifting (Full body), 1600 calories
Thursday: Cardio (running) 1000 calories
Friday: Bodyweight training (can't make it to the gym that day), 1200 calories.
Saturday: Cardio (running, hiking, whatever) 1800 calories
Sunday: Rest. 1000 cals.

If I make my calorie intake kind of unpredictable will that help? And I figure on the lifting days I can eat more because the muscles need it to grow...

I don't think this is necessary, and you might be making things too complicated. Keep it simple. Your intake does not need to vary that much between days. Eating 1000 calories on *any* day is not a good idea, either, given your current weight--regardless of how much you think your metabolism is damaged.

This said, you might want to repost your question along with all the relevant information about your ED history in this group:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/10067-eat-train-progress-

P.S.

Some additional useful reading about metabolic damage:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/permanent-metabolic-damage-qa.html
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/permanent-metabolic-damage-followup-qa.html

BarackMeLikeAHurricane

I am so upset
It seems that no matter what I do, I can't lose weight.
I have a history of anorexia/ednos. At 16 years old, I have gone from 143 pounds, all the way down to 110 at 17 years old. I did this by eating only 500 - 1200 calories a day. This year, ever since I turned 18, I cannot stop gaining weight. I am back up to 137 at 5'4!! My clothes don't fit and I'm fatter than my mom. Diet soda and a low carb diet might also be to blame. For a short time, however, I weighed 140 lbs, then in a month went down to 136. But that's it! I lost that weight eating only vegetables and fruit and raw food. Now I am eating 1300 calories a day, weight training and doing cardio. I started at 134 and now I am up to 137 but I think it is water retention from a new routine and/or getting my period.
What routine should I follow to lose weight or fix my metabolism? Either way I want to keep the strength training and cardio.
But along with this exercise, should I either a)calorie cycle, like 800 calories one day, 1500 another day, 1200 another etc, b) eat only raw food and settle at whatever calories it ends up being, or c) do carb cycling? Like low carb most of the week and then eat carbs on the weekend?
How do I repair a damaged metabolism and lose weight? I have one month before I leave for college and my metabolism along with my confidence have taken a serious beating Help!!!!! I just want to be 30 by the time I go to college and then my goal weight from there is 125. I'm freaking out.

You were never overweight and you were never underweight. Diet soda and low carb diets don't affect your metabolism. Your metabolism is not damaged. Start with 1500 calories and lift. Patience.

chandanista

And quit comparing yourself to your mother. Only half your genes come from her; the other half from your dad. You may not be built the same, and that's FINE. According to your stats you aren't overweight, also maybe not done growing; do not compare yourself to anyone, not even your mom.

heybales

What if I calorie cycle? Here's a schedule I just made up...
Monday: Lifting (full body), 1600 calories.
Tuesday: Rest, light cardio (walking), 1000 calories
Wednesday: Lifting (Full body), 1600 calories
Thursday: Cardio (running) 1000 calories
Friday: Bodyweight training (can't make it to the gym that day), 1200 calories.
Saturday: Cardio (running, hiking, whatever) 1800 calories
Sunday: Rest. 1000 cals.

If I make my calorie intake kind of unpredictable will that help? And I figure on the lifting days I can eat more because the muscles need it to grow...

Agree with Bumbleburns - you don't need complicated right now - you need simple almost the same daily so you can plan and meet your goals.

Besides which, there is nothing to calorie cycling unless you are undereating for your level of activity - if you are, in that case it'll may help fool the body for a tad longer before it decides this isn't working and adapts anyway.

If you want true calorie cycling, meaning you leave your body with different amounts to use each day after your workout, you'd do the straight TDEE method.
The exercise would take off different amounts of calories right off the top, truly leaving your body with different amounts of calories afterwards to work with.

So for that TDEE method, just get best estimates of everything here, meaning BF%, Katch BMR based on that, activity calculator specific to your type and time and of activity.

And suggest your make your goal weight your current weight for now. Eat that goal daily.

Also, schedule is decent, but you appear to want to do the cardio, so make it work for you.
Thur - any running is ONLY in the fat-burning HR zone - better called the Active Recovery HR zone it's been called for years. 45 min max, 15 min of walking as warm-up/cool-down. Let your lifting actually repair and do some good, don't waste that workout.
Sat - any running only as high as Aerobic HR zone - since the body weight stuff probably wasn't as intense. Again 45 min, 15 walking.

In the spreadsheet, both those are high cardio, the walking part is medium cardio. Be honest with your other daily acitvity.
The lifting level is for sets and rests type lifting, no circuit training. So your bodyweight may or may not fit, depends on how hard it is for you now, it may start out as lifting level and move to high cardio later as you have to do more reps and less rests.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/813720-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-deficit-macro-calcs-hrm-zones

bumblebums

What if I calorie cycle? Here's a schedule I just made up...
Monday: Lifting (full body), 1600 calories.
Tuesday: Rest, light cardio (walking), 1000 calories
Wednesday: Lifting (Full body), 1600 calories
Thursday: Cardio (running) 1000 calories
Friday: Bodyweight training (can't make it to the gym that day), 1200 calories.
Saturday: Cardio (running, hiking, whatever) 1800 calories
Sunday: Rest. 1000 cals.

If I make my calorie intake kind of unpredictable will that help? And I figure on the lifting days I can eat more because the muscles need it to grow...

Agree with Bumbleburns - you don't need complicated right now - you need simple almost the same daily so you can plan and meet your goals.

Besides which, there is nothing to calorie cycling unless you are undereating for your level of activity - if you are, in that case it'll may help fool the body for a tad longer before it decides this isn't working and adapts anyway.

If you want true calorie cycling, meaning you leave your body with different amounts to use each day after your workout, you'd do the straight TDEE method.
The exercise would take off different amounts of calories right off the top, truly leaving your body with different amounts of calories afterwards to work with.

So for that TDEE method, just get best estimates of everything here, meaning BF%, Katch BMR based on that, activity calculator specific to your type and time and of activity.

And suggest your make your goal weight your current weight for now. Eat that goal daily.

Also, schedule is decent, but you appear to want to do the cardio, so make it work for you.
Thur - any running is ONLY in the fat-burning HR zone - better called the Active Recovery HR zone it's been called for years. 45 min max, 15 min of walking as warm-up/cool-down. Let your lifting actually repair and do some good, don't waste that workout.
Sat - any running only as high as Aerobic HR zone - since the body weight stuff probably wasn't as intense. Again 45 min, 15 walking.

In the spreadsheet, both those are high cardio, the walking part is medium cardio. Be honest with your other daily acitvity.
The lifting level is for sets and rests type lifting, no circuit training. So your bodyweight may or may not fit, depends on how hard it is for you now, it may start out as lifting level and move to high cardio later as you have to do more reps and less rests.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/813720-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-deficit-macro-calcs-hrm-zones

I have only one thing to add, and that is to recommend that you read more of Lyle McDonald's site about cardio. I know it is terrifying to increase calories if you have a history of eating disorders, and it sounds like you are ready to consider eating more. Right? But keep in mind that excessive/obsessive cardio is just the other side of the same ED coin. It is also counterproductive in that it seems to stress the body and cause it to adapt to using less energy than it would otherwise, meaning you would have to eat even less than someone who only eats at a deficit without a ton of cardio.

This can sound fairly complicated, but it doesn't need to be, at all. Keep things simple--try eating at maintenance to "fix" your metabolism (as described in the link below). Some people actually find that upping their calories causes them to lose weight--I've had this happen several times along the way.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html