balancing metabolism

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rainydayvivi
rainydayvivi Posts: 12 Member
I have no idea where my metabolism is at or how to eat to make it work better. I feel clueless. I keep going back to restricting bc it what's I know but I know it won't really work and will just slow down my metabolism. But I'm afraid to eat more if my metabolism is slow. Anyone know a good book with a diet to follow? I am allergic to grains and try to be paleo and also eat lots of veg and a lil bit of fruit. I've been told I don't get enough carbs.

If anyone else is facing a similar battle please friend me, I need more friends on here, esp those who understand ED!

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  • lewdug
    lewdug Posts: 17
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    Well, if you're allergic to grains, you should still be able to get sufficient carbs. Why don't you try eating more fruits, even if that's not what you would consider a safer food? They're much better than eating refined sugars, and they add fiber to your diet, making them great for your digestion. Also, make sure you get sufficient fats and proteins, with an emphasis on fats with omega-3 fatty acids. Make sure you also get fats with omega-6, but the ratio between those two types of fats is important. Don't overload on omega-6. Fat is incredibly important for the body, as it includes lipoproteins like HDL cholesterol, steroids that your body needs to control inflammation, etc, and it's also a big part of the cell membrane of every cell in your body. You can even eat red meat in moderation, too :-D That's really the key, moderation.

    Don't be too afraid to eat more if your metabolism is slow. Increase your caloric intake slowly, and you won't gain that much weight back. Your body will get used to the added calories soon enough, especially if you exercise using both cardio and routines to develop muscle mass. But you really should increase your fruit intake. There are a lot of good nutrients in fruits, as well as in vegetables, so take advantage of those. Antioxidants are one big thing, and so is vitamin C. And if you have low blood sugar sometimes, carry some pineapple with you. Instant, healthy boost, I tell you, with a load of potassium and vitamin C! Plus, it'll keep you from wanting to snack on unhealthy sweets because it's already so sweet in the first place <3 I love pineapple, and I have my chef hubby cut it up for me on a regular basis and carry it around because I go a little overboard a lot and have to bring my glucose level back up. Don't worry about it being a rather sugary fruit. Unless you are diabetic, the benefits outweigh the risks, hun.

    And don't worry, your metabolism will normalize if you just take care of and listen to your body. It's scary to see that weight go up on the scale, I know :( But it'll help you in the long run.
  • Etherlily1
    Etherlily1 Posts: 974 Member
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    Another way to work in more healthy carbs is to look at beans. Beans are loaded with carbs, protein and fiber. You don't have to have a lot at first, but they will help control appetite as well due to their density putting off cravings for the stuff that isn't as healthy for us as other foods are. At first ignore the scale. Hand the scale over to someone you trust and let them keep it for awhile. I also agree with what has been said already. Fruit is a good way to increase carbs as well. For a bit of a crunch try frozen fruit.
  • KateK8LoseW8
    KateK8LoseW8 Posts: 824 Member
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    Hey there, I have ED-NOS and am about 12 weeks into weight/diet stabilisation through an outpatient psychiatric clinic program. They started me at 1750-2000 calories per day (eat at the lower end on rest days, higher end on days I exercise), which caused me to gain a few pounds at first, but after a couple of weeks I started losing weight again. They increased my range to 2000-2250 after a few weeks, I again gained a couple pounds but then started losing again. At this point I am on 2250-2500 calories per day and have maintained my weight at BMI 20.5 for about a month. So, moral of the story - you will probably gain a little weight but it will go back down/taper off. If you feel unable to change your diet on your own, but are willing to make the changes necessary to recover, try looking into outpatient treatment options. They are more affordable than going inpatient, but you need to be willing to stick to the program.