Rapid weight gain

Majda1234

Will the weight you gained during two weeks of compulsive overeating every other day,hormonal disbalances and minimal training due to illness and depression come off more quickly? I have been basically consuming 5000 calories every other day in a binge uncontroloable mode for two weeks. Mainly had about 7-10 days with 3000 calories over my normal intake due to some psychological issues, the rest of the days i ate normally. Usually i exercise daily and have a healthy diet.

I have done a three day water and tea cleanse and have decided to get back to healthy lifestyle. I hve gained 10 kg during those two weeks, is it possible to be fat? i am guessing due to extremely high sodium intake some of it is water.

Main question- if the weight comes fast will it go fast? I was just maintaining before that, not trying to loose but i want to get back to my old weight so i am wondering how much will it take? The weight gain is pretty noticable

The way i see it is that if fast weight loss diets don't work nor do fast weight gain. is it possible to get back to original weight in a week or two? An how much of it could be fat gain. I have mainly been exercising only on days when i did not overeat. Which was basically every other day but sometimes i would overeat two days in a row. It has been really though.

Sonj1973

Hi there, sorry to hear you've not been yourself of late, but in all honesty the uncontrollable binging where your eating 5000 calories a day should be the issue being addressed surely not the weight loss or gain!!

The whole purpose of this site has taught me that it's not so much about 'dieting' but more about making better lifestyle changes that stick with us and support us throughout. If there are issues that are having such a detrimental effect on your overall health and well being that cause you to sabotage yourself then I would deal with those first.... !!

I hope you get some help from this site, there are some genuinely nice folk on here feel free to befriend me if you'd like a chat and good luck

meerkat70

Rapid loss diets don't work because they aren't sustainable, not because they alter physical laws.

So it will likely take a few weeks to undo a few weeks damage.

Are you getting some support for the binge eating? Sounds to me like that is where you need to start. Don't be tempted to try to punish your body into submission.

I'd suggest healthy eating, put the body scale away for a month or two, and find someone to talk to.

Majda1234

I know, i started therapy this week and i am dealing with issues, some of them are out of my life which is why i decied to get back to healthy lifestyle. But since i am also worried about my weight gain, i was wondering if anyone could help me out with that matter? I mean provide the information about rapid weight gain and how long will it take me to get my old weight back.

WaterBunnie

I agree that fixing you is more important than fixing the weight gain at the moment but I have found that holiday weight comes off pretty quickly when I get back on the plan. I don't really agree with those extra low calorie cleanses though. For me it would lead to another binge as your body cries out for the food it's missing. Sensible eating is the way forward.

Majda1234

I didn't do the cleanse as a weight loss managment, it was suggested by my nutritionist.I know three days don't cause much of a weight loss, if any but i had dastronomical problems too so she thought it would help me out. I have never had a problem with binging but this week has been ctastrophical and i have literally stuffed myself beyond being physically ill.But since the things that partially or entirely i am not sure caused my depression and binging are out of my life i am ready to get back on track.

Bingeing, in my case idn't so unusual since i am a recovered anorexic. ED thoughts get back to me sometimes and when i go through a thugh period they creep back even more. So it isn't unusual to cope with my emotions through food, either restricting or bingeing. During my anorexia when i didn't eat according to my plan i would set myself for a binge so for these past weeks the mentality "Eat as much s you can now because tomorrow you'll restrict" finds it's way back in

I know, of course my psychological state is much more important but i get really anxious when i see the scale go up since i am, for the fist time in my life at a healthy weight thst i am satisfied with. I also get pretty nervous when i notice the scale change since while i was recovering i gained WAY quickly than what i expected and as ready to gain.

I just need some reassurment that the gain isn't all fat and that it will come off quickly. I am working with my therapist on being less anxious but anorexia thoughts have their way of creeping back in and it id caused by having to gain MAJORLY and really quickly during my reovery.

I have also suffered from ortorexia and have IBS, so eating healthy is REALLY importan to me. But since i have been bingeing on 500 g of butter and bread a day or some crazy stuff like that i felt the way to "clean" my system and it makes me cry to think of the things i ate. It was unbelieveable, i would eat everything, eve the cooking cream( uncooked) or boxes of vanilla ugar, frozen bread, vegetabls and othr stuf from freezer because everything from the refrigerator was already eaten. And thinking about it mkes me cry, i think about damagining my body and then have images of rotten organs and stuff.

nexangelus

I'd say you are not recovered then, the ED has taken control again and you need to sort out the negative thought processes through whichever means helps you (therapy, talking to supportive family or friends, etc) Drastic cleanses and other such nonsense has no place in an ordinary person's "diet", let alone someone who struggles with food (it can be classed as purging if severe enough) and weight issues. Worrying about weight gain is another sign you are not fully recovered. Hey, I am no expert (not qualified in any medical sense), but I have been there and done that (ana and mia), I am now 39. Please stick with trying to get mentally better, then concentrate on the food issues. I am also guessing you do not have any weight to lose either, but are struggling with the weight you had to gain whilst in the beginning of your recovery phase. Please try to be healthy, eat what you can keep down and eat in moderation....above all, you need to kick the ED fully to the curb....

michellekicks

I find quickly-gained weight to come off quickly. I deliberately eat extra food to carb-load for endurance races and can easily put on 5-8 lbs in the couple of weeks leading up to a race. Most recently, when I returned to a moderate cut (caloric deficit of only about 300 calories/day) I dropped 6 lbs back off in 2 days.

With binging, it will be similar. Restriction isn't the answer. Controlled calorie cutting is. Find your maintenance and cut 200-300 calories from that to take those pounds back off. You'll be able to do it without setting yourself up for more binging.

sunlover89

For me - no. I've had the same problem as you for a few years - gaining 10kg very quickly but taking 6 months to lose it with healthy eating and exercise. So no, weight quickly gained is not quickly lost.

katitrast

Today is a brand new day. I agree with the advice to put the scale away for a few weeks, exercise in moderation, and follow your nutrition plan. Restricting ALWAYS backfires (as you know), and the psychological effects are devastating. I'm so glad to know I'm not alone on this post ana recovery journey!

Vivian06703188

You need to stop worrying about how fast you will lose the gained weight and concentrate of eating healthy. Put the scale away while you get yourself on the correct path to healthy eating. Concentrate on portion control and what type of food you are putting into your body. Set up a menu plan with the correct calories and follow it to the letter. Proper eating will eventually correct the problem you created but you should not expect a quick fix.

katbirdinpa

This exact same thing happened to me over vacation followed by a business trip. And not it will not come off fast.
If you are having problems with your food try increasing your activity. It takes 2 weeks to break a bad habit so start now and weight yourself in a few weeks.

Fithealthyforlife

I would suggest just keeping up with your exercise as consistently as possible--an hour or so of weight training and cardio a few days per week--so you can burn off some of the extra calories, and whatever is left can be used to build muscle. And you are indeed building back some of your previously lost muscle...not just gaining fat. Don't worry...the exercise will cleanse out your body better than anything else.

At the same time, hang in there with your behavioral modification program...learning new habits and unlearning addictions to certain behaviors is a slow process, but it will work eventually. Your body is trying to compensate for the eating disorder and that's why the binging happens. You body is probably lacking certain micro nutrients and so is craving certain foods in excess. The trick is that relapses still will happen, but they become less frequent and less intense over time. You'll get there. Progress isn't all-or-nothing. There will be setbacks and reversions for a long time, but they will happen less often as time goes on and as you adapt to your body as it gets to a healthy body composition. In eating dsorders, I believe the negative perception of a person's body is what drives the disorder, so over time as your body composition improves, it will help reinforce your body image and the way you feel physically (i.e. not sick but well and full of energy).

Oh, definitely listen to your nutritionist but also keep doing your research on your own. You want to be eating enough every single day to build back lost mucle and a little fat, but not so much you get sick and feel like quitting your newly forming healthy habits! It should be enjoyable and a challenge eventually, though right now it may seem hard and stressful. That will pass with time, as will the old eating patterns...it's gradual.

Majda1234

I'd say you are not recovered then, the ED has taken control again and you need to sort out the negative thought processes through whichever means helps you (therapy, talking to supportive family or friends, etc) Drastic cleanses and other such nonsense has no place in an ordinary person's "diet", let alone someone who struggles with food (it can be classed as purging if severe enough) and weight issues. Worrying about weight gain is another sign you are not fully recovered. Hey, I am no expert (not qualified in any medical sense), but I have been there and done that (ana and mia), I am now 39. Please stick with trying to get mentally better, then concentrate on the food issues. I am also guessing you do not have any weight to lose either, but are struggling with the weight you had to gain whilst in the beginning of your recovery phase. Please try to be healthy, eat what you can keep down and eat in moderation....above all, you need to kick the ED fully to the curb....

I don't think i will ever be fully recovered but i am going to therapy and am trying hard. I am at healthy weight range and i got my period back but i don't want to gain any more and i have been keeping this weight on for a few month until the past week when i gained about 3kg. I always was and believe i always will be worried about my weight but i don't think that means i am classified as having an ED because all women do care about their weight. I may am a bit more concentrated on it than most of people but i am working on thinking about it less.

Majda1234

I find quickly-gained weight to come off quickly. I deliberately eat extra food to carb-load for endurance races and can easily put on 5-8 lbs in the couple of weeks leading up to a race. Most recently, when I returned to a moderate cut (caloric deficit of only about 300 calories/day) I dropped 6 lbs back off in 2 days.

With binging, it will be similar. Restriction isn't the answer. Controlled calorie cutting is. Find your maintenance and cut 200-300 calories from that to take those pounds back off. You'll be able to do it without setting yourself up for more binging.

Thank you, i really hope so. I am back on my regular maintainence today, i am hoping to get back to regular eating habits and my "safe weight" soon enough.

Majda1234

For me - no. I've had the same problem as you for a few years - gaining 10kg very quickly but taking 6 months to lose it with healthy eating and exercise. So no, weight quickly gained is not quickly lost.

Thank God 7 kg fell of after the fast and normal eating for one day. I guess the fat gain must be 3 kg in that case which i am not so stressed out by. Thank you for the info. I appreciate it.

Fithealthyforlife

I don't think i will ever be fully recovered but i am going to therapy and am trying hard. I am at healthy weight range and i got my period back but i don't want to gain any more and i have been keeping this weight on for a few month until the past week when i gained about 3kg. I always was and believe i always will be worried about my weight but i don't think that means i am classified as having an ED because all women do care about their weight. I may am a bit more concentrated on it than most of people but i am working on thinking about it less.

Fact: You can indeed recover totally...
Fact: Recovery takes time and is non-linear.

Majda1234

You need to stop worrying about how fast you will lose the gained weight and concentrate of eating healthy. Put the scale away while you get yourself on the correct path to healthy eating. Concentrate on portion control and what type of food you are putting into your body. Set up a menu plan with the correct calories and follow it to the letter. Proper eating will eventually correct the problem you created but you should not expect a quick fix.

I am trying not to count calories since that is something i learned during my recovery.I am just following plan nutritionist gave me right no. Thank you for your respond, i eill ty to focus on getting back on track rather then the weight gain.

Majda1234

I would suggest just keeping up with your exercise as consistently as possible--an hour or so of weight training and cardio a few days per week--so you can burn off some of the extra calories, and whatever is left can be used to build muscle. And you are indeed building back some of your previously lost muscle...not just gaining fat. Don't worry...the exercise will cleanse out your body better than anything else.

At the same time, hang in there with your behavioral modification program...learning new habits and unlearning addictions to certain behaviors is a slow process, but it will work eventually. Your body is trying to compensate for the eating disorder and that's why the binging happens. You body is probably lacking certain micro nutrients and so is craving certain foods in excess. The trick is that relapses still will happen, but they become less frequent and less intense over time. You'll get there. Progress isn't all-or-nothing. There will be setbacks and reversions for a long time, but they will happen less often as time goes on and as you adapt to your body as it gets to a healthy body composition. In eating dsorders, I believe the negative perception of a person's body is what drives the disorder, so over time as your body composition improves, it will help reinforce your body image and the way you feel physically (i.e. not sick but well and full of energy).

Oh, definitely listen to your nutritionist but also keep doing your research on your own. You want to be eating enough every single day to build back lost mucle and a little fat, but not so much you get sick and feel like quitting your newly forming healthy habits! It should be enjoyable and a challenge eventually, though right now it may seem hard and stressful. That will pass with time, as will the old eating patterns...it's gradual.

I have been exercising regulary, even during the overeating week i did it on the non overeating days which is why i am hoping not all of it was stored as fat. I know, i am just kinf an "all or nthing person" which i am also trying to work on.

Majda1234

I don't think i will ever be fully recovered but i am going to therapy and am trying hard. I am at healthy weight range and i got my period back but i don't want to gain any more and i have been keeping this weight on for a few month until the past week when i gained about 3kg. I always was and believe i always will be worried about my weight but i don't think that means i am classified as having an ED because all women do care about their weight. I may am a bit more concentrated on it than most of people but i am working on thinking about it less.

Fact: You can indeed recover totally...
Fact: Recovery takes time and is non-linear.

Well i cetanly hope so. Even though there are days when i don't feel i want to recover fully. I know i takes time and effort which is why i started therapy and seeing nutricionist on time before my disordered eating got fully blown. I just cannot imagine a life where you do not focus on food at all but perhaps eventually, with enough will power it will be resolved.

Fithealthyforlife

I just cannot imagine a life where you do not focus on food at all but perhaps eventually, with enough will power it will be resolved.

Neither can I, to be honest. ;-)
And I'm totally serious. The line between an eating *disorder* and eating *order* (my own term) is blurred sometimes. The difference is that you can become addicted to good, positive habits instead of unhealthy, bad ones.

Hang in there, and use the extra calories you've already eaten to your advantage to build more muscle!

Fithealthyforlife

I have been exercising regulary, even during the overeating week i did it on the non overeating days which is why i am hoping not all of it was stored as fat. I know, i am just kinf an "all or nthing person" which i am also trying to work on.

Perfectionism and fear of negative outcomes is what causes us to have these disorders (I have a procrastination disorder I'm currently working on, which is kind of similar).

Fithealthyforlife

Well i cetanly hope so. Even though there are days when i don't feel i want to recover fully. I know i takes time and effort which is why i started therapy and seeing nutricionist on time before my disordered eating got fully blown. I just cannot imagine a life where you do not focus on food at all but perhaps eventually, with enough will power it will be resolved.

Btw, it's not will power. You have to surrender first and accept that what you were doing before was "ok". Not good for you, but ok in the sense that you're still alive, even if you're not as healthy as you'd like to be. The next step is severing your emotional connection to your past habits, and starting your new habits, which you're in the process of now. New habits are all you have. They are your life. You have nothing else. It will seem like just as much of an obsession initially. Don't worry about that. Obsessing is ok and necessary for a while until you get the new, positive rules down. It takes mental effort to change. Concentration. It will still seem to those around around you that you have an eating fixation disorder for a long time. But you'll be using positive habits.

And then you build upon them slowly and re-create order in your life. It takes time to build a solid behavioral repertoire. And as I said, there are re-lapses, but they become shorter in duration, intensity, and frequency as time goes on (on average). Non-linear.

I imagine that eventually it all becomes second nature and you no longer have to obsess, but I'm not there yet myself (and I've never even had an eating disorder). The difference is we call positive obession "enthusiasm".

Knowledge is power. I've told you everything I know now. Good luck and enjoy the process of building up your body and improving your eating habits and perceptions! It can be fun!

Luthien007

Well i cetanly hope so. Even though there are days when i don't feel i want to recover fully. I know i takes time and effort which is why i started therapy and seeing nutricionist on time before my disordered eating got fully blown. I just cannot imagine a life where you do not focus on food at all but perhaps eventually, with enough will power it will be resolved.

Btw, it's not will power. You have to surrender first and accept that what you were doing before was "ok". Not good for you, but ok in the sense that you're still alive, even if you're not as healthy as you'd like to be. The next step is severing your emotional connection to your past habits, and starting your new habits, which you're in the process of now. New habits are all you have. They are your life. You have nothing else. It will seem like just as much of an obsession initially. Don't worry about that. Obsessing is ok and necessary for a while until you get the new, positive rules down. It takes mental effort to change. Concentration. It will still seem to those around around you that you have an eating fixation disorder for a long time. But you'll be using positive habits.

And then you build upon them slowly and re-create order in your life. It takes time to build a solid behavioral repertoire. And as I said, there are re-lapses, but they become shorter in duration, intensity, and frequency as time goes on (on average). Non-linear.

I imagine that eventually it all becomes second nature and you no longer have to obsess, but I'm not there yet myself (and I've never even had an eating disorder). The difference is we call positive obession "enthusiasm".

Knowledge is power. I've told you everything I know now. Good luck and enjoy the process of building up your body and improving your eating habits and perceptions! It can be fun!

Great post

Snow3y

NEVER EVER EVER do those low calorie cuts. Ever.

Get your metabolism used to your weight loss slowly, Slowly is the key. It will take time.