Recovering From An Eating Disorder

BrittanyHarrington1015

Okay, so here goes. I joined MFP because my midwife encouraged me to since I have been experiencing a really high weight gain. She had a theory and wanted me to test it out, and it turns out that she was right. The main cause of my weight gain is that I have been eating nowhere near enough calories, in fact, most days, I have been over 1,000 calories short of what I should be taking in (MFP puts me at around 1900, not to mention, being in my third trimester, I should be consuming at least 2200 calories.) When I do eat, my body holds on to the calories. I have been on MFP for almost 20 days now, and had been doing well... Until this weekend. We had a huge snowstorm and didn't have power, and counting calories is actually pretty difficult when you can hardly see how many you're consuming. Then yesterday, I ended up with a 24 hour flu. Basically, I was doing well, and now I am having trouble reaching my calorie goal again. I lost 6lbs and now I've gained back 1.5lbs.
Has anyone been through this? How do you get yourself to keep on track with eating the amount of calories that you need? How do you keep yourself from not occasionally overeating because your body thinks it's more hungry than it is?

gigglesinthesun

Have you had a test done to determine your BMR or RMR on one of those bodpods? Its just that that would give you a number and by comparing that number to the normal number of someone with your weight and hight you would be able to determine both whether there is a significant difference and what sort of calories you should be eating.

However since you are still pregnant it leaves to reason that your body would be holding onto them for the baby. Weight gain during pregnancy isn't quite as clear cut. I gained a lot of weight (50lbs) with my second child and I lost 33 of them within 24h of giving birth. It was just baby and water even though one of the midwives wasn't pleasant about the weight gain. I would really recommend waiting and addressing any weight after the birth and breastfeeding. Good luck :-)

TavistockToad

i am a bit confused... you're putting on weight eating 1000 cals per day while pregnant?

are you trying to lose weight or gain weight right now?

BrittanyHarrington1015

i am a bit confused... you're putting on weight eating 1000 cals per day while pregnant?

are you trying to lose weight or gain weight right now?

The issue is that I gained too much weight, and the cause was that I wasn't eating anywhere near enough. I came up about 1000 calories short every day. Since I started MFP and started eating the right amount of calories, I have lost weight, but I'm having a bit of a setback from this weekend and then being sick. I'm started to revert to my old ways and I don't want to.

Mokey41

i am a bit confused... you're putting on weight eating 1000 cals per day while pregnant?

are you trying to lose weight or gain weight right now?

The issue is that I gained too much weight, and the cause was that I wasn't eating anywhere near enough. I came up about 1000 calories short every day. Since I started MFP and started eating the right amount of calories, I have lost weight, but I'm having a bit of a setback from this weekend and then being sick. I'm started to revert to my old ways and I don't want to.

No, your body can't make something out of nothing. You either ate enough to gain weight or you didn't. You don't not eat and get fat, just doesn't work that way. Ask your midwife where she assumes that you got the calories to produce fat from if you weren't eating. I'd be interested to know the answer.

KateK8LoseW8

Well, I'm glad you are having success with your weight loss, but it's physically impossible to put on a great amount of weight from under eating. And I think labeling yourself with an eating disorder based on the misguided advice of someone not in the field of nutrition is unwise. Your body can't create fat out of nothing. Populations stricken with starvation do not have obesity problems. Continue with what you have been doing to lose the weight, but please educate yourself on what is going on with your body.

Gee_24

Where is the body making all of this fat from if your not eating that much?


Say your only eating 900 a day and those 900 calories turn to FAT. It will still be burned off. And there is no way 900 calories turn into purely fat.

Your midwife is misguided. If your still pregnant, that will be the main reason for the weight gain. Even if its too much, it will be contributing a LOT.

geekyjock76

Did you lose a significant amount of weight while allegedly chronically underfeeding yourself? If so, then, yes, that would explain the obesity relapse when increasing calories towards maintenance.

gymgirl3590

Is it possible you miscalculated your calories when you were 1000 short? Like maybe you were snacking, or drinking soda. If you are short that many calories its possible to slow down your metabolism down, but after you've lost weight and have grown accustomed to not eating enough, but you won't gain weight, just stop loosing. Gaining occasional is common, look at the long run. I'm not sure if you're saying you think you gained because you over ate or under ate...

septembergrrl

Shot in the dark, but are you having blood pressure problems? I wonder if you're retaining a lot of water.

emilyisbonkers

i dont think your midwife should be using you to "test out" her little theories.. and you need to eat the correct amount of food for the baby inside you.. not fair to starve them..

klerato

Hi friend,I think you should remain on task and not worry too much about gaining. Your in your last trimester and any mom on here including you will say that the water weight is ridiculous right now. Dont sweat this right now.You have been successful and will be more successful after give birth(breastfeeding burns a ton of calories).
Kay

QuietBloom

Last trimester, lots of water weight. I doubt you gained fat weight by 'too little' (as your midwife suggested). It is physically impossible. Are you having blood pressure issues? Any reason you are calorie counting in your last trimester? If you really did gain fat during the time period mentioned, it can only because you are eating more than you think. Until they get used to doing it, most people do not estimate their calories very accurately.

Best wishes for a very healthy pregnancy OP! You must be very excited to see that new little one. :flowerforyou:

BrittanyHarrington1015

Did you lose a significant amount of weight while allegedly chronically underfeeding yourself? If so, then, yes, that would explain the obesity relapse when increasing calories towards maintenance.

Yes a while back I lost about 70lbs from not eating enough. Then I got pregnant and ate more, still under my calorie intake, but more than I had been eating and gained a ton of weight.

Featherweighttt

This has literally NOTHING to do with recovering from an eating disorder.

cadaverousbones

i am a bit confused... you're putting on weight eating 1000 cals per day while pregnant?

are you trying to lose weight or gain weight right now?

The issue is that I gained too much weight, and the cause was that I wasn't eating anywhere near enough. I came up about 1000 calories short every day. Since I started MFP and started eating the right amount of calories, I have lost weight, but I'm having a bit of a setback from this weekend and then being sick. I'm started to revert to my old ways and I don't want to.

No, your body can't make something out of nothing. You either ate enough to gain weight or you didn't. You don't not eat and get fat, just doesn't work that way. Ask your midwife where she assumes that you got the calories to produce fat from if you weren't eating. I'd be interested to know the answer.

Actually!!! If you dont eat enough calories, your body goes into a starvation mode and will HOLD ON TO EVERY CALORIE. Which can cause weight gain. But this isnt really an eating disorder... unless you like have issues with food and like are purposely starving yourself.

FredDoyle

Actually!!! If you dont eat enough calories, your body goes into a starvation mode and will HOLD ON TO EVERY CALORIE. Which can cause weight gain.

Please stop saying this. It isn't true.
There is something called adaptive thermogenesis which can down regulate your metabolism over time but your statement is wrong.

brynnsmom

Am I missing something here? Wouldn't the main cause of your weight gain be the pregnancy itself, espescially in the 3rd trimester?