Recovering Exercise Bullimic

ocdwriter

For about a year I suffered from Exercise Bulimia. I burned every calorie I took in at the gym. And my metabolism is shot. I'm trying to increase my calorie intake to 1200/day from 500/day... Is there a gradual way I can increase calories so I don't gain a bunch of weight? I'm trying to get better and healthy, so please no nasty comments.

Thank you,
Kayla

MaudeBeige

I'm not the right person to advise on increasing calories slowly but...

Welcome to MFP, I'm sure someone who has some knowledge in such things will come along soon.

:flowerforyou:

carolinedb

The best thing to do is see a registered dietician. I'm a recovered/ing exercise bulimic as well, and it wasn't until I did that I learned some good strategies. And they will tell you that weight gain is good if it brings you to a weight where your metabolism can function wel. They'll just help you gain healthy weight and work towards restabilizing your metabolism. It only took a few visits for me, and many are covered by insurance.

saintspoon

Good for you for being here & doing something about it! I'm proud of you

I've never been in your boat but I would say try & make those calories the most nutritious food possible. Stick with good healthy stuff like fruits & veg, whole grains & lean protiens. 500-1200 is a big jump so if you feel yourself stuffed don't worry too much but yeah stick with the good stuff Eventually it should all even out.

Congrats again on working on this! Add me if you like... I'm normally not mean

Jemmuno

You could increase your calories with fruits and veggies, fuji apples are 80 calories each, A med/large banana is 120 calories. You could eat some peanut butter with the banana those two mesh really well and just a few TBS of peanut butter can bring up the caloric intake. Also, a whole grain bagel with hummus is about 300 calories, I usually eat this for breakfast. I hope these are some good ideas for you.

meeperoon

If you want to increase calories but not feel like your pilling it on, things like nuts will be good, healthy fats and small amounts have high calories

DeniseNichole76

This is a condition I have never heard of, thank you for sharing. I am proud of you, too! Welcome!!!

millylucille

From experience, I know that it is extremely hard to increase your calorie intake without freaking out and feeling out of control! Self-talk is a powerful tool and can hurt or help you depending on your mental health. I would suggest seeking professional help from a therapist trained in cognitive behavioral therapy. By doing this, it helps you change your negative thoughts and behaviors to positive ones.

Also, try eating frequently throughout the day and increasing your calories slightly at each mini meal to meet your goal. It is a long road on the journey to recovery, one that never ends. The beauty is recognizing a need to stop the cycle, being aware of when you start to slip back into old behaviors and doing your best to focus on a healthy and well-balanced life. HUGS to you!

saintspoon

Oh & just to add... since your calories are so low you should def be taking a really great multi-vitamin

ocdwriter

Definitely don't have a hard time piling on calories haha, just trying to figure out a plan to do it gradually so I don't gain a ton of weight.