Former Anorexic help

Gloricelly

Hello,
I had an eating disorder, anorexia, about 2-3 years ago. I didn't get proper help and I had no clue what I was doing to my body back then. I over excersized 2-3 hours a day, ate only an apple a day back then, I managed to get to my lowest I have ever been. Now I am at my heaviest I have ever been. When I began eating again, I thought it wouldn't come back, but I become overly stressed out and ate anything convient and fast. I am trying to eat clean now, but I can't seem to lose anything. Would this be due to muscle loss from the eating disorder and I'm living the aftermath? I have no idea how to fix up my metabolism to stop making my body go in starvation mode. Would my body still be in "starvation mode" even though it's been three years since then?


Notes:

I am currently eating 1,200 calories sometimes I go under that amount by 100 - 200 calories... and sometimes I go over by 100 calories usually.
I have been excersizing doing cardio for 45 mins a day when I have time I do 87 -90 mins cardio.
I also have been trying to do treadmill, cardio for 120 mins, but I'm not sure if this is pushing it to far.

xxcooneyxx

I honestly don't know the answers to your questions about starvation mode and such but I did want to say this. As someone who has suffered with ED, it can be a very slippery slope once you start dieting again. Your intentions can be that you will keep it healthy, but it is very easy to regress into old habits when dieting. I would hate to see anything like that happen to you. Make sure that when you begin your diet that you have some sort of support group. I know it seems silly, but Overe-eaters Anonymous (OA) Works with anorexics and bulimics a lot and they are great. Or you could see a shrink, or maybe make sure your friends or family know that you want to lose weight in a healthy way. That will help you keep yourself accountable and others will be able to help too.

I know nobody likes anyone up in their business, believe me, I know. Sorry if this was rude or nosy to say, I just want to make sure you don't fall into the same trap that I did years ago.

jus_in_bello

You should see a counselor and a nutritionist, preferably one suggested by your counselor. Former ED girl here, losing weight after having an ED is a really slippery and dangerous slope, we know what 'used to work' and its easy to go back to that. A counselor and a nutritionist are probably going to be your most valuable tools.

hdkerr

I would read this and take it from there. It's the best! You aren't going to lose the weight overnight with this approach, but you will lose weight and keep it off. I have been exactly where you are and if you need a friend I will be there for you. Friend me if you want!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/937712-in-place-of-a-road-map-ver-3-0

Skrib69

1200 calorie diets are controversial because that puts you just above starvation mode, and is they lowest intake that MFP will let you take. If you do a forum search on '1200 calorie diet' you will see all the arguments.

Also, are you eating back your calories??? If not, then you are not eating enough and as Pu said, you will not lose weight. My initial reaction would be to eat more, particularly if you are worried about old habits, but there are people on the forum with far more knowledge than me.

The right support network would also be a good idea too. MFP is a good start, and I would expect there to be groups of people in your position.

AshatanViz

I'd say, first of all, that you should start making (at least) 1200 your net calorie intake. This means eating a little more if you exercised that day. I would also say you should try doing some body weight or dumbbell exercises to strengthen your muscles. Don't just do cardio all the time. While cardio is great for you, you need some balance between that and muscle training. I'm thinking squats, push ups, lunges, pliés, and weight exercises like overhead presses, bicep curls, lateral raises, rows, etc. You can even combine exercises and do bicep curls WITH lunges (like Jillian Michaels recommends).

If it seems daunting to come up with a gym routine with all these extra exercises in it, I'd recommend getting a DVD like Jillian's Ripped in 30 or Yoga Meltdown, or even Insanity. (A note about Insanity: It is really really difficult, and the workouts are 45+ minutes. Don't do this one if you're easily discouraged.) I've done the Jillian workouts, and they're great because she teaches you useful exercises that you can bring to the gym if you want, but the workouts are great on their own. You will definitely feel the burn.

Eating a little more and adding in some strength to your cardio routine should help. Consistency is key. Continue to eat around the same amount of healthy foods daily. If you form good habits and stick with them, you will see the weight come off.

mahanaibu

You should see a counselor and a nutritionist, preferably one suggested by your counselor. Former ED girl here, losing weight after having an ED is a really slippery and dangerous slope, we know what 'used to work' and its easy to go back to that. A counselor and a nutritionist are probably going to be your most valuable tools.

THIS! Although people here are well meaning and in ways knowledgeable,, you are in an extremely special and vulnerable situation. You need someone with experience in the changes that might have occurred to your body to work with you, and you need to avoid sliding back into an eating disorder. You are especially vulnerable because the first year of college is the most dangerous time for developing eating disorders. You did a wonderful and strong thing by pulling yourself out of anorexia, but now it's time to get yourself the proper treatment. Don't fool around with it.

You say that you have gained 60 pounds but it's unclear what that means in the context of your anorexia. Does that really mean you're 60 pounds overweight? I don't see a weight or height on your profile.