i need to start eating more than my BMR but never can, help!
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I am a certified personal trainer who occasionally refers members with known or possible history of eating disorders to the appropriate health specialists. With that said, here is some info for you in regards to your questions.
There are two contributing factors determining the amount of fat gained during weight recovery: Initial body fat percentage and the adjusted value in one's Resting Metabolic Rate (degree of decline and the rate it takes to increase).
This may not be what you wish to hear but I am sorry to say the reality for persons such as yourself is that you will gain a disproportionate amount of fat during weight recovery relative to lean body mass. When one chronically restricts their calories to that severity, a significant amount of total weight lost is from fat-free mass, or lean body mass (muscle tissue, bone mass density, water, etc). However, only a fraction of that LBM is recovered during weight recovery. Thus, if one returns to their initial weight, prior to engaging in disordered eating, they will have a much higher body fat percentage as most of the weight gained is fat mass.
The only things that can up your Resting Metabolic Rate is: continuing to up calories until you reach your adjusted TDEE, and maintaining it, and increasing LBM. Usually, the time in which it takes for ones RMR to reach optimal levels is equal to the length of calorie restriction. However, the rate at which you gain LBM will shorten that time. This is where lifting weights will benefit tremendously as your RMR and adjusted TDEE increase.
I am not qualified to tell you what to do, but many treatments will either recommend a slow or rapid refeed depending on the severity of the ED and health consequences that result. If you do opt for a slower refeed (upping of calories), this will allow your RMR to catch up and increase slowly, thus minimizing [somewhat] the disproportionate gain in fat mass.
In the end, you should still speak to a health specialist dealing with EDs to get the proper plan implemented as well as education.0 -
Choose exercises that will work the big muscles in your thighs. Pick up something that feels heavy and do squats and lunges. Work all the muscles in your body, there are more than your biceps. If you work on building muscle, your body will put the calories towards the muscles and less towards fat. It will be ok- you have to work really long and hard and probably take steroids to get bodybuilder sized muscles!0
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thankyou everyone!
i will start doing this, i will be doing exercise too because i don't just want to eat and sit around all day, i don't want there to be any jiggly or wobbly fat on my body around my belly or thighs..
btw if i eat my BMR calories which is 1,500 calories and just sit down all day will i gain fat and get bigger thighs and arms or will they remain the same until i eat more than my BMR?
Please goto the doctor the way you are viewing your body is still completely unhealthy and I personally think you need someone to help you walk through it. And in order for you to look healthy you are going to have to gain some fat. Muscle too which is why the weight training idea is a good one but you need to worry about how much you do exercise wise. To gain weight you probably need to be eating a lot more than 1500 calories a day. Which may seem impossible now but it may be reality depending on how active you are.
100% this
BTW OP, BMR is the bare minimum that your body needs to function properly...roll out of bed, take a deuce, and function in a sedentary manner for the day. Most people who diet to lose weight eat to their BMR. You need to eat to your TDEE just to maintain your current weight and get your metabolism going.
You really need to see a professional about this. I've known people just like this and it's one hell of an uphill battle and yes, there's some unpleasantries along the way. In many respects, it is worse than having to lose weight. You need to be doing this under professional supervision. As helpful as folks are here at MFP, most are not equipped to properly advise you here, particularly where the psychological issues are concerned...body image, etc.
Please, seek some help and do this the right way. You've taken a big first step in admiting you have a disorder and wanting to do something about it...now take the next step and seek out a professional. Your PCP would be a good place to start and I'm sure he/she could help guide you to a specialist.0 -
I am a certified personal trainer who occasionally refers members with known or possible history of eating disorders to the appropriate health specialists. With that said, here is some info for you in regards to your questions.
There are two contributing factors determining the amount of fat gained during weight recovery: Initial body fat percentage and the adjusted value in one's Resting Metabolic Rate (degree of decline and the rate it takes to increase).
This may not be what you wish to hear but I am sorry to say the reality for persons such as yourself is that you will gain a disproportionate amount of fat during weight recovery relative to lean body mass. When one chronically restricts their calories to that severity, a significant amount of total weight lost is from fat-free mass, or lean body mass (muscle tissue, bone mass density, water, etc). However, only a fraction of that LBM is recovered during weight recovery. Thus, if one returns to their initial weight, prior to engaging in disordered eating, they will have a much higher body fat percentage as most of the weight gained is fat mass.
The only things that can up your Resting Metabolic Rate is: continuing to up calories until you reach your adjusted TDEE, and maintaining it, and increasing LBM. Usually, the time in which it takes for ones RMR to reach optimal levels is equal to the length of calorie restriction. However, the rate at which you gain LBM will shorten that time. This is where lifting weights will benefit tremendously as your RMR and adjusted TDEE increase. I am not qualified to tell you what to do, but many treatments will either recommend a slow or rapid refeed depending on the severity of the ED it and health consequences that result. If you do opt for a slower refeed (upping of calories), this will allow your RMR to catch up and increase slowly, thus minimizing [somewhat] the disproportionate gain in fat mass.
In the end, you should still speak to a health specialist dealing with EDs to get the proper plan implemented.
Everything geekyjock76 said, ESPECIALLY THE LAST LINE.0 -
Are you seeing any kind of health professional about all this?0
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okay thanks people and i do understand, ONE LAST THING THOUGH, my mum will be making chapatti and curry/lentils/daal everyday, as we all know it has lots of butter in and other fats in the currys and lots of carbs in chapatti's, so will this make me gain more fat if i eat it once everyday for lunch or will it be okay to up my calories?0
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Great for you for realizing that, as some people don't, and making healthy choices. I would say go for foods that are calorie dense foods like nuts! I love organic peanut butter sandwiches lol.0
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If you are trying to gain healthy weight, you have to eat in a caloric surplus. Multiply your weight by 14, since you're a woman, and the number you get should be your maintenance calories. Now, add another 200-500 calories to that number. With 500 added calories, you can gain a pound per week. If you want it to be less, lower your surplus, but it shouldn't get any lower than 200.
Now, in order to get more calories in, try mixing your foods with healthy fats. Cook some eggs with extra-virgin olive oil, add some avocados to your dishes, eat some nuts, seeds, almonds. All these are great fats that can easily add calories to your diet. An example could be:
3 eggs cooked with extra-virgin olive oil, you could add some cheese to it, whole wheat bread, and a glass of whole milk.
You could snack on some Almonds, Peanuts, any type of nuts really. Protein bars are good as well. Or, I love having this, a peanut butter sandwich, make sure the peanut butter is all natural and use whole grain/wheat bread.
A turkey burger! Some lean turkey, make some fries with sweet potatoes, you could add some turkey bacon, cheese, it's really delicious!
Oatmeal with peanut/almond butter. That is way too good, you'll love it.
Chicken pizza. So so good. Use whole wheat pitas as the crust, add some sauce, I use tomato paste. Some cheese, chicken as a topping or anything else you'd like like turkey pepperoni or bacon, be creative with it. Good luck!0 -
If you are trying to gain healthy weight, you have to eat in a caloric surplus. Multiply your weight by 14, since you're a woman, and the number you get should be your maintenance calories. Now, add another 200-500 calories to that number. With 500 added calories, you can gain a pound per week. If you want it to be less, lower your surplus, but it shouldn't get any lower than 200.
Now, in order to get more calories in, try mixing your foods with healthy fats. Cook some eggs with extra-virgin olive oil, add some avocados to your dishes, eat some nuts, seeds, almonds. All these are great fats that can easily add calories to your diet. An example could be:
3 eggs cooked with extra-virgin olive oil, you could add some cheese to it, whole wheat bread, and a glass of whole milk.
You could snack on some Almonds, Peanuts, any type of nuts really. Protein bars are good as well. Or, I love having this, a peanut butter sandwich, make sure the peanut butter is all natural and use whole grain/wheat bread.
A turkey burger! Some lean turkey, make some fries with sweet potatoes, you could add some turkey bacon, cheese, it's really delicious!
Oatmeal with peanut/almond butter. That is way too good, you'll love it.
Chicken pizza. So so good. Use whole wheat pitas as the crust, add some sauce, I use tomato paste. Some cheese, chicken as a topping or anything else you'd like like turkey pepperoni or bacon, be creative with it. Good luck!
thankyou, iwill be doing this and will it be okay if i eat a chapatti and curry/lentil/daal/ndian dish for lunch everyday as they are higher in calories but they are also high in fat..
should i be using wholewheat flour to make the flatbreads or normal white, because if i use the normal white flour then my insulin levels will shoot up but if not then they won't, i want to up my calories in the healthiest way possible and gain very little fat while doing so..
so will i gain little fat while eating one chapatti a day with a indian dish that my mum makes?0 -
okay thanks people and i do understand, ONE LAST THING THOUGH, my mum will be making chapatti and curry/lentils/daal everyday, as we all know it has lots of butter in and other fats in the currys and lots of carbs in chapatti's, so will this make me gain more fat if i eat it once everyday for lunch or will it be okay to up my calories?0
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okay thanks people and i do understand, ONE LAST THING THOUGH, my mum will be making chapatti and curry/lentils/daal everyday, as we all know it has lots of butter in and other fats in the currys and lots of carbs in chapatti's, so will this make me gain more fat if i eat it once everyday for lunch or will it be okay to up my calories?
Butter is not an unhealthy fat and carbs are not the enemy so eat!0 -
okay thanks people and i do understand, ONE LAST THING THOUGH, my mum will be making chapatti and curry/lentils/daal everyday, as we all know it has lots of butter in and other fats in the currys and lots of carbs in chapatti's, so will this make me gain more fat if i eat it once everyday for lunch or will it be okay to up my calories?
Butter is not an unhealthy fat and carbs are not the enemy so eat!
okay i will do but will it make me gain double the fat eating it? or will it be okay eating it once a day?0 -
Read my original response regarding disproportionate amount of fat gain relative to fat-free mass. You will gain back some of the fat you lost. That's just the harsh reality after eating so little for so long as your body wants to recover the lost weight - and most of it will be from fat since you won't recover a lot of the fat-free mass you lost.
In the end, one needs to supply more energy than what their present TDEE is to gain fat. For instance, I lift weights 5 days per week and need 2900 calories to maintain my weight and body composition. I am losing fat presently because I am eating 2500 to 2600 calories. Thus, I am providing less energy in the form of calories compared to how much my body needs total.
I wouldn't really care much if I were you since your main goal is to up calories from varied sources. In fact, for most refeed programs, the initial phase typically has 40 to 50% of your calories from fats to help restore hormonal function and the state of the heart (if its function and size has been reduced).0 -
okay thanks people and i do understand, ONE LAST THING THOUGH, my mum will be making chapatti and curry/lentils/daal everyday, as we all know it has lots of butter in and other fats in the currys and lots of carbs in chapatti's, so will this make me gain more fat if i eat it once everyday for lunch or will it be okay to up my calories?
Butter is not an unhealthy fat and carbs are not the enemy so eat!
okay i will do but will it make me gain double the fat eating it? or will it be okay eating it once a day?
Fat doesn't make people fat like we were once told. Nothing makes us fat except for eating more calories than we burn. Enjoy your mums cooking!0 -
yes but how do i prevent my thighs from getting jiggly? i know your saying don't do cardio until i've started to eat the normal calorie amount but what type of exercises can i do for my thighs, belly and arms if i don't want to gain fat there when trying to up my calories?
You missed it.
Lift weights. Strength training. Resistance training.
http://www.exrx.net/WeightTraining/Instructions.html0 -
i will start eating chapatti once a day with the indian dish my mum makes then and thankyou for everyone who has taken their time to reply to my post, it helped me out alot! i realise i need to go to a certain weight because i am not at the moment, i will be increasing my calories slowly each day and then stick to the right amount that works for me which will start of with 1,500..
i will be eating healthily and lifting light weights and maybe doing some pilates or cardio but lightly and i will be eating less junk food, maybe just once a week:)0 -
I am a certified personal trainer who occasionally refers members with known or possible history of eating disorders to the appropriate health specialists. With that said, here is some info for you in regards to your questions.
There are two contributing factors determining the amount of fat gained during weight recovery: Initial body fat percentage and the adjusted value in one's Resting Metabolic Rate (degree of decline and the rate it takes to increase).
This may not be what you wish to hear but I am sorry to say the reality for persons such as yourself is that you will gain a disproportionate amount of fat during weight recovery relative to lean body mass. When one chronically restricts their calories to that severity, a significant amount of total weight lost is from fat-free mass, or lean body mass (muscle tissue, bone mass density, water, etc). However, only a fraction of that LBM is recovered during weight recovery. Thus, if one returns to their initial weight, prior to engaging in disordered eating, they will have a much higher body fat percentage as most of the weight gained is fat mass.
The only things that can up your Resting Metabolic Rate is: continuing to up calories until you reach your adjusted TDEE, and maintaining it, and increasing LBM. Usually, the time in which it takes for ones RMR to reach optimal levels is equal to the length of calorie restriction. However, the rate at which you gain LBM will shorten that time. This is where lifting weights will benefit tremendously as your RMR and adjusted TDEE increase. I am not qualified to tell you what to do, but many treatments will either recommend a slow or rapid refeed depending on the severity of the ED it and health consequences that result. If you do opt for a slower refeed (upping of calories), this will allow your RMR to catch up and increase slowly, thus minimizing [somewhat] the disproportionate gain in fat mass.
In the end, you should still speak to a health specialist dealing with EDs to get the proper plan implemented.
This. In plain terms, there is no way to do this and get healthy that does not involve TEMPORARILY gaining fat, including jiggly parts. But if you work with a health professional to guide you through it and have them let you know when you're eating enough to safely start weight lifting, and you train for STRENGTH (not endurance, not hypertrophy), you'll turn it into a tight, toned healthy body. When they say it's ok, find a personal trainer with experience in powerlifting who is comfortable with the idea of ladies lifting heavy. Look for success stories on the boards here like this one: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/815749-ladies-don-t-be-afraid-of-lifting-heavy-pic to see what lifting heavy can do for your body. Notice that she is almost exactly the same weight in her before and after pics but looks very different!
There is an MFP group on here I think it would be helpful for you to join:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less
You can read about other peoples' experience with refeeding and dealing with the initial, temporary weight gain on their way to healthier lives. Most of them were not nearly as calorie restricted as you have been, but they had to go through the same process of letting themselves gain while they reset their metabolism and then changing their body composition and achieving health. You may have a longer journey than most, but it's the same path, and seeing their successes can help you hold out hope for your own during the time when you struggle with accepting the changes in your body. Talking on the board with others who have gone through that struggle can help you stick with it and achieve your goals. And developing a realistic expectation of the process you will go through will mean that when you start gaining, you will be able to interpret it as success, not failure! And when you start lifting and your body changes, getting tight and strong, you will wonder how you ever lived any other way.
Most importantly, if you currently aren't, please see a mental health professional about ED related issues. Realize that recovery from ED is like any other type of recovery -- success requires support, especially since recovery is not a smooth upward journey. It involves missteps, backsliding, and days when you just falter. It's important to have someone who can remind you that you are just as valuable, lovable, and worthwhile on these days as on the days of your wildest successes. Visit as many therapists as you need to find someone you feel a connection with and can trust. And love yourself enough to take care of your body no matter what you think it looks like at a particular point along your journey.0 -
I am a certified personal trainer who occasionally refers members with known or possible history of eating disorders to the appropriate health specialists. With that said, here is some info for you in regards to your questions.
There are two contributing factors determining the amount of fat gained during weight recovery: Initial body fat percentage and the adjusted value in one's Resting Metabolic Rate (degree of decline and the rate it takes to increase).
This may not be what you wish to hear but I am sorry to say the reality for persons such as yourself is that you will gain a disproportionate amount of fat during weight recovery relative to lean body mass. When one chronically restricts their calories to that severity, a significant amount of total weight lost is from fat-free mass, or lean body mass (muscle tissue, bone mass density, water, etc). However, only a fraction of that LBM is recovered during weight recovery. Thus, if one returns to their initial weight, prior to engaging in disordered eating, they will have a much higher body fat percentage as most of the weight gained is fat mass.
The only things that can up your Resting Metabolic Rate is: continuing to up calories until you reach your adjusted TDEE, and maintaining it, and increasing LBM. Usually, the time in which it takes for ones RMR to reach optimal levels is equal to the length of calorie restriction. However, the rate at which you gain LBM will shorten that time. This is where lifting weights will benefit tremendously as your RMR and adjusted TDEE increase. I am not qualified to tell you what to do, but many treatments will either recommend a slow or rapid refeed depending on the severity of the ED it and health consequences that result. If you do opt for a slower refeed (upping of calories), this will allow your RMR to catch up and increase slowly, thus minimizing [somewhat] the disproportionate gain in fat mass.
In the end, you should still speak to a health specialist dealing with EDs to get the proper plan implemented.
This. In plain terms, there is no way to do this and get healthy that does not involve TEMPORARILY gaining fat, including jiggly parts. But if you work with a health professional to guide you through it and have them let you know when you're eating enough to safely start weight lifting, and you train for STRENGTH (not endurance, not hypertrophy), you'll turn it into a tight, toned healthy body. When they say it's ok, find a personal trainer with experience in powerlifting who is comfortable with the idea of ladies lifting heavy. Look for success stories on the boards here like this one: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/815749-ladies-don-t-be-afraid-of-lifting-heavy-pic to see what lifting heavy can do for your body. Notice that she is almost exactly the same weight in her before and after pics but looks very different!
There is an MFP group on here I think it would be helpful for you to join:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less
You can read about other peoples' experience with refeeding and dealing with the initial, temporary weight gain on their way to healthier lives. Most of them were not nearly as calorie restricted as you have been, but they had to go through the same process of letting themselves gain while they reset their metabolism and then changing their body composition and achieving health. You may have a longer journey than most, but it's the same path, and seeing their successes can help you hold out hope for your own during the time when you struggle with accepting the changes in your body. Talking on the board with others who have gone through that struggle can help you stick with it and achieve your goals. And developing a realistic expectation of the process you will go through will mean that when you start gaining, you will be able to interpret it as success, not failure! And when you start lifting and your body changes, getting tight and strong, you will wonder how you ever lived any other way.
Most importantly, if you currently aren't, please see a mental health professional about ED related issues. Realize that recovery from ED is like any other type of recovery -- success requires support, especially since recovery is not a smooth upward journey. It involves missteps, backsliding, and days when you just falter. It's important to have someone who can remind you that you are just as valuable, lovable, and worthwhile on these days as on the days of your wildest successes. Visit as many therapists as you need to find someone you feel a connection with and can trust. And love yourself enough to take care of your body no matter what you think it looks like at a particular point along your journey.
thanks again and okay, i will be upping my calories each as i've said before and trying to do my best not to count calories.
shall i start drinking full fat milk and using butter and margarine, olive oil etc. OR shall i stick to skimmed milk and things?0 -
thanks again and okay, i will be upping my calories each as i've said before and trying to do my best not to count calories.
shall i start drinking full fat milk and using butter and margarine, olive oil etc. OR shall i stick to skimmed milk and things?
Why wouldn't you? You said you had problems eating enough food normally.0 -
If you're recovering from an eating disorder you need to be careful in doing this. Can you see a doctor or nutritionist to help you?
btw congratulations on your strength for fighting this
Just take it in your stride, even if it's something you slowly have to work up to. Increase by 100 each 4 days or a week.0
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