Anorexia Recover Questions

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Hey everyone, Well im underweight and just started to recover but I have a couple of questions.
Should I worry about how much sodium im eating? I eat lots a carbs which gets me wondering if too much sodium is bad so now i kind of worry to eat too much BUT i do drinks tons of water everyday probably more than 12 glasses a day.
Also same goes for fat intake, is it bad to eat too much fat in a day, say like maybe over 100g of fat? This morning i ate a PB and J sandwich which was 14g of fat then for lunch im considering of eating something like a small cheeseburger but then saw it has 17g of fat so right now im considering if i should eat it or not especially since im planning on eating pizza later for dinner which will add up more fat. And last but not least, Sugar intake, is too much sugar bad, like having cookies and ice cream in a day? Help would be appreciated, thanx everyone!
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Replies

  • stephanieross1
    stephanieross1 Posts: 388 Member
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    Pizza, cheeseburger? Those are just has bad as cookies and ice cream.. I think you shouldn't be worrying about how much fat is in your burger, make yourself a stir fry instead with lots of vegetables. Eat something healthy
  • Sqeekyjojo
    Sqeekyjojo Posts: 704 Member
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    I think you should contact your medical support, as worrying about different macros and suchlike could be a trigger for you. Perhaps they can reassure you, monitor you a bit more and give you suitable dietary advice.
  • AlongCame_Molly
    AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member
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    Pizza, cheeseburger? Those are just has bad as cookies and ice cream.. I think you shouldn't be worrying about how much fat is in your burger, make yourself a stir fry instead with lots of vegetables. Eat something healthy

    "Healthy" is a relative term. I eat "healthy" every day, but still regularly eat chocolate and candy and takeout. There is nothing "bad" about pizza, burgers, cookies and ice cream. Nothing at all. Everything in moderation. Eating pizza, PB&Js and cheeseburgers in the same day does not sound moderate to me.

    And I do agree 100% that you need to be eating more vegetables. Fill 1/2-2/3 of your plate with vegetables at every meal. It's almost impossible to crave junk when you're stuffed with broccoli.
  • Slash94
    Slash94 Posts: 36
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    Im not worried about it cause itll cause weight gain which is the reason i WANT to eat it, im worried about the health benefits, like if i eat too much fat or sugar itll cause a problem, otherwise i would eat. Should i just not worry about the grams of fat and sugar and just eat it to help me gain weight?
  • mycrazy8splus1
    mycrazy8splus1 Posts: 1,558 Member
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    I was anorexic all through high school. I was also a vegetarian and never very into fast food (although I ate it sometimes). It sounds like your whole day is about comfort/easy meals. I would plan your day to have one meal such as hamburgers or pizza but not both in one day. You are trying to get healthy not just put on weight. Check out healthy fats and carbs. Don't eat something just because it will put the right amount of calories in you. I can put 30 gallons of gasoline in my vehicle but if I choose diesel gas my vehicle will not run right. Choose your fuel wisely.

    Best of luck on your recovery. It has been twenty years since high school and I still have to make sure I am eating enough. My MFP friends and my hubby are always helping me stay on track.
  • Slash94
    Slash94 Posts: 36
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    Pizza, cheeseburger? Those are just has bad as cookies and ice cream.. I think you shouldn't be worrying about how much fat is in your burger, make yourself a stir fry instead with lots of vegetables. Eat something healthy

    "Healthy" is a relative term. I eat "healthy" every day, but still regularly eat chocolate and candy and takeout. There is nothing "bad" about pizza, burgers, cookies and ice cream. Nothing at all. Everything in moderation. Eating pizza, PB&Js and cheeseburgers in the same day does not sound moderate to me.

    And I do agree 100% that you need to be eating more vegetables. Fill 1/2-2/3 of your plate with vegetables at every meal. It's almost impossible to crave junk when you're stuffed with broccoli.
    Problem about that is that like i said im recovering from anorexia and vegetables are low in calories and fill me up quick, so i need something higher in calories which is why i ask if too much fat and sugar is alright for anorexia recovery since basically everything thats healthy is low in calories.
  • Slash94
    Slash94 Posts: 36
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    I was anorexic all through high school. I was also a vegetarian and never very into fast food (although I ate it sometimes). It sounds like your whole day is about comfort/easy meals. I would plan your day to have one meal such as hamburgers or pizza but not both in one day. You are trying to get healthy not just put on weight. Check out healthy fats and carbs. Don't eat something just because it will put the right amount of calories in you. I can put 30 gallons of gasoline in my vehicle but if I choose diesel gas my vehicle will not run right. Choose your fuel wisely.

    Best of luck on your recovery. It has been twenty years since high school and I still have to make sure I am eating enough. My MFP friends and my hubby are always helping me stay on track.
    Oh yeah definitely, i dont eat like that everyday, it was just this one day since basically i dont have anything in the house.
  • Slash94
    Slash94 Posts: 36
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    But like i asked, is too much sodium, fat, or sugar bad when recovering from anorexia? I heard lots of people even a couple of doctors say that it doesnt matter as long as im getting enough calories to gain weight.
  • RunEatLift
    RunEatLift Posts: 68
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    Not to be rude but I disagree with everyone who has already posted.
    In recovery, in particular at the beginning, you need to eat a lot of calories. Your digestive system isn't going to be able to cope if you're eating loads of vegetables and high fibre foods. Processed, high fat, high sugar foods are easily digested and won't make you feel overly full. I think it's great that you're willing to give 100% to recovery and not have 'fear foods'.
    Do not get hung up on macros or sugar or anything like that - just as your doctor says they don't matter in recovery . Just listen to what you're craving and eat it. If you want more then eat more.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
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    Pizza, cheeseburger? Those are just has bad as cookies and ice cream.. I think you shouldn't be worrying about how much fat is in your burger, make yourself a stir fry instead with lots of vegetables. Eat something healthy

    "Healthy" is a relative term. I eat "healthy" every day, but still regularly eat chocolate and candy and takeout. There is nothing "bad" about pizza, burgers, cookies and ice cream. Nothing at all. Everything in moderation. Eating pizza, PB&Js and cheeseburgers in the same day does not sound moderate to me.

    And I do agree 100% that you need to be eating more vegetables. Fill 1/2-2/3 of your plate with vegetables at every meal. It's almost impossible to crave junk when you're stuffed with broccoli.
    Problem about that is that like i said im recovering from anorexia and vegetables are low in calories and fill me up quick, so i need something higher in calories which is why i ask if too much fat and sugar is alright for anorexia recovery since basically everything thats healthy is low in calories.

    Baked potatoes, avocado, nuts, seeds, peanut butter(100 cals a tbsp.), full fat dairy (cheese, greek yoghurt etc), wholegrain pasta... there are plenty of foods that will give you that calorie kick, that also contain some good nutrition. There is nothing wrong with having some treats each day, but you really also need to learn to get fats and calories from good, nutritious sources.
    An avocado is 200-250 calories and has a decent amount of fat. Nuts are great. 600 calories per 100g.
    And pizza is fine.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,969 Member
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    Please please listen to your healthcare provider.

    Most of us are not equipped to make this type of decision for you.

    Salt, fat, and sodium are not going to hurt you in the short term. Just eat!
  • BernardPumpkin
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    Not to be rude but I disagree with everyone who has already posted.
    In recovery, in particular at the beginning, you need to eat a lot of calories. Your digestive system isn't going to be able to cope if you're eating loads of vegetables and high fibre foods. Processed, high fat, high sugar foods are easily digested and won't make you feel overly full. I think it's great that you're willing to give 100% to recovery and not have 'fear foods'.
    Do not get hung up on macros or sugar or anything like that - just as your doctor says they don't matter in recovery . Just listen to what you're craving and eat it. If you want more then eat more.

    the only smart comment on here.

    to the op dont worry about calories now, just eat and gain to a healthy weight, an talk to your doctor
  • mycrazy8splus1
    mycrazy8splus1 Posts: 1,558 Member
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    Baked potatoes, avocado, nuts, seeds, peanut butter(100 cals a tbsp.), full fat dairy (cheese, greek yoghurt etc), wholegrain pasta... there are plenty of foods that will give you that calorie kick, that also contain some good nutrition. There is nothing wrong with having some treats each day, but you really also need to learn to get fats and calories from good, nutritious sources.
    An avocado is 200-250 calories and has a decent amount of fat. Nuts are great. 600 calories per 100g.
    And pizza is fine.

    ^this. healthy fats and calories as I said before.
  • mycrazy8splus1
    mycrazy8splus1 Posts: 1,558 Member
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    Oh yeah definitely, i dont eat like that everyday, it was just this one day since basically i dont have anything in the house.

    I know days like those. I hate it when I run out of good stuff. Eating disorders are a life time issue, or at least they have been for me. I'm very proud of you for seeking info on how to recover in a healthy way. Keep looking for help and info. You are on your way to healthy!:flowerforyou:
  • scookiemonster
    scookiemonster Posts: 175 Member
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    Not to be rude but I disagree with everyone who has already posted.
    In recovery, in particular at the beginning, you need to eat a lot of calories. Your digestive system isn't going to be able to cope if you're eating loads of vegetables and high fibre foods. Processed, high fat, high sugar foods are easily digested and won't make you feel overly full. I think it's great that you're willing to give 100% to recovery and not have 'fear foods'.
    Do not get hung up on macros or sugar or anything like that - just as your doctor says they don't matter in recovery . Just listen to what you're craving and eat it. If you want more then eat more.

    the only smart comment on here.

    to the op dont worry about calories now, just eat and gain to a healthy weight, an talk to your doctor

    Yes, this. Please don't worry about all of that other stuff right now; you really need to just focus on your recovery. It's important that you not trigger your ED with worries about fat, sugar, etc. As long as you are under the care of a doctor (preferably someone with experience treating anorexia), don't worry. You can focus on the other stuff later. Right now, you just need to get over this hurdle.
  • Wetcoaster
    Wetcoaster Posts: 1,788 Member
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    No one here is an expert....go seek out a professional.
  • stephanieross1
    stephanieross1 Posts: 388 Member
    Options
    Pizza, cheeseburger? Those are just has bad as cookies and ice cream.. I think you shouldn't be worrying about how much fat is in your burger, make yourself a stir fry instead with lots of vegetables. Eat something healthy

    "Healthy" is a relative term. I eat "healthy" every day, but still regularly eat chocolate and candy and takeout. There is nothing "bad" about pizza, burgers, cookies and ice cream. Nothing at all. Everything in moderation. Eating pizza, PB&Js and cheeseburgers in the same day does not sound moderate to me.

    And I do agree 100% that you need to be eating more vegetables. Fill 1/2-2/3 of your plate with vegetables at every meal. It's almost impossible to crave junk when you're stuffed with broccoli.
    Problem about that is that like i said im recovering from anorexia and vegetables are low in calories and fill me up quick, so i need something higher in calories which is why i ask if too much fat and sugar is alright for anorexia recovery since basically everything thats healthy is low in calories.

    Baked potatoes, avocado, nuts, seeds, peanut butter(100 cals a tbsp.), full fat dairy (cheese, greek yoghurt etc), wholegrain pasta... there are plenty of foods that will give you that calorie kick, that also contain some good nutrition. There is nothing wrong with having some treats each day, but you really also need to learn to get fats and calories from good, nutritious sources.
    An avocado is 200-250 calories and has a decent amount of fat. Nuts are great. 600 calories per 100g.
    And pizza is fine.

    Right here, sorry but pizza, cheeseburger, ice cream and cookies all same day is not moderation. that is not termed healthy.. there are many ways to get your calories and fat other than junk food. ^^ Example right there. But yeh, better to speak to a dietician, garunteed she will recommend high fats/calories from "healthy" foods. ( THE ONES NOT SATURATED IN GREASE AND SIMPLE CARBS)
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
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    Sugar is just a carb. As long as you're eating enough fats and protein, your carbs/sugar aren't particularly important unless you have a medical issue that requires carbs/sugar to be monitored.

    However, it should be noted that fructose and sucrose can only be stored as liver glycogen and not muscle glycogen. The liver can hold 100-120g glycogen so anything more than that will be converted to triglycerides. As long as you still have a calorie deficit this will even out. Just try to make most of your carbs glucose and not sucrose or fructose. Fructose in particular has been shown to decrease exercise performance, increased likelihood of gastrointestinal distress, and increase perception of exertion.

    Here are some studies:
    http://www.setantacollege.com/wp-content/uploads/Journal_db/the effects of glucose....pdf

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3592616

    As long as you eat enough protein (ideally 1g per pound of lean body mass but 1g per kg of body weight is acceptable) being over on fat is fine. Fats and protein should be viewed as minimum values so it's fine to go over. Carbs are unnecessary so you don't have to worry about eating enough. Some people do low carb, some people find their exercise suffers if they keep carbs too low, do what works for you.

    What's important about fats is the ratio of saturated vs. monounsaturated vs. polyunsaturated fats. Saturated fat has been demonized in the past but some is necessary. Half of your cells membranes are made up of by saturated fats. Saturated fats are easy to get in your diet so try to focus on incorporating more essential fatty acids into your diet. Oily fish and flax seeds are a great source of omega 3 EFA's. You can take a fish oil or flax oil supplement if you have trouble getting it from your diet. Omega 6's are very easy to get into your diet so there's not need to supplement it. Most people eat too many omega 6's and too little omega 3's so to maintain a good ratio you shouldn't supplement your omega 6 intake.

    For information of setting your macro target, go here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/911011-calculating-calorie-macronutrient-needs?page=1#posts-13821336
  • Slash94
    Slash94 Posts: 36
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    Not to be rude but I disagree with everyone who has already posted.
    In recovery, in particular at the beginning, you need to eat a lot of calories. Your digestive system isn't going to be able to cope if you're eating loads of vegetables and high fibre foods. Processed, high fat, high sugar foods are easily digested and won't make you feel overly full. I think it's great that you're willing to give 100% to recovery and not have 'fear foods'.
    Do not get hung up on macros or sugar or anything like that - just as your doctor says they don't matter in recovery . Just listen to what you're craving and eat it. If you want more then eat more.

    Thanx, this made me feel alot better. I wont worry about the amount sugar anymore, ill just eat since basically i AM trying to recover anyway!
  • Slash94
    Slash94 Posts: 36
    Options
    Pizza, cheeseburger? Those are just has bad as cookies and ice cream.. I think you shouldn't be worrying about how much fat is in your burger, make yourself a stir fry instead with lots of vegetables. Eat something healthy

    "Healthy" is a relative term. I eat "healthy" every day, but still regularly eat chocolate and candy and takeout. There is nothing "bad" about pizza, burgers, cookies and ice cream. Nothing at all. Everything in moderation. Eating pizza, PB&Js and cheeseburgers in the same day does not sound moderate to me.

    And I do agree 100% that you need to be eating more vegetables. Fill 1/2-2/3 of your plate with vegetables at every meal. It's almost impossible to crave junk when you're stuffed with broccoli.
    Problem about that is that like i said im recovering from anorexia and vegetables are low in calories and fill me up quick, so i need something higher in calories which is why i ask if too much fat and sugar is alright for anorexia recovery since basically everything thats healthy is low in calories.

    Baked potatoes, avocado, nuts, seeds, peanut butter(100 cals a tbsp.), full fat dairy (cheese, greek yoghurt etc), wholegrain pasta... there are plenty of foods that will give you that calorie kick, that also contain some good nutrition. There is nothing wrong with having some treats each day, but you really also need to learn to get fats and calories from good, nutritious sources.
    An avocado is 200-250 calories and has a decent amount of fat. Nuts are great. 600 calories per 100g.
    And pizza is fine.
    Thanx! Yeah most of the fat and protein comes from PB and yogurt since i eat tons of that. Looks like ima have to get some flaxseed also, btw is it alright if i eat lots of Peanut butter in a day?