Anorexia recovery on my own: am I eating too much?
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You are not eating enough, that all looks like diet food to me. Eat a veggie subway or turkey sub for lunch with whole grain roll, some baked chips and some fruit and maybe a low fat milk. You are young, dont ruin your hair skin and bones. Also eat a more filling dinner.
You know baked chips arent good, I heard many years ago they contain a chemical that I believe causes rectum cancer....Ill look it up and let you know. but you do mean the bags of chips that say baked on them correct?
I believe you are referring to Olestra, which isn't in ALL baked chips. The ones that are "fat free" or "reduced fat" usually contain it. And it usually says that they contain Olestra on the front of the package.0 -
You are not eating enough, that all looks like diet food to me. Eat a veggie subway or turkey sub for lunch with whole grain roll, some baked chips and some fruit and maybe a low fat milk. You are young, dont ruin your hair skin and bones. Also eat a more filling dinner.
You know baked chips arent good, I heard many years ago they contain a chemical that I believe causes rectum cancer....Ill look it up and let you know. but you do mean the bags of chips that say baked on them correct?
I believe you are referring to Olestra, which isn't in ALL baked chips. The ones that are "fat free" or "reduced fat" usually contain it. And it usually says that they contain Olestra on the front of the package.
Im not sure but Lays Baked chips is sold at Subway chains....But this is what I was referring to and its Renal Cancer but this goes for all types of chips and other type of foods http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/acrylamide-in-food0 -
Hello.
First of all you are very brave to share your story and more importantly to ask for help. So I applaud you for that!
Also, I definitely do not think that you are over eating by any means. It seems to me that you should be taking in even more calories because of your body type and exercise level. However, try not to feel discouraged because this is a huge step in the direction of becoming healthy. Please feel free to add me. It is much easier when you have people who support you. Best of luck!
Chelsey0 -
If calorie counting doesn't trigger obsessive or anorexic behaviors, why not calculate your TDEE at the weight you want to attain and shoot for eating that? Then you have the security of knowing that you won't inadvertently overshoot your goal weight (at least not by much - it is an estimate, after all). That might make eating more, easier on your mind. It would be slower than eating an even larger amount, of course, but since you aren't in medically dangerous territory I don't see the harm in taking a bit longer as long as you are consistently gaining.0
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I was actively anorexic for 8 years from ages 19 to 26.
You need to get off MFP. People mean well but recovery is a very dangerous situation. No, 1800 is not enough. See "I Need How Many Calories?!!": http://www.youreatopia.com/blog/2011/9/14/i-need-how-many-calories.html
Keep in mind if you elect to recover yourself you are at risk for refeeding syndrome (you can have a heart attack).
This is not the time for you to be soliciting advice from anyone but doctors with experience treating people with ED's, as well as a counselor and possibly dietitian.
Good luck to you.0 -
I should add - the order of recovery is 1. Restore weight and then 2. Deal with the feelings.
Restoring weight means improved cognitive function, along with keeping your body from shutting down. Don't worry about gaining too much too fast - the sooner you reach a healthier weight, the faster you will see all the benefits of healthy body and be able to work on coping with "feeling fat" - although, I promise you, you are NOT getting "fat."
Ignore anyone who suggests 1800 cals or worrying about macros. You're body is trying to repair so much damage. You need calories, whether it's from chicken or full fat ice cream. You need fat, both dietary and on your body. I don't want to scare you but this a life or death situation. Anorexia has the highest percentage of death for mental illness.
And I will tell you right now - I've almost died 3 times because of it.
Now that I am fully committed to recovery, I am passionate about helping others still in the midst of it realize you CANNOT negotiate with an eating disorder.0 -
JJJJ25, I agree with all that you've stated but want to add one thing in regards to Refeed Syndrome and macros, in particular carb intake. Limiting total caloric intake from carbs to 40% or less is beneficial in reducing risk of Refeed Syndrome in the initial process of refeeding.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/216706800 -
Hi! Someone please give me some support
I'm afraid of getting fat! I know I need to gain weight but I don't want to gain it too quickly! Does anyone have any suggestions for meal plans on your own?
I'm a vegetarian too and also walk everywhere. Walking is very good for you -- besides being good for your body, it lifts depression and helps with anxiety.
You're afraid of getting fat but you only weigh 98 pounds. A counselor can give you the help you need. You don't want to damage your heart and other organs and give yourself lifelong physical problems.
I'm an older person in my late 50s. When I was in my 20s I broke up with a boyfriend, became very depressed, and stopped eating. I became dangerously thin. I decided I didn't want to live like that, I wanted to be strong and normal and part of life again, and I regained my weight -- in my case, I ate a lot of ice cream. It was high calorie and easy to eat.
Please talk to your doctor and stay with a medical team until you are healthy. You might even need medication. I am rooting for you.0 -
Am I eating the right things? Or too much? I am a vegetarian by the way, I know there's no meat there but I try to get protein and fat through stuff like cheese, peanut butter, avocado etc.
Try eating beans, nuts, seeds for protein. Beans have a lot of protein. I eat lentils a lot -- one measuring cup has the protein of 3 eggs (18 grams per cup of lentils versus 6 grams for one egg). You don't have to soak them and they cook in about 20 minutes. They are somewhat bland and need spice or seasoning. I cook a large amount in advance and then stir fry 1-2 cups in a little olive oil and add some spice. Some people get gas from beans, which comes from the shell -- people lack an enzyme to digest it. Just soak them first or cook until they are very soft if you have that problem. Lentils with rice are very nutritious. They are also high in iron, but you have to eat them with something with vitamin C for the iron to be absorbed (eat them with rice and vegetables).
Please see your doctor until you have recovered.0 -
You need to see a doctor. I don't want to give any advice because I am not a professional and I worry that although the intentions of others are good that you can never be sure until you see a health care professional. However, I agree with others that it is essential you eat enough fat.0
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1. Congratulations on working on your recovery and asking for help! That's a big stepping stone.
2. With all the exercise you are doing I don't think you are eating enough. Think of your body like it's a car....a car doesn't work at it optimal best unless it's properly fueled...neither does your body.
3. I agree with others who have suggested working with a health professional. Maybe talk to your Dr about seeing a nutritionist or dietian, they can help you come up with a plan foodwise. Maybe even a therapist too for the "mental healing."0 -
You are not eating enough, that all looks like diet food to me. Eat a veggie subway or turkey sub for lunch with whole grain roll, some baked chips and some fruit and maybe a low fat milk. You are young, dont ruin your hair skin and bones. Also eat a more filling dinner.
You know baked chips arent good, I heard many years ago they contain a chemical that I believe causes rectum cancer....Ill look it up and let you know. but you do mean the bags of chips that say baked on them correct?
I believe you are referring to Olestra, which isn't in ALL baked chips. The ones that are "fat free" or "reduced fat" usually contain it. And it usually says that they contain Olestra on the front of the package.
Im not sure but Lays Baked chips is sold at Subway chains....But this is what I was referring to and its Renal Cancer but this goes for all types of chips and other type of foods http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/acrylamide-in-food
Creating food fear in someone who has anorexia? Good job, how stupid can someone be?
A bag of chips isn't going to cause cancer, FFS.0 -
Hi! Someone please give me some support
I am a girl, 18, and trying to recover from anorexia by myself (as in, without any treatment team or IOP). In the past I have been much worse off in terms of my eating disorder and weight (my lowest was 84lbs at 5'2.5") and had to be hospitalized/put inpatient for almost three months. I was released sort of early in terms of my recovery last time; probably a big fault of the treatment center I was at, I was "weight restored" but not quite optimally, as I was still retaining water and shed almost five lbs in my first month home of recovery - also, I was never assigned a maintenance meal plan, therefore I have absolutely no idea how to eat (as silly as that sounds, it's true).
In my first semester of college now, I haven't been doing great with recovery, but now I am trying to get back on track. I had been eating no more than 300-600 calories a day, max. I'm now not counting calories or weighing myself.
Although I'm not as dangerously thin as a was a year and a half ago when I was hospitalized, I'm still about 7-12lbs underweight at 5'2.5". Two and a half weeks ago I was roughly 96-98lbs, 98 officially at the doctor's office fully clothed, constipated (sorry tmi), and having eaten "normally" for a week (so I'm assuming I was also carrying water weight, it might have been much lower than 98 before then as I had been weighing myself at around 93 lbs). I know my ideal weight range for my height (as given to me in treatment) is anywhere between 103-120, ideally at around 108-115 minimum.
The past two weeks I've been eating regularly and frequently, and though I haven't been weighing myself or eating the same things everyday, I'm afraid I am gaining weight too quickly or something, I just feel it. Here is roughly what I've been eating:
Breakfast:
-Tea with tsp honey
-Choice nature's path brand cereal (1-2 servings, eyeballed)
-Eyeballed 1-2 cups almond milk
-Fruit (usually blueberries, pineapple chunks, grapes, strawberries) (enough to put in my cereal)
or
-1 serving rolled oats made on the stovetop
with (usually more a midmorning snack)
-1/2 a grapefruit sometimes,
sometimes also 1/4-1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese
or/with
celery sticks with peanut butter
Lunch:
Same sort of midmorning snack thing, usually cottage cheese or an apple and celery sticks with peanut butter, sometimes a yogurt and orange
Usually some grapes with it
I snack on the same sort of things already mentioned, might have tea with honey again.
Dinner:
This is different usually, either:
Salad with balsamic dressing and goats cheese and lots of veggies,
Usually with another cooked vegetable on the side
and something else like sauteed mushrooms in olive oil or squash
Or
A "rice bowl", cooked veggies with maybe a cup of wild rice or quinoa and squash
Or
Shiritaki noodles with cooked veggies
Snack after dinner:
Depends, usually fruit again, applesauce, cottage cheese etc, over the weekend when I go home I might have a challenge food like frozen yogurt and I even had cake this weekend for my mom's birthday
Anyways, my question is: am I eating too much? I've been eating very frequently/regularly but keeping my meals small - I also am borderline anemic and have borderline hypoglycemia so I am trying to regulate that as well.
Am I eating the right things? Or too much? I am a vegetarian by the way, I know there's no meat there but I try to get protein and fat through stuff like cheese, peanut butter, avocado etc.
I'm afraid of getting fat! I know I need to gain weight but I don't want to gain it too quickly! Does anyone have any suggestions for meal plans on your own?
*I forgot to add, I do exercise regularly, I walk quite a bit for school every other day (3-5 miles depending on the day, other days I don't have to walk) and for pleasure when I can I like to go for a 2-3 mile walk.
Hey - that's awful they didn't prescribe you a meal plan!!! It's insane...
I was in hospital with a few anorexic girls (used to be bulimic) and generally speaking they put them on meal plans of about 1500 - 1700 a day if they were exercising to maintain.
The way they sorted out the meal plans was to come up with options everyone liked - so like three options for breakfast/snack/lunch/snack/dinner - and you were only allowed to eat from those three options (as long as everyday totaled 1700 - or whatever your goal was and no less).
What may happen to your body is that you'll gain a little and then you'll stop.. you just have to trust it.
x0 -
Absolutely agree with JJJJ25 and Geekyjock76. The more friends you have that have been there and recovered the better
The websites posted are great! Thankfully there is a more knowledge than before for this, sounds like you are on the right track indeed, congratulations!!0 -
You are not eating enough, that all looks like diet food to me. Eat a veggie subway or turkey sub for lunch with whole grain roll, some baked chips and some fruit and maybe a low fat milk. You are young, dont ruin your hair skin and bones. Also eat a more filling dinner.
You know baked chips arent good, I heard many years ago they contain a chemical that I believe causes rectum cancer....Ill look it up and let you know. but you do mean the bags of chips that say baked on them correct?
I believe you are referring to Olestra, which isn't in ALL baked chips. The ones that are "fat free" or "reduced fat" usually contain it. And it usually says that they contain Olestra on the front of the package.
Im not sure but Lays Baked chips is sold at Subway chains....But this is what I was referring to and its Renal Cancer but this goes for all types of chips and other type of foods http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/acrylamide-in-food
Creating food fear in someone who has anorexia? Good job, how stupid can someone be?
A bag of chips isn't going to cause cancer, FFS.
First of all dont call me stupid when you dont even know me. 2nd of all Im not trying to create any type of fear here. I was just saying that alot of things contains chemicals. But I still eat those things just in moderation. All that I was simply doing was passing along information. Excuse me if I came off wrong to you or any one else0 -
You are not eating enough, that all looks like diet food to me. Eat a veggie subway or turkey sub for lunch with whole grain roll, some baked chips and some fruit and maybe a low fat milk. You are young, dont ruin your hair skin and bones. Also eat a more filling dinner.
You know baked chips arent good, I heard many years ago they contain a chemical that I believe causes rectum cancer....Ill look it up and let you know. but you do mean the bags of chips that say baked on them correct?
I believe you are referring to Olestra, which isn't in ALL baked chips. The ones that are "fat free" or "reduced fat" usually contain it. And it usually says that they contain Olestra on the front of the package.
Im not sure but Lays Baked chips is sold at Subway chains....But this is what I was referring to and its Renal Cancer but this goes for all types of chips and other type of foods http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/acrylamide-in-food
Creating food fear in someone who has anorexia? Good job, how stupid can someone be?
A bag of chips isn't going to cause cancer, FFS.
^Agreed. The last thing you start doing to someone with an eating disorder is start throwing food fear mongering stuff at them. Ugh.
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Ok I made a mistake sheesh and I didnt even mean to either0
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Please stop talking.You are not eating enough, that all looks like diet food to me. Eat a veggie subway or turkey sub for lunch with whole grain roll, some baked chips and some fruit and maybe a low fat milk. You are young, dont ruin your hair skin and bones. Also eat a more filling dinner.
You know baked chips arent good, I heard many years ago they contain a chemical that I believe causes rectum cancer....Ill look it up and let you know. but you do mean the bags of chips that say baked on them correct?
I believe you are referring to Olestra, which isn't in ALL baked chips. The ones that are "fat free" or "reduced fat" usually contain it. And it usually says that they contain Olestra on the front of the package.
Im not sure but Lays Baked chips is sold at Subway chains....But this is what I was referring to and its Renal Cancer but this goes for all types of chips and other type of foods http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/acrylamide-in-food
Creating food fear in someone who has anorexia? Good job, how stupid can someone be?
A bag of chips isn't going to cause cancer, FFS.
First of all dont call me stupid when you dont even know me. 2nd of all Im not trying to create any type of fear here. I was just saying that alot of things contains chemicals. But I still eat those things just in moderation. All that I was simply doing was passing along information. Excuse me if I came off wrong to you or any one else0 -
You really should add more food to lunch and dinner. lots of vegetables, protein (like chicken) and brown rice for instance. Good luck and I'd be happy to support you as I do this a lot in my field of work.0
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Hey there! My heart goes out to you. I was in the same situation that you were, almost. I was threatened with hospitalization and IP treatment, but with the help of loved ones, I was able get to a weight-restored state. I'll tell you just what I did, but it may not be exactly right for you, but there is no way to know for sure! Maybe you can draw from my experience, and I. Hop Ethan it at least helps you in some way:
After being diagnosed, I had to drop out of school for a while. My parents really wanted me to be home for a while, so I stayed with them for two weeks (I live across the country with my bf.) Being back home made me feel very comfortable.... They were offering me foods from my childhood that I remembered eating in a way that was free from ED. Having my parents cook for me as I stayed in my childhood bedroom allowed me to be in a safer place. I tried to tell myself that I could just relax and all I had to think about was getting better. I didn't have to worry about looking any sort of way to go out with friends, or to be anything except a girl recovering from an eating disorder.
The foods my parents made were delicious, and as I started to eat more, my appetite grew. I couldn't stop eating! But it was okay. I often visited sites like Your Eatopia, which gave me reassurance that I wasn't overeating by any means. I'd starved for so long, and I needed thousands of calories to repair internal and external damage. But what did I eat? For the first two weeks at my parents house, I ate everything: cereal bars, dried fruits, yogurt covered raisins, nuts, candy, cookies, ice cream, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, oats, eggs, bacon, French fries,cakes, pies, hamburgers, barbecue, beans.... I could go on forever.i tried so hard to focus on everyone getting together and spending time and eating, and less time on if the foods were "good" or "bad." In NO way did I count calories at the time, but honestly, I probably ate such calorie-dense foods so frequently that I could have eaten 5,000+ in one day after my appetite kicked back in. So, to answer your question: no! You are NOT eating too much. You're also not eating enough. Dont eat according to how many calories you have left for the day: eat according to how you feel: if you are tired during the day, if you feel weak, if you feel hunger (appetite will come back!), if you have a craving for a food, or anything along those lines. Please, eat! Your body wants to eat. Your body wants to survive, and you deserve it.
When I returned home with my boyfriend, though, there were only safe foods. Of course, I. Wasn't going to go out and start buying the foods my parents had lying around, but I did still make an effort to gain weight when I was at home. I loved to eat healthy, and so i started to make smoothies and shakes. To make them dense and full of nutrition, I'd add things like coconut milk, protein powder, nut butters, honey, fruit, vegetables, ice cream... Anything I wanted. I'd eat it with granola and nuts, and it really helped me.
I don't think that I would have made it this far without working out, though. Lifting weights is what made gaining the weight back really actually *enjoyable.* I knew I was gaining muscle and not just fat. I knew I was making my body BETTER, not just gaining weight because people told me I had to. Maybe if you found an exercise that you really enjoy, it can help relieve stress and boost your confidence. Also it helps with getting your hunger back!
If you'd like to message me or add me as a friend, feel free! I have so much more advice for you and words of encouragement, but I feel like I've written so much already. Good luck. You can do this! You deserve recovery. You deserve happiness. I am so glad that you are fighting to get your life back! Happy holidays!0
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