Help! I'm recovering from calorie restriction

BU_Britt
BU_Britt Posts: 2
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I've struggled with my weight for my entire life. As a child I was diagnosed with cancer and needed chemotherapy, which shot my weight up to nearly 200 pounds on a 5"3' frame by the time I was 13. Once I entered high school, I decided I needed to lose weight. It was slow at first, starting with 1500 calories a day. By the time I was a sophomore, I had reduced to eating 200 calories a day and dropped from 200 to 117lbs in a year and a half with no exercise. Freshman year of college I increased my calorie intake to 1500 again and my weight skyrocketed over the course of a year to 170. With much yo-yoing and playing with calories (between 800-1200) I find myself now as a college senior at a weight of 154. I currently work out 4x a week cardio and 3x a week strength training, spending at least an hour to an hour and a half at the gym each time I go. Just a few weeks ago I started seeing a nutritionist who has asked me to push my calorie intake to 1400 a day. Before I saw her, at the beginning of January, I was 148. I've gained a few pounds and am so discouraged. Plus I have a lot of bloating and nausea. I don't understand why, because I have been eating a relatively balanced diet (still need to get an extra serving of veggies each day). No junk food and as much all natural/organic as I can afford. I'm wondering if anyone has any insight for me on what the future might hold for me in trying to get to my ideal weight of 130 lbs while eating a healthy amount of calories. I'm so frustrated!

Replies

  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    It sounds like you've had a very difficult ride. But the best person to talk to is your nutritionist, as you have very specialized needs.
  • Athena413
    Athena413 Posts: 1,709 Member
    My question to you would be, is 130 really an ideal weight for you? Based on the BMI scale, maybe, but what about your body fat %? How much muscle mass do you have? Is your little bit of weight gain actually due to muscle and not fat? If you're around 150 and your body fat % is in the healthy range, I don't think you should worry so much about getting down to 130#. "Ideal" is very subjective and is different for every person. I agree with talking to your nutritionist about it.
  • Athena413
    Athena413 Posts: 1,709 Member
    And congratulations on your success thus far. You seem to have overcome some very tough obstacles for being so young. Good for you!
  • NancieFeatherston
    NancieFeatherston Posts: 52 Member
    Hang in there...
  • marymt86
    marymt86 Posts: 40
    Im not a Dr. or a Nutritionist, the only thing I can think of is your body was put into starvation mode for a long period of time. Now that you're eating 1400 calories a day, your body is going to store away anything it can. Like I said, im no specialist. I would listen to your nutritionist and just let your body figure out what's going on. Congratulations on getting to where your at, you've had a tough road.
  • wide2bride
    wide2bride Posts: 30
    Personally I can understand your frustration. I am too "recovering" from too far of calorie restriction for a long length of time and honestly its going to take a lot longer than you think to fix the damage that was done to your metabolism and for your body to trust you again.

    Right now it sounds like with the bloat and whatnot with just the slight increase in calories that your body is holding on for dear life because it doesn't trust you to feed it consistently. CONSISTANCY is key here. No more yo-yo'ing. Your nutritionist i'm sure will fill you in more in depth if you ask but it sounds to me like shes going to take you through the process of increasing steadily until your body responds and starts letting go of those calories and you can find your TDEE and then safely make a reasonable cut to get to your goal weight.

    Be patient and good things will come :)
  • vagabondgoddess
    vagabondgoddess Posts: 38 Member
    My question to you would be, is 130 really an ideal weight for you? Based on the BMI scale, maybe, but what about your body fat %? How much muscle mass do you have? Is your little bit of weight gain actually due to muscle and not fat? If you're around 150 and your body fat % is in the healthy range, I don't think you should worry so much about getting down to 130#. "Ideal" is very subjective and is different for every person. I agree with talking to your nutritionist about it.

    This
  • Cheeky_and_Geeky
    Cheeky_and_Geeky Posts: 984 Member
    Congrats on going to a nutitionist, eating a balanced meal, & working out. That being said, are you weighing your food or eyeballing it? And have your nutritionist or a trainer at your gym check your body fat. I'm now more worried about my body fat & composition more than a number on the scale. I'd rather look toned than skinny fat. You're doing great! Talk to your nutritionist!
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    It sounds like you've had a very difficult ride. But the best person to talk to is your nutritionist, as you have very specialized needs.
    This.

    You have been through quite the ride in life but you've come out the other side.
  • lenapb
    lenapb Posts: 6 Member
    I second the person that said, "Hang in there." What you're doing right now is the right thing, but remember, restriction didn't last for a day. One of the main things it's going to take is time. Keep doing what you're doing. Working out and gaining muscle will eventually get your metabolism back to normal, but it will take time. As corny as it is, Rome wasn't built in a day. And that being said it wasn't rebuilt after (insert relevant historical information here) quickly. Try your best to not get discouraged and persevere, you will get there.
  • BU_Britt
    BU_Britt Posts: 2
    Thank you all so much for your support! I'm still going to see my nutritionist, and have admittedly been struggling still with increasing the calories but I'm working to only weigh in once a week and just focus on how my body looks and feels as I continue to exercise and eat right. What a struggle its been, and will continue to be. But I'm so thankful for the support and suggestions!
  • maybyn
    maybyn Posts: 233 Member
    If you had chemotherapy (and radiation) as a child, it may have affected your thyroid and you may want to get that checked.
  • snarlingcoyote
    snarlingcoyote Posts: 399 Member
    If you had chemotherapy (and radiation) as a child, it may have affected your thyroid and you may want to get that checked.

    This! My exact first thought!
  • princ3ss21
    princ3ss21 Posts: 5
    Minnie Maud guidelines suggest a minimum of 3000kcal for those gaining/maintaining weight after an eating disorder. I doubt that sounds very tempting, but don't push your calorie intake too low, because your body has got a lot of internal fixing to do, and the weight will redistribute when you reach your natural set point. I know a lot of people here don't buy into the whole changing of metabolic rate thing, but honestly yours won't have a clue what's going on if you keep changing your intake.
    You should check out youreatopia.com :) here's some info about minniemaud if you're curious: http://www.youreatopia.com/blog/2013/3/31/minniemaud-guidelines-for-recovery-from-a-restrictive-eating.html

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