Recovering anorexic

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Heagter_masun
Heagter_masun Posts: 25
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hi all, so I've been recovering from anorexia for about a year now and I'm looking to maintain my weight. I'm about 115 pounds and 5'3 tall, I think I'm at a safe weight. So how can I maintain my weight safely? without restricting or cutting back on calories? I think I eat about 2800 to 3000 calories on average. Any tips of how to maintain my weight safely without cutting back on my food intake? I also exercise quite a bit. Thanks, xoxo

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  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    If you know what you need to eat, then you can use MFP to log your food and make sure that you are eating enough, but not too much. This can be particularly good for people who aren't good at naturally responding to hunger cues - like recovering anorectics.

    If you have been seeing a doctor, they should have given you specific calorie guidance. Go with it. Just enter that as your goal.

    Best of luck!
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
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    Best thing to do, is to keep doing what you have been doing, monitor your weight weekly, and if it is consistently climbing, drop 100 calories or so and see if it stablises, etc, until it settles and remains between 112-118(you need to have a range of weight for maintenance or you will drive yourself crazy as it fluctuates so much daily). If it starts dropping, then raise your calories by a 100 or reduce cardio until it settles back down. It is a matter of just monitoring things really and making SMALL adjustments until your weight settles within that range.
  • fificrazy
    fificrazy Posts: 234
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    You don't need to do anything to your intake- at this point, all you need to do is make sure you never eat LESS than 2,500 (to prevent relapse)! In recovery, you eventually get to a point where you maintain on 3000 and that's your set point! Maintenance means never restricting. It means following your natural hunger cues. You will naturally maintain your weight- without cutting out foods or calories, or compensating with exercise.

    For the rest of your life as a recovered anorexic, you will never have a "maximum". Your brain is wired different than non-ED people- and instead you might have to consciously make sure to never eat less than the "minimums!"
  • mariepreston1995
    mariepreston1995 Posts: 221
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    It takes 3500 calories to gain a pound, so if you stay a few hundred below that you should be able to maintain easily.
  • xemmyx94
    xemmyx94 Posts: 2 Member
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    You are more or less in a very similar situation to me ( 5"3 and a similar weight and a recovering anorexic). I've been fine for the past couple years although it is still conscious thought every day. In order to maintain weight, you need to calculate your BMR (there are many calculators on the internet) and that can give you a good guide for the amontu of calories you need personally in order to function. Hope this helps!
  • brewji
    brewji Posts: 752 Member
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    You are more or less in a very similar situation to me ( 5"3 and a similar weight and a recovering anorexic). I've been fine for the past couple years although it is still conscious thought every day. In order to maintain weight, you need to calculate your BMR (there are many calculators on the internet) and that can give you a good guide for the amontu of calories you need personally in order to function. Hope this helps!

    This is good advice. I used to volunteer with people in similar situations. Just choose the BMR calculator carefully, as some may vary by around 100 cals.
  • KipDrordy
    KipDrordy Posts: 169 Member
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    You don't need to do anything to your intake- at this point, all you need to do is make sure you never eat LESS than 2,500 (to prevent relapse)! In recovery, you eventually get to a point where you maintain on 3000 and that's your set point! Maintenance means never restricting. It means following your natural hunger cues. You will naturally maintain your weight- without cutting out foods or calories, or compensating with exercise.

    For the rest of your life as a recovered anorexic, you will never have a "maximum". Your brain is wired different than non-ED people- and instead you might have to consciously make sure to never eat less than the "minimums!"

    I'm no expert, but this sounds like very sound advice.
  • Heagter_masun
    Heagter_masun Posts: 25
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    Thanks so much! I'm really good about eating and I strictly avoid restriction. But I'm hoping I'll be able to eat around 3000 calories and safely maintain. I don't feel overly full, bloated, or tired if I eat this much, I'm always energetic and feeling satisfied. Maybe this is just the amount I need? All of the calculators and such tell me I only need 2500 or 2200 calories to maintain but I always feel hungry if I eat that amount....
  • Love4fitnesslove4food2
    Love4fitnesslove4food2 Posts: 711 Member
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    Thanks so much! I'm really good about eating and I strictly avoid restriction. But I'm hoping I'll be able to eat around 3000 calories and safely maintain. I don't feel overly full, bloated, or tired if I eat this much, I'm always energetic and feeling satisfied. Maybe this is just the amount I need? All of the calculators and such tell me I only need 2500 or 2200 calories to maintain but I always feel hungry if I eat that amount....
    Then you continue eating 3000 calories. If 2500 or less makes you hungry then eating that amount constitutes restriction which is exactly what you DON'T want to do. Awesome job on recovering--i've been there and have successfully not only restored m weight but now I'm expecting my first child!

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