Goal BMI for Eating Disorder Treatment Question

I imagine it gives you a little room for setbacks, but I'm no expert in the field. I do think part of recovery is doing what your treatment team tells you to do. Follow the rules they set for you. Wanting to justify lowering your BMI by 1.5 sounds like the eating disorder talking.

According to this: http://feast-ed.org/TheFacts/SettingTargetWeight.aspx

The medical folks who are helping with your recovery probably looked at your lifetime height and weight charts to determine where you otherwise would have been if not for the ED altering your growth patterns. Given that you said you had an ED history, there were likely interruptions in your normal body development for which they are now attempting to compensate.

It's to provide a buffer. Aiming at a goal that is precisely one pound or whatever over an 'underweight' number is too close for comfort. It's the obsession with being thin/underweight that caused the problems, asking you to be at what is still the lower end of normal is a way of keeping that in check. You can't trust what you 'feel comfortable with' because you've already proved that your body signals and body image aren't reliable indicators of a healthy weight for you. The very fact that you're still focusing on the BMI numbers and talking about how you feel right at 18.5 but not at 20 is an indicator that you're still in recovery.

This sounds harsh and it isn't meant to, but the damage done to your body by restriction/severe weight loss is actually also fixed faster if you can gain a little bit more weight than just the bare minimum. There's been a lot of thought and a lot of research into what it is reasonable to ask people with eating disorders to achieve, it's not an arbitrary number - it's an achievable one that you need to push for but will help in itself to measure your recovery. Best of luck!

as was mentioned earlier the problem here is not the exact bmi you want. It's the fact that your even worried about it all. Do what your medical professionals are telling you to do. They are trying to help you overcome your obsession with things like this. The fact that this is bothering you is the ED!

If my goal was a BMI of 18.5 I'd be 5'9" and 125 lbs. I'd look awful. Just saying I figured out what the least I could weigh and be healthy was and that is the calculation. Not going there. Actually I have been that thin before and don't choose to do that anymore. I would say I was not so healthy.

"Current goal is a BMI of 18.5" says your profile.

So are you just looking for reasons to argue against what is in fact a healthy BMI as recommended by your doctor?

Nah, that's an old goal that was only really put there to not freak people out by seeing my actual goal :P
I'm currently trying to stay over the 20 mark for the most part, because I know it's the best thing I can do for my treatment, career goal, and relationship goals.

It just bothers me that there seems to be a double standard- heaps of healthy people are BMI 18.5, why can't I be?

Because with an eating disorder your behavior will bring you under too quickly. Trying to avoid borderline situations. Stay at 20 for a few years and no one will bother you. It's often healthier to have a little more weight, especially if ED has led to issues in the past.

Eta: you should update your profile to put that 20 there. Show your ED that you own your goal and get comfortable with that - it's likely part of the path....

"Current goal is a BMI of 18.5" says your profile.

So are you just looking for reasons to argue against what is in fact a healthy BMI as recommended by your doctor?

Nah, that's an old goal that was only really put there to not freak people out by seeing my actual goal :P
I'm currently trying to stay over the 20 mark for the most part, because I know it's the best thing I can do for my treatment, career goal, and relationship goals.

It just bothers me that there seems to be a double standard- heaps of healthy people are BMI 18.5, why can't I be?

It's not a double standard, it's a way to get you to a healthy weight, so you can focus on overcoming the ED thinking. A lower BMI for someone without an ED may be considered healthy for them, but health isn't just about weight. It's how you think about that weight, as well. You're on the right track. Please let the professionals helping you know that this is a concern and they'll be right there for you to get you past this feeling. Best of luck!

"Current goal is a BMI of 18.5" says your profile.

So are you just looking for reasons to argue against what is in fact a healthy BMI as recommended by your doctor?

Nah, that's an old goal that was only really put there to not freak people out by seeing my actual goal :P
I'm currently trying to stay over the 20 mark for the most part, because I know it's the best thing I can do for my treatment, career goal, and relationship goals.

It just bothers me that there seems to be a double standard- heaps of healthy people are BMI 18.5, why can't I be?

Because you have an eating disorder. I'm sure you wouldn't choose to have one, but since you do, you need to put yourself in the care of other people and trust their advice.

Alcoholics can't drink alcohol. Drug addicts can't do drugs. People in wheelchairs are not good tapdancers. Compulsive liars cannot be trusted.

Focus on all the things that you can do, and that are within your discretion. In this area, you need to simply trust the professionals who are trying to help you.

I'm in recovery for an eating disorder and to be honest, I am surprised that anyone is talking about BMI or weight when it seems that you're still very much in your disorder.

I would talk to your treatment team to ask why they even have you looking at numbers and using them as goals. There should be other measures they use that will be kinder and more helpful to your emotional health.

I agree with this. I have eating disorder in my past as well (anorexia, bulimia, laxative abuse, and over-exercising/training). I am healthy now, in fact, overweight. However, I consider myself as cured as can be from my EDs. I don't starve myself, don't binge/purge, and don't over-exercise. Unfortunately years of laxative abuse permanently caused bowel issues for me, and I'm always working on that. I also likely developed dilated cardiomyopathy (enlarged heart with congestive heart failure) during my pregnancy 15 years ago because of malnutrition and all the harm I was causing myself. This heart condition is permanent and makes me at risk of dying young.

Please, if this treatment center's treatment is causing you to obsess over numbers, any numbers, it may not be the right treatment for you.

Seek a second opinion ASAP.

And best wishes to you in recovering............from the bottom of my heart.

Just remember....your health is what makes you beautiful not the scale number! Surround yourself with positive people, find things (not food related) that make you happy! Try to focus on eating healthy- protein, vegetables, fruits.

I'm sure you've been given meal plans before...but found these online! Eating healthy is hard....it's a lot of food! But, you need those nutrients!



Sample Eating Disorder Recovery Meal Plan 1

7:30am
Banana
½ cup or 1 serving Cereal
1 cup Milk (dairy, soy, almond, etc)
10:00am
Protein shake or ½ cup cottage cheese w/pineapple
12:30pm
Turkey sandwich with slice of cheese on 2 slices whole wheat bread
Carrots and celery w/low fat ranch dressing
3:00pm
1 serving crackers, pretzels or popcorn
6:00pm
Grilled chicken breast
1 cup broccoli
1 cup noodles w/1 T butter
1 cup milk or soy milk
8:30pm
1 cup yogurt w/1 medium apple
Sample Eating Disorder Recovery Meal Plan 2

7am
1 slice toast
1 scrambled egg with mushrooms
1 medium apple
10am
1 oz cheese with 1 serving wheat crackers
12:30pm
2 slices whole wheat bread with roasted turkey, 1 slice cheese & mustard
1 cup salad with vinegar or 2 T low fat dressing
3pm
¼ cup trail mix (raisins, nuts, dried fruit, etc)
6pm
Baked salmon with 1 cup broccoli, ½ cup pasta, 1 T butter
1 cup low fat milk or soy milk
8:30pm
1 cup yogurt with 2 T peanut butter
Sample Eating Disorder Recovery Meal Plan 3

7-9am
1 cup yogurt
½ cup bran flakes
9:30-11:30am
1 slice whole wheat bread with hard boiled egg and tomato slices
11:30am-1:30pm
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
Tossed salad with almonds and 2 T low fat dressing
1:30-3:30pm
½ cup cottage cheese with fruit
5-5:30pm
Veggie burger (make sure has 14 grams protein or more) on whole wheat bun with 1 slice cheese
1 cup steamed broccoli or vegetable
1 cup milk or soy milk
7-8pm
1 serving wheat crackers with 2 T peanut butter