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Recovered anorexic and dieting

AmandaG52
AmandaG52 Posts: 2
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone. I need some help. First of all please don't be mean. I struggled with anorexia for 4 years. I went through an inpatient program 2 years ago. I have gone from 110 lbs to 154 lbs. I am so upset. I hate my body. All of the old thoughts keep coming back to me but I am trying my best to stay strong and not let myself go back to starvation. I do want to lose 20 pounds though. The problem is I am not losing. I am wondering if I messed my metabolism up from eating 400 cal/day and fasting for so long. I have tried 30 day shred, going to the gym, the insanity workout and meal plan and currently I am using the nutrition plan I bought at toneitup.com. I have tried a 1,200 calorie diet and 1,500 calorie diet and I don't lose weight on either.
If anyone has advice on how I can speed my metabolism up or lose weight, please let me know. I am really frustrated and am having a hard time staying positive and trying right now.

Replies

  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
    You need to seek help from someone who is specifically trained to assist those with eating disorders (or a history of), not strangers on the internet. While plenty of people here can tell you how to lose weight, we aren't specifically trained on methods that will be both physically and psychologically sound for someone with a history of eating disorders.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    vismal wrote: »
    You need to seek help from someone who is specifically trained to assist those with eating disorders (or a history of), not strangers on the internet. While plenty of people here can tell you how to lose weight, we aren't specifically trained on methods that will be both physically and psychologically sound for someone with a history of eating disorders.

    This man seems very wise to me.

  • 0somuchbetter0
    0somuchbetter0 Posts: 1,335 Member
    I don't know what to tell you since I know nothing about metabolism damage or if you could even have it due to anorexia. I doubt many people on this site would know either. If I were you I'd go to the experts -- the docs who helped you recover, for example. Good luck...
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
    vismal wrote: »
    You need to seek help from someone who is specifically trained to assist those with eating disorders (or a history of), not strangers on the internet. While plenty of people here can tell you how to lose weight, we aren't specifically trained on methods that will be both physically and psychologically sound for someone with a history of eating disorders.

    ^This is the best advice you can get here.

    I've recovered from ED, but even I can't tell you what an appropriate diet is. It's so different for everyone.
  • Thanks to everyone for taking the time to respond. :)

    It can just be very frustrating and triggering to try so hard and not lose weight for months. But I know being healthy is more important than being skinny.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    edited December 2014
    If you spent most days heavily restricting and did it for years, Yeah, you could've screwed yourself up. Most people bounce back eventually, but it takes time. That doesn't mean you cannot lose, it just means you'll lose slower than you used to.

    Exercise is a big help (unless it's a big trigger, lol.)

    You don't need anyone to tell you how to lose weight, lol, you need people to guide you through doing it in a healthy manner. That means revisiting your doctor and therapist. If you saw a psychiatrist, yay, you get a BOGO. Go see him. A dietitian would be a help, too.

    The biggest thing, though, is being on top of yourself. They call it being "mindful." You know what you liked most when you were ana - maybe it was the light feeling, maybe the fasting high - whatever. You need to watch for those things and work against them. If you find yourself being all, "Oh, I feel so light! I miss this feeling! This is nice!" you have to nip that chit in the bud!

    The best advice is to never, ever skip a meal. If you were busy at work and didn't have dinner, no "Well, it's time for bed. I'll eat in the morning." You shove some food in. If you know you tend to wake up late and run out the door in the morning, you keep some breakfast bars to eat on the way. No skipping meals! You did this in recovery, I'm sure, and it's important when you're losing.

    Food procrastination is huge with ana. Dieters do it, too, but they eventually eat to make up for it. No excuses to not eat "right now." You cannot put it off or skip it. It is just too big a risk. Pretty soon it's, "I'll eat tomorrow" and the quicksand starts sucking you down.

    You have to watch for the signs yourself. Stay on guard.

    And remember, even people who were never ana have trouble seeing their bodies as they look while they lose weight. It's very common to just not see the difference. Call it BDD, call it whatever. People often don't see how much they lose. Trust the doctor to tell you what a healthy weight is.

    Good luck!!
  • sheepotato
    sheepotato Posts: 600 Member
    edited December 2014
    I recovered from an ED too several years ago, but the other posters are right. I have no way of knowing your particular situation or how to advise you on it.

    I do have a thought, when you were on reduced calories and exercising where you eating back your exercise calories? Whenever you go that low it's easy to get to the deprivation level if you are netting below 1200. Another thought is unless you are very short, you may have set your calorie goal too high per week if you only want to lose 20 lbs, you may have better luck taking it slower and eating more while exercising. I wish you the best and hope that you are able to find a balance. It gets easier.
  • gabrielleelliott90
    gabrielleelliott90 Posts: 854 Member
    Yes, I would go to your doctor about it. I really would not want to trigger you, I get where you are coming from, that you are recovered but still not at your desired healthy weight. However, I would go to your doctor about it.
  • smille01
    smille01 Posts: 32 Member
    OP, give yourself some time. I was anorexic turned bulimic, and it took awhile for my body to recover. After recovery I hovered around 160 for a few months. During that time I tried to watch what I ate (not calorie counting per say), but my weight didn't change. I then got pregnant and weighed 190 at the end of pregnancy. After I had my son I lost the pregnancy weight plus some. I'm now 130-135 at 5'7, which is a good weight for me. And it really didn't take a lot of work- I eyeballed calories and walked with my baby. I have no scientific data to back this but I think my body was just 'ready', whereas right after ED it wasn't. My hair also is growing back (I lost most of during the ED), which I took as a sign of
    I have to be constantly vigilant that I don't slip back into ED behaviors, because it is so easy to do. I make sure to eat some chocolate or a cookie if I want it- deprivation leads to bad things for me. Please be kind to yourself and give it time, and only attempt to lose weight with the supervision of your doctor and/or care team.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    this thread is full of excellent advice

    Be kind to yourself and follow it by consulting the experts
This discussion has been closed.