History of Anorexia but Want to Lose Weight the Healthy Way

LexiRose0520
LexiRose0520 Posts: 3 Member
edited November 24 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, all. I am technically not overweight, but I would like to lose 10 pounds in order to look and feel my best. However, I have a history of anorexia and I do not want to slip back into my eating disorder. Is it possible for someone who has a history of an eating disorder to diet without relapsing? If so, how? I know it sounds like a bad idea, but I want to get in shape, and this time, I want to do it right. I don't know if any of the following information is relevant, but I am a 5'0, 21-year-old female who has been in recovery since April 2015. My lowest weight was 77 pounds and my current weight (and highest weight in recovery) is 112 pounds. The goal weight set by my treatment team was 100 pounds, which I am way above. Before my eating disorder, I had always weighed between 110 to 120 pounds, give or take (but I was also sedentary and my diet consisted entirely of fast food and processed food, so I don't think my set point is naturally that high). I do not have a nutritionist at the moment (unfortunately, no local nutritionists are covered by my insurance) and I have no idea what my recommended intake is (I was still underweight and on a weight gain plan the last time I saw a nutritionist). I have been trying to eat intuitively for the past few weeks, but not following a meal plan led to bingeing and I gained a whopping 12 pounds in less than three weeks (I gained the first 20 pounds over the course of four months, if that tells you anything). Anyway, if I want to get back down to 100 pounds, how many calories should I eat a day? I do not want to restrict, but I would like to lose 1 or 2 pounds a week. My current activity level is light (I walk about 2 - 3 miles 4 days a week), but I would like to also add one hour of cardio 3 - 5 days a week. Thank you for your help.

Replies

  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    edited September 2015
    That sounds like it would be a good question for someone on your treatment team - even if you have to pay out of pocket for it.
  • LexiRose0520
    LexiRose0520 Posts: 3 Member
    edited September 2015
    ceoverturf wrote: »
    That sounds like it would be a good question for someone on your treatment team - even if you have to pay out of pocket for it.

    I do not have a treatment team at the moment. I haven't seen any professionals since I was discharged from treatment about three months ago. I am in the process of finding a treatment team because I know I need one, but in the mean time, I thought it I would ask here, just to get some opinions.
  • suziecue20
    suziecue20 Posts: 567 Member
    edited September 2015
    If you are still in recovery from your anorexia you should talk to the people who have helped you recover. I am certainly not qualified to advise you and I suspect not many other people on here are either. I wish you well :)
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    Hi :)

    First of, a huge congratulations on conquering the eating disorder, I instantly have a lot of admiration for you. In answer to your question about whether or not it's possible to do this without relapsing, I'd say yes - but tread carefully and speak to your doctor beforehand. I too have been a victim of an eating disorder (serious deprivation all week followed by intense extreme binges at the weekend) and my relationship with food and myself was at rock bottom. Before I started losing the extra weight I gained once recovered, I had to really educate myself on the right and wrong way of doing this.

    There are times even now that I can get obsessed over a certain detail and I really have to stop and 'have a word with myself' so to speak to stop it getting out of hand. There will be difficult times, I won't lie to you on that. But before you do this, you need to find that strength I know you have and make sure you plan ahead so that you can do this properly and safely.

    On a completely unrelated note (which may or may not be helpful to you) - 100lbs is still a very low weight and it isn't at all necessary for you to get to that. I know you want to hit that number so you feel like you're in the 'green zone' and not in the 'red zone' - but please, if you can, focus on your exercise routine. Lift some weights and build those muscles to visibly show what a strong and fighting fit young woman you are. Skinny is not the answer.

    I wish you the best of luck and happiness.
  • Venus_Red
    Venus_Red Posts: 209 Member
    Please dig a little and see if you can find skilled resources that might offer services to you that you can afford without insurance to help you through this -not just an app meant for calorie tracking. Your situation is a bit different, and there is likely no one here who has the proper knowledge to guide you. Your recent bout of binging is a good indication that there is still an issue that needs to be addressed before you can tackle it yourself.

    I'm not trying to preach at you from a place of ignorance - a dear friend of mine passed away 2 years ago from the revolving door of Ana Mia and it is absolutely nothing to be left to tackle with an app.

    I hope you find someone you can trust who can help you.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    LexiRose0520 wrote: »
    ceoverturf wrote: »
    That sounds like it would be a good question for someone on your treatment team - even if you have to pay out of pocket for it.

    I do not have a treatment team at the moment. I haven't seen any professionals since I was discharged from treatment about three months ago. I am in the process of finding a treatment team because I know I need one, but in the mean time, I thought it I would ask here, just to get some opinions.

    You've only been discharged 3 months, and already you're finding yourself on a cycle of binging and wanting to lose 10 lbs.

    You need to get back with your treatment team (or a new one) pronto. There is nothing we common folk on the interwebz can do for you.
  • kristen6350
    kristen6350 Posts: 1,094 Member
    Not that I condone you losing weight at all. And I typically don't advise people with histories of ED's advice because I just don't understand it. But if you want to do this healthy this time, set your loss per week to .5lbs and take this slowly. Eat what the app tells you, not under. Eat back 1/2 your exercise calories. Lift heavy things a couple times a week so you will get stronger and leaner. Stick with this everyday. Get 80% healthy food, 20% treats. This way you'll learn to stick with something, and you'll get the nutrients you need to stay healthy. None of this 1-2lbs a week, that is for people that need to lose much more than you. I realize .5lbs a week to lose 10lbs seems really slow, but that's the point. And really, what do you have to rush for? This is your health we are really focusing on and learning new, healthy habits for a life time.

    Ok, after saying that, what I really think you need is a medical team to advise you of what to do. That is #1 right now.
  • wkwebby
    wkwebby Posts: 807 Member
    +1 on the losing slowly part. There is no reason for you to lose 1-2 pounds at this point. If you want to be lean, stop focusing on the number on the scale. You are too close to your "ideal weight" to lose that much, that quickly. Eating close to a maintenance number (and MAYBE slightly below) will keep you from feeling deprived and hopefully keep you from bingeing, which will help you to stop feeling guilty about food. Perhaps solely focus on your work out regimen and stay off the scale all together. Join up with the ED groups on here for additional support, and DEFINITELY search out a medical team to help you focus on the right things and not the wrong things (i.e. the number on the scale). You will find yourself sliding back into obsessing if you keep thinking you "have" to lose the 10 pounds in a few weeks. Break the cycle. Good luck and be healthy! :smiley:
  • LexiRose0520
    LexiRose0520 Posts: 3 Member
    edited September 2015
    Thank you for the advice, everyone. Do you think 1,600 net calories a day is too much? I DO plan on seeing a nutritionist, but just for the time being.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    LexiRose0520 wrote: »
    Hi, all. I am technically not overweight, but I would like to lose 10 pounds in order to look and feel my best. However, I have a history of anorexia and I do not want to slip back into my eating disorder. Is it possible for someone who has a history of an eating disorder to diet without relapsing? If so, how? I know it sounds like a bad idea, but I want to get in shape, and this time, I want to do it right. I don't know if any of the following information is relevant, but I am a 5'0, 21-year-old female who has been in recovery since April 2015. My lowest weight was 77 pounds and my current weight (and highest weight in recovery) is 112 pounds. The goal weight set by my treatment team was 100 pounds, which I am way above. Before my eating disorder, I had always weighed between 110 to 120 pounds, give or take (but I was also sedentary and my diet consisted entirely of fast food and processed food, so I don't think my set point is naturally that high). I do not have a nutritionist at the moment (unfortunately, no local nutritionists are covered by my insurance) and I have no idea what my recommended intake is (I was still underweight and on a weight gain plan the last time I saw a nutritionist). I have been trying to eat intuitively for the past few weeks, but not following a meal plan led to bingeing and I gained a whopping 12 pounds in less than three weeks (I gained the first 20 pounds over the course of four months, if that tells you anything). Anyway, if I want to get back down to 100 pounds, how many calories should I eat a day? I do not want to restrict, but I would like to lose 1 or 2 pounds a week. My current activity level is light (I walk about 2 - 3 miles 4 days a week), but I would like to also add one hour of cardio 3 - 5 days a week. Thank you for your help.

    You need to talk to your doctor, especially since you have an eating disordered past. Also, some of your description above indicates that you are not fully recovered from your eating disorder.

    Right now, you are already at a healthy weight. I advise you leave the weight alone and look into body recomp instead, where you might weigh the same or slightly more but be smaller.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    I fear that counting and tracking is not good for you. Could you eat at maintenance and maybe try lifting instead of cardio? I am guessing you can look great at your current weight by putting on a little muscle.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    LexiRose0520 wrote: »
    ceoverturf wrote: »
    That sounds like it would be a good question for someone on your treatment team - even if you have to pay out of pocket for it.

    I do not have a treatment team at the moment. I haven't seen any professionals since I was discharged from treatment about three months ago. I am in the process of finding a treatment team because I know I need one, but in the mean time, I thought it I would ask here, just to get some opinions.

    The internet is not the place to get advice on a weight loss plan for someone with an eating disorder. It's just not.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Nobody on this forum should be offering advice on how someone at a healthy weight loses weight when they are just three months post treatment for an ED and still show disordered habits. It's too dangerous a path to go down.

    OP, do not do anything outside of your treatment plan until you have a new team set up, you could end up back on a slippery slope and set yourself back.
  • bnhbookworm03
    bnhbookworm03 Posts: 4 Member
    Speaking from personal experience with a similar problem. It is a very slippery slope you are on. Please seek out some sort of treatment team to help guide you through this. The 100lb goal they had established for you was a bare minimum for your health. I am hoping that you get the help you need as I hate to see anyone go back down this destructive path. :(
  • ashliedelgado
    ashliedelgado Posts: 814 Member
    Agreed with finding a treatment team! From what you're describing, I'm concerned you aren't completely recovered from your ED and it would be very easy for you to slip back into old routines and you've fought hard to get out of.

    Also a few people mentioned recomping, I was going to suggest it as well. But please. Please. Please. Get with professionals.
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