How much is too much loss?
colbiegirl
Posts: 138
I don't feel like ranting because I feel like it draws too much attention, but I feel like I'm falling apart. I also don't want people to comment on this with "YOU NEED TO EAT" or "YOU HAVE A PROBLEM." I just want some tips.
I started MFP the right way - eating healthier, exercising more often, and still enjoying my absolute favorite things in life. Weight came off the healthy way, and I felt GREAT.
Over the summer, I had a little too much time on my hands, and I started decreasing my calories more and more each day as I found the healthy alternative to almost everything under thet sun. I started eating less than 1,000 calories a day. I also started exercising even more frequently, 7 days a week, 500 + calories a day.
After starting school again, I started experiencing health problems like hearing loss, digestive problems, possible anemia, hair loss and nail thinning, etc., all symptoms of anorexia. I've even developed an allergy to nuts! After visiting a doctor, at 107 lbs, I was told to increase to 1,800 calories a day with LITTLE TO NO exercise. It didn't seem right to me, but I was determined to try it.
I haven't logged since October, changed my eating habits, lessened my exercise to every other day of cardio for only 30 minutes, and still haven't gained weight! Just lost. I'm down to 98 lbs.
Now, today, I was struck mid-morning with a stomach virus where I haven't eaten much (check my diary if you want, but don't critique negatively). I can't lose any more with a sickness because I was already forewarned to be put into the hospital if I got below 100 lbs, where I'll be force fed, most likely.
I'm aware I've lost too much. 98 lbs at 5'5 is NOT good. Should I just start eating the healthy calorie dense foods like average size bagels, 2% milk, etc? and still lay off the exercise? Any help would be great.
I started MFP the right way - eating healthier, exercising more often, and still enjoying my absolute favorite things in life. Weight came off the healthy way, and I felt GREAT.
Over the summer, I had a little too much time on my hands, and I started decreasing my calories more and more each day as I found the healthy alternative to almost everything under thet sun. I started eating less than 1,000 calories a day. I also started exercising even more frequently, 7 days a week, 500 + calories a day.
After starting school again, I started experiencing health problems like hearing loss, digestive problems, possible anemia, hair loss and nail thinning, etc., all symptoms of anorexia. I've even developed an allergy to nuts! After visiting a doctor, at 107 lbs, I was told to increase to 1,800 calories a day with LITTLE TO NO exercise. It didn't seem right to me, but I was determined to try it.
I haven't logged since October, changed my eating habits, lessened my exercise to every other day of cardio for only 30 minutes, and still haven't gained weight! Just lost. I'm down to 98 lbs.
Now, today, I was struck mid-morning with a stomach virus where I haven't eaten much (check my diary if you want, but don't critique negatively). I can't lose any more with a sickness because I was already forewarned to be put into the hospital if I got below 100 lbs, where I'll be force fed, most likely.
I'm aware I've lost too much. 98 lbs at 5'5 is NOT good. Should I just start eating the healthy calorie dense foods like average size bagels, 2% milk, etc? and still lay off the exercise? Any help would be great.
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Replies
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Start with some nuts and seeds, they are full of nutrients and the good fats your body is probably craving. a handful here and there will give you some energy. Then add in some protein for your hair, skin bones and muscles, don't forget to get your antioxidants from vegetables and fruit.
Yo are so young, don't wreck your body you have to live in it for a long time yet!0 -
She has a new-found allergy to nuts!0
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Maybe try some full fat yoghurts?? Holding off on the exercise would probably be a good plan at the moment too :-))
p.s. - hope you get better soon, you're a very pretty girl and I'm sure you deserve to be both happy and healthy0 -
She has a new-found allergy to nuts!
Right - my lips have swollen with peanut butter and I've broken out when eating pancakes that were handled around walnuts.0 -
Try using some healthy oils to cook in. Like olive oil and coconut oil. They are high in healthy fats! I cant see your dairy as you have it private but maybe you should go talk to someone because this might go deeper than you think. If you are still losing weight you must not be eating enough and that might be something you may need help getting past! I had a period in high school where I was borderline anorexic and I know it goes really deep and you fear the food you eat. I overcame it and am now doing things so much healthier!! You can add me if you would like!!0
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I can't imagine what you are going through... Especially going from almost 200 lbs to bordering on 100lbs. It makes perfect sense your body seems shocked and unhappy with such a huge change. I really hope that your loss is only due to eating issues and not something underlying it. (illness can cause weight loss sometimes) You are very young so that is in your favor and you have the ability to bounce back if your health is normal. I would definitely recommend logging food as it is a great way to track how much you need to eat. It would get your mind off whether or not you've starved yourself or overeaten.
You can't eat nuts... I would recommend just letting yourself eat what you really enjoy. This will make food so much easier to deal with and you have the ability to moderate so you don't swing to the other side again of weight gain. You want weigh gain but not too quickly I would think. You should have a doctor that you trust work with you... I'm sure you already do. They would know best ultimately as they went to school for years for this type of stuff and have other patients with the same situations or similar.
Whatever you do make sure it is for your well being and what will make you happy. Moderation is key in everything you do and it seems like you are figuring that out. Good luck.
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I'm sorry to here about your situation. Your right people can be very judgemental, especially in situations that they themselves have not experience. Just realize we are all humans and it's never to late to turn things around in you life.
My suggestion would be to get a good protein shake. Load up on good carbs (sweet potatoes, whole grains etc.) and lean protein and do some strength training and completely cut out cardio. This way you can build up some muscle mass, without dropping any more weight.
I hope this helps. Good luck doll 0 -
try eating things like olive oil,full fat dairy, meat,sweet potatos, plaintans,honey,advocatos,hummus,olives...
and try not to do cardio, stick to strength training.. make sure you are getting enough fat,protien and carbs..0 -
You really should consider seeing a professional nutritionist--they could work with you on a serious plan that would meet your specific needs. I know that's maybe not what you want to hear but seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Hope you feel better soon and that your stomach bug clears up!0
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homo milk will help give you the extra calories that you need used along with some of the other sugestions0
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I think you took an important first step in at least that you realize you are eating too little and went to see the doctor.
I have no real advice but hope that you find ways to overcome the eating disorder.
I agree with others in trying to get full good fat natural foods into your diet, cut back on cardio until you start gaining again. It is a hard hurdle to jump over but hope you can find the strength to do it.
Take care of yourself. And if you need to, please see a specialist in eating disorders.0 -
These are really great suggestions guys - they make me feel a whole lot better as I'm trying to sort this out.
Just another question if anyone else wants to answer - with exercise, I do light cardio (4.0 mph for 30 minutes on the treadmill) every other day and sometimes switch it up to 30 minutes at resistance 1 on a stationary bike, which equals 3 times a week, 30 minutes. Then, on the other days, I lift hand weights for 30 minutes, 5 to 10 lbs on each side. I haven't done any exercise since Wednesday, because I just got sick this morning, and now I'm feeling restless. Is this good or bad?0 -
Since you're trying to put weight on every bit of exercise you do is increasing how much you have to eat. If you're struggling to eat enough you might not want to do that.0
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If you are still losing weight after upping your calories you need to see your Doctor asap. Sorry:( I know that you are afraid that he might admit you into the hospital but honestly your weight is DANGEROUSLY low and that is where you might need to be.
First thing you should do is call your Doctor. After that -
purchase some Ensure or Boost from your local pharmacy (they are packed with calories and nutrients)
Eat calorie dense foods that will be gentle on your stomach (no super spicy foods)
full fat dairy foods
And NO EXERCISING, your body in it's fragile state will not be able to stand the strain.
Also - reach out to a Eating Disorder Group so you can find a support team of people that are going through what are you. If you do a search of groups on here I'm sure you can find some.
Best wishes, stay healthy!0 -
I would just focus on weight training but in order to gain some muscle you are REALLY going to have to up your calories. If you feel you HAVE to do cardio do maybe 20 mins. But really you need to work on the eating aspect for now!0
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I'm sort of in a similar boat, but I'm not quite as light as you. My BMI is around 17, and I think yours is about 16. Anyway, other than the weight numbers, my story is very much like yours. I'm currently trying to eat more (aiming for 1400 calories a day) and have cut back exercise to only hot yoga a couple of days a week for stress relief. I track my food religiously, weighing everything in grams to make sure I'm not overestimating how many calories I'm taking in. I'd suggest tracking your food much more closely, and I'd suggest adding hummus, avocado, guacamole, eggs and nuts (if there are any nuts you can manage with your newfound allergies) to your diet. Also, sneak good fats into what you do regularly eat. For instance, if you make eggs, scramble them with a little bit of coconut oil. Go for fattier cuts of meat (buy it pasture-raised and hormone-free if you can, though!) and use avocado and oil-based sauces on it. See if you can get your calories up to at least 1400, but don't go totally crazy right off the bat, or you'll get sick. If you're currently eating only 1000 calories, try getting 1200 today and tomorrow, then move on to 1250 for a couple of days, then to 1300, and so on. Of course, if you're hungrier and can eat more, do, but shoot for those numbers as minimums. And feel free to message me... I am right where you are, but at 5'8" and 113 instead of 5'5" and 98...0
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And the suggestion about calling your doctor... do that, but know that one of two things will probably happen. Either they'll decide you're too thin and sick and start exploring the reasons why (via testing, hospitalization, etc.) or they'll tell you to eat more and come back if you still persist in losing. My suggestion would be to track food intake and calorie output religiously for a few days first, and then go to your doctor with the data, so they have some place to start as they try to figure out what is going on.0
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These are making me feel a lot more confident about regaining the weight in a healthy way without overwhelming myself.
Is it possible to gain without LOOKING like you've gained TOO much? You know, a pudgier stomach...?
I definitely need to gain some weight in my face and other protruding bone areas, and I'm concerned I may gain strictly in my stomach/legs where they were previously problem areas.0 -
These fears you are expressing are your eating disorder talking.
When you begin to eat and gain a few pounds, of course you will notice it in your legs and your stomach. You are dangerously underweight right now.
When girls become women, their thighs and tummies become rounder than when they were young girls. It is natural to have rounded thighs and stomach. But the extreme of that is not wanting any fat in those areas.
Please call your doctor and be honest. Your brain is playing tricks on you because you are not only undernourished, but suffering from disordered thinking. Good luck. Please don't wait....call now.0 -
I'm really sorry to hear about your situation! I've been there myself in the past and it's a tough road to go down.
I agree with everyone else so that you need to up your calories, and as others have suggested things like boost or ensure are great ways to start!
I hear where you're coming from, feeling restless after not exercising recently. For the time being maybe try some lite yoga or stretching to help with stress relief.
This may take some time but things will get better, just keep in mind that you deserve a healthy happy body!
Good Luck and feel free to add me as friend!
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*hugs*
I know you said you stopped logging your food in October. Did you start again?
I used to be very thin in my teens and early 20s, and often underestimated how much I ate, frequently forgetting to eat meals. And that's a bad habit that continued into my late 20s and 30s, but I stopped being very thin. However, now that I'm... well, not skinny-thin, but definitely slender-thin, I have to pay attention to what I eat to make sure I eat enough, just as much to make sure I don't eat too much. It's a tightrope to walk, and it takes time to get used to eating a normal amount of food. 0 -
*hugs*
I know you said you stopped logging your food in October. Did you start again?
I used to be very thin in my teens and early 20s, and often underestimated how much I ate, frequently forgetting to eat meals. And that's a bad habit that continued into my late 20s and 30s, but I stopped being very thin. However, now that I'm... well, not skinny-thin, but definitely slender-thin, I have to pay attention to what I eat to make sure I eat enough, just as much to make sure I don't eat too much. It's a tightrope to walk, and it takes time to get used to eating a normal amount of food.
That's really true. I agree it's a tightrope to walk, and constantly feel full when eating normal amounts of food.
Thank you everyone for your advice so far. It's the greatest feedback I've ever gotten!!!0 -
You should keep exercising...it does not sound like you are overdoing it. Try to eat a certain percentage more every day so that you do not overwhelm your system. Start with easier to digest calorie/protein/carb rich diet. Include a good oil like olive or grapeseed in your daily intake, you need it for fat soluble vitamins.
Try some of the Ensure or other supplements, energy bars (easy to digest calories before exercise) to supplement your intake.
Good wishes but do consider seeing a doc as well.0 -
I think you had a very good idea on your own. Eating more calorie dense foods but still eating healthy is possible.
There is also a possibility that you have an undiagnosed medical condition that is keeping you from processing your calories.
A thyroid problem or diabetes are possibilities. Without insulin, your body can't process the food into glucose and it starts in on other sources, namely internal organs, which could be why you had the slew of symptoms.
I would say get back to a doctor and get an array of blood work done.0 -
Eating "regular" foods vs "diet" foods will help (simple things like whole milk, regular salad dressing or regular yogurt can help). What about adding in protein bars? Some of them have 200-400 calories per bar. It would be an easy way to up your calories without totally overwhelming your system.
You are aware that you need to eat. You know the consequences if you don't eat enough and gain some weight back. I truly think you may be benefited by eating every couple of hours.
I would keep the exercising to a minimum right now. It's okay to go ahead and do it for 30 mins or so - but don't overdo it. There's NO need for you to be burning 500+ calories working out.
I wish you the best of luck.0 -
Avocados are a nice source of healthy fats, and it never hurts to get lots of good, clean protein (which, if you saute or bake in olive oil, would be an even better source of calories for you!). Also whole grains are good for putting weight on, breads especially. I think you do need to see a dr if you are honestly eating 1800 a day, and only working out 4 times a week for 30 minutes and you are still dangerously underweight (I don't mean that to sound harsh or judgmental at all, I say it with concern and care). You might have some kind of pituitary or thyroid thing going on, it doesn't hurt to get it checked.
Also, don't worry about being flabby. Focus on being healthy and strong, because whatever that ends up looking like? It's going to be beautiful.0 -
good for you for realizing that you have a problem, signs of anorexia, and for reaching out for help
when you do start to gain a few, if you see if on your stomach ot legs, dont be alarmed, this is where women biologically need it! It will balance out too as you gain a little bit more.
Like others said, get things like boost or ensure to make sure you are getting nutrients. Have some cheese and crackers, a glass of milk (i'm concerned about your bone strength) and like others suggested, meat is a good thing....and fats wont make you fat, so dont worry about eating that
as far as exercise, maybe slowing down the walking a bit and focus on the strength training instead. excessive cardio will make you lose more and the strength training should help you avoid looking like you put on weight in problem areas (one of your concerns) if you're able to tone up the area. good luck and keep us informed of your progress please!
also i might suggest reading this: http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
particularly the are where it talks about how she lost all her weight unhealthly and the negative side effects it had, then how she started to feel and look when she (healthily) put some of it back on0 -
The one other thing that I would add is to remember to eat your excercise calories. If you are only getting 1000 (1200 is minimum), and excercising 500 then you are only giving your body 500 cals. I would log so you can make the numbers come out right. Maybe take a nice walk outside and avoid the treadmill and stationary bike for a while. Remember that there are no foods that are off limits (except alergin prone foods) Everything is ok in moderation.0
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The same thing pretty much happened to me last year. I started by trying to get healthier and it slowly became an eating disorder. I got down to 91 pounds at 5'5 and I almost passed away. Trust me, what you're doing is not worth the outcome. Have you been diagnosed with anorexia?
And also, what helped me gain weight was going out with my friends. At first, i stopped going anywhere because i didn't want to be put in to a situation where i would have to eat. As i started to go out with them more, i ate and felt completely normal. As time went on, I ate the things that i never thought that i would.
When I first went in, my doctor had me eat 1,000 calories a day because i was eating about 500-800. As time went on, some days i even got to about 3,000 because I knew that it wouldn't do anything besides help me. Right now i am about 127 because i gained too much (it took me about 6 a year to gain as much as i am rightnow ). My doctor said that i was at an okay weight at 111. i would like to get back there and I'm defiantly trying too but i realized that weight shouldn't control your life. If you have an eating disorder, i totally understand where you are coming from and I know that it is scary to put on the weight. I wish you the best of luck. and also, you're gorgeous!
Keep me posted on how you're doing and what you're trying to do now seems like you're doing the right thing.0 -
These are making me feel a lot more confident about regaining the weight in a healthy way without overwhelming myself.
Is it possible to gain without LOOKING like you've gained TOO much? You know, a pudgier stomach...?
I definitely need to gain some weight in my face and other protruding bone areas, and I'm concerned I may gain strictly in my stomach/legs where they were previously problem areas.
It's absolutely possible to gain without looking like you've gained in areas you don't want to. How about focusing some of your strength training on ab work to tone the belly area and avoid the 'pudgie' stomach?
For those days when you keep the exercise to a minimum and start to feel restless, how about some stretching to ease the restlessness? Or yoga for some overall toning?0
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