Expert: Joanne - 4/6/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hello! I am now recovering from anorexia and eating about 2500 calories a day. The weight rises up from 200-300 gr a day/ I would like to know if it would be possible to control the weight gain and when i become satisfied with my weight and cut down the calory intake to 1400 will the weight stop growing?

ANSWER: Olga

Who put you on a diet of 2500 calories?  If it was a professional involved in your care, then don't change it without their say so as they know much more about your case than I do.

When told you can, you should aim to cut down to about 2000 calories (but again, if you are getting professional advice, then do as you they are telling you!).  On a diet of 2000 calories, once your metabolism has recovered from the starvation diet you were following, you should be able to maintain a healthy weight without gaining or losing.

Unless recommended by a health professional, then I would never recommned you cutting down to 1400 calories!  I would never recommend dropping below 1500 at least without medical guidance!

As for your weight gain just now, you will gain quite a bit of weight initially, but this isn't 'fat', this is your body rebuilding itself and replacing stores that the body needs in order to work properly!  Please do not cut back on calories while your body is repairing itself as you will undo all the good work that you are doing now, and will just send yourself right back to the beginning!

Joanne

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for your answer! I would also like to know whether it is normal to have edema in my legs? they also ache when i walk, it feels like they weigh a ton.

Answer
Olga

Oedema in your legs is quite common when you begin to eat again.  It is just part of 'refeeding' in most cases.

I think that you should visit a doctor and have this checked out though, just to make sure that there is no other cause for it as there are a few other causes of oedema in the legs.

Joanne