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Anorexia/Eating Disorders/recovering from anorexia/overexercising

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Expert: Joanna Lhulier, Psy.D. - 7/9/2008


Question
I was always an overweight child, and as a teen this greatly impacted me in many way and so i decided to start eating
healthy and exercise. However, it seems that last year was when i unconsciously became anorexic in my quest to be at a healthy weight even though i had already dropped from 205lbs to 145lbs in about a year and a half. By December i was already at 123lbs and i looked and felt so skinny and bony and i started having very serious digestive problems.

My main problem was that i did not do this on purpose, i thought i was just being healthy by eating less than 1000kcalories a day and exercising about 3 hours 5-7days a week. It seems that my body was fighting back because i would get horrible stomachaches and bloating and that kind of things.

Since then i have been trying to eat more and i have noticed that i have gained a considerable amount of weight both muscle and some fat. I feel great although a little gassy or bloated once in a while as i guess my body is trying to get used to eating a proper amount of food, but i have a question. Is it normal to feel really hungry? Like i sometimes eat what i consider a normal amount but it feels like i am still hungry for some reason and i feel kind of bad or guilty by eating more because i don't know if i am overeating which i did sometimes while i was recovering because it was like my body was desperate for food.

Is this normal and isn't it unhealthy? I mean i want to get well and make my metabolism fast in order to have more energy and burn some fat in a healthy way, but i don't want to develop another ED. Either way i don't eat anything unhealthy as i do not like it, but i am having this problem with healthy food which is not as bad but still is a problem as anything in excess is bad.

Answer
Hi Andres-
Well congrats to you for getting things on a better track.  I am sorry to hear about the digestive problems, but I want to let you know that this completely normal.  And so is the hunger.  Your body is trying to get used to a "normal" amount of food.  Before when you were doing a 1000k a day diet you were sort of in starvation mode and your body was doing its best to conserve.  Now that you are giving it fuel it is trying to adjust.  This balancing period could take a while.  I have heard of cases lasting up to 6 months so please be patient and hang in there.  You sounds like you are doing an amazing job.  Try to stay away from laxatives.
I wish you the best.  Take Care,
Dr. Joanna Lhulier

Anorexia/Eating Disorders

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Joanna Lhulier, Psy.D.

Expertise

I can answer several different types of questions about eating disorders, and how to deal with them. I can help figure out how to determine whether an individual needs professional help; how to choose what type of treatment may be most effective (i.e. therapist, nutritionist, psychiatrist or combination). I can give information about what a person can do to avoid relapse which would include an explanation regarding how to identify and avoid triggers and give ideas about where to get help in person and online. I can also give advice to concerned family members or friends. Perhaps most importantly, I can help increase self-understanding and acceptance.

Experience

I have been in private practice for seven years. My specialty is working with individuals struggling with eating disorders and/or body image issues. I work with individuals, couples, and families.

Organizations
The American Psychological Association Eating Disorders Hope Division 39 of APA (Psychoanalytic Psychology)

Publications
I have published a paper about training in the Psychoanalytic Psychology journal which is sponsored by the American Psychological Association. My writing and presentation interests include exploring topics such as loneliness, the learning process, and the benefits of mindfulness meditation.

Education/Credentials
I have earned a doctorate in Professional Psychology from the George Washington University (2001). I obtained my Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University (1997).

Awards and Honors
I serve as a member of the Clinical Supervisory Faculty for The George Washington University's Professional Psychology Doctoral Program. I am also an adjunct professor in Argosy University's Professional Psychology Doctoral Program.

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