Expert: Reverend Abbott - 1/9/2009

Question
Hello,
I am 18 years old and am recovering from anorexia. I am 5 feet 4 inches and
have been recovering for about a month, starting at 88 pounds.

I have been suffering severe binges; those in which you feel physical pain
and feel uncapable of doing anything apart from sleeping. I eat constantly-
all day long, feeding basically on nuts, chocolate, cookies, cakes, bread,
peanut butter, cereal and other similar foods. I love to eat healthy, but I just
dont see how eating veggies and fruit Im going to gain back my weight.

So Ive been binging every day for the past month and Im only up to 94
pounds. How can that be?? I do absolutely no exercise (Im in exam period so
I couldnt even if I wanted to..), and I thought that an extra 3500 calories was
an extra pound gained? How can it be Im not gaining weight any faster? On
some days the number on the scale even goes down!!

My other main concern is what is going on with my body. My legs and arms
are still like little twigs, bt my belly- oh my, I look like a pregnant woman.
Before anorexia hit me ( I have only been anorexic for about 5 months, since
this past summer), I had a nice body with typical spanish hour-glass curves,
tiny waist and prominent hips, nice healthy cheeks, and a certain glow about
me. Now Im afraid that because everything is going to my stomach, I will lose
my small waist (my waist has always been 20 inches round), and when will I
gain weight on my face? Will all the weight I put on be fat? I cant do exercise
so I cant put on muscle until february!

Can this past month of unhealthy eating be fixed if I start with a more
controlled plan from tomorow? (It is also difficult because everyone around
me is trying to feed me, basically shoving food down my throat, offering
cookies and chocolate all day long- and if I dont eat that stuff at home, my
mom will think Im relapsing into anorexia).

Also, my mom accompanies me at every meal. It doesn't really bother me,
since I can prove to her that Im eating (excessively), but should she lay off, or
is she doing the correct thing?

If I start swimming in February, will my weight redistribute quickly? When can
you say "I have recovered from anorexia?"
How do you prevent a relapse once you are at your goal weight and want to
maintain (ie. watch what you eat)

Oh my, so many questions! I spend all day thinking about food that I cant
even properly concentrate on my studies.

Could you produce a sample meal plan for one day of what I  should be
eating please?

Thank yo so very much for all your help, I truly appreciate it.
Tate  

Answer
I'm glad you're asking all these questions - it shows you're determined to not be owned by this disease.

Swimming is the number one overall exercise; walking is a close second.  They are both excellent for heart, respiratory and muscle health

Right now what you're seeing in the abdomen is fluid build up.  That also explains the dramatic weight fluctuations, both up and down.  Anorexia has thrown things off balance - it'll take some time to level off (how long is different for each person).

 I don't believe anyone really recovers.  We have 'remissions', but it's always something we can slip back into at any time in our lives.  My first was at about 15 to 18 yrs old; again in my early 20's and then again in my 40's.  

 Better than a sample meal for one day - I've put together an entire eating lifestyle  here    www.GetTheReal.info


And part of the most important steps to recovery is to get rid of the scale.  Stop being a number.